Chapter 0689: Hydro Cannon vs. Origin Pulse!(Two-in-One)

Hoenn Region, Slateport City

Two hours ago, Natsume had been here, playing with Corsola and admiring the swaying red seaweed.

Now, two hours after Kyogre’s movement began—

The tsunami had swallowed the famous scenic beach. White waves pushed lounge chairs, umbrellas, and volleyball nets inland. Schools of Tentacool rode the currents, their tangled tentacles forming a deadly barrier for humans—yet also ensuring their companions wouldn’t be swept away.

"Magikarp~" A Magikarp flopped happily on the water’s surface.

Gyarados, intimidated by the ancient deity’s presence, had long since fled to the ocean depths.

Only one ferocious Red Gyarados remained, cutting through the waves with a red-haired youth clinging to its forehead, binoculars in hand.

"Hey! See anything?!"

A ship sailed parallel to the Red Gyarados, its hull emblazoned with "S.S. Aqua." Inside the captain’s cabin, Lt. Surge shoved past a cap-wearing young man gripping the wheel.

"Get back!" Lt. Surge roared, wrestling control of the helm. "If this ship goes down, we’re all dead!"

Gold raised an eyebrow. "I’ve got Polibo, he’s got Gyarados… Who’s really in danger here?"

Lt. Surge paused, scratching his head.

Damn… I really don’t have any Water-types, do I?

Should’ve never agreed to this brat’s request. Just wanted to give him a quick tour, and now we’re in a freaking tsunami!

"Stop bothering Lt. Surge!" Crystal yanked Gold out by the ear, fuming. "This is all your fault! If you hadn’t dragged us to Hoenn—"

"Ow ow ow! I just wanted to watch the meteor shower!" Gold winced. "How was I supposed to know we’d run into a once-in-a-century disaster?!"

"That’s no natural tsunami."

The red-haired youth recalled Gyarados and leapt onto the S.S. Aqua’s deck, his expression grim. "I suspect… this ties to the ancient legends."

"Ancient legends? Like that sheep—er, Arceus?" Gold blinked.

"If I’m right…" Silver turned toward the raging sea.

"The source is the Sea God, Kyogre."

"Professor Oak mentioned it," Crystal added. "A Legendary Pokémon that brings endless storms when awakened. Extremely dangerous!"

Gold scratched his head, muttering:

"Why is it that every time Natsume-sensei visits a region, some catastrophe happens…?"

"Huh?"

"Nothing… No signal. Can’t reach Senior Red or Yellow." Gold shook his phone in frustration.

"Phones are down, but marine radios aren’t!"

Lt. Surge grinned, adjusting the frequency. The Johto trio crowded around like eager rookies, listening to the crackling transmission.

"Holy crap, it’s working!" Gold exclaimed.

"Shut up!" The other three glared.

Gold the Fifth sheepishly retreated.

"—Can you hear me?!"

The radio finally cleared.

Lt. Surge grabbed the mic. "Loud and clear! This is the S.S. Aqua out of Vermilion City!"

"This is Hoenn Deepsea Unit 2, acting Captain Juan of Sootopolis City!"

Juan’s voice was urgent. "Kyogre engaged Champion Wallace but has since submerged and is heading toward your location at high speed. Do NOT provoke it! Hoenn League trainers are en route!"

Kyogre… fought Wallace?

The thought barely registered before Gold snatched the radio.

"This is Johto’s Star Trainer, Gold! How’s Wallace?! We’re his friends!"

"Gold…? Never heard of you." Juan sounded confused.

"Not important!" Gold snapped.

"The situation is… dire."

Juan’s voice turned gravelly.

Wallace, shirtless and bandaged, had forced Kyogre to retreat beneath the waves—preventing the storm from worsening. But that effort had been his limit.

"Wallace took an ice shard to the chest. He’s stable now… If you’re his friends, evacuate immediately!"

Static swallowed the transmission. Gold tightened his grip. "We’re Johto Pokédex holders! Stopping this thing is our job too!"

"—Signal fading… ETA five minutes… Kyogre approaching—"

The line died.

A suffocating silence filled the cabin.

Lt. Surge, Silver, and Crystal all turned to Gold.

"Your call." Silver’s voice was calm.

Gold gritted his teeth. "I don’t know… but—but!"

Slap! Slap!

He smacked his own cheeks and roared:

"If Natsume-sensei or Senior Red were here, they’d charge out and smash Kyogre to pieces!!"

Lt. Surge pressed his face to the porthole—then went pale. Outside, a massive shadow surged toward them through the waves.

"Hey… You think Kyogre can understand radio waves?" he joked weakly.

Gold laughed. "Nah, no way it’s that smart!"

"Yeah, that’d be crazy." Lt. Surge nodded.

"IDIOTS!" Silver snarled. "THAT IS KYOGRE!"

