"Sure enough, I still have to rely on this power in the end."
As Aerodactyls and Dragonites were blown away, Ace raised his head. His normally clear eyes now had jet-black whites and golden pupils.
A vibrant green crystal in his hand slowly melted into his body, and a "Δ"-like pattern appeared on the back of Ace's hand.
Time rewound to two days ago. Ace watched Crobat practice Toxic Wings, his brows slightly furrowed.
"No, Crobat needs time to master new skills. Right now, unless Toxic Wings is highly proficient and can unleash large-scale Toxic Rain, and unless Lance and his team deploy their entire Pokémon army, it's unrealistic to try and wipe them all out in one go."
Ace pondered, muttering, "I still need a trump card, a trump card powerful enough to turn the tide!"
Subconsciously, Ace thought of Mewtwo.
Unfortunately, Mewtwo had already left. Otherwise, a Mega-evolved Mewtwo's strength could indeed contend with the Pokémon army, but it wouldn't be overwhelming.
Unconsciously, Ace touched his fanny pack. Inside, there was an item related to another legendary Pokémon.
The Green Orb. The League had artificially created this orb, drawing inspiration from the Blue Orb and Red Orb, hoping to control Rayquaza.
However, the League members didn't know that if they forcefully controlled an ancient Pokémon without its recognition, their own consciousness would be reciprocally controlled, leading the Pokémon to manipulate humans for battle.
Ace was a successor now, but that didn't mean Rayquaza would necessarily accept him.
If he were controlled by Rayquaza, then Grandma Dragon would probably cry if she found out.
After all, if both generations of successors she trained were wiped out, this wretched planet might as well be destroyed sooner rather than later.
"I'll take a gamble."
Ace gritted his teeth. If there wasn't such a demanding mission, Ace would never do such a thing. But now, with the arrow on the string, he had no choice. Either he succeeded, gained Rayquaza as a trump card, and smoothly completed this main mission.
Or he failed, was controlled by Rayquaza, and perished.
However, even if he was controlled by Rayquaza, with the influence of Ace's obsession, Rayquaza would still help Ace defeat the Elite Four. So, overall, the mission would definitely be completed. As for the outcome, that was up to fate.
Having thought this through, Ace placed the Green Orb before his eyes, concentrated, and easily immersed his consciousness into it.
Then, Ace felt his consciousness travel a long distance, finally landing on a colossal being.
"Who's there?!"
Rayquaza, sleeping in the ozone layer, suddenly opened its eyes. A vast consciousness instantly pressed down on Ace's will.
"Damn it, with such a powerful will, how did those two guys control Groudon and Kyogre?"
Ace couldn't help but inwardly complain, feeling the pain of his consciousness seemingly being crushed. He roared at Rayquaza, "I am this generation's successor!"
The immense will, which was about to crush Ace's consciousness, halted. It approached Ace, sniffing lightly.
Ace sighed in relief. Not being killed upon meeting meant they could talk.
"The blessing of the dragon race, and a decent dragon affinity. You're not bad, kid. But the way you came to see me displeases me somewhat."
Ace felt a layer of mist dissipate before his eyes. The next moment, Rayquaza's colossal body appeared before him.
If Ace's consciousness was an ant, then Rayquaza's will was roughly equivalent to Yao Ming.
Rayquaza extended a claw, and Ace stood on its tip, being brought before Rayquaza's face.
"I apologize. I obtained this thing by accident, and the method of obtaining it was actually when I rescued you."
"Hmph, those damned things! If it weren't for that device draining my life energy, that little girl wouldn't have died, and I wouldn't have been captured by them."
Rayquaza clearly recalled unpleasant memories. Ace felt the space around him subtly vibrate, and a sense of pressure enveloped him.
"Forget it, I won't talk about it anymore. You can go back. Considering your status as a successor, I won't kill you."
Rayquaza lowered its claw, preparing to drive Ace away.
"I'm in danger."
Ace suddenly spoke. "I need your help, Rayquaza."
Rayquaza's descending claw stopped, then an upward motion occurred, and Ace was once again brought before Rayquaza.
"Don't get too carried away, human!"
Rayquaza glared at Ace, saying coldly, "I only protect this planet. As for beings like you, if you die, you die. I'll just get another successor."
"If I die, there won't be any more successors."
Ace said without a hint of panic, "The death of the previous successor has already severely impacted the morale of the Draconid people. If they learn that I, this successor, have also died, they will fall into despair, and no more successors will be born."
"And... I have something that confuses me."
Ace didn't give Rayquaza a chance to speak, immediately asking, "I've read some dossiers. Since you cooperated with humans a thousand years ago, why are you so weak now? You couldn't even save a little girl?"
Rayquaza was somewhat lost in thought by Ace's question. Then, it angrily flicked its claw, and Ace's consciousness was instantly thrown out, returning to his own body.
"Looks like there's no problem."
Ace moved his body, looking at the Green Orb in his hand with a slight smile.
Rayquaza didn't immediately crush him; instead, it threw him back. Rather than resisting Ace, it seemed Ace had hit on some crucial points that made it somewhat exasperated.
But it couldn't do anything to Ace, so it simply decided to send him away to avoid the annoyance.
"No more than half an hour. Beyond that limit, I must reclaim my power, otherwise, your body will completely collapse, a collapse that cannot be repaired or reversed. You must remember this, understand?"
As the Green Orb completely fused into Ace's body, Rayquaza's voice echoed in Ace's mind.
"Understood. A half-hour human Rayquaza experience card. Once the time is up, I'll die."
Ace gave a wicked smile, and the surrounding turbulence lifted him slowly into the air.
Meanwhile, Aerodactyl and Gengar instantly reverted from their Mega Evolution forms.
At this moment, Ace was no longer human, but a human-form Rayquaza!