When the second half began, Aiden wasted no time.
One of his true main battlers stepped forward—
Aerodactyl.
Now Level 79.
A genuine Champion-peak Pokémon.
Across the field, Drake released his own ace.
Salamence.
Unlike the Level 76 Salamence from half a year ago, Drake's partner had broken through as well.
Level 79.
Champion-peak.
Two apex predators faced each other in the sky.
"Salamence—Dragon Pulse!"
"Aerodactyl—Steel Wing!"
Salamence's crimson wings snapped open as it shot upward, gathering draconic energy before unleashing a violent pulse.
Aerodactyl twisted sharply with the airflow, evading the attack mid-flight. Its wings gleamed silver—
Steel hardening across the surface.
It dove straight at Salamence.
"Salamence, dodge!"
With a roar, Salamence folded its wings and plunged toward the ground, barely evading the metallic strike.
Aerodactyl pursued instantly.
Thus began a breathtaking aerial duel.
The sky became their battlefield—two supreme flying hunters clashing in blinding maneuvers.
"Salamence—Hyper Beam!"
"Aerodactyl—Hyper Beam!"
Both dragons opened their jaws.
Twin pillars of orange-yellow energy erupted and collided violently in midair.
In the spectator stands, Wallace sighed softly.
"…Drake's ace is about to lose."
Steven frowned. "How can you tell? They're evenly matched. It shouldn't end this quickly."
Wallace smirked. "You're just slow. Watch."
He knew.
Aerodactyl possessed a unique trait—
It could ignore the recoil and stiffening effect of Hyper Beam.
Salamence, however, could not.
The explosion engulfed both Pokémon in smoke and shockwaves.
Then—
A roar cut through the haze.
Aerodactyl burst forward.
Dragon Claw.
It struck Salamence mid-air—while Salamence was still immobilized from Hyper Beam's recoil.
Salamence was blasted downward.
Drake's eyes widened.
"You can ignore Hyper Beam's backlash…?"
Aiden gave no answer.
"Dragon Pulse."
The finishing blow struck cleanly.
Salamence fell.
"Ding! Aerodactyl has defeated Salamence. Gained 7,500 experience points. Level increased. Current level: Lv80!"
"Ding! Congratulations! Aerodactyl has reached Level 80 and advanced into Master-tier!"
Another Master-level powerhouse.
Steven stared at Wallace. "You actually predicted that… I thought you'd gotten stronger or something."
Wallace folded his arms with a faint smile.
He said nothing.
…
Drake inhaled deeply and released his fifth Pokémon.
"Haxorus! Show them your strength!"
"Ding! Haxorus's current attributes are as follows:"
Pokémon: Haxorus
Level: 79
Ability: Rivalry
Type: Dragon
Potential: Gold
Bond Evolution: Not unlocked
Mega Evolution: Not unlocked
Moves: Dragon Claw, Crunch, Dragon Dance, Swords Dance, Outrage, Guillotine, Giga Impact…
As Haxorus appeared, Rivalry activated.
Its power surged—the same gender as Aerodactyl meant the ability enhanced its strength.
In this moment, Haxorus felt even more imposing than Salamence.
"Haxorus—Dragon Dance!"
"So you're boosting? Don't give it time. Aerodactyl—Dragon Claw!"
Haxorus began its battle dance.
Aerodactyl roared and charged.
"Meet it head-on—Dragon Claw!"
Blue energy flared from both claws—
Boom!
The two Dragon Claws collided.
Haxorus completed its Dragon Dance mid-clash.
Its power and speed surged.
With Rivalry and Dragon Dance stacked—
It forced Aerodactyl backward.
"Now! Haxorus—Dragon Rush!"
A phantom dragon silhouette formed.
Haxorus slammed forward with explosive force.
Aerodactyl was blasted away, crashing violently into the steel boundary of the battlefield.
Drake's eyes burned with fighting spirit.
But Aiden only smiled faintly.
"Aerodactyl… show them your true power."
"Mega Evolve."
Brilliant, prismatic light enveloped the ancient predator.
Its form sharpened.
Its aura intensified.
Mega Aerodactyl descended.
The pressure alone made the arena tremble.
"End this. Dragon Rush."
Mega Aerodactyl roared.
An even more overwhelming dragon phantom manifested as it dove like a meteor.
Drake's expression sharpened.
"Haxorus! Go all out—Outrage!"
Two titans charged head-first toward each other.
Dragon against dragon.
The decisive clash began.
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