Before anyone could react, a whirlpool engulfed the S.S. Aqua. Ten-meter waves towered at near-vertical angles, the ship tilting violently—yet somehow, by Arceus’ grace, it didn’t capsize.

BOOM!

Lightning split the sky.

First came Kyogre’s white underbelly, then its wings and deep-blue torso, and finally its massive tailfin.

Thunder crashed as Primal Kyogre hovered beneath the storm, the waves beneath it tearing the heavens apart.

Poké Ball light flashed aboard the S.S. Aqua. Kyogre’s eyes gleamed with mockery as it paused, sizing up the humans daring to challenge it.

"ROAR!!"

Red Gyarados reared from the whirlpool, baring fangs at the deity. On its head stood Silver and a trembling Lt. Surge.

"WOO-HOO!"

Gold, wearing goggles, clung to a makeshift glider frame (built from a pool cue) as his Mantine shot from the waves.

"EVERYONE! HYDRO PUMP—NOW!!"

FWOOOSH!

Twenty Remoraid fired simultaneous jets of water—

Minimal effect.

Like children splashing a Navy SEAL.

Kyogre’s mouth curved in amusement. Then it opened wide, a terrifying pulse of energy gathering between its jaws—

The group froze.

Kyogre’s gaze locked onto Gold, still airborne.

Oh, you like Hydro Pump?

Let me show you how it’s done.

"ROAR!!"

ORIGIN PULSE!!!

The sea itself seemed to shatter as a beam of apocalyptic light descended like a falling cliff.

KABOOM!!

Lt. Surge paled.

"Is… is he dead?"

"Doubt it." Silver didn’t blink. "Nothing kills Gold that easily."

At the last second, Gold had recalled Mantine and plunged underwater with Polibo. The shockwave still sent him tumbling, but he surfaced gasping:

"Hah…! Almost got turned into sushi!"

Crystal hauled him onto her Lapras. "Are you okay?!"

"Lapras."

Gold pushed soaked hair from his eyes, glaring at Kyogre.

"That fatass… Fight me on land, coward!"

Crystal sighed. "On land, we’d be dealing with Groudon instead."

Gold: "???"

"I think… the western front is battling Groudon."

She smiled bitterly. "And here on the eastern front… it’s Kyogre."

Beep beep beep—

Lt. Surge’s earpiece crackled.

"Now of all times?!"

He tapped it—then grinned wildly.

"Roger that!"

"What is it?" Silver asked.

Lt. Surge just smirked.

The call had come through on a long-dormant frequency: Team Rocket’s private channel.

Only one sentence had been spoken—cold, rasping, and absolute.

"Stay put. I’m coming."

WHOOSH!

A submarine breached the waves, its bold red "R" gleaming.

The hatch opened.

A suited man stood at the prow, hands in pockets, staring down the ancient deity.

Giovanni’s lips curled in a sneer as his Beedrill shot forward, crimson eyes gleaming, drills buzzing—

"SILVER!"

He barked without turning:

"That Kyogre is too dangerous. Stand down!"

At the same moment—

Beedrill’s twin stingers aimed straight for Kyogre’s eyes. The beast roared, swatting the bug away like a gnat.

"ROOOOAR!!!"

The sonic blast nearly blew the submarine backward.

Lt. Surge sweatdropped. Tell Silver not to act reckless… when YOU’RE the one attacking a god?!

Silver whirled, locking eyes with the man on the sub.

"Father…"

"Leave this to me."

The sub pulled alongside Red Gyarados. Father and son stared at each other across the storm.

"Or," Giovanni said quietly, "we fight together."

Silver’s breath hitched. After a beat, he nodded.

"Enough drama, Uncle Giovanni!!"

Gold, still leaning on Crystal, shouted: "That whale’s Hydro Pump is insane! You need a plan!"

"That wasn’t Hydro Pump."

Giovanni’s eyes narrowed.

"That was… Origin Pulse."

Kyogre’s maw glowed white again, energy crackling between its fangs—

BOOM!!!

The shockwave sent Beedrill spiraling into the abyss, recalled just before impact.

Gold gaped. "ONE HIT?!"

"This isn’t my battlefield."

Giovanni stood unfazed, hands still in pockets.

"I’m here to extract my son. The rest of you are… collateral."

Lt. Surge waved frantically. "BOSS! I bled for Team Rocket! Take me too!"

The mood shifted from life-or-death to… workplace loyalty.

Gold glanced at Kyogre, now charging another blast, and grinned.

"Live to fight another day!"

He clasped his hands toward Giovanni. "Boss! Huge fan! Room for one more?"

Silver facepalmed. This idiot…

Giovanni blinked. "Who are you?"

"We met at Michina Town! Are you face-blind?!"

The rising storm cut the argument short.

"Inside. Now."

