GB020: A Serious Crisis!! The Battle With Lugia!

A Serious Crisis!! The Battle With Lugia! (絶体絶命！！ルギアとの戦い) is the 20th chapter of The Golden Boys.

Chapter Plot
Gold faces the Legendary Pokémon, Lugia, who wishes to battle him. Lugia fires an attack, upon which Gold, Crystal and their Pokémon flee from. As they are on the edge of the pit, Gold asks Lugia to stop attacking, since they didn't come to challenge it. He tries to reason with it, as they got lost on their way to Cianwood City, from where they have to obtain medicine to cure a sick Ampharos, and merely wish to save it. Lugia roars, exclaiming they have to defeat it first before continuing on. Slowking exclaims these people have been chosen by Lugia to fight it. Regardless, Slowking notes Lugia is a powerful opponent, and nobody has ever defeated it. Crystal braces Gold to attack Lugia, whom Gold sees it is his most powerful opponent he faced. Still, he exclaims there is no invincible Pokémon, thus has Pikachu use Thunderbolt.

However, the attack goes through Lugia, piercing it. Instead, Gold has Croconaw use Water Gun, but that attack also goes through Lugia. This makes Gold question what kind of a creature Lugia is. Crystal has Cyndaquil execute Flame Wheel, which does some damage to Lugia. Much to her shock, Lugia simply heals itself. Lugia is not impressed by their attacks, and fires another attack that the group evades. Crystal believes Lugia is a Flying and a Psychic-type Pokémon, though Gold has noticed regular attacks do not work against it. Slowking explains challengers failed to defeat Lugia, since they did not understand its mystery, a secret that nobody knows. This makes Gold wonder if it is actually a Grass-type Pokémon that is weak to Fire attacks. Slowking denies this, and Cyndaquil gets injured by the attack. Gold sees they can't outrun Lugia in this cave, but they can't stay outside, either. Crystal cries, fearing they have lost.

Gold exclaims they cannot lost this fight, and tells Crystal to run to the pond, from which they can escape to sea. Lugia is surprised the two are running away. Gold and Crystal dive in before Lugia could grab them, and Crystal notices Lugia's wing has changed. Gold and Crystal dive through the underground tunnel, while Lugia sees its wing has melted, due to the water. Gold and Crystal dive out of the water to the other side of the island, and sense it is a quite hot pond. Crystal tells it must be a sunken area. Gold is nevertheless cautious, since Lugia could easily spot them in this open field, and have to find a way to defeat it. Crystal thinks for a bit, and believes she has an idea about Lugia's identity. She tells she saw Lugia's wing dissolved in the water, when it tried to grab them. She believes it is a form of a Gas Pokémon.

Gold is surprised at this, wondering how can that even be possible. Crystal explains that Lugia could be using psychic powers to maintain its gas form, but it started dissolving under water, hence why it was encased in a rock and looked like a phantasm underwater. Gold sees they need to lure it in the sea, or Crystal thinks a fire could work. Since the sea is too wide for them to fight in, Gold believes a volcano could work, though there is no eruption around. Crystal points out the entire island is made from solid lava, and thinks lava could still be flowing underground. Gold realizes she is right, and hurries to find the volcano. Not soon, Lugia finds Gold. Despite the unfortunate incident that will happen, Lugia is nevertheless impressed that Gold found out about its identity.

Lugia uses its power, trapping Gold and his Pokémon, with lava flowing around the area. Crystal is shocked that lava was underneath them. Lugia lets Gold have one last chance at defeating it, since Lugia is impressed by his powers of observation. It lets Gold know that a single attack could crumble the floor beneath them, and they will both perish in lava. Lugia offers Gold to surrender, but in doing so, Gold would be forced to stay forever on the island. Gold points out that would leave Ampharos to die away. Lugia braces for the attack to shatter the isle on the lava, asking Gold does he wish to place his duty before "that little girl", and forces him to make a choice. Gold winks, deciding not to surrender. Crystal panics, while Gold swears he won't fall into lava, either, and sends Remoraid and Croconaw. Lugia finds that Gold testing it is useless, and crushes the isle. Crystal screams, as Lugia is overwhelmed by the lava. Gold has Croconaw and Remoraid use Water Gun to blow them away. The water cools down the lava, allowing Gold and his Pokémon to stand on the solid rock.

Crystal is pleased, and sends Wooper to use Water Gun on the lava, to cool it down. Gold continues on, but starts falling down. Crystal jumps to save Gold, who yells out she is an idiot, warning her not to come over. Just then, a power causes the group to levitate and to be transported into a cave. Lugia rests on a rock, explaining it is the real Lugia, as the one the two fought against was just its illusion. Slowking explains they are deep underground, and Lugia's powers support this place in a shape of a pillar. Due to that, Lugia cannot leave this place, and being the guardian of this island, Lugia feared it never would face a challenger again. Still, it is happy to have met them, and acknowledges the duo's victory, despite feeling ill. Regardless, it offers the two anything they want, be it riches or precious stones. Gold and Crystal wish to go to Cianwood City, and board onto the illusion Lugia. The two bid farewell to Slowking, Lugia and the rest.

On their way, Crystal wonders if they will return to Whirl Islands. Gold hopes so, to have a rematch with Lugia, once it feels better.