Chapter 656

Pokémon battle.

It is a profoundly deep discipline.

Although Baimu has defeated many opponents by gathering intelligence, exploiting information gaps, and leveraging power differentials, there exists no unbeatable tactic, no trainer or Pokémon that wins forever.

When Dragapult faces Deshak, the ideal scenario is to use its superior dual attacking stats and ultra-high speed to whirl it around.

Who knew this guy was even more outrageous than Cradily—he's a hexagonal warrior!

An all-around stat monster!

Speed—boosted by Quick Attack; reflexes sharp; offense fierce—the combination of Sandstorm and Quaking Ground traps heaven and earth; Earthquake and Meteor Swarm deliver devastating power; defense extreme—after being struck twice by Shadow Sneak enhanced by Dragon Dance, it still launched the fastest counterattack.

Any other Pokémon would have been dazed or stunned by that final head-bash; how could Deshak immediately twist its tail around Dragapult like that?

No chance to escape!

Baimu had always thought he overestimated Shi Yuan Zhi's battle experience and Pokémon strength—wasn't that a bit too exaggerated? If they were truly that strong, his own chances of winning were slim.

Yet the outcome told him: you didn't overestimate at all—they're genuinely extraordinary.

Dragapult then went down.

Is this reasonable?

He tugged at his lips, finally understanding how frustrated those opponents at the Caiyou Tournament had felt facing him.

But Social Dragon was by no means sacrificed in vain.

Inside the arena.

Shi Yuan Zhi seemed about to say something, when suddenly Deshak stiffened, its entire body engulfed in flames that erupted out of nowhere, causing the surrounding Meteor Folk to cheer.

"Burn!"

"Will-o'-Wisp succeeded!"

Perfect opportunity!

Baimu swiftly recalled the fainted Dragapult; the two confused Druddigon immediately flew toward him, landing atop his head stacked together, their expressions relaxed.

Then.

A Poké Ball was thrown.

Boom!

"Your turn now!"

He shouted loudly.

Out from the ball emerged Houndoom, eyes blazing with fury, its blood-red pupils glowing startlingly bright, dangerous energy swirling around it.

It would not leave the field until Deshak was defeated!

Some older Dragon Tamers seemed to sense its determination; their brows grew solemn.

Huh!

Wind howled in waves.

Houndoom surged forward at incredible speed, closing in on Deshak, its mouth churning with rapidly gathering Dragon Breath.

"..."

Shi Yuan Zhi shifted his gaze from the smoking Deshak and said: "Sandstorm!"

Dragapult's attacks were not without effect—only that Deshak masked the damage and stamina drain with iron will.

His battle style was to minimize the opponent's ability to gather useful intelligence through observation, thereby confusing their judgment.

Unfortunately, status conditions cannot be concealed.

"Raaoh!"

Deshak endured the burning pain, its scaled wings flapping furiously, its slender body turning into a blur as it shot straight upward, once again summoning a deluge of sand swirling in violent winds.

Boom!

The battlefield was once again shrouded in a dark, oppressive sandstorm; the approaching Houndoom was halted mid-charge by the gale.

"Dragon Breath!"

"Raaoh!"

It lifted its head and blasted a torrent of Dragon Breath straight upward!

Boom!

A massive column of indigo flame erupted suddenly—this move had slightly less power but faster startup than Dragon Pulse or Meteor Swarm, making it far more suitable for the current situation.

The heat blast pierced through the swirling sandstorm—yet Deshak, who had just soared upward, had vanished!

Meanwhile.

Strange singing echoed from all directions.

Baimu frowned—Deshak's Shadow Sneak injury hadn't healed, and it was still suffering from Burn, yet its reaction speed hadn't dropped at all…

Is Deshak a Pokémon or a robot?

"Raaoh~"

Houndoom narrowed its eyes; its three snouts twitched slightly, but the swirling sand made Deshak's scent impossible to track.

Deep breaths brought only sand into its nostrils—no scent at all.

Hss! Hss!

It sneezed twice, expelling the sand from its nasal passages, ignoring the stinging pain from the sand-laden wind, carefully scanning every direction.

Its last battle against Cradily had drained too much of its type energy—who knew how long it would have to struggle with Deshak?

Houndoom must ensure it didn't waste its remaining energy.

Suddenly.

