Chapter 653: Experience Gap

Husky versus Volleyball Spirit.

Two dragons, one high and one low, gazed at each other from afar, their battle fury surging into invisible electric currents flickering between them.

Compared to the sneaky, stealth-reliant Drapion, only direct confrontation and brute force befit the dignity of a Dragon-type Pokémon!

The young trainers watching this scene couldn't help but grow excited, eager to cheer for both sides yet afraid of disturbing either.

Inside the arena.

Baimu saw Shi Yuan Zhi with arms crossed, unmoved; seeing his opponent still not attack despite the opportunity to switch, he realized this man fully intended to carry out a defensive-counterattack strategy to the end.

Too composed—not a single ripple of disturbance.

A fundamental difference from those young trainers who jumped at every little thing.

Is this will forged by years of seafaring experience?

The Crustle's demeanor was practically carved from the same mold as its trainer's.

"Deceive!"

He gave the order, eyes fixed on the Crustle whose condition was unreadable, already having decided his response.

"Shasong!"

The Weavile coldly scrutinized the Crustle; a mist emitting dark luster rose from its body, followed by an orange-red flash signifying a stat boost.

Shi Yuan Zhi spoke at the right moment: "Roll!"

"Tunmo!"

The Crustle retracted its short limbs, a smooth luster gliding over its surface, making it resemble a perfect sphere even more.

The next instant.

Both sides gave their commands simultaneously.

"Meteor Swarm!"

"Self-Destruct!"

The Weavile raised all three heads; terrifying Dragon-type energy gathered in its chest and abdomen, forming visible, brilliant light.

In an instant.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A thunderous roar like cannonballs bursting from barrels, followed by a piercing, mournful whistle.

Shh—

Three purple orbs shot skyward, then exploded one after another like fireworks, forming three waves of purple meteor arrows slicing across the sky.

As if ready to obliterate heaven and earth!

Yet facing this scene.

The Crustle rolled rapidly in place, grinding the ground and kicking up dust, yet the blinding radiance glowing from its body could not be hidden—it looked like a golden little sun.

Thus.

As the powerful energy rippled the air, the first wave of meteor arrows fell like a rain of cannonballs.

The Dragon-type energy, built to its peak, slammed violently into the ground!

Boom boom boom boom!

Amid the deafening explosions, countless craters of all sizes spread across the entire arena, buried under rising clouds of smoke; shattered rocks flew past with whistling sounds, forcing the Meteorites to retreat repeatedly.

But what was unbelievable was.

That massive golden sphere moved with fearless momentum, nimbly dodging the relentless rain of falling meteors amid the wreckage.

Zigzagging, sudden stops, sideways drifts—even inertia-assisted slides…

It moved like a golden light threading through the battlefield, untouched by the explosions around it!

No wonder for the 【Hard Head】 ability.

Yet…

How did it judge the landing points of the Meteor Swarm while rolling?

Telepathy?

Or some unspoken understanding?

Baimu looked at Shi Yuan Zhi, who had not given a single command, frowning as he observed the Crustle dodging the first wave of meteor explosions and now avoiding the second.

To his surprise, he noticed something interesting—

The Crustle was not dodging by predicting where the meteors would land and moving away in advance; instead, it waited until the meteor arrows were at a certain distance above its head before dodging.

Hence.

The dangerous maneuvers—zigzags, sudden stops, drifts—occurred.

Is it highly sensitive to energy within a certain range, or specifically to Dragon-type energy?

He boldly speculated on the Crustle's dodging mechanism: ordinary Pokémon using rolling moves typically move in straight lines, requiring precise commands from their trainers.

There's no way such fine-tuned evasion could rely solely on the Pokémon's own instincts.

Thinking this way.

No wonder Shi Yuan Zhi, the Master, was determined to stick to a defensive-counterattack strategy and absolutely refused to take the offensive.

For a Pokémon with such acute energy perception, defensive-counterattack is likely one of its most effective core tactics!

