"Metagross and Lucario are both unable to battle! Will the two Trainers please send out their next Pokémon!"
Even the referee—who always sounded carved from ice—was unable to hide the faint tremor in his voice.
Both Mega Pokémon reverted to their normal forms.
Both collapsed at the exact same time.
And the arena erupted.
Applause thundered through Silver Arena like a breaking storm.
This was the kind of blood-pumping clash the world wanted to witness.
Cynthia exhaled softly and recalled her Lucario.
She had originally thought her Mega Lucario would take down at least two of Chen Shi's Pokémon.
She hadn't expected his Metagross alone to push her that far.
Worse—
Because she wasn't yet accustomed to Mega Evolution, the recoil on her own body was immense.
Her legs were trembling; she had to control her breathing just to stay steady.
After just one second of deliberation, Cynthia lifted a Luxury Ball.
"Garchomp!"
Her starter.
Her ace.
Her partner—and the blade she trusted most.
The dragon shark materialized on the battlefield, roaring with primal confidence.
"One battle to decide it," Cynthia said quietly.
Chen Shi blinked—then laughed softly and nodded.
He recalled Metagross and immediately took out another Poké Ball.
Not Dragapult.
But—
Swampert.
"Swampaaaart!"
The moment Swampert appeared, he let out an excited bellow.
And then he saw his opponent.
An old friend.
A long-time rival.
A dragon and a mudfish who had fought countless times when they were younger.
Back when Garchomp was still just a little Gabite, Swampert could bully her occasionally—
But once she evolved?
He stopped winning.
Now the two stood again on the world stage.
How could Swampert not be thrilled?
Chen Shi raised his hand. His fingers touched the Key Stone.
And the world lit up.
The familiar rainbow radiance burst forth.
The Mega Stone on Swampert's neck answered with a brilliant glow.
Memories—training in the rain, fishing in the riverbank mud, battles fought shoulder to shoulder—
All flashed through their minds.
Two hearts resonated.
One will ignited.
Mega Evolution—completed.
Mega Swampert crashed into reality, muscles bulging like iron boulders, his aura skyrocketing to Elite mid-stage peak.
Cynthia bit down gently, lifting the lipstick that held her Key Stone.
Even with her body already strained, even with her breath trembling—
She pressed forward.
She mega-evolved Garchomp again.
Chen Shi's eyes narrowed.
This is reckless.
Learning Mega Evolution yesterday, and using it twice today?
Her body couldn't sustain that.
It would hurt her—severely.
But it was already too late to stop it.
Mega Garchomp materialized, monstrous and majestic—its form altered by tremendous power.
It stood at Elite peak, blades melting into massive scythes under the excess energy.
Chen Shi sighed silently.
He couldn't stop her choice.
All he could do—
Was honor it.
By defeating her as swiftly and cleanly as possible.
"Swampert—Rain Dance!"
"Swampaaart!"
Black clouds swirled overhead.
Rain began as a drizzle—then thickened rapidly.
Of all moves Swampert had trained, besides Waterfall Punch, Rain Dance was his specialty.
He mastered it long ago.
On the opposite side—
Cynthia stumbled.
Her hand caught the wall.
Her face, even beneath carefully applied makeup, was almost chalk white.
Her second Mega Evolution was pushing her body beyond its limits.
Because she was too slow to command, Mega Garchomp didn't wait—
Her claws lit with draconic light as she charged on her own.
Cynthia winced.
If she hadn't been late, Mega Garchomp would've set Sandstorm instead.
Now she could only hope Dragon Claw interrupted Rain Dance.
But when she saw Garchomp's speed—
Her eyes twitched.
"…Why is she slower?"
Mega Garchomp sacrificed speed for overwhelming raw power.
Mega Evolution was supposed to boost everything.
Yet Garchomp seemed only slightly faster than her normal Elite form.
Before that confusion could settle—
The sky tore open.
A downpour crashed onto the battlefield like a waterfall from the heavens.
Rain hammered the ground.
Water pooled instantly, mist rising from the force of each drop.
And in the rain—
Swampert moved.
Swift Swim activated—doubling Mega Swampert's speed under rainfall.".
His muscles tensed.
His heart roared.
Chen Shi smiled.
"Waterfall!"
BOOM—!
Swampert accelerated beyond visual tracking.
Instant teleportation?
No—
He simply moved faster than Cynthia could register.
"Impossible!"
Even Cynthia, who had seen countless monster-level Pokémon, was shaken.
She had fought Swampert before, but never like this.
His speed right now—
He could rival Champion-tier beasts.
CRASH!
Mega Garchomp, caught unprepared, was smashed into the dirt.
"Garchomp—Dragon Claw!"
"Don't give her a chance—Hammer Arm!"
Before Mega Garchomp could even raise her arm—
WHAM!
Hammer Arm landed first.
Cynthia staggered again.
Her face went even paler.
Chen Shi's expression hardened.
He saw the toll the Mega state was taking on her.
He had no choice.
"Swampert—Waterfall!"
"Swampaaart!"
Swampert roared and blurred forward—
A torpedo of water and fury.
He struck before Garchomp even descended to the ground.
CRASH!
"Again! Waterfall!"
"And again!"
"And again!"
The entire arena fell into eerie silence.
Because on the battlefield—
Swampert's silhouette flickered like blue lightning, appearing and disappearing at impossible angles—
Each time landing a crushing blow.
Mega Garchomp—
Couldn't even respond.
A mid-Elite Mega Swampert was overrunning a peak-Elite Mega Garchomp.
Rain-enhanced Mega Swampert—
A monster built to dominate the battlefield—
Showed why his fists had a name:
Before these fists—
All beings are equal.
Even the highest stood no different from the lowest.
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