Right now, Greninja obviously can't control this power.
Bond Evolution provides an extremely terrifying boost, but the consumption it brings is equally significant.
Throughout the battle, Greninja was only hit at the very beginning by the opponent's Air Slash; afterwards, it didn't take any damage.
After evolving, it took out Gyarados in two moves.
In this situation, losing the ability to fight directly shows how great the side effects of Bond Evolution are.
To use Bond Evolution without worries, Greninja probably needs to reach Elite Level first.
For now... in peak condition, lasting a minute can be considered a success.
"Ash, are you okay?" Outside the ring, Misty shouted with concern.
She was the only one in the audience who noticed that Ash's condition seemed a bit off too.
Ash shook his head: "Don't worry, I'm fine, just a bit tired. Looks like we can't use that evolution recklessly yet."
After speaking, Ash took out a Pokeball and recalled Greninja.
"You worked hard, Greninja. You performed well in this battle."
To tie with a Gym Peak Pokemon at a Professional Junior Level, isn't just a good performance.
It's absolutely monstrous!
Watching from a distance, Lance's curiosity reached its peak; he wanted to immediately ask Ash about the evolution.
However, since the battle was still underway, it wasn't the time to ask.
He would have to wait until the battle was over.
"Get back, Gyarados... I'm sorry, my command wasn't good, and I held you back." Clair looked at the Pokeball in her hand, tugged the corners of her mouth into a bitter smile, and apologized.
Gyarados' strength definitely wasn't the problem; it was Clair's command that was at fault.
A Gym Peak Pokemon losing to a Professional Junior Pokemon is definitely tied to the Trainer.
Clair never expected that she'd one day be the one holding her Pokemon back.
With Clair's level, even commanding Elite Level Pokemon wouldn't be a problem.
So it wasn't that her commands weren't fit for Gym Level Pokemon, but rather Ash's performance was just abnormal.
But Clair wouldn't make excuses for this.
Furthermore... it was just a trial battle they lost, and the opponent also lost their ability to fight.
The next match would be a two-on-two, and she wasn't at a disadvantage.
"You're really impressive, Ash. With a Professional Junior Pokemon, you defeated my Gym Peak Pokemon. The rumors are true; you're really adept at battling above your rank."
Saying that, Clair brought out her second Pokeball, "But it's not going to be that easy next. Go, Altaria!"
With a flash of light, a blue Pokemon wrapped in cotton appeared on the battlefield.
Dragon's traitor, Altaria.
Originally its attributes were Dragon and Flying, but after Mega Evolution, it becomes Dragon and Fairy.
Fairy and Dragon Types are ultimate rivals, so Altaria is called a traitor to the Dragon tribe due to this attribute combination.
Yet, even as a traitor, it's stronger than Gyarados and Charizard and the like.
At least it truly possesses Dragon Attributes.
Ash glanced at Altaria's level—Elite Advanced Level.
No doubt about it, this time Clair was serious; Elite Advanced Level in her team should be top-level.
In that case, Ash also sent out the one he had prepared...
"It's settled, Dragonite, you're up!"
With a flash of light, an orange, silly-looking Pokemon appeared on the battlefield.
Kanto's Quasi-God, Dragonite!
"That Dragonite... I get it now, it's the Dragonair from Dragon Island, isn't it? It's already evolved into Dragonite now!" Lance felt somewhat familiar seeing Dragonite.
He quickly recalled that Ash had captured a Dragonair on Dragon Island before.
This Dragonite should be the evolved form of that Dragonair from Dragon Island.
Back then, the Dragonair's level was only Elite Intermediate.
The difficulty in raising Quasi-God Pokemon is a consensus among Trainers; their growth cycle is often measured in years, with each evolution requiring a vast amount of battle experience and resources.
This Dragonite's level is now Gym Intermediate.
Yet since Ash returned from Dragon Island, it's only been a few months.
In just a few months, evolving from an Elite Intermediate Dragonair to Dragonite and pushing its level to Gym Intermediate.
This training speed would be unbelievable for any Trainer, especially considering it's a Quasi-God known for slow growth.
