"Lucario, let's try Mega Evolution again."
After Lucario's mental power achieved a breakthrough, Ethan trained with it again to attempt Mega Evolution.
During this period, thanks to the increase in Lucario's mental power and its growing mastery in using aura power to help fuse mental energy, Charizard's Mega Evolution could already be completed quite easily.
Moreover, Charizard was already capable of maintaining the Mega Charizard Y form to carry out simple battles. In terms of strength, even the Slowking that used the move Calm Mind to the limit could not withstand more than two turns in a direct confrontation. This clearly demonstrated how powerful Mega Charizard Y is!
Unfortunately, even with the help of Ethan and Lucario, Charizard could only maintain Mega Evolution for one minute, so it could only be used as a hidden trump card.
Even so, after entering the Mega Charizard Y form many times and repeatedly experiencing the evolutionary leap of its life and the power of that form, Charizard itself had improved tremendously.
Especially the activation of its ability Drought, which had greatly increased its ability to control temperature, as well as the power of moves such as Sunny Day, Sunny Day Fire, and Sunny Day Dragon.
"Luucaarr!"
Lucario nodded with a serious expression after hearing Ethan's words.
Recalling the changes in Charizard after Mega Evolution, it was also looking forward to its own Mega Evolution!
Next, Lucario sat cross-legged, adopting a yoga posture.
A faint blue light enveloped its body, and its figure slowly began to rise into the air.
At the same time, Ethan also sat cross-legged. Surrounded by a group of psychic energy activated by Lucario's Meditate move, his body also emitted a blue light and rose into the air.
"Let's begin," Ethan murmured to himself.
At the same time, Ethan and Lucario began to communicate with the power of the Key Stone and the Mega Stone.
In the next instant, both stones burst into a dazzling glow, connecting with each other through their bond.
Within that brilliant light, Lucario's body slowly began to change. Its form began to transform and its life level started to rise.
But just when Lucario's Mega Evolution was about to be completed, Ethan once again felt an intense pain.
In the air, the bodies of Ethan and Lucario fell to the ground.
It was obvious that this attempt at Mega Evolution had also failed.
Although Lucario could use aura power to help Ethan allow Charizard to Mega Evolve, when it came to its own Mega Evolution, once it concentrated on the process it could no longer divide its attention to use aura to help Ethan activate the power of the Key Stone.
"It seems that if Lucario wants to Mega Evolve, it will still have to rely on me..."
Ethan rubbed his head in pain. Increasing the mental power of a normal human was far more difficult than that of a Pokémon.
And moreover, right now he didn't even know what method he could use to improve his own mental power.
"Luucaarr!"
After the failure of the Mega Evolution, Lucario also looked somewhat disappointed.
"Lucario, don't worry. I will help you complete Mega Evolution. Since the normal path doesn't work, we'll take the second path. If we manage to walk that path, your Mega Evolution will be even more powerful and perfect."
Seeing Lucario's disappointment, Ethan also felt bad, but he had no intention of giving up.
That second path toward Mega Evolution was achieving an autonomous Mega Evolution.
In theory, the evolution of Pokémon is a leap in life level, while Mega Evolution is an advanced way of using life energy.
During Mega Evolution, the bond between trainer and Pokémon serves as a medium to help the Pokémon control that life energy, assisting the evolutionary leap and completing the Mega Evolution.
Therefore, for a Pokémon to Mega Evolve, in addition to the Pokémon itself being able to activate the life energy contained in the Mega Stone, the trainer must also use their own strength to activate the Key Stone, helping the Pokémon master that energy through the bond between them.
However, if a Pokémon could control life energy by itself, without the need for the trainer or the Key Stone, then in theory, as long as it possessed enough life energy and had a method to control it, it could achieve an autonomous Mega Evolution.
This theory was not a simple assumption by Ethan.
It was based on examples from the anime where some Pokémon managed to Mega Evolve by themselves.
The case he remembered most clearly was Diancie in the movie "Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction," where Diancie manages to Mega Evolve on her own.
In that movie it is described in detail how Diancie found the god of life, Xerneas, and with its help managed to complete her autonomous Mega Evolution.
This demonstrated that the essence of Mega Evolution was the control of life energy.
If a Pokémon possesses enough life energy and can control it, then it can complete a Mega Evolution by itself.
Now then, returning to Lucario.
According to Ethan's deduction, achieving an autonomous Mega Evolution requires two conditions:
Possessing enough life energy.
Having a method to control that life energy.
As for the first point, Lucario could activate the life energy contained in the Lucarionite.
Regarding the second point — replacing the assistance of the trainer and the Key Stone — Ethan planned to begin with aura power.
Aura power was one of the most mysterious forces in this world, and it absolutely had the possibility of perceiving and controlling life energy.
As for how to allow Lucario to learn to master that life energy, Ethan already had some ideas.
The key was to begin with the healing moves that Lucario could use.
Life Dew and Heal Pulse are healing moves that essentially use life energy.
Therefore, Ethan planned for Lucario to begin with healing moves to try to find a way to control life energy.
Moreover, among his Pokémon there was also Litwick, which likewise needed to find a method to evolve, something that was also related to life energy.
Life energy, healing moves, Mega Evolution...
This entire series of research surrounding life energy would become Ethan's research objective in the next stage.
If he managed to master the study of life energy, he could definitely become one of the most powerful trainers in this world.
"Luucaarr!"
After hearing Ethan's entire plan, Lucario's eyes shone with anticipation.
Lucario had never doubted Ethan's words!
"This has to be done little by little. For now, let's go see the progress of the others. This World Championship is a great opportunity for growth for all of you."
Ethan smiled. After resting for a while to recover his mental energy, he stood up and left the laboratory.
"Luucaarr!"
Lucario also filled with anticipation.
Battling on the stage of the World Championship against all kinds of powerful opponents was, in a sense, one of the fastest ways for a Pokémon to grow.
(End of chapter)