Immediately after Aoki landed, Furukai controlled his Pidgeot and descended as well.
Furukai smirked and taunted Aoki, "What's the matter? Giving up already? I expected you to last a little longer."
Hearing Furukai's words, Aoki returned the smile. "Ever heard a saying from a famous person?"
"What?"
"The villain died from talking too much," Aoki replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
The remark visibly caught Furukai off guard.
The villain died from talking too much?
But did Aoki even have the strength to resist at this point?
Yet the mockery snapped Furukai out of his overconfidence. Now wasn't the time for gloating—Aoki hadn't been defeated yet.
"Fine. Then just die!"
With that, the Gyarados and Arbok that had just crawled ashore, along with the Pidgeot, Exeggutor, and Crobat, tensed for battle.
But just as Furukai was about to give the attack order, movement erupted from the cliffs above Aoki.
Tiny rocks tumbled down, only to halt midair as if blocked by an invisible barrier—the work of Slowking's Psychic ability.
Furukai's brow furrowed as he looked up. A massive shadow blotted out half the sun.
"Caw!!"
"Roooaar!!"
Arbok and Gyarados beside Furukai bristled, their scales standing on end. As Pokémon, their instincts screamed of imminent danger.
Furukai's expression darkened as he turned back to Aoki. "So this is your trump card?"
Aoki said nothing, his smile unwavering.
Then came the sound of wind—violent, howling—followed by a thunderous BOOM as something colossal landed.
The impact sent dust swirling across the battlefield. And there, towering over the clearing beside Aoki, stood a monolithic figure encased in glacial armor.
Furukai's eyes widened. His throat went dry.
"Ice… Ice Regice?!" he choked out.
Indeed, the Pokémon that had appeared was none other than the legendary Regice—the very reason Aoki had dared to lure Furukai to the coast.
Before setting out, Aoki had struck a deal with Regice: three favors in exchange for finding Mew. This was the first.
Furukai's mind reeled.
How?!
How could a Trainer who hadn't even reached Champion-level command a Legendary Pokémon? Weren't the Regis supposed to remain dormant in ruins? Why was it here?
Questions flooded his thoughts, but none offered salvation.
Regice's sheer power rendered resistance futile. In a ruin, escape might have been possible as the Titans never left the ruins—but this was open terrain. Regice had come with a purpose.
Then, to Furukai's utter disbelief, Aoki strode to Regice's side and laid a hand on its icy surface, just within reach.
Through Telepathy, he conveyed his first request.
Regice's yellow markings flickered in acknowledgment.
How would Regice handle Furukai? The answer was obvious: total annihilation. Even among the Regis, Regice was weaker than Registeel and Regirock—but against a mere Pseudo-Champion Trainer? No contest.
Altaria trailing Aoki froze in midair.
She recognized this Regice—one of the titans from the Ruins of Neverland, the same one that had once pursued her mate.
Yet here it was, obeying Aoki's orders.
Had he caught it? Tamed it? The thought was absurd.
For the first time, Altaria felt a pang of humility. She'd been arrogant, even considering abandoning Aoki earlier. But now?
This boy had orchestrated everything.
She wasn't his lifeline—she'd been the decoy as a part of the plan.
The Flygon beside her buzzed with vindication.
"Still think I'm cowardly?" its expression seemed to say.
It had sensed Aoki's plan from the start—the deliberate flight path, the calm demeanor.
Now Altaria understood.
Aoki wasn't just skilled in battle.
He was a strategist.
Regice moved.
Furukai's commands were frantic. His Arbok, at the peak of pseudo-champion-tier strength, lunged—only for Regice to hammer it into the ground with a single Mega Punch. The earth cracked beneath the force.
Gyarados unleashed a Hydro Pump—useless against Regice's glacial armor. A Blizzard retaliated, freezing the serpent mid-strike.
Exeggutor's Psychic? Ignored. Crobat's Wing Attack? A flick of Regice's arm sent it crashing into the cliffs.
Furukai scrambled onto Pidgeot, desperate to flee.
Regice easily caught up and interrupted his path.
One Ice Beam later, Furukai and his Pidgeot lay motionless on the frozen shore.
Even Pidgeot couldn't withstand Regice's punch, let alone Furukai with a human body.
Without even being able to say his last words, he lost his life directly.