Giovanni’s sub was surprisingly high-tech—courtesy of that talking Meowth, no doubt.

But as the rain intensified, a wave suddenly split Crystal and Gold apart.

"Crystal!" Gold yelled. "Hold on to Lapras!"

Crystal, trembling, clutched a Dive Ball.

"I’m a Pokédex holder too… Don’t underestimate me!"

If she could just land one hit—buy half a second—

But the storm made even lifting the ball impossible.

Kyogre loomed above, its maw glowing brighter—

Then—

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A streak of crimson shot across the waves, weaving between water spouts.

Latias.

And on its back—

"NATSUME-SENSEI?!" Gold screamed.

"SINCE WHEN COULD HE FLY?!" Lt. Surge choked.

"He looks… kinda cool," Crystal admitted.

As everyone knew…

A Champion who could fly was a Champion perfected.

"Slow down! SLOW DOWN!"

Natsume clung to Latias’ neck, dizzy. "Where’s the brake?! Which one’s the clutch?!"

"Stop touching weird places! It tickles!" Latias’ face burned.

Then both froze.

Above them, the Sea God waited.

"Well… that’s a big one."

Natsume gulped, staring up at Primal Kyogre.

Latias bristled. "Jerk! Overgrown guppy!"

"Language—eh, whatever."

Mixed emotions.

Came to back up Wallace… ran into Kyogre instead.

Unlucky? Or too lucky?

Kyogre’s eyes locked onto the intruder—

"NATSUME!" Giovanni shouted. "ORIGIN PULSE—INCOMING!"

No time to question why Team Rocket’s boss was here.

Adrenaline spiked. Instinct took over.

Can’t dodge. Can’t teleport (would wreck the Reverse World). Only one option—

Natsume’s Dive Ball flashed.

"VICTINI—HELPING HAND!"

"Victini~!"

Victini’s V-mark glowed as it pumped energy into the newly summoned Blastoise.

Every buff. MAXIMUM POWER.

Natsume’s Aura flared. The Power of One surged.

Latias banked hard as Blastoise emerged—

"Blastoise… ヾ(■_■)"

Kyogre’s eyes narrowed. Pathetic.

Its maw opened wide—

Silver’s heart stopped.

Is he… trying to counter Origin Pulse with Hydro Pump?!

That’s suicide!

But—

"Victini’s Infinity Energy!" Crystal gasped.

The victory flames morphed into icy mist, forming a floating platform beneath Blastoise.

Lightning split the sky as Blastoise removed its sunglasses—

Revealing eyes sharper than steel.

"Blastoise."

Ten years to temper a blade.

Today, it finally sees battle.

Torrent activated instantly—an impossibility under normal circumstances.

"HOW?!" Giovanni muttered.

"WHAT CHEAT CODE IS THIS?!" Lt. Surge wailed.

But the power-up wasn’t done.

To match Origin Pulse, they needed equal force.

Natsume raised his glove—

The Key Stone blazed.

"BLASTOISE—"

The world held its breath.

"MEGA EVOLVE!!"

The transformation was blinding.

Twin cannons merged into a single, massive barrel. Blastoise’s fists crackled with hydro energy. Its eyes burned red.

Mega Blastoise. Ability: Mega Launcher.

The Aura ripple alone sent shockwaves across the sea.

Giovanni had never seen such harmony between trainer and Pokémon.

This… might actually work.

Kyogre hesitated.

Then—with a roar—it unleashed Origin Pulse.

The attack resembled a tidal wave made of light, crashing down like divine judgment.

"MEGA BLASTOISE—FULL POWER—"

Natsume’s voice cut through the storm.

"HYDRO CANNON!!!"

BOOOOOOM!!!

The collision shook the ocean.

Walls of water rose like parted curtains. At the epicenter stood Blastoise, unmovable.

"BLASTOISE!"

For one impossible moment—

Hydro Cannon OVERPOWERED Origin Pulse.

The beam shattered Kyogre’s attack and slammed into its chest.

The deity staggered, crashing into the sea with a tsunami-sized splash.

Silence.

Kyogre resurfaced, dazed.

…Did a Blastoise just… beat my Origin Pulse?

…Maybe I’ll take the long way around.

The battle had lasted half an hour. Now, Kyogre floated quietly, reconsidering its life choices.

Ancient deities were intelligent.

They knew when to retreat.

Beneath the waves, Kyogre peered up at Blastoise’s underbelly, then at Natsume on Latias’ back.

…Yeah, I’m out.

The sea calmed.

Giovanni exhaled.

Natsume slumped in relief—

Then noticed Blastoise casually munching a Revival Herb, sunglasses back on.

"Blastoise… ヾ(■_■)"

Close call. But I survive again.

Natsume: "…"

To shoulder Primal Groudon, to challenge Primal Kyogre—Blastoise remains undefeated.