But no tactic in the world is perfect; the Crustle's sensitivity to energy cannot let it evade every single incoming move forever.

He narrowed his eyes, seeing the second wave of meteor explosions nearing its end, and swiftly ordered: "Now! Dragon Dive, prepare!"

"Shasong!"

The Weavile roared fiercely, blue light igniting at the tips of all three heads.

Vast Dragon-type energy spread over its body like flowing water, then blazed up like searing flames!

In an instant, terrifying dark energy solidified into a crushing weight, descending upon the battlefield ravaged by the meteor shower!

Boom!

Both the Meteor Folk and the Dragon Pokémon felt as if a drumstick had struck their hearts.

They looked up at the three-headed dragon looming above the sky.

Its original form was long gone; what met their eyes was a three-headed, blazing giant dragon, coldly gazing down at the ground.

The dazzling light seemed to outshine the sun, turning the entire sky a deep blue, rendering everything around it unnaturally dim.

Around it, deep violet meteors spiraled and fell; three grotesque, flaming dragon heads pulsed with lifelike ferocity, their colossal wings flapping and warping the air, while muffled thunder roared like a growl.

What an terrifying sight!

Even Shi Yuan Zhi, whose will was as iron, unconsciously shifted from crossed arms to hands shoved deep in his pockets upon seeing the three-headed dragon.

On the battlefield.

The Armored Dragon, overwhelmed by pressure and startled by the torrent of energy above, hesitated—then took a direct hit from a meteor moving at blinding speed. With a bang, it was swallowed by exploding flame and smoke.

But soon, a golden sphere burst forth from the dust, seemingly unharmed.

Yet Baimu saw at a glance that the creature's rolling speed had weakened.

Finally—it came—

Opening! Opportunity!

He shouted: "Go!"

"Roar—!!"

The roaring three-headed flame dragon and the remaining meteor swarm dove straight down, hurtling toward the brilliant golden sphere!

In that instant, the Meteor Folk's vision was utterly consumed by the flood of dragon flame; they felt as if the sky itself had collapsed upon them.

Their gazes trembled; all silence was shattered by the awe of the scene before them.

Whether or not they had seen similarly powerful Dragon Pokémon before, no matter how many times they experienced such grandeur up close, the heart-stopping essence never changed.

Shi Yuan Zhi remained calm, bellowing: "Hold!"

The glow on the golden sphere faded.

"Thoom!"

The Armored Dragon paused slightly, extending its four short, thick claws to brace itself—and before the three-headed flame dragon could strike, it raised a pale blue spherical light shield!

In an instant.

The world fell silent.

All color dissolved into pure white nothingness.

Then came a cataclysmic roar—the unstoppable shockwave surged through rolling smoke and dust, slamming into every person and Pokémon's face; in the blink of an eye, sand, stones, and weeds shot up like arrows fired from bows, scattering everywhere.

Swoosh—swoosh—swoosh—

Many young Dragon Tamer children screamed involuntarily.

A few mischievous ones who had refused to retreat, eager to watch up close, were flung backward hard, lying stunned and unable to rise for a long while.

From afar, however—

The three-headed flame dragon diving toward the ground resembled a meteor fallen from heaven; the instant its dragon flame exploded, it birthed a staggering mushroom cloud, and beyond its outermost ring, smoke mixed with fire churned endlessly.

The energy of destruction continued to shake the earth, disturbing many Dragon Pokémon who had not come to watch.

Inside the Dragon Shrine.

The Elder looked up, smiling:

"Really… it's gotten lively again."

Scenes of this magnitude were rare—only during festivals, when most Dragon Tamers returned home and sparred to test the results of their journeys, could such grandeur be barely witnessed.

Back to the battlefield.

The mushroom cloud lingered, slow to dissipate.

Baimu covered his nose and mouth, eyes locked on the battlefield, not daring to look away.

The upgraded meteor swarm could adjust its attack frequency by timing its release; the initial triple meteor shower might cover a wide area, but many meteors collided mid-flight and canceled each other out.

