Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 353: My Name Is Rio — Rio of Kanto

"Please, enjoy this magnificent performance!" Butler raised his magic wand, which controlled the red sphere containing Jirachi.

At the same time, red lightning descended from above, trapping Rio and the others in a deep gorge.

"Jirachi! Stop this!" Evan shouted in panic. But Butler ignored him. He guided Jirachi with his wand to a machine on the mountain peak.

"Now, Jirachi — gather the comet’s energy!" Butler pressed the machine’s start button, his face filled with excitement.

A cylindrical device extended from a circular platform above, and Jirachi, its Third Eye still open, was aimed toward the Millennium Comet. Two seconds later, a brilliant blue beam shot from its Third Eye, the brightest light in the night sky, striking the comet. The comet responded instantly with a multicolored beam that hit Jirachi’s Third Eye.

Butler smiled and pressed another switch. A new machine emerged from the platform, aimed at the ground below, emitting powerful electromagnetic waves. The waves etched something into the earth — within seconds, the outline of a Pokémon’s head appeared.

"Team Magma, watch! Groudon is about to be revived!" Butler shouted excitedly from the peak.

"Electivire, keep going!" In the gorge below, Evan’s father commanded his Electivire in an attempt to break through Butler’s barrier.

"Gengar, you too!" Rio also released Gengar — though it was putting in a show of effort, fighting half-heartedly. The first Shadow Ball nearly broke the barrier, but after Rio shot it a glare, Gengar’s attacks became much weaker, never breaking through again.

"Absol!"

Just then, Absol appeared outside the barrier, shattering one of the barrier’s generators with an Air Slash, weakening it significantly.

"Absol!" Evan cheered.

Absol glanced at him, then destroyed a second generator with another Air Slash. The third and fourth were taken out by Flygon, who descended from above — destroying the third with Dragon Tail and the fourth with Hyper Beam.

The barrier vanished. Flygon landed before the group.

"Flygon, will you help us?" Evan asked.

"Fly~" Flygon gestured to its back, as if saying "Hop on."

"Great!" Evan started climbing onto Flygon.

"Evan, don’t — you’re too small!" his mother worried.

"No! I have to save Jirachi!" Evan insisted.

"I’ll go with him." Rio stepped in.

"See? Big brother will be with me — it’ll be fine." Evan reached out to Rio. His parents exchanged glances and said no more.

Rio and Evan climbed onto Flygon’s back and ascended. From the air, Rio could see the forest below — Butler’s machine had already carved half of a Pokémon’s body into the ground.

"That’s Groudon’s shape." Rio muttered. It bore a slight resemblance to Godzilla.

"Come on, Groudon — revive! Only your revival can prove my theory is right!" Butler stared intently at the carved pattern below.

"Roar~" But then Flygon burst upward with Rio and Evan.

"Jirachi!" Evan called out to Jirachi, still trapped inside the machine.

"Come out, Salamence!" Butler angrily tossed a Poké Ball — a level 59 Salamence appeared, blocking Flygon’s path.

"Salamence, drive them away!" Butler commanded. Salamence fired a Flamethrower at Flygon, who dodged and countered with Hyper Beam, but Salamence evaded as well.

Seeing this, Butler jumped onto Salamence’s back and pursued Flygon through the mountainous terrain of Farns. Rio directed Flygon in return, though his attention remained on the ground below.

When the ground pattern was nearly complete, Rio turned to Evan and released Gengar. "Evan, take Gengar and shut down the machine — free Jirachi."

"Got it! I’ll save Jirachi!" Evan nodded.

Gengar rolled its eyes at Rio, as if to say, I’ll just watch you, Mr. Champion, keep up the act. Rio ignored it and said: "Gengar, help Evan rescue Jirachi."

Gengar turned its head away but used Psychic to carry Evan up to the platform holding Jirachi.

"Gengar, Shadow Ball!" Evan pointed at the machine. Gengar raised its hand and fired a Shadow Ball, destroying it instantly. Jirachi flew free, and Evan caught it.

"Evan, come up!" Rio appeared above them moments later. Gengar used Psychic to lift Evan and Jirachi back onto Flygon’s back.

"Damn it!" Butler was furious — but then he noticed the Groudon pattern on the ground was complete, and his anger faded.

"Are you okay, Jirachi?" Evan held Jirachi, calling out to it. But Jirachi didn’t respond — the Third Eye on its belly was slowly closing. Once it was fully shut, Jirachi opened its eyes again, looking at Evan and Rio with joy.

Flygon carried them back to the ground. Evan’s parents and Diane emerged from the gorge, led by Absol.

