Come Battle, Moltres!

From the various details and traits, Luo Mu could confidently determine that this large bird was the legendary Pokémon of the Kanto Region—Moltres.

But why had Moltres appeared in the Paldea Region? And how had Luxray and the others forcibly "invited" it back in a posture that should have humiliated Moltres?

Luo Mu did not have time to voice any of his questions. He only saw Luxray getting closer and closer, while Eldegoss and the others anxiously hid behind Serperior. Looking back at the lush green fields, Luo Mu's expression changed as he shouted, "Don't come over hereee!!"

Fortunately, Serperior was reliable. At that critical moment, two tree trunks thick enough to require two people to wrap their arms around them burst from the ground under its control and swept directly toward Luxray's charging path.

Having spent so much time together, Luxray and Serperior needed no words to coordinate. With perfect understanding, Luxray flung Moltres's neck upward from its jaws, sending Moltres's body flying into the air from the momentum.

At that moment, Serperior's Frenzy Plant extended upward as though it had eyes, tightly binding Moltres before Serperior forcefully hurled it toward the Lake Area, which was still nothing but wasteland.

Luo Mu instantly understood Serperior's plan. Luxray and the others had brought Moltres back in this manner, so it was surely furious. They would probably have to fight it out before it would calm down enough to talk.

If that was the case, they might as well use this opportunity to make the massive pit needed for the Lake Area.

Boom—!

A thunderous crash came from the Lake Area. Luo Mu shrank his neck and muttered, "That fall must've hurt like hell."

Luxray came to an abrupt stop in front of Luo Mu, with Ceruledge following close behind. With a single leap, it landed at Luo Mu's side, looking utterly dashing.

Mimikyu slowly crawled out of the shadows and immediately jumped into Luo Mu's arms, acting cute as it sought praise.

Luo Mu gently rubbed Mimikyu's head, making it happily squint its eyes. Then he looked at Ceruledge and Luxray and quickly asked, "You've worked hard. Tell me what's going on."

Luxray and Ceruledge exchanged a glance, then began explaining with both their mouths and animated gestures.

After a round of communication, Luo Mu pieced together the situation through guesses and inference.

After leaving the ranch, Luxray and the others had been racing through Paldea's wilderness. They had found quite a few Pokémon with Flame Body, but their strength had been mediocre—not even as strong as the Gym Leaders they had battled before.

After searching for several days, they had finally encountered this Moltres at a volcano. However, it had quite the temper and attacked Luxray and the others without mercy the moment they approached to negotiate.

Luxray and the others did not indulge Moltres either. They immediately gave it a thorough beating.

However, Moltres seemed able to rapidly absorb energy from the volcano's magma to recover its stamina. Coupled with Moltres's terrifyingly deep reserves of endurance, Luxray and Ceruledge decided to forcibly abduct Moltres from the volcano and bring it back to the ranch for Luo Mu to figure out.

After all, even if they were considerably stronger than Moltres, they could not keep dragging things out forever.

After rapidly processing all that information, Luo Mu pondered for a moment. Then his expression changed as he inwardly cried out in alarm.

Legendary Pokémon were famous for having bottomless stamina bars. Just now, Luxray had continuously used electric currents to paralyze Moltres, Ceruledge had used its Flash Fire Ability to absorb the flames, and Mimikyu had weakened Moltres with Ghost-type energy from within the shadows.

Only then had Moltres obediently allowed Luxray and the others to bring it back.

Now that Moltres had been given time to recover—

"Screee—!!"

As though carrying boundless rage, Moltres's high-pitched, piercing cry rang through the clouds. Orange flames that were nearly golden clung to its wings, sparks scattering with every beat. Flames like a crown blazed above Moltres's head, while its brightly burning tail feathers were so beautiful they stirred the heart.

Moltres beat its wings in the sky, blasting a pillar of fire so scorching that the surrounding air began to distort. It struck the wasteland of the Lake Area head-on, forcibly burning out a massive pit.

Moltres was now utterly enraged!

"Bo Wu!" "Swampert!"

Apparently having noticed the commotion, Dragonite and Swampert, who knew not where they had gone off to wander, returned at that moment as well. Their gazes turned solemn as they looked toward Moltres, which was venting its fury in the Lake Area.

All six Pokémon had now returned. Luo Mu considered the matter for a moment. How should he resolve the Moltres problem?

There were two methods.

The first was for everyone to gang up on it and immediately suppress Moltres. The downside was that Moltres would likely refuse to submit.

The second was a one-on-one battle. Even a proud legendary Pokémon would not be overly resistant to being caught if it lost fairly in a one-on-one fight.

Based on Luxray and the others' description and its current performance, this Moltres was probably only around level fifty or sixty. It was not particularly strong.

Luo Mu had no interest in catching Moltres.

So, he would thoroughly beat Moltres into submission first, then negotiate.

Having quickly made his decision, Luo Mu looked at the six Pokémon. After pondering briefly, he said, "Dragonite can fly, so it'll have an easier time fighting. The rest of you guard the surrounding area and make sure the aftershocks don't damage other parts of the ranch."

"Bo Wu!"

Dragonite clenched its claws. Its honest eyes instantly sharpened as a fierce fighting spirit rose within it.

Although the other Pokémon regretted not being chosen, they obediently took up positions around the area. They were there both to prevent the aftershocks from spreading into other areas and to intercept Moltres if it tried to escape.

As for the possibility of Dragonite losing?

They had never even considered it!

The enraged Moltres endlessly rained its fury upon the surroundings. Ever since it had gained awareness, every detail around it had told it that it was nobler than ordinary Pokémon, that its power surpassed ordinary Pokémon, and that all beings besides itself were nothing more than insects.

Moltres did not reject such thoughts. It had lived proudly like this all its life.

But not long ago, its pride had been shattered by that thunder-wreathed beast—an insect in its eyes—and its noble, sacred flames had been effortlessly absorbed by that humanoid Shadow Swordsman.

It had even been dragged by its vital points and forcibly hauled along for an entire day.

Destroy everything around it, then make those insects pay the price—those were the only two thoughts in Moltres's mind now.

Moltres unleashed flames toward the ground with the seemingly vast, endless energy inside its body. Then, a human voice rang out. "Come battle me, Moltres!"

Moltres's bloodshot crimson gaze instantly locked onto the human man strolling toward it on the ground.

Moltres beat its wings, and heavenly fire descended from the sky!