Now, released in staggered bursts, the meteor swarm gained a new rhythm—and ensured the three-headed dragon could recover its strength during the intervals.

Thus, the scene just now emerged: meteor swarm and dragon dive attacking in tandem.

In contrast—

The Armored Dragon had avoided most of the meteor swarm, but such prolonged dodging drained its short-term stamina severely, like the exhaustion after a hundred-meter sprint.

The three-headed dragon seizing this moment to attack was undoubtedly the perfect chance to win.

Too bad.

A veteran King remains a veteran King.

Shi Yuan Zhi and the Armored Dragon had long battled the turbulent oceans of the world, forging a tenacious physique and willpower beyond ordinary imagination.

Even as exhaustion neared its peak, they still activated "Hold" at the final instant.

Unreal.

Baimu had fought Mi Ke Li, who was stronger, yet never felt this helpless—and worse, he had predicted this exact outcome.

No matter how much you overestimate Shi Yuan Zhi in battle, it's never enough.

He had already prepared for the worst.

If close-range combat was truly unavoidable, then let's see whose willpower lasts longer!

The smoke gradually cleared.

The vast battlefield lay in ruins; centered on a massive depression toward the left, countless craters—large and small—studded the ground like stars, a landscape of utter devastation.

The Armored Dragon stood with its back to Shi Yuan Zhi; its round body bore numerous blackened, charred marks from dragon flame burns.

Clearly, the protective light shield had been shattered.

Dragon Dive had successfully struck its body.

Yet the Armored Dragon showed no sign of pain, not even a hint of fatigue.

Shi Yuan Zhi showed no reaction either, slightly lowering his head so the brim of his white captain's hat shadowed his gaze.

In contrast, the three-headed dragon across from them.

Having used two ultra-powerful moves in quick succession, exhausting its mental will and energy output to the limit, it panted heavily, struggling for breath.

"Shaa… Sog…"

Adding physical defense by rounding up really does absorb a lot, but what about the Evolution Stone?

Baimu's thoughts shifted; after confirming his Pokémon's condition, he immediately ordered:

"Dragon Pulse!"

"Dragon's Rage!"

Unexpectedly, Shi Yuan Zhi gave the Armored Dragon the same command.

This filled him with elation—a Pokémon built for defense and counterattacks suddenly going all-out meant the trainer's strategy of enduring punishment to find an opening for retaliation was likely doomed.

In other words.

Shi Yuan Zhi believed the Armored Dragon's stamina was nearly gone!

The three-headed dragon drew in a deep breath with all three heads, its chest swelling like a balloon.

At the precise moment it reached its limit, it thrust its heads forward and roared, three mouths blazing with cross-shaped starlight!

"Shaa Sog—!!"

A torrent of swirling dragon flames erupted as a multicolored energy dragon!

Boom!

Facing Dragon Pulse was the Armored Dragon, now rounded into a ball, its surface coated in a crimson mist.

"Ton Mo!"

As it rolled at high speed,

it left behind deep red trails of dragon flame scorching the ground.

They collided.

Boom!

A deafening roar!

The ruined ground trembled violently; two vastly different colors of destructive dragon flames clashed at the center, radiating terrifying energy waves!

The Armored Dragon was holding its ground against the three-headed dragon with Dragon's Rage—

No!

It had broken through Dragon Pulse!

Baimu frowned; this Pokémon, which had just been hit by Dragon Dive and should have been weakened, smashed through the multicolored dragon flame and charged straight at the three-headed dragon!

"Gain altitude!"

He quickly ordered.

The three-headed dragon, reluctantly abandoning its effort to push back the Armored Dragon, flapped its six black wings to climb higher.

But the crimson-tinged Armored Dragon, having missed its target, rolled even faster, plunging straight into a deep crater blasted open by the meteor swarm.

Immediately after,

under Baimu's and the surrounding Meteor People's stunned gaze, the Armored Dragon used the crater's irregular edges to launch itself into the sky in a parabolic arc, slamming into the three-headed dragon's back!

