Lying sprawled on the cold, unforgiving ground, Tornadus found himself wishing he could just go back to the Pure White Tundra.
He had thought today's match was his perfect shot at revenge—only for it to spiral into a nightmare.
What the hell was that form of Lucario's? It looked like he had evolved again.
And on top of that… Cogita and Enamorus had surrendered way too quickly.
Couldn't they at least have shown a little appreciation for the desperate attack he just pulled off?
As Tornadus lay there, dazed and defeated, Lucario was already strutting back to Elias's side, hands on his hips.
Post-[Mega Evolution], Lucario's posture was tighter, more self-assured—and the way he stood now, hips cocked, he looked almost smug.
"Victory secured."
Lucario huffed with satisfaction and gave Elias a proud nod.
Sure enough, Regigigas hadn't lied to him—this Evolution Stone really was the real deal.
Lucario was honestly starting to fall in love with his current state.
The sheer power surging through his body, the cold steel protruding from his fists and limbs—it thrilled him so much he could barely keep himself from bouncing.
Beside him, Elias finally snapped out of his daze at the sound of Lucario's voice.
He blinked up at his partner, seeing a Lucario who looked—and acted—like a completely different creature.
Several question marks practically popped above his head.
"How… did you even do that?"
The victory had come so suddenly that Elias, as the Trainer, hardly felt like he'd done anything.
Just moments ago, with Lucario under pressure from both Tornadus and Enamorus, Elias had been scrambling to find a way out.
Even Zoroark, hiding behind him, had been anxiously debating whether to step in.
And then—just like that—
Lucario transformed. The tide of battle flipped in a flash.
Before Elias could even react, the previously unstoppable Tornadus had been swept off his feet by a smooth and ruthless combo.
The shockwave had kicked up such a blast of air that Elias could barely keep his eyes open.
As for their opponent, Cogita… well, she hadn't hesitated for a second before throwing in the towel.
Elias couldn't help but wonder if she'd had that white flag ready from the moment the battle started—her surrender had been that fast.
He sighed, shoulders dropping.
No matter how the battle had played out, the outcome was clear: he wouldn't be calling on Zoroark today.
And he could feel the big fox behind him quietly shaking with laughter.
Lucario, meanwhile, had started explaining everything, repeating what Regigigas had told him about the [Mega Evolution] stone.
But when he saw Elias's only-half-comprehending expression, he lifted his chin proudly.
Let them underestimate him, huh?
Now they knew what he was capable of.
Minute by minute, the stunned crowd began to recover from the shock of Lucario's explosive power.
The clan chief, acting as referee, was the first to come back to his senses.
He glanced at Elias deeply, took a long breath, then raised the Pearl Clan flag high and shouted:
"Tornadus is unable to battle. Contestant Cogita has forfeited."
"Therefore, the victor is Elias of the Pearl Clan!"
His voice rose with excitement as he declared the result.
Not only had Elias won, he'd done so in spectacular fashion—this was a massive boost to the Pearl Clan's honor.
It confirmed what the chief had believed all along: pestering Elias to join the Pearl Clan had absolutely been the right call.
Just Lucario alone… might be the strongest Pokémon he had ever seen.
If Elias didn't take the championship, then who else could?
As the clan chief's voice rang out, the crowd roared to life again.
After spending the day watching mostly playful, low-stakes battles, this match had them fired up like never before.
In the stands, Cynthia sat watching Elias's retreating back, deep in thought.
She wanted to ask him—where had that [Mega Evolution] stone come from?
Hisui was impossibly far from the Kalos region. Most Pokémon couldn't make the trip, let alone people—especially in this era.
Her instincts told her Elias was hiding something.
Of course… the biggest reason she was so focused was because she hadn't given up hope.
She was looking for someone like her—someone from the modern era who had somehow crossed through time.
Clutching the wooden armrest beside her, Cynthia stood and left the spectator stands, hurrying down the path toward the competitors' exit.
"Quit laughing."
Elias shot an exasperated look at Zoroark, who hadn't stopped grinning since Lucario had taken down Tornadus.
He couldn't really blame him, though. Just before the match, Zoroark had followed along with a clear sense of impending doom.
Yesterday's calculations had made it plain—Lucario wasn't supposed to be strong enough to handle both Tornadus and Enamorus at once.
But then… Lucario had pulled out that [Mega Stone] from Regigigas.
Now Elias wasn't sure about his original strategy at all. In the next few rounds, could even the best Gym Leaders take Lucario down?
Is he seriously going to sweep his way to the championship?
Elias sighed again—just in time to spot someone fast approaching from the distance.
Squinting, he recognized the figure.
Cynthia?
She looked like she was in a hurry.
Something important?
As that thought crossed his mind, Elias stepped forward to meet her.
When there were only five or six steps between them, Cynthia came to a stop.
Her expression sobered as she gave Elias a once-over.
Her gaze climbed slowly—until it reached the pendant at his chest.
She gave a subtle nod to herself.
Just as I thought. That really is a [Mega Keystone].
Meeting Elias's eyes, she raised her hand and pointed toward the stone at his chest.
"Elias, do you mind if I ask where you got that?"
"You don't have to answer, of course…"
She waved her hand lightly, making it clear she wasn't pressuring him.
Seeing that her interest lay in his necklace, Elias didn't feel the need to hide anything.
He pointed at Lucario and said honestly:
"It was a gift. Lucario gave it to me last night."
At that, Cynthia instinctively turned her gaze toward Lucario.
He met her look with a blank, deadpan response.
"…Found it."
Lucario had zero intention of mentioning Regigigas.
Cynthia: …
She felt like she was being treated like an idiot.
Finding a Kalos-native [Mega Stone] just lying around in Hisui? And one that just so happened to perfectly match Lucario?
Yeah, right.
Seeing that neither Elias nor Lucario intended to explain further, Cynthia's shoulders slumped in disappointment.
She pressed her lips together. Then, after a long internal struggle, she finally spoke:
"Elias… do you think—"
"—that someone could travel through time?"
"From the future to the past?"
Her eyes, wide and clear, looked directly into his as she asked the question in earnest.