"Zekrom, Fusion Bolt!"
N didn't hesitate to issue the command to Zekrom. Fusion Bolt—Zekrom's most powerful signature move!
"ROOAAAR!!"
Zekrom let out a deep, earth-shaking dragon cry as the turbine on its tail flared up with bright blue electricity.
Immense pressure surged from its body in waves, and golden lightning surged violently around it.
The blazing electric energy nearly wrapped around Zekrom's entire body. In the next instant, it charged straight toward Reshiram!
"Blue Flare!"
Upon seeing this, Lucas didn't waste a second.
Fusion Bolt was Zekrom's strongest technique, and aside from Blue Flare, Reshiram had no other moves that could directly match it.
Reshiram pulled back to maintain some distance, and after charging up, launched a radiant pillar of blue flames toward Zekrom.
The blue flames collided heavily with Zekrom.
Fusion Bolt vs. Blue Flare!
The strongest signature techniques of the Dragon of Ideals and the Dragon of Truth clashed head-on.
Shockwaves rippled outward in waves as golden and blue lights fiercely clashed, each trying to overpower the other.
Dark clouds churned, immense power burst forth, and the resulting winds nearly enveloped the entire plain.
Boom!
Finally, the balance of power broke—the energy exploded violently.
"…As expected, that didn't work either."
N frowned as he looked at Zekrom, who had been pushed back by the explosion.
Although it wasn't harmed due to the protective energy of Fusion Bolt, its attempt to close the distance had completely failed.
"Zekrom, Draco Meteor!"
But N didn't give up. If Zekrom wanted to defeat Reshiram, it absolutely had to get in close.
Zekrom opened its maw, gathering pure dragon-type energy into a sphere before launching it into the sky.
"Draco Meteor? Then we'll join the fun too."
Lucas chuckled. Draco Meteor was a special attack—a domain that clearly favored Reshiram!
Reshiram also began gathering energy, forming a brilliant orb of Draco Meteor. Two spheres, like celestial bodies carrying the weight of stars and galaxies, soared high before violently exploding in the sky.
Meteor-like dragon projectiles began raining down, each trailing a fiery tail behind them—
The entire sky looked as if a meteor shower was descending upon the earth.
"Zekrom, Dragon Claw!"
As the draconic meteors descended, N swept his gaze across the battlefield and issued a command.
Zekrom let out a low growl and charged straight toward Reshiram at high speed.
N believed in Zekrom—he believed it could do this!
"He's coming in—Dragon Pulse."
Lucas glanced at the approaching Zekrom and warned Reshiram.
Reshiram didn't hesitate, unleashing a beam of draconic energy from its maw.
But this time, Zekrom didn't try to dodge—it raised its Dragon Claw and slashed directly at the Dragon Pulse!
Boom!
Dragon Pulse exploded, and Zekrom emerged from the smoke, still charging straight toward Reshiram.
"…So we're really getting serious now?"
Lucas raised an eyebrow—this tough, aggressive approach clearly meant N was done holding back.
"Alright then—we won't hold back either. Reshiram, Hyper Voice!"
Amidst the falling Draco Meteors, the distance between the Black Dragon and White Dragon was closing fast.
Reshiram's eyes grew serious. It suddenly opened its mouth and let out a piercing shriek, sending out shockwaves of sound.
Zekrom winced, its body suddenly halting mid-charge as it squinted in discomfort from the sharp, overwhelming sound.
"Zekrom!"
N was caught off guard—he hadn't expected Lucas to use a move like that.
Sound-based attacks were notoriously difficult to avoid, not only because they came suddenly, but also because they were so fast.
"Dragon Pulse!"
Lucas smirked and followed up without hesitation.
Reshiram gathered a powerful beam of energy and fired it directly at Zekrom.
"Zekrom, Fusion Bolt!"
Though Zekrom's eardrums were still under heavy stress, it gritted its teeth and activated the turbine on its tail.
Electric arcs crackled as a force field enveloped Zekrom.
Dragon Pulse hit squarely, exploding with intense force—but thanks to the timely activation of Fusion Bolt's shielding effect, Zekrom was merely pushed back and didn't suffer significant damage.
"Telepathic communication is really a pain sometimes."
Seeing this, Lucas shook his head with slight regret.
He knew it wasn't a flaw in his tactics.
Rather, it was the unique nature of psychic communication—a bond that transcended language, a direct connection from mind to mind.
Even with Zekrom's eardrums impacted by Hyper Voice, N's commands could still reach Zekrom's heart.
Still, it didn't matter much.
"Here comes the Draco Meteor!"
Lucas's lips curled into a faint grin as he lifted his head toward the sky filled with falling meteors.
Zekrom, still dazed from the earlier attack, tried to dodge the incoming projectiles—successfully evading one, but then taking a direct hit from another.
Meanwhile, Reshiram, facing no outside interference, gracefully avoided each meteor with ease.
"…Am I really inferior to him?"
Watching the stark contrast between their performances, N clenched his lips.
Zekrom had once again fallen into a disadvantage.
But—it shouldn't be like this.
He had never doubted his ideals. He had the resolve to see them through no matter what.
So why… why couldn't he defeat Reshiram?
Why was the gap widening?
Was he truly… inferior to the man standing before him?
"Zekrom and Reshiram are evenly matched in power. But Trainers are not the same. The same Pokémon can show entirely different results in the hands of two different Trainers."
