"Arrogant fool!" Saturn was enraged.
He shamelessly pulled out two more Poké Balls from his pocket and released his Toxicroak and Bronzong.
Faced with this, Cynthia's expression remained unchanged, her voice cool and composed as she commanded, "Garchomp, Dragon Rush!"
"Kadabra, use Psychic to restrain it! Toxicroak, Sucker Punch! Bronzong, Hypnosis!" Saturn bellowed.
Cynthia's gaze swept swiftly over the three opposing Pokémon before she ordered sharply, "Dodge upward!"
Using Sucker Punch, Toxicroak had already closed in on Garchomp. Kadabra's Psychic beam shot in from the right, while Bronzong, floating on the left, emitted a ripple of blue light, Hypnosis, locked onto Garchomp and unleashed it.
Faced with attacks from three directions simultaneously, Garchomp remained unflustered like its trainer. Then it pivoted midair and shot straight upward.
Below, Garchomp vanished from its original position. Toxicroak's Sucker Punch missed, leaving it directly in the path of Psychic and Hypnosis.
Cynthia looked up, and instructed in a steady voice, "Lock onto Kadabra and use Dragon Rush!"
"Rooooar!"
Garchomp let out a deafening roar as its body, moving at supersonic speed, transformed into a crimson meteor streaking across the sky. In the blink of an eye, it was upon Kadabra.
The speed was so overwhelming that Kadabra had no time to Teleport away before Garchomp slammed it into the ground.
*CRACK!*
The sheer force of Garchomp's Dragon Rush shattered the thick ice formed by Castform, sending both Kadabra and itself plunging into the depths of Lake Valor.
*Gulp*
In the distance, players watching this scene couldn't help but swallow hard...
"Cynthia's Garchomp… is just too strong."
"Ahem, I just checked... that Garchomp's strength is already at Ace-class..."
"Damn… Didn't Cynthia just become Champion this year?"
"Nah, I saw her on TV recently, she's still collecting Gym Badges to compete in this year's Sinnoh League."
"So… what's the deal between Cynthia and Caleb?"
That was the million-dollar question.
One player pursed his lips and admitted, "No idea. Actually, on the first day of this Instance, I ran into Cynthia and asked if she wanted to travel together as friends… but she turned me down."
Another player glanced at him, hesitating before saying, "Maybe… it's because you're not good-looking enough?"
The poor guy burst into tears on the spot...
...
Caleb didn't hear the players' conversation. His attention was entirely focused on Cynthia...
The Cynthia in battle was nothing like the gentle and mature woman he usually saw.
Mid-battle, her expression was focused, calm, as if everything was under her control.
She was like a queen.
Just then, as if sensing his gaze, Cynthia turned and smiled softly at him. At that moment, the battling Cynthia and the everyday Cynthia merged perfectly in Caleb's mind.
Kadabra had been sunk to the lakebed, Toxicroak was still asleep, and the battle had turned into a one-sided slaughter.
The sheer power gap left Saturn stunned. His eyes locked onto Cynthia's indifferent face as he gritted his teeth and demanded, "Who the hell are you?!"
Cynthia didn't answer. Instead, she looked down, scanning beneath the ice.
A sleek black shadow darted beneath the frozen surface, arriving beneath Bronzong in an instant.
Cynthia: "Dragon Claw."
"What?!" Saturn suddenly realized something was wrong and frantically looked down.
Garchomp burst through the ice like a dragon surging from the sea, its claws blazing with draconic energy as it struck Bronzong with devastating force.
*BOOOONG!*
A resonant chime echoed as Bronzong was sent flying, skidding across the ice for over a dozen meters before crashing to a halt.
"You–!" Panic flashed across Saturn's face.
He stumbled back before pulling out another Poké Ball and releasing a Flying-type Pokémon, scrambling onto its back.
He glanced at the sky and muttered, "Mars should have succeeded by now…"
Then, turning back to Cynthia and the others below, he sneered, "Even if you defeat me, you can't stop Team Galactic's plans! A final warning, if you value your lives, get out of here now!"
With that, he flew back to the airship on his Pokémon.
With the second wave's boss retreating, Caleb received another New Year's Gift Box and two 888 League Credit Red Packets.
Garchomp landed beside Cynthia, dripping wet from the lake. She pulled a towel from her bag and gently began drying Garchomp's scales.
Caleb glanced at them before turning his gaze skyward...
The event's conclusion notice hadn't appeared yet, meaning the Lake Valor storyline wasn't over.
As Saturn returned to the airship, it hovered momentarily before slowly rotating in place before the players' eyes.
Rows of pitch-black cannons extended from its wings with a series of clicks, all aimed directly at the lake island below.
Caleb's expression darkened as he looked at Cynthia.
"We need to leave!" Cynthia said in a grave tone.
Caleb climbed onto Dragonite's back, while Cynthia mounted Garchomp. The two Dragon-types exchanged a glance before shooting into the air, speeding toward the shore.
Chaos erupted on the lake island as players scrambled to escape, each using their own methods... a scene rivaling the 'Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea'.
But it was already too late...
Silver, meteor-like bombs rained down from the cannons, turning the entire island into a no-man's-land.
Those were… Galactic Bombs! Specially designed by Team Galactic to blast open portals to the Lake Guardians' alternate dimension!
Clearly, Team Galactic had prepared thoroughly for this operation...
Caleb and Cynthia watched from Dragonite and Garchomp's backs, their expressions grim.
Then, the global announcement rang out once more:
[Congratulations to the players at Lake Valor for completing the mission successfully! As a reward, all players will receive an additional 500 points upon Instance completion!]
[Congratulations to Player Caleb Chase for ranking first in the event's points leaderboard! Prize