Noland stood to the side, not interrupting Cain, who was using his psychic abilities to communicate with Regice.
Although he was quite surprised to discover that Cain was a psychic, not knowing him beforehand lessened the shock.
"Mr. Noland, I've already communicated with Regice. It's just looking for something and has no intention of causing harm or battling other Pokémon. As you know, the Regis have things they need to protect," Cain explained after finishing his telepathic connection.
Of course, the conversation between Cain and Regice wasn't that simple. However, certain key parts couldn't be disclosed to Noland, so Cain briefly summarized the main points.
Noland didn't ask further questions.
After Cain finished communicating with Regice, it noticeably calmed down, as if it had entered a state of stillness. If not for the glowing beads on its face, Noland might have thought Regice had gone into "standby mode."
The reason Noland had been chasing Regice in the first place was that it had suddenly emerged from a hidden island in the sea, heading somewhere with great urgency.
As one of the League's leaders, Noland couldn't ignore it and followed to investigate, given how aggressive it seemed.
Along the way, Noland had tried to stop Regice several times with his Articuno, but to no avail.
Regice avoided direct confrontations with Articuno, though it was visibly annoyed. However, as it seemed to be in a hurry, it chose to evade instead of engaging directly.
After several failed attempts, Regice finally attacked Articuno. With just one collision, Noland could gauge Regice's strength: he couldn't defeat it in direct combat. The best he could do was slow it down.
Luckily, Noland had already informed the League in advance, so reinforcements would arrive at any moment.
Now that Regice had calmed down, Noland felt relieved.
He began to admire Cain's abilities and courage. Not everyone would dare to step in front of such a powerful Pokémon and demonstrate psychic powers.
Noland and Cain exchanged a few words, during which Noland learned Cain's true identity. Meanwhile, Cain took the opportunity to analyze the data of the powerful Pokémon in front of him.
Pokémon: Regice (Light Purple)
Gender: Genderless
Level: 74
Type: Ice
Ability: Clear Body
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: None
Basic Moves: Explosion, Stomp, Icy Wind, Charge Beam, Bulldoze, Curse, Ancient Power, Amnesia, Ice Beam, Hammer Arm, Lock-On, Zap Cannon, Superpower, Hyper Beam
Learned Moves: Signal Beam, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Gravity, Focus Punch
TM Moves: None
Regice's level surprised Cain. Level 74? On Mythical Island, the other two Regis (Regirock and Registeel) were at level 78. Why was Regice at a lower level? This put it in a different category.
However, Cain had projected Mew's image into Regice's mind, halting its attack. It was clear this was the same Regice that had been in the ruins of Mythical Island.
Had something happened during that time to affect its level? Or had the Pokémon on the island leveled up while Regice had weakened?
Intrigued by these questions, Cain set them aside for later and scanned Noland's Articuno.
Pokémon: Articuno (Light Purple)
Gender: Female
Level: 72
Type: Ice + Flying
Ability: Pressure
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: None
Basic Moves: Gust, Powder Snow, Mist, Ice Shard, Mind Reader, Ancient Power, Agility, Freeze-Dry, Reflect, Hail, Ice Beam
Learned Moves: Defog, Snore, Tailwind, Sky Attack, Water Pulse, Icy Wind
TM Moves: Protect, Hidden Power (Fire), Blizzard, Hyper Beam, Roost, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, Giga Impact, Frost Breath, U-turn
Noland's Articuno was also impressive, at level 72 with legendary status.
However, in a direct confrontation with Regice, Articuno wouldn't have been able to win. That's why Noland had tried to avoid causing damage to the environment, opting not to involve all his Pokémon in an all-out battle.
Two legendary Pokémon in one day didn't faze Cain much. In fact, he found the situation somewhat amusing. He knew the conversation with Regice had touched on sensitive topics and that what Regice was searching for was somehow related to him.
But now wasn't the time to reveal those details.
Soon, other figures began appearing on the horizon. Among them was someone Cain knew well: the Dragon-type Elite Four, Drake, riding his fierce Salamence, flying toward them.
There was also a middle-aged woman on a Skarmory, flying a bit slower than Drake.
And then there was a man with a serious expression, dressed in a green Trainer uniform, standing next to... a Regirock!
Another of the Regis, which meant that man was Brandon, the leader of the Battle Pyramid in the Battle Frontier.
The middle-aged woman was likely the Gym Leader of Fortree City, as they were close to her town. Though her strength might not compare, she needed to be present to assess the situation and ensure it didn't spill over into her city.
As for Drake, he had been at sea when he received the League's order to head over immediately, explaining his swift arrival.
His presence reassured everyone, as he was highly respected for his strength. Although he no longer competed for the Champion title, his power was undeniable.
Drake's Salamence also caused a slight disturbance in Regice's energy. Apparently, Regice felt intimidated by Salamence's presence.
Interestingly, though there were three legendary Pokémon and a pseudo-legendary in the scene, the most powerful of all was that pseudo-legendary: Salamence!
This proved that being a legendary Pokémon didn't always mean being the strongest—unless it held some divine status.
(End of chapter)