A faint white glow in the sandstorm caught its attention—then orange-red flames erupted!

Boom!

It's burn marks!

Baimu saw this and gave an immediate order.

"Ghost Face!"

"Roar!"

The three-headed dragon bowed its head and growled, black smoke surging from its body to form a grotesque, twisted face that ignored the roaring sandstorm and flew toward the source of the light.

The sandstorm, torn apart by energy disturbances, revealed the Vibrava that had landed on the ground unnoticed.

It endured the searing heat of flames while receiving the white feathers descending from above, emerald light shimmering along its body, healing the wounds on its back and face.

It's Bai Yu!

Sensing something approaching, it turned its head immediately—and saw a monstrous, twisted ghost face roaring directly at it.

Roar!

"Laiwo…"

The Vibrava was a resolute Pokémon; otherwise, it could never have taken down Dusclops.

But it was still flesh and blood—the agony of burns and the soothing comfort of Bai Yu clashed repeatedly in its mind, draining all its will to resist its opponent's attacks.

Panic flickered through its heart.

A pale blue light flared.

Speed decreased.

Shi Yuan Zhi, who had remained impassive throughout, finally showed a change in expression; his aura sharpened abruptly.

He rasped: "Take off! Sonic Boom!"

"Laiwo!"

The Vibrava interrupted Bai Yu's wingbeats, lifting its heavy body into the air.

The most direct sensation of reduced speed was powerless wings and doubled weight—even with twice the effort, it could no longer sprint as it once had.

No matter how strong the will, sometimes it cannot overcome objective reductions in ability.

The Vibrava understood this well.

But.

It believed speed was not the decisive factor for victory!

Violent sandstorms swirled around it, its wings encased in pale white halos—and the next instant, visible, terrifying sound waves erupted from within!

Hum—!!

Vast air warped into waves; translucent sonic waves scattered the flying sand like an invisible hammer crashing down from the sky toward the three-headed dragon!

【Sonic Boom】.

A high-power Normal-type move with no side effects.

Because the Ghost-type Dusclops was immune to Normal-type moves, the Vibrava had held it back until now.

The power remained swift.

Not a trace of weakness.

But as the deafening sonic boom neared the three-headed dragon, a square pane of shimmering colored glass suddenly appeared.

Hss—

The glass wall trembled violently yet held firm, greatly weakening the explosion's force—allowing the three-headed dragon to easily block Sonic Boom with its already raised Shield Ball.

The light wall Dorobalto used in the last battle is still active!

In the sky.

A flicker of shock crossed the Vibrava's face.

The light wall is still there!

It instinctively turned to its trainer, Shi Yuan Zhi—his gaze calmed the exhausted Pokémon.

Indeed.

The light wall still being there was undeniable; no amount of fretting would change it.

Keep fighting!

Below.

Baimu saw Shi Yuan Zhi remain utterly unmoved by the light wall, and his heart sank.

Burns, light wall, Ghost Face.

The battlefield was saturated with conditions devastating to the Vibrava, yet Shi Yuan Zhi showed not the slightest intention to withdraw it.

Why?

Did he share the same thought? Or perhaps…

He gave a swift order:

"Meteor Swarm!"

"Shasang!"

The three-headed dragon swiftly raised its head; powerful Dragon-type energy gathered at its chest, then split into three and blasted from all three mouths!

Jiu—

Deep purple energy orbs shot rapidly skyward.

Against the slowed Vibrava, Meteor Swarm was one of the best moves.

As previously stated.

The unique multi-pronged assault allowed the three-headed dragon to recover its condition during this time—and when the Vibrava exhausted itself dodging or countering, it would be the perfect moment to strike.

If the opponent is directly hit by the meteor swarm, that would be even better.

Victory is within reach!

Baimu's fists slowly clenched, his heartbeat pounding like a war drum.

After unleashing the meteor swarm, the three-headed dragon gasped heavily, its fierce face unmistakably weary—being able to crush six weak opponents doesn't mean it can sustain a prolonged battle against powerful Pokémon.

Mental and energy depletion cannot be faked.

But it must hold on.

A true ace never falls easily; the three-headed dragon didn't know how many Pokémon its opponent had left, nor did it care to know.

It only wanted victory.

"Here it comes!"

"A powerful meteor swarm!"

"Why isn't Desertiwing attacking back?"