Lucas, sensing the confusion in N's eyes, let his smile deepen slightly, tilting his head as he addressed N:
"So, do you understand now?
You have the resolve to pursue your ideals at all costs—but the world is grounded in reality.
Ideals are nothing more than a spiritual comfort for people striving for the future."
"Too many ideals crumble when confronted by reality.
Your so-called dreams and hopes… sometimes they're just that—cheap and meaningless."
"You really think being recognized by the Black Dragon makes you special?
N, the world is vast. If you want to reshape it to your vision, you're still far from ready."
Lucas's voice was cool and tinged with mockery. He remembered how he once used grand talk of "dreams" just to convince Yellow to go on a journey.
But that was all a ruse.
It wasn't that he despised dreams or ideals—many people do live and strive for their goals because of them.
That spirit is irreplaceable.
But when you forsake reality just to chase an ideal—is that really the right thing to do?
Of course, this had little to do with Lucas himself.
He was merely toying with N.
What truly intrigued him was not simply defeating N, but shattering N's belief in his ideals.
When ideals and reality collide, one side must fall.
And compared to simply winning a battle, breaking N's spirit—that was far more interesting.
"Are… ideals really powerless before reality?"
N bit his lip, his eyes growing dim.
Lucas's words echoed over and over in his mind.
N had always been strong-willed and exceptionally gifted.
But now—because of this fated battle, because Zekrom had been continually on the losing side—he was beginning to waver.
Zekrom, knocked to the ground by multiple falling meteors, looked up at N, its dragon eyes filled with intensity but silent.
It was the Dragon of Ideals.
Its role was to support its chosen Hero in achieving their ideal—not to interfere or redefine that ideal.
If the Hero gave up or fell into despair… then Zekrom, too, would abandon them.
"You think you're saving Pokémon with your actions?
But have you ever looked at what your Plasma Team is really doing?"
"Colress's biological modification experiments—your team's ruthless theft of Pokémon from innocent Trainers—
That's your so-called effort to create an ideal world?"
Lucas's voice rang in N's ears, full of sarcasm and disdain, making the young king of Team Plasma—the Hero chosen by the Dragon of Ideals—turn pale instantly.
"Father said… in order to teach Trainers the importance of Pokémon, sacrifices are inevitable."
N finally spoke, his voice low.
He knew about Plasma's raids on Trainers' Pokémon.
It didn't sit well with him, but Ghetsis told him that sacrifice was a part of the path toward their ideal.
They were saving those Pokémon—freeing them from the clutches of Trainers.
And so, N reluctantly accepted it.
As for the biological modification experiments…
He truly hadn't known. But now… a sinking feeling was growing in his heart.
"Wow. That's a great speech. But tell me—did you ever consider what those Pokémon wanted?"
"You say you want to save them—but you forcefully tear them from their bonds?
What a joke. Spouting empty words about love and freedom while acting like tyrants…"
Lucas's smirk deepened. He truly couldn't help but laugh at the hypocrisy.
But before he could say more—two beams of energy shot toward him with terrifying speed.
"Reshiram!"
Lucas narrowed his eyes, pausing his lecture, and called out.
Without hesitation, Reshiram gathered a massive fireball and launched it at the two incoming beams.
Fusion Flare!
Boom!
The Fusion Flare exploded against the incoming energy blasts, sending powerful shockwaves across the field.
"As expected… Genesect."
As the smoke cleared, two Genesect appeared before Lucas's eyes.
"…So, you finally couldn't hold back, huh?"
Lucas's grin twisted into something more feral.
For Ghetsis to send out Genesect—it was clear he had lost patience.
----------------------------------
"Genesect, huh…"
Staring at the two enemy Genesect, Colress's eyes flashed with a strange emotion.
Yes, his expression at this moment was indeed complex—because it was he who had revived and modified Genesect.
And now, Ghetsis was using them against him?
"That's right. Genesect.
Colress, come back with me to Team Plasma. You're still our top scientist."
Ghetsis's face was dark. He had failed to subdue Colress and was even being pushed back.
Seeing Zekrom now overwhelmed by Reshiram—
And the rest of the Plasma elites being massacred by a single Tyranitar and a black-red flaming bird—
He could no longer wait.
The situation on all three fronts was deteriorating.
So finally, Ghetsis deployed the Genesect Army.
"Sigh… Ghetsis, I used to think you were a smart man. Just blinded by ambition.
But now, I see—you're dumber than I thought."
Colress shook his head with genuine disappointment.
He was beginning to seriously question his past judgment—
Thinking Ghetsis could achieve something great may have been a grave miscalculation.
He created Genesect.
The Colress Machine was his invention.
Did Ghetsis really think he'd hand over four Genesect without any contingency plans?
"Hmph! Enough talk. If you still won't yield, then don't blame me."
Ghetsis's eyes were filled with gloom—but deep down, a trace of unease flickered.
He wasn't sure if Colress had hidden countermeasures.
But at this point, he could no longer afford to hesitate.
"Techno Blast!"
With help from the Colress Machine, Ghetsis ordered the two Genesect to attack.
(The other two Genesect had already been sent to assist N—
Even with the Black Dragon, he still couldn't win against the White one…)
Genesect lowered their bodies, and the cannons on their backs locked onto Colress, building up thick energy.
This was Genesect's signature move—Techno Blast!
"Techno Blast…"
Colress calmly shook his head—and threw a Poké Ball.
A shiny Genesect emerged before him.
(End of Chapter)