"Regardless of the outcome, just this training result is already astonishing." Lance murmured, his eyes flashing with admiration.
He mentally calculated—his own Dragonite took two full years to evolve from Dragonair, a process that still feels arduous when recalled.
Ash, this guy, not only has a knack for competing beyond his level but also finds a way in training Pokemon that few can replicate.
On the sidelines, Clair didn't have the keen insight like Lance.
Before formally engaging, she couldn't accurately judge Dragonite's exact level like Lance could.
But this didn't stop her from knowing that evolving into Dragonite meant it was at least above Professional Level, and since Ash sent Dragonite to battle her Altaria, it showed Ash's full confidence in Dragonite.
What's more, the previous battle saw Greninja defeating Gym Peak-level Gyarados with its professional skills.
This Dragonite, even if its strength is only at a professional level, is definitely not to be underestimated, let alone that Dragonite's level is not just that simple.
Recalling the scene of Gyarados being trampled by that Greninja just now, Clair subconsciously clenched her fists.
She dared not let her guard down even a little anymore.
"Ash, I must remind you," Clair took a deep breath, her tone full of confidence, "This battle is different from the last one."
Her gaze fell on the Altaria circling in the sky, its dragon eyes coldly watching Dragonite on the ground.
"Altaria is one of my absolute powerhouses, completely different from Gyarados. Even if you let Greninja perform that incredible evolution again, it's impossible to defeat Altaria."
Ash's lips curled slightly.
"That's not necessarily so."
Before his words fell, Ash's eyes suddenly became incredibly focused.
Aura Power surged from within him, transforming into an invisible yet robust tether that tightly linked him with Dragonite.
On Dragonite's round, honest-looking face, its gentle eyes suddenly lit up a bit more.
It sensed the continuous flow of power from the Trainer's side, its scales slightly opening, and a more powerful aura burst forth from its body.
Mid-Elite Level.
With the boost of Aura Fusion, Dragonite's level suddenly surged by a large degree, barely reaching the threshold to confront Altaria directly.
Yet Ash's actions did not stop there.
He raised his right hand, fingers tightly clenched, and the Evolution Key Stone embedded on the back of his glove suddenly erupted with dazzling light.
"Dragonite, MEGA evolve!"
Rainbow light shone across the entire field!
During that battle with Team Galactic, his Key Stone was already shattered.
A shattered Key Stone, even if infused with life force, cannot be used again.
But back at Professor Oak's place, there was always some reserved stock, and upon learning that Ash's Key Stone was damaged, Professor Oak immediately took out a new one to replace it for Ash.
Now he, can still make Pokemon MEGA evolve at any time!
Rainbow light burst forth from the Key Stone, drawing several arcs that precisely shot toward Dragonite's location.
Simultaneously, on Dragonite's body surface, an evolution stone hidden beneath its scales seemed to be awakened, suddenly appearing and emanating an equally brilliant rainbow glow.
The two beams of light intersected mid-air, and at that moment of collision, an even more intense evolutionary light exploded from Dragonite, enveloping its entire body.
"This is——"
Just having sat back down, Lance jumped up as if struck by Thunder Shock.
His hands clenched tightly, and for the first time, his typically composed face revealed trembling shock.
MEGA Dragonite Evolution Stone!
It was something he dreamed of obtaining.
As a Dragon Type Champion, he had more than three Dragonites, and his ace Pokemon was also Dragonite.
Therefore, he knew everything about Dragonite inside and out, except he could never find that legendary MEGA Evolution Stone!
He had searched through every Johto relic, flipped through countless ancient texts, and even entrusted many friends to help search, but always to no avail.
Other MEGA Evolution Stones, he had obtained quite a few, but he hadn't received a single hint about Dragonite's MEGA Evolution Stone.
He even began to doubt whether Dragonite's MEGA Evolution Stone truly existed in this world.
Maybe Dragonite simply couldn't mega evolve?
Maybe Professor Augustine Sycamore's detection was incorrect?