Who knew how many meteor swarms had been fired today? Yet the onlookers from the Meteor Tribe showed no sign of fatigue, watching intently as Desertiwing avoided the incoming deep-purple energy projectiles with nothing but its wings.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The energy projectiles exploded, splitting into three waves of meteor arrows falling downward.

"Léi-oh!"

It let out a low hiss, barely dodging one meteor arrow—its speed inevitably slowed.

Two consecutive battles had left Desertiwing far more mentally exhausted than physically; Yuxi's healing was nowhere near enough to restore it, and it felt death was drawing near.

No.

The trainer hadn't given a command yet—it wasn't time to give up.

Desertiwing flapped its wings to dodge, calmly waiting for the next order—when suddenly, flames erupted across its body, searing agony freezing it rigid—

Damn! Burned!

It widened its eyes as a meteor arrow streaked straight toward its head—the distance was too close, there was no time to dodge!

Is this the end?

Desertiwing's mind fell into perfect stillness.

Suddenly—

A faint voice came, whether from beside its ear or within its heart.

"The storm isn't over yet…"

It opened its eyes wide, and the approaching meteor arrow seemed to slow down countless times; the aged voice grew clearer.

"Break through the storm, Desertiwing!"

Desertiwing fixed its gaze, forcibly unleashing a surge of power to drive its wings, transforming into a white streak that vanished from its original spot.

A flash of lightning!

Boom!

The air roared like thunder.

Yes!

The storm isn't over yet!

This will, this will forged across countless oceans, could become its sky-piercing wings to break free from its plight and face the storm head-on!

The mind is the strongest force in this world.

Since it cannot resist objective conditions…

Then surpass them!

Desertiwing's wings became nearly invisible blurs, its speed surging again!

At this moment—

It was a blazing white lightning bolt tearing through the sky!

In the blink of an eye, Desertiwing overtook every falling meteor, arriving at the ground first and charging straight at the three-headed dragon, which hadn't reacted in time!

The onlookers cried out in unison; Baimu immediately waved his hand and shouted:

"Use Protect—"

The last thing it wanted to happen had occurred!

Desertiwing had burst its limits—at this most critical moment!

Zzzzt!

A piercing sound, as if tearing through the eardrums, flashed before their eyes—a flash of emerald light. The three-headed dragon had just heard its trainer's command, yet before it could react, pain erupted behind it.

Instantly—

A tremendous force hurled it skyward, directly into the meteor arrows it had itself unleashed!

Too fast!

No time to dodge!

Boom!

Before the three-headed dragon could struggle, the first meteor arrow struck its body and exploded; a faint light wall briefly appeared, weakening the blast before dissolving.

But pushed by Desertiwing, dazed and disoriented, it was forced to face the second one.

Boom!

The third.

Boom!

Three bursts of deep-purple flame erupted, representing the three-headed dragon's signature triple meteor swarm—only now, after being struck by all three waves, did it finally break free.

When it resisted the dizziness in its head and turned to look down, the Desert Flycatcher was already on the ground, its surroundings swirling with wind and sand, mouth slightly open, head tilted upward, staring at it.

Terrifying dragonfire gathered in its mouth, ready to erupt at any moment.

It's been hit…

The three-headed dragon, head drooping, realized its already scarce stamina was now a candle in the wind; another strike would surely rob it of combat capability.

This can't be allowed.

The opponent hasn't been defeated yet.

The three-headed dragon cast a weak gaze toward the Trainer on the other side, only to find the latter watching it solemnly, right fist clenched against his chest.

This is…

This gesture…

Suddenly, it felt an invisible hand lightly pounding its chest, followed by its heart pounding violently, faster and faster, like a drumbeat that instantly cleared its foggy mind.

The Trainer's shout rang sharply in its ears:

"—Dragon Dive!"

"—Shasang!"

The three-headed dragon's eyes blazed wide, its entire body erupting in brilliant blue dragonfire, gradually forming a fearsome three-headed flame dragon, its terrifying aura crashing down!

Boom!

The Desert Flycatcher on the ground felt the invisible pressure from above; the massive fireball of Dragon-type energy gathering before it could no longer hold, violently shooting upward!

Roar!

The dragonfire transformed into a roaring energy dragon, its blazing wings slowly unfolding, twisting and exploding the air in its wake, revealing its terrifying power.

High above.

