"Aerodactyl, use Fire Fang!"
Aerodactyl flapped its wings and swiftly approached Venusaur, its flame-wreathed teeth sinking deep into the ancient king's thigh with devastating force.
"Venusaur—!"
The sovereign cried out in agony, then sixteen massive vines merged into a single, colossal green tendril that struck Aerodactyl's body with earth-shaking power. The impact sent the Sky King hurtling through the air, though it managed to steady itself just before an embarrassing crash landing.
"Power Whip? Impressive," Red praised, his eyes gleaming with tactical appreciation.
'Not only can it control natural power, but it also has twice as many vines as an ordinary Venusaur. What an unfathomable opponent.'
According to widespread research by numerous Pokémon professors, the number of vines a Bulbasaur could command depended on its evolutionary stage. Ordinary Bulbasaur could use two Vine Whips, evolved Ivysaur could manage four vines, and the final evolution, Venusaur, could control eight vines.
But the king Venusaur of the Mysterious Garden was no ordinary specimen—it could command a full sixteen Vine Whips!
Drawing upon emerald natural power, Venusaur gathered a pulsing green energy sphere in its massive maw. Under the ancient creature's precise control, the Energy Ball shot toward Aerodactyl like a guided missile.
"Wing Attack!"
The projectile's speed was formidable, rapidly closing the distance to its aerial target.
Upon receiving Red's command, Aerodactyl spread its wings wide, releasing brilliant white energy as it used Wing Attack to cleave the Energy Ball cleanly in half. The two halves plummeted to the ground, detonating in twin explosions that shook the entire garden.
Fortunately, the watching Ivysaurs weren't foolish. Seeing the falling trajectory of the split attack, they immediately scattered to avoid the blast radius.
"The warm-up phase is over, Venusaur!" Red declared, his voice carrying across the battlefield as he threw the Mega Stone toward Aerodactyl, then pressed the Key Stone embedded in the back of his hand. "Prepare to face the power of my bond with Aerodactyl!"
"Break through your shackles, return to your origins! Answer my call, Aerodactyl—Mega Evolve!"
The light of their bond formed a brilliant connection between Red and Aerodactyl. The ancient predator fell into a moment of profound contemplation as power surged through its being.
'This! This is the form I should have had!'
The brilliant light faded, revealing the transformed Aerodactyl to everyone. Compared to its previous appearance, Mega Aerodactyl showed relatively subtle but significant changes.
Its original claws were now encased in razor-sharp stone blades, three spike-like protrusions grew from the end of its tail, its jaw and forehead horns were reinforced with stone armor, spikes emerged from the ends of its talons, and its entire spike-covered body radiated an aura of enhanced physical prowess.
'How should I put it... Aerodactyl's Mega Evolution feels somewhat understated...' Red mused privately.
Pokémon: Mega Aerodactyl
Type: Rock/Flying
First Ability: Rock Head
Second Ability: Pressure
Third Ability: Tough Claws
Known Moves: Ancient Power, Wing Attack, Supersonic, Iron Head, Crunch, Stone Edge, Agility, Fire Fang, Flamethrower, Psychic Fangs, Dragon Claw...
Personality: Warlike and ferocious, enjoys catching prey and cruelly dropping them from great heights.
Biography: Leader of the Aerodactyl clan in ancient times, known as the Sky King of its era, apex predator of the ancient food chain. Often flew while crying loudly to intimidate prey that intended to resist. Skilled at using saw-like teeth to bite through opponents' throats. Previously had stress reactions to fresh blood and meat, but overcame its inner beast instincts through Viridian Power and Professor Oak's treatment.
"Mega Evolution?!" all three of Ash's group exclaimed simultaneously, staring at the transformed Aerodactyl with expressions of pure amazement. None of them had ever witnessed a Mega Evolved Pokémon before, making Mega Aerodactyl a source of intense curiosity.
Since they were still in the midst of battle, Red temporarily refrained from explaining the origins of Mega Evolution to Ash's group, instead focusing on Venusaur with growing intrigue.
Because Venusaur's eyes showed no shock, but rather... surprise.
That's right, surprise rather than shock. This expression revealed that Venusaur was already aware of Mega Evolution's existence.
"Venusaur—!"
Under everyone's witness, the ancient king roared again, then began absorbing the natural power surrounding the garden. Covered by emerald energy, Venusaur also began to transform.
"There's actually a Mega Stone embedded in that flower pistil?!" Red said in amazement, discovering brilliant light emanating from the massive bloom on Venusaur's back and sensing the unmistakable presence of a Mega Stone.
'What an unexpected development, but this feels right...'
The brilliant light faded, revealing Mega Venusaur in all its glory.
Mega Venusaur's back flower had grown even more massive, and the increased weight had made its supporting trunk and legs proportionally stronger to bear the load.
The "trunk" supporting the giant flower was longer than before evolution. From its base still grew four giant leaves resembling banana fronds, extending toward the left front, right front, left rear, and right rear, with an additional ring of four green leaves sprouting around them.
Four thick vines hung down from the central trunk, their other ends connected to the bases of the surrounding leaves. The flower pistil had fewer pointed tips, the petals were lighter in color, and white triangular marks pointing toward the flower's center replaced the previous irregular white spots.
Two six-petaled pink flowers bloomed on its forehead and back, respectively, and three dark green marks—one diamond and two triangles—appeared prominently on its forehead.
"Venusaur Mega Evolved too!" Ash said in amazement, his voice filled with awe as he stared at the transformed sovereign.
Sharp leaves swept across the entire battlefield like a devastating storm, the Petal Blizzard composed of razor-edged foliage rapidly attacking Aerodactyl in the sky.
"Fly higher and use Flamethrower!" Red commanded with tactical precision.
Mega Aerodactyl rapidly flapped its enhanced wings to gain altitude, releasing blazing flames from its mouth and incinerating the incoming leaves to ash before they could reach it.
"Aerodactyl can use Flamethrower too?" Ash asked in confusion, looking to Brock for clarification.
"Ahem!" Brock straightened up, preparing to provide proper theoretical knowledge. "In principle, Flamethrower is simply the controlled release of flames, and since Aerodactyl can master Fire Fang, it should naturally be capable of learning Flamethrower as well."
"I see!" Ash said, pounding his right fist into his left palm with sudden understanding.
'That dragon's moves aren't bad to use...' Aerodactyl thought briefly, before Charizard's smug face flashed through its mind. The previously confident Sky King's expression immediately fell, and it shook its head vigorously in frustration.
Venusaur hadn't expected Aerodactyl to have mastered such a perfectly targeted move. Being cautious, it chose not to attack immediately, instead drawing upon natural power and using Growth.
Venusaur's entire form expanded again, its Attack and Special Attack increasing by one stage as raw power coursed through its enhanced body.
"Aerodactyl, use Agility, then Psychic Fangs!" Red commanded, his strategic mind already adapting to the new battlefield conditions.
Mega Venusaur's ability was Thick Fat, rendering the previous Fire-type moves far less effective. Therefore, Red directed Aerodactyl to use the equally super-effective Psychic Fangs, exploiting Venusaur's secondary Poison typing.
The reason for the power disparity between the two Mega Evolved titans was simple yet decisive: while Venusaur could only possess one ability, Mega Aerodactyl simultaneously wielded three distinct abilities. This was the absolute advantage that would determine the battle's outcome.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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