Chapter 149: Let's Find Groudon to Use Against Mammon!
"It worked!"
The evolutionary light faded completely, and a brand-new Mega Beedrill stood in its place.
The transformation was striking. The stingers on both arms had become something resembling jousting lances, both legs had become twin needle-lances as well, and a massive stinger had emerged from its tail. Its aura was far sharper and more aggressive than before — an edge that could be felt from a distance.
"Excellent. Now we at least have a foundation for fighting back against Team Rocket."
Steven felt the tension in his chest ease. He was genuinely relieved.
Mammon's side had been strong to begin with, and they already had Mega Evolution on top of it. The pressure had been crushing.
Cynthia and the others were here on loan from their home regions, after all. If Team Rocket wasn't dealt with before they all returned — what was the Hoenn League supposed to do on its own?
With Mega Evolution in hand, at least they had the minimum conditions to mount a real challenge.
The group moved on to testing. One by one, they each had their main Pokémon go through the case to see if any stone called to them.
Steven found the Mega Stone for Metagross. Leon found one for Charizard — and notably, Charizard responded to two.
After testing, one form turned the dragon black and blue, dramatically boosting its physical and special attack while apparently altering its typing. The other had a subtler visual change but sent its special attack into the stratosphere, its ability shifting to change the weather to harsh sunlight.
Leon was thrilled. Leon was also deeply conflicted. Both forms were excellent and he wanted both simultaneously.
Cynthia found the stone for her ace Garchomp. She was satisfied with that. She even tested it — and Mega Garchomp's offensive power was staggering.
Though she couldn't tell if she was imagining things, but Mega Garchomp seemed to run just slightly slower?
As for Nemona, she received a Mega Stone for her Talonflame. She had a Talonflame on last year's team.
This gave her pause. Honestly, she'd been planning to rotate Talonflame down to her secondary squad now that her new team was in development.
And yet now there was a Mega Stone for it, and she was genuinely torn.
Most pressingly — Mega Talonflame was so beautiful.
Wallace was the unfortunate one. His beloved Milotic still couldn't sense any Mega Stone, while Gyarados responded immediately.
After the evolution test, Mega Gyarados successfully dethroned Milotic as Wallace's new ace.
Facing Milotic's wounded, teary-eyed stare, Wallace made a solemn vow: he would find Milotic's Mega Stone no matter what. Milotic was irreplaceable to him.
Seeing everyone come away with results made Steven genuinely happy. He'd felt rather bad asking people to travel all this way from their home regions.
He took the group out for dinner, and over the meal the conversation turned to what came next.
"With Mega Evolution, our overall power has gone up considerably. But what about Mammon's Mewtwo and Kyogre?"
Steven wasn't as buoyant as Wallace. He knew where things stood.
"Mewtwo is manageable. Formidable, yes — but not without openings."
Giovanni's voice was low and measured.
"Our aces can all Mega Evolve now. If we work together properly, defeating Mewtwo isn't impossible."
His gaze moved across Steven and Cynthia, and settled on Leon, carrying a particular weight.
The Galar Champion had arrived late to the first battle due to getting lost, which had made a rather unfortunate first impression. But the truth was that Leon's strength was the highest in the room besides Giovanni's own.
Especially that Charizard. Giovanni had watched Leon spar with Nemona. That Charizard was unreasonably powerful.
"Giovanni is right!" Wallace was fully on board.
Working together as Champions? Mewtwo didn't stand a chance.
Nemona glanced at Wallace at that, her expression going oddly strained. She opened her mouth, then closed it again.
"But Mewtwo isn't the real problem." Giovanni exhaled.
"Kyogre."
Leon said it flatly, naming the Pokémon Giovanni had been building toward.
"Correct. Ho-Oh and Deoxys are not Mammon's Pokémon — Roxanne confirmed that witnesses saw both of them leave after the battle."
"But Kyogre did not. Kyogre is Mammon's Pokémon."
Giovanni let the weight of that land.
He didn't need to say anything further. Everyone who'd witnessed the Larousse battle understood exactly what Primal Kyogre meant.
"Regardless — we should try, shouldn't we? We can't stop moving forward just because the opponent is strong."
Leon spoke into the heavy mood. He didn't have a lot of confidence himself, if he was being honest — but a Champion had to be the one to stand up. That was what being a Champion meant.
Knowing the odds were bad was not a reason to quit.
"Leon is right. We have to try." Cynthia agreed.
"Exactly! How do we know we can't do it if we never try?" Nemona nodded vigorously.
"And besides — isn't there another legendary Pokémon? Other than Kyogre and Rayquaza?"
