Shrouded by the thick smoke from the volcanic ash, the figure riding Swellow had not noticed that anyone had spotted him. He remained hidden at the summit of Low Mountain, watching Groudon advance in the distance with a fanatical expression...
Hidden high in the sky, Yong signaled Aerodactyl to circle around behind Low Mountain and carefully descend.
"A man... red hair... could that actually be Maxie...?"
Watching the man below, whose strange gestures seemed wildly exaggerated, Yong frowned. He quietly landed behind Low Mountain, recalled Aerodactyl, then sent out Swampert!
"Swampert! Let's sneak over!"
"Lachi..."
Trainer and Pokémon carefully approached Maxie. Even from a distance, they could hear him shouting incessantly, his voice crazed...
"Hahahaha!!! Groudon! Evaporate every ocean! How beautiful... I've waited so long for this day. Hahaha!!!"
"Groudon... no one can wake you from the magma... this Blue Orb is what you've been searching for, isn't it!!! Isn't it? I've brought you the Blue Orb! So... do as I wish... show me, show me all your power!"
Yong's eyes filled with astonishment.
This guy... already has the Brilliant Blue Orb?
Did Maxie wake Groudon with the Brilliant Blue Orb!?
Then that machine at the summit of Mt. Chimney...
Yong narrowed his eyes.
"I get it..."
Putting this together with his memories of the great battle in Hoenn from his previous life, Kyogre, which should have been awakened by Archie in the Seafloor Cavern, had not fallen asleep this time.
The relentless torrential rain had posed a tremendous threat to the waters of the East Sea, which was why it had drawn the Pokémon League's attention...
And Archie, who should have been consumed and controlled by the Red Orb, had not obtained it yet. Did that mean Team Aqua had simply lucked out this time?
After all, the Red