Everyone stood still, watching Legion carefully to see what he was going to do.
"Well? Is no one brave enough to step forward?" Legion asked.
After several seconds of silence, Legion laughed. "Fine, I guess I'm just going to lay waste to ALL OF YOU!"
Legion charged up more thunderbolts in his hands, and fired them off, this time intentionally trying to aim for anyone who was in his sights! Takuya, Dante, Kasi, and Reaper dove into cover, Ash and Tyler dove behind a piece of rubble while Brock, Misty, Mary, and Arkham took cover behind a collapsed wall nearby!
"By Arceus!" Dante exclaimed. "He's not holding anything back!"
"There's got to be a way for you to stop him!" Reaper said.
"There is… I can unseal my Shadow Aura to a Level 1 controlled release, but it risks killing him." Dante said.
"No!" Kasi grabbed Dante's arm. "If you kill Legion, you kill Avery as well!"
"We may not have a choice, Kasi!" Dante argued as more thunderbolts whizzed over their heads! "If Legion takes off and goes for more populated areas, he could hurt a lot of innocent people!"
"There's got to be another way…" Takuya pleaded.
(There is, Takuya… You're just not looking at all the options.) Aries' voice echoed in Takuya's head, as he felt the sudden throbbing headache return! Takuya fell to his knees, letting out a loud grimace! Aries was trying to take control again!
"Takuya!" Reaper exclaimed.
"No, stay back Reaper!" Takuya shouted. "Aries is awake again… He's fighting to get out!"
(I can help you, Takuya…) Aries said. (I can fight Legion for all of you, single handed… No one else needs to get hurt, now do they?)
"No, Aries! I'm not letting you take control…!" Takuya clutched his head tightly, trying to ward off the pain. "You're just going to try and hurt people again! ...I won't let you!"
Dante, despite dealing with all the sudden stress, quickly assessed the situation, rapidly calculating out every option and the possible consequences before speaking, deciding on taking a risk.
"Takuya, let him out."
Kasi, Takuya, and Reaper looked at Dante like he was crazy.
"It's the only way other than me using my Level 1 release." Dante explained. "If we can play this right, we can stop Legion, save Avery, and keep everyone alive. Let Aries out, Takuya! Now!"
(Yes, Takuya… Do as Dante says…) Aries said, his voice smooth with temptation. (Let me take control, and I will stop Legion…)
Takuya took a glance over at Legion, who had stopped his lighting storm and dragged Sparta out from the trees, getting ready to strike the injured Machamp with a clawed hand! Takuya knew he had no choice but to risk it…
"Alright, Aries… You win…" Takuya closed his eyes, letting his hands fall to his sides as he submitted, allowing Aries to take over. His body sat there, limp and still for a few seconds. Then, Takuya stood up, jumping out into the fray, flying through the air with a loud roar as he rushed towards Legion! Legion quickly had to throw Sparta aside, jumping out of the way as Takuya's fist collided with the ground in a fiery explosion!
Once Takuya landed, he let out a growl as his Shadow Aura spiked, covering his body in its energy. He stood back up again, opening his eyes to show the black sclera and magma-red irises as he cracked a wicked grin! Aries was back in control, and he stared down Legion with taunting adversity!
"Well, well… It looks like I'm not the only powerhouse in the neighborhood anymore…" Aries said with a chuckle.
Legion gawked at Aries a few moments before his face assumed a neutral expression. "It sure seems that way… But why are you now risking your life to protect these weaklings?!" Legion motioned to Sparta, Kasi, Reaper, and Dante. "If I recall from Avery's memories, you attacked them with ferocity, not caring if they lived or died! So, why the sudden change of heart, Aries?!"
Aries let out a mad, psychotic cackle as he answered Legion's question. "You really think I give a crap about them?! The only reason I agreed to this at all was to get in a proper fight for myself! You are a powerful and worthy opponent, Legion! One of very few I consider worthy of my attention!" Aries pointed at his opponent. "This fight will be written down in history! Known as a grand battle for ages to come, and I don't care if we have to tear apart the entire Orre region to decide a victor! But don't worry… Once this is all over, you will be kneeling at my heel." Aries then gave Legion a provocative thumbs-down motion.
Legion let out a tiger-like snarl, glaring at Aries before his expression turned to a cocky smirk. "At you heel, you say? Well, we will see if you still have that mindset AFTER I BLOW YOUR ASS TO THE CURB!"
Legion shot out an electric blast at Aries, who dodged it and threw a fireball at his opponent in retaliation! After several long-range exchanges with no one getting hit, they charged at each other with clenched fists, roaring as they ran across the battlefield with their energies charged!
When they had closed the distance, they both leapt up into the air, and swung their fists as they both impacted each other, knuckles grinding against knuckles as their charged energy was unleashed in an explosive fiery, electrified corona that detonated around them like a bomb!