The three-headed flame dragon feared neither its might, roaring as it charged downward!

Boom!

The collision unleashed a thunderous crash!

Yet these two flame dragons, though similar in origin yet distinct, did not explode on impact; instead, they locked in a stalemate, each gaining and losing ground.

This made the onlookers even more tense, not daring to breathe.

As Trainers, Baimu and Shi Yuan Zhi tensed like they were fighting in the arena themselves, eyes locked, not daring to shift their gaze for a moment.

They shouted in unison:

"It's not over! Push up/down!!"

"Laiwo!!"

"Shasang!!"

The Desert Flycatcher retracted its serpentine neck, then thrust it forward again; the erupted dragonfire surged outward in a wider ring.

The dragonfire on the three-headed dragon's body swelled in turn; the already sharply defined three-headed flame dragon became even more lifelike!

Both had pushed themselves to their absolute limits!

Victory or defeat would be decided in this move!

Yet the three-headed dragon, forced to endure three Starlight Arrows, was in far too poor a state; waves of weakness surged through it, its eyelids heavy, nearly shut.

As a result, it was slowly being pushed upward in the fierce clash, revealing signs of fading stamina.

Is it going to lose?

Baimu gritted his teeth, clenching his right fist pressed against his left chest.

He remembered that when he first asked Alice about the Dragon Heart, he used the three-headed dragon to gauge his progress; though later, the Dragon Heart inexplicably became the Divine Heart.

But one thing had never changed.

His heart and the three-headed dragon's had always been tightly bound together, needing no Key Stone or Mega Stone, no special ability.

His dragon—

Was his Dragon Heart!

'Charge down!! Reverse your dire situation!!'

Baimu's eyes suddenly glowed with startling crimson.

Thud!

The three-headed dragon opened its blood-red eyes, powerful mental will bursting forth like shining crimson stars!

In that instant.

The three-headed flame dragon formed from dragonfire no longer resisted the incoming Dragon Pulse; instead, before all eyes filled with shock and trembling, it swallowed the attack, mouthful by mouthful!

As if claiming every ounce of energy for itself!

The earth trembled, the wind howled; the three-headed flame dragon expanded at a visible, frantic pace. By the time others regained their senses, it had become a colossal entity blotting out the sky!

Boom!

Crimson, indigo, and azure dragonfire blazed fiercely; the surrounding sky darkened, as if even light had been stolen away.

The Meteor People could no longer speak, hastily retreating further back.

Shi Yuan Zhi's gaze remained locked on the arena, silent.

And within the arena.

The Desert Flycatcher gazed up at this terrifying presence so near, its will to resist vanished entirely, leaving only a sigh of regret.

Victory came from willpower; defeat came from willpower.

It had no right to resent its loss.

The Desert Flycatcher slowly closed its eyes, silently accepting its fate, its emerald body swallowed by the cascading three-headed flame dragon.

Boom boom boom—!!

The ultimate brilliance became the only color in the world.

A shockwave shaped like a towering wall shattered the ground, hurling countless shards of rock in a roaring sweep across the arena and everything beyond it.

A terrifying mushroom cloud, mingled with lingering dragon flames, rose slowly, its surface crackling with wild, darting lightning.

What a terrifying sight!

The Meteor Folk, relieved they had escaped fast enough, exhaled—and then watched anxiously inside.

Spectators could run; trainers could not.

With such a terrifying explosion's aftermath, what would Shi Yuan Zhi and Baimu be like?

What was the result?

Vibrava should not be able to hold out anymore!

A moment passed.

The dark, dense mushroom cloud gradually dispersed.

Sunlight pierced through the smoke, like beams of light falling upon the ruined arena, illuminating the two overlapping dragon shadows within.

All was silent.

"Grrr…"

The Dreepy slowly flapped its plate-like wings, rising from the limp Vibrava, its eyes filled with unyielding crimson.

The next moment.

"Grrr—!!"

A massive roar shook the heavens like thunder.

Dreepy lifted its head proudly, embodying its unyielding will to press forward and claim the peak, letting out a roar of victory!

Below, all Dragon Pokémon, infected by its spirit, raised their heads and roared in response.

In an instant.

The roar of dragons echoed throughout the village, the plains, and even the entire Meteor Waterfall, as if ten thousand dragons cheered in their realm!

Celebrate the victor's triumph!