Once Deoxys was ready, Lu Ze set out with Deoxys and Mini Dragon.
After entering the forest and arriving at a small lakeside clearing, he sent Sui Yan the location.
"Wait a bit—they'll be here soon."
After explaining to Deoxys, Lu Ze sat down beside the lake.
On the opposite shore, two Stantler were drinking from the water—one large, one small, apparently a mother and her fawn.
The two Stantler startled at the sight of Lu Ze, but upon seeing that he merely sat at the water's edge without moving, they cautiously resumed small sips of water.
Lu Ze smiled faintly at the sight. At that moment, Mini Dragon had already happily splashed into the water.
The lake wasn't large, but Mini Dragon played only in the section near Lu Ze, carefully avoiding disturbing the two drinking Stantler.
"Now's the time for a fishing rod—could do some angling."
"Chirp~"
Mini Dragon nodded in agreement, eyes brightening.
She dove under the water with a splash.
A moment later, Mini Dragon surfaced, grinning at Lu Ze.
"Chirp~"
Lu Ze asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
Mini Dragon snickered, then flicked her tail—a Magikarp came flying out of the water, thrown onto the bank.
Its red body and golden crown, those vacant Magikarp eyes flickering slightly in the open air—
"I… what!"
Lu Ze stared, mouth agape, as the Magikarp became enveloped in a milky-white glow.
"It… just evolved?!"
Before Lu Ze could finish speaking, a Gyarados had already materialized in the air. It immediately turned toward Lu Ze on the bank and Mini Dragon in the water and fired a Hyper Beam at them both.
"Shit—"
Lu Ze only had time to shout, then threw himself toward the stunned Mini Dragon in the water.
Did this thing just evolve and already know Hyper Beam!? Was that even possible!?
"Splash!"
"BOOM!"
Just as Lu Ze dove into the water with Mini Dragon, a heavy, muffled collision rang out above the surface.
The Hyper Beam he expected to tear through the water never came—Deoxys had blocked it.
Lu Ze surfaced with Mini Dragon in his arms and saw Deoxys in its Defense Form extending its right hand toward the Gyarados in the air.
The Gyarados hung suspended in Deoxys's Psychic grip, expression frozen in terror.
Deoxys glanced back at Lu Ze and Mini Dragon, then flicked its hand, sending the Gyarados hurling into the lake.
Mini Dragon puffed out her cheeks at the Gyarados splashing into the water, sticking out her tongue in a teasing gesture.
The Gyarados did not re-emerge. The water's surface gradually calmed.
As for the two Stantler—they had already fled the moment the Gyarados evolved.
Lu Ze hauled himself out of the water with a苦笑, wringing out his soaked shirt.
"Thanks, Deoxys."
"Xiqi~"
Deoxys gave a small nod, then returned its gaze to Mini Dragon playing in the water.
Lu Ze shook his head rueously and pulled his phone from his pocket.
As expected—completely dead.
"Oh? What happened, took a swim because it was too hot?"
Just as Lu Ze was resigned to buying a new phone, Sui Yan arrived with Arcanine, a grin spread across his face.
Riding on Arcanine's back was a Larvesta wearing an expression of deep resentment, and perched atop Arcanine's head was a Bulbasaur with a flushed, dizzy face.
Lu Ze glanced at Sui Yan and smirked. "If you keep Bulbasaur on Arcanine's head like that, it's going to be well-done."
"Shit—"
Sui Yan spun around—sure enough, Bulbasaur was already half-cooked. He hastily scooped Bulbasaur down and set the dizzy creature by the water's edge.
"By the way, order me a new phone. The old one drowned."
Sui Yan laughed, fishing out his own phone after depositing his sun-addled Bulbasaur. "Which brand? Fruit? Flowers? Rice?"
"Flowers—they just released a waterproof model recently. Grab that one."
"Done." Sui Yan tapped in the order. "Should arrive tonight."
"Works for me."
Lu Ze wasn't looking at Sui Yan—he was watching Mini Dragon using her tail to splash water and cool down Bulbasaur.
"C'mon—battle time! Let's see how strong your cheat really is!"
Lu Ze turned to find Sui Yan, full of energy and ready to go. He smiled. "Fine. I'll let you use Torkoal, Arcanine, and Charizard."
Sui Yan shook his head, tossing out Torkoal's Poké Ball. "No need—just Torkoal and Arcanine. Charizard's with your Charizard, didn't bring him."
"Alright then—Deoxys!"
"Xiqi~"
Deoxys acknowledged and floated forward to face Torkoal.
"Phone drops—battle starts!"
"Fine by me."
No coin to flip—they had to use the drowned phone as a makeshift coin instead.
Lu Ze tossed the phone in the air. Both of them fixed their eyes on it as it fell.
"Torkoal—Flamethrower!"
The instant the phone hit the ground, Sui Yan struck first.
The moment Torkoal exhaled flame, the weather shifted accordingly—switching to Harsh Sunlight.
"Deoxys—Defense Form!"
Lu Ze grinned. Let me show you Deoxys's special traits—otherwise you wouldn't believe why it's my cheat!
Deoxys's form shifted rapidly—from its normal configuration into a rounder, stubbier Defense Form.
Its four arms flattened into broad, fork-like appendages, crossing over its chest. A circular energy barrier manifested around Deoxys, encasing its entire body.
"BOOM!"
The red flames struck Deoxys—but the energy barrier held. Flames washed over the barrier but never broke through to Deoxys's body.
The fire dissipated. Deoxys reappeared, completely unharmed.
Sui Yan froze—then in the instant of his distraction, Deoxys had already shifted forms again, switching to Attack Form.
Its rounded body had become sleek and aggressive, its arms transforming from thick, sturdy paddles into razor-sharp blade-like limbs.
Deoxys rocketed forward to Torkoal's position, four arms delivering a rapid flurry of strikes to Torkoal's body—before the startled Torkoal could even think about retreating into its shell.
Torkoal was sent flying through the air, spinning into concentric circles as its eyes rolled back, knocked out.
But the instant Torkoal lost consciousness, Deoxys used Psychic to gently catch it, lowering it safely onto the grass to prevent any secondary impact damage.
(End of Chapter)