"Are you alright, Evan?" His mother hugged him.

"I’m fine, Mom." Evan shook his head. "We saved Jirachi."

But as he spoke, the ground began to shake. Everyone turned — the earth in the distance was rising.

"So the Land Demon Groudon is about to appear." Rio muttered.

Before long, a Pokémon rose from the risen ground. It was pitch black at first, with faintly glowing patches like magma, and sharp protrusions forming. It grew rapidly — within five or six seconds, it turned red, and the protrusions became bone-like spikes.

It looked much like Groudon, but not quite. It was expressionless, with dull orange eyes, and it didn’t use any moves — but wherever it walked, the forest died.

High above, Butler, who had been shouting "Revive, Groudon," stared at this creature in disbelief. "Is this Groudon?" He was confused — it was nothing like the legends he’d studied.

"Is this the legendary Groudon? Why is it absorbing the land’s energy?" Diane watched the surrounding trees wither in panic.

Absol charged at the Groudon, hitting it with an Air Slash — but the creature was unharmed. It glanced at Absol, its mouth seeming to gather an attack — but then it vanished, replaced by vines shooting from its claws toward Absol, too fast for it to react. Absol was absorbed in an instant.

After absorbing Absol, more bone spikes grew from its body, extending into the sky and turning into vines that reached into the forest, capturing wild Pokémon — flying, running, swimming — all helpless to escape.

Everyone stared in horror at the creature.

Butler flew down on Salamence. "Butler, is this what you wanted to revive?" Diane confronted him.

Butler stared at the distant Groudon, dazed, and shook his head. "No — this isn’t what I wanted. This thing... it can’t be Groudon. This is wrong. This shouldn’t be happening. What do I do? What do I do now?"

Butler looked like a child who had made a terrible mistake. Rio shook his head. The Land Demon’s level appeared as 80 — ten levels below the real Groudon. Honestly, it was underwhelming.

"Now’s the time for our grand entrance, isn’t it, actor?" Gengar’s voice echoed in Rio’s mind.

Rio was speechless. He hadn’t been acting — he just wanted to see what the Land Demon looked like and whether it was worth capturing. It wasn’t. Better to put it down before it caused more harm — capturing something that absorbed both people and Pokémon would ruin his reputation.

Just then, vines from the Groudon surged toward them.

"Run!" Evan’s father shouted. Everyone scrambled to escape.

"Run, Brook!" Diane called out, noticing Rio hadn’t moved.

Rio looked back and smiled. The vines stopped half a meter from him, unable to advance — blocked by an invisible force.

Diane froze. Butler, about to flee on Salamence, also stopped. Evan’s family, who had taken a few steps back, stared in shock.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rio." Rio smiled at the group.

"Yes — you’re Rio. What about it?" They didn’t understand why he was suddenly mentioning his name.

Rio smiled, pulling off his sunglasses: "Rio of the Kanto League, Indigo Plateau, Lavender Town."

Butler was the first to react: "You’re the Kanto League Champion! The one who defeated Steven!"

Rio waved his hand modestly: "Just calling me the Kanto Champion is enough — no need to mention beating Steven. It’s not exactly a proud moment for your Champion."

"I remember now — I’ve seen your battles. You’re the strongest Champion Kanto has ever had." Diane’s mouth dropped open.

"Just empty titles — all empty titles." Rio laughed. After all that pretending, it felt good to finally reveal his identity.

Evan’s family was still confused. "Aren’t you my cousin? How can you be the Kanto Champion?" Evan asked.

Rio realized the hypnosis was still active. "Gengar," he called. Gengar, still blocking the Land Demon’s vines, glanced back at Evan’s family. They blinked, dazed, then looked at Rio and their surroundings — and finally snapped out of it.

"The Kanto Champion! I saw your battles in Sinnoh — how you beat all four Elite Four!" Evan’s father exclaimed excitedly.

"Let’s not dwell on the past. Right now, the priority is dealing with this Land Demon." Rio waved his hand, then looked at Butler. "Little Butler — don’t try reviving Groudon again. It’s not a Pokémon you can control. And Team Magma — they’ll fall soon enough. You don’t need to prove anything to them."

Butler stared at Rio, then slowly nodded. Against someone like this, he had no argument. "Mr. Rio — can you really deal with this Groudon?"

"What do you think?" Rio smiled, then looked at Gengar. "Gengar — show them your true power."

"Got it." Gengar floated toward the Land Demon. With just its psychic power, it blocked all the vines. Then, a single Shadow Ball struck the creature, sending it crashing to the ground.