So fast!

And it could do that too!?

"Dodge!" he shouted, looking up.

From acceleration to takeoff—it was all over in an instant, a lightning-fast surprise attack from behind.

Such fluid, seamless rhythm made it hard not to suspect Shi Yuan Zhi had planned this from the start—intending for the Armored Dragon to charge toward that crater, knowing Baimu would choose to retreat.

Fortunately, the three-headed dragon reacted swiftly, executing a sharp forward roll that let the crimson sphere graze past.

Was that it?

No!

"To your left!" Shi Yuan Zhi called out, guiding the Armored Dragon.

Indeed, the opponent had decided its attack strategy from the beginning.

Baimu watched the crimson sphere rise again and again with thunderous speed, striking the three-headed dragon in the sky with unrelenting precision, showing no intention to give it a single moment to recover—and gave no other command besides dodge.

He simply waited silently until, on the fourth missed strike, as the Armored Dragon fell to the ground and rose again, momentarily swaying as if caught by the wind, he gave the decisive order:

"Protect!"

"Shaa Sog!"

The three-headed dragon immediately raised its honeycomb light shield, letting the crimson sphere crash into it with unstoppable force.

Crack—Bang!

A sharp crack rang out; the blue honeycomb sphere held for only two seconds before shattering like glass.

The Armored Dragon slammed violently into the three-headed dragon's abdomen, spinning it down from the sky and crashing it hard onto the ground!

Thud!

Dust rose!

The young dragon trainers gasped in unison—but Baimu smiled.

Here it comes!

The six wings suddenly unfurled, scattering the dust and smoke.

The three-headed Hydreigon, which had been slammed into the ground by the Armaldo, had at some point reversed their positions and was now pinning it beneath its body, its savage dragon heads gleaming with bloodthirsty ferocity!

"Why—"

"The Reversal is over! It's confused!"

A call and response rose from the Meteorites, revealing the state of the field.

Without a doubt.

Armaldo's Reversal was ferocious, forcing the three-headed Hydreigon to scramble and dodge, but as a high-power Dragon-type move with a negative side effect, it was bound to leave it in a confused state once it ended.

So—

"Dragon Pulse!"

The three-headed Hydreigon sucked in a sharp breath, locked its gaze on the vacant-eyed Armaldo, and unleashed a multicolored dragon flame at point-blank range—less than half a meter—looking for all the world as if it meant to melt it on the spot!

Boom!

Energy exploded, dust and smoke billowed!

The damage was maxed out instantly!

Could the already battered Armaldo still hold on?

The Meteorites all looked toward Shi Yuan Zhi, whose cap brim shadowed his eyes, leaving his expression unreadable to those around him.

They could not help but begin to murmur.

"It's over, right?"

"Baimu actually took down one of Elite Four Shi Yuan Zhi's Pokémon first—looks like the Champion League has a real shot!"

"So strong! The three-headed Hydreigon is so strong!"

Suddenly.

Shi Yuan Zhi spoke: "Meteor Swarm."

The Meteorites fell silent in an instant, staring at the field in disbelief.

Within the gradually dispersing dust and smoke, a single flash of Jin Guang shone especially bright.

It came from Armaldo.

Pinned beneath the three-headed Hydreigon's body, it—under the latter's disbelieving gaze—gathered a tremendous amount of Dragon-type energy at tremendous speed, wrapping it into a massive azure orb of light.

Then.

The orb shot straight up into the heavens and detonated like a high-altitude bomb!

Boom!

Countless meteor light-arrows scattered like fireworks, raining down across the field and blasting out shallow craters one after another—bang, bang, bang. The three-headed Hydreigon's body itself, meanwhile, thudded to the ground not far away.

Inside and outside the field, not a sound.

Only the referee, Jinba, remarked with a sigh:

"To think it could still pull off Endure…"

A defensive counterattack strategy.

Shi Yuan Zhi had carried it through from start to finish, never once deviating.