Nemona had suddenly remembered — in Hoenn's mythology, alongside Rayquaza, Sky Dragon, and Kyogre, Lord of the Sea, there was a third legendary, wasn't there?
The table paused.
"You mean… Groudon?" Steven's brow furrowed.
"Yes! If Mammon has Kyogre, we can go find Groudon!"
Nemona stated it as if it were obvious.
"Use a legendary to fight a legendary!"
"That's actually a valid approach. If we can locate Groudon and get it to cooperate, our odds against Team Rocket improve significantly."
Leon was very much on board. Legendary versus legendary.
"Steven — in Hoenn's mythology, Kyogre and Groudon are evenly matched, correct?" Cynthia looked to him.
"I'm embarrassed to say I don't know the details as well as I should, but yes, that's my understanding." Steven looked mildly pained.
"The problem is — in the ancient legends, Kyogre and Groudon are opposing forces. The moment they encounter each other, a battle breaks out."
Steven hesitated. He was worried about the consequences being beyond anyone's control.
"Isn't that perfect?" Nemona was genuinely puzzled.
The way she saw it, they might not even need to ask Groudon for help. Just feed it Kyogre's current location and it might go looking for a fight all on its own.
"As long as Groudon keeps Kyogre occupied, we can take on Mammon in the meantime."
That was her entire plan.
"The thinking is sound, but the issue is—" Giovanni looked at Steven. "You're worried about controlling the outcome, aren't you, Steven?"
"Yes. According to the legends, when Groudon and Kyogre awaken and clash, the environmental damage is catastrophic. And… everyone has seen what the Larousse battle looked like."
Steven's expression was troubled.
"That is a real concern." Leon considered this. The destructive potential of legendaries was genuinely terrifying.
"But if we don't find Groudon, our chances of beating Mammon are basically zero." Nemona said it with a pained grimace.
If she had to put odds on it — nine to one against?
Primal Kyogre wasn't as overwhelming as the black Rayquaza, but for most people it was still a wall of pure despair. Even at their level — the peak of human Trainers — Primal Kyogre was simply too much.
Cynthia put a hand on Nemona's shoulder and gave her a small shake of the head. Say no more.
Steven's fingers tapped silently and rhythmically against the tabletop. He was thinking. Did they use this plan or didn't they?
The others stayed quiet. Their views differed, but this was Hoenn — and Steven was Hoenn's Champion.
Groudon and Kyogre clashing on Hoenn soil, and all the consequences that would follow — that was not a trivial thing. This was not their decision to guide. It had to be his.
Wallace said nothing either, simply waiting. Whatever Steven chose, he would back without conditions.
After a long silence, Steven drew a slow breath.
"I'm sending people to find Groudon."
He'd made his decision.
"Hesitation accomplishes nothing. Dancing around the problem won't drive Team Rocket out of Hoenn. The first priority is getting them out — and that's what matters."
There might be significant fallout from Groudon awakening and clashing with Kyogre. Steven had already come to terms with that possibility.
Larousse was already in ruins. Another disaster on that scale, if it came — he would live with it.
But if they seized the opportunity to defeat Team Rocket's Hoenn branch — then it was worth it.
"That's our Champion." Leon said approvingly. He thought the same.
Better to make one decisive gamble now than to let an organization this powerful slowly take root across the region.
"Then finding Groudon becomes the most immediate objective." Cynthia didn't object.
"Mm. Not long ago, a young Trainer named May apprehended a Team Magma Executive who apparently fled rather than join Team Rocket."
Steven said it calmly.
"I'll speak with him myself. Team Magma's entire mission revolved around Groudon — he may know where it sleeps."
"That should work. And Steven — if one of us can earn Groudon's recognition, the loss of control you're worried about becomes a non-issue."
Giovanni said it to him directly.
Steven blinked, and his expression brightened slightly. Of course.
If Groudon chose one of them as a partner — that fear went away entirely.
And beyond that — it would mean the League side finally had a legendary-class Trainer who could stand as a genuine equal to Mammon. The threat he posed would shrink considerably going forward.
(Not that Giovanni didn't have a legendary Pokémon of his own. Those in the know, knew.)
"I'm going right now!"
The thought alone had Steven energized, motivation fully restored.
"Steven! I'm coming with you!"
Nemona shot to her feet, eyes bright. She had never interrogated a criminal before. First time for everything.
"All right." Steven didn't say no, and the two of them left the private room without delay.
Watching them go, Giovanni allowed himself a quiet smile, his expression perfectly composed — and slipped out his phone.
Mammon. The Hoenn League is looking for Groudon to use against you.
That was what a mole was for.
The others at the table had no idea they had a traitor in their midst.
(End of chapter)
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