But now, right before his eyes, a Dragonite emerged from Dragon Island—a younger generation of his Dragonite—was now enveloped by evolutionary light, reaching out first to that domain he had painstakingly pursued but never attained.
Lance's throat rolled slightly.
Jealousy.
This emotion, which he had rarely experienced since becoming a Champion, surged into his heart with vivid clarity at this moment.
"It's really... enviable, Ash." He muttered, voice laden with shock, sentiment, and a touch of indescribable bitterness.
Cynthia glanced at him, the corner of her mouth subtly curved.
The grand Johto Champion, unexpectedly losing composure because of a young Dragonite—a matter that could surely cause laughter if spoken.
However, if it were not Dragonite Ash evolved now but Garchomp, and if she didn't have a MEGA Evolution Stone for Garchomp, she likely wouldn't fare any better than Lance.
Because Garchomp is her ace Pokemon.
For Champion Trainers like them, the significance of an ace Pokemon is completely different from other Pokemon.
To be blunt, if the ace Pokemon faces off against other Pokemon in the team, even one against three would not be a problem.
Enhancing an ace Pokemon provides a tremendous boost to overall strength.
Like Leon's ace Charizard, which can Gigantamax—a step up from regular Dynamax.
Coupled with its unmatched strength, this creates his undefeated legend.
Now with MEGA evolution, if one's ace cannot MEGA evolve, battling against opponents of the same level means suffering great losses.
What's more... Lance's Dragonite has already reached Champion Peak, seemingly only a step away from the Divine Domain.
Yet no matter how hard he tries, he can't take that step.
If MEGA evolved, experiencing a higher level of strength, it would undoubtedly greatly aid in advancing to the Divine Domain.
No wonder Lance was so beside himself.
The rainbow light enveloping Dragonite slowly faded.
When the light fully receded, a revitalized Dragonite appeared at the center of the field.
Its physique had grown significantly larger compared to before evolution, the once round belly became firm and robust, exuding a latent force ready to burst forth.
The most eye-catching change was at its head—the antenna disappeared, replaced by a pair of large, pristine wings.
The wings appeared to have fully inherited Dragonair's signature feathered wings from a previous stage yet were wider and more expansive than those in the Dragonair phase, like twin angel wings stretching out from either side.
Her arms and ankles also grew the same pristine feathers, each gentle sway carving an airy arc in the air.
At the tip of her tail, there was a pale green Treasure Pearl embedded, radiating a mysterious glow.
The glow wasn't glaring but carried a presence impossible to ignore.
MEGA Dragonite lifted her head slightly, using that still charmingly goofy smile to gaze at Clair and Altaria.
Though smiling, Altaria instinctively tensed its wings.
Clair looked at the figure enveloped by and then released from rainbow light, at the pair of pristine wings extending from its head, her lips parted, yet she couldn't say a single word.
The previous battle was Greninja with its unheard-of watery evolution.
This battle was Dragonite's MEGA Evolution.
How many trump cards does this boy have that she couldn't even imagine?
With Dragonite's MEGA Evolution, its imposing presence also emanated—that's a power capable of matching Altaria!
It seems this battle will be a tough one!
"I'm ready, Miss Clair! Let us begin!"
"Really surprising, Ash, but... since you've brought out MEGA Evolution, I won't hold back any longer." With that, Clair held the necklace at her chest.
At the very center of the necklace was a rainbow-tinted jewel—the Evolution Key Stone!
"Altaria, MEGA evolve!!"
The light of evolution enveloped Altaria!
Clair has MEGA evolution on her side as well!!
The light of evolution gradually faded, revealing a new Altaria.
After the super evolution light faded, Altaria was wrapped in a layer of pearl-colored fluffy feathers, like a large cloud floating in the air.
Its wings on the back layered up, the tail protruded several strands of plumage, its color softened from bright blue to gentle light blue-white.
Those eyes, less gentle than before evolution, now held more intensity—at this moment, she had completely shed her Flying-type attribute, transformed into both dragon and fairy types countering Dragon type.
The dragon tribe's renegade, MEGA Altaria, made its grand entrance!
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