The Dragonite stood quietly in front of Lance, its aura calm and restrained. But everyone had just witnessed the overwhelming power of another Dragonite moments earlier.
Everyone present understood perfectly well—no matter how goofy or chubby that face looked, that "fat dragon" was terrifyingly strong.
"So, it really isn't just one Dragonite."
Leon pressed his lips together as he stared at the newly appeared Dragonite. Its very presence confirmed the suspicion he'd had all along.
Among Lance's main team… there wasn't just one Dragonite.
And that was, without a doubt, the worst possible scenario.
Sure, Dragonite was four times weak to Ice-type attacks—but first, you had to hit it. And even if you managed to land a powerful Ice-type move, with Dragonite's formidable physique, it wouldn't be taken down so easily in just a few blows.
"There's another one…"
Raihan and the others looked on in disbelief at the second Dragonite on the field.
Was this guy hacking the game or what?!
By all logic, given Lance's temperament and discerning eye, he wouldn't take interest in any ordinary Dratini.
But to think he had so many with exceptional potential?!
If rare, high-potential pseudo-legendary Pokémon were really that easy to come by, then trainers with champion-level resources like Leon wouldn't only have one pseudo-legendary in their lineup.
"Could it be that this is one of his former Dragonair that recently evolved into a Dragonite?"
Bea frowned deeply, voicing her speculation.
It was rumored that Lance possessed two Dragonair, though neither had evolved. So, was the previous Dragonite perhaps a newly evolved Dratini?
"That's probably not the case," Raihan shook his head, analyzing calmly. "Lance is a rather special case—he's the most outstanding member of the Blackthorn Clan, and if the clan's resources are being unconditionally poured into him, then him having multiple Dragonite isn't impossible."
Pseudo-legendary Pokémon were extremely resource-demanding, but the Blackthorn Clan resided near one of the greatest dragon habitats in Indigo—the Dragon's Den.
It was said that a colony of the Dragonite line lived there. In other words, within that sacred cave, there could very well be numerous Dratini and Dragonair.
Current Blackthorn City Gym Leader Clair possessed both a Dragonite and a Dragonair as her main partners. So, for Lance, the Champion of Indigo, to receive even greater resource support from the clan was only natural.
After all, rumors suggested that Lance's rise to fame had nothing to do with the Blackthorn Clan at first. Only after he became the Indigo Champion did the clan reestablish ties with him.
To maintain a good relationship with their prodigy, it was no surprise the Blackthorn Clan would hand over a massive amount of resources. Otherwise, why would Lance even bother with them?
Yes, he bore the name "Lance the Dragon Master," but did the Blackthorn Clan have any hand in his rise to the top? None at all. Now that he stood at the peak, the clan wanted to bask in his glory. Things were never that convenient.
"Even if he has multiple Dragonite, that species' flaws are very clear. Leon might not necessarily lose," Raihan said in a low voice after a pause.
Indeed, Dragonite was powerful—no one could deny that.
But its weaknesses were just as fatal. A trainer's team that relied too heavily on similar Pokémon or fighting styles was bound to be studied and countered.
That was why few trainers ever filled their main team with multiples of the same species.
This wasn't just about type—it was about variety.
Even if all the Pokémon on a team shared a single type, as long as their fighting styles and move sets were different, they were hard to counter effectively. The only option was to target the shared typing.
Take Wallace, for instance—a pure Water-type specialist. Electric and Grass-types counter Water, sure—but would you really build an entire championship-level team made only of Electric and Grass Pokémon just to beat him?
If someone actually did that, it would mean they were way too obsessed with defeating Wallace!
Dragonite was strong—exceptionally strong. Having one could make it your ace. But when you had several, a prepared opponent could at least reduce the pressure slightly.
"Still…" Raihan's companions fell silent.
Even so, how could anyone truly "counter" something like Dragonite?
Its power was overwhelming in every regard—offense, defense, speed, endurance. It was almost flawless, with only that glaring quadruple weakness to Ice-type attacks.
Even if you knew your opponent had a team of Dragonite, defeating them was still an immense challenge, even with preparation.
And Leon, right now, was facing a second Dragonite with no preparation whatsoever.
"Champion Lance sure hides deep," Alder muttered as he looked at the new Dragonite.
Even his Volcarona would struggle to handle one of these, yet Lance had another waiting in reserve.
And who could say this was even Lance's ace Dragonite?
Alder couldn't help but sigh. No wonder the League had placed Lance at the very top of the trainer rankings.
"It's mostly because no one has ever pushed him hard enough to make him go all out like this," Steven said quietly, shaking his head.
Having watched this far, Steven had to admit—right now, he likely wasn't Lance's equal.
Even his shiny Metagross, once fully trained, probably wouldn't be enough.
Sure, the shiny Metagross gave his team a massive boost, surpassing his old ace. But compared to Lance, there was still a clear gap.
And against Dragonite? Metagross had no advantage.
Dragonite's move coverage was ridiculously broad, while Metagross was at a disadvantage type-wise.
"Now we'll see how Champion Leon handles this Dragonite. Type-wise, Mr. Rime still holds the absolute advantage," Wallace commented.
Yes, despite the shock everyone felt at the new Dragonite's appearance, its quadruple Ice weakness was still there. In terms of typing, Mr. Rime retained the clear upper hand.
On the battlefield—
"Mr. Rime, Blizzard!"
Leon was the first to act, his expression calm but voice resolute.
Even against a Dragonite, his desire to win burned strong.
If an opponent stood in his way, he would simply bring them down.
As long as Mr. Rime could defeat this Dragonite, the battle could still turn around!
Mr. Rime raised his gentleman's cane high, conjuring a fierce blizzard that surged toward Dragonite.
Snowflakes and ice crystals danced wildly as the air temperature plummeted—a testament to Mr. Rime's mastery of Ice-type power!
"Let me show you the true strength of dragons! Dragons are perfection itself!"
"Hurricane!"
Lance's lips curved into a grin, his handsome face shadowed with a touch of eerie darkness.
Dragonite lifted slightly off the ground, its small wings flapping furiously. A violent gust of wind and slicing air blades erupted forward—Hurricane, one of the Flying-type's strongest moves!
The powerful Hurricane collided with the Blizzard in midair, creating a roaring explosion as freezing snow and cutting wind clashed violently, sending shockwaves skyward.
"It's even stronger than the last one… because of its training focus?"
Leon raised his arm to shield his face from the storm. His champion's cape whipped wildly in the chaotic wind.
Still, his mind never stopped analyzing.
The Blizzard hadn't gained the upper hand—this Dragonite's Hurricane was incredibly strong.
But Hurricane was a special attack. Normally, Dragonite excelled more in physical offense.
Was this Dragonite's training focused on special attacks instead of physical power?
"Psychic!"
Even with his suspicions, Leon didn't hesitate. He gave another command.
Mr. Rime, maintaining the Blizzard, let its eyes glow deep blue—Psychic!
Being an Ice/Psychic-type Pokémon, Mr. Rime was just as skilled with mental energy as with ice.
The raging snowstorm shimmered with a faint blue aura, its power surging under the amplification of Psychic energy.
The Blizzard suddenly gained the upper hand, suppressing Dragonite's Hurricane!
"Hmph… petty tricks. Dragonite!" Lance's brows lifted slightly.
"Fire Blast!"
Dragonite's Hurricane halted instantly as flames built in its mouth. In the next heartbeat, a massive "大"-shaped pillar of fire roared forth—Fire Blast!
The remnants of Hurricane fanned the flames even higher, merging wind and fire into a blazing inferno.
Fire met Ice—heat met cold, red met blue—as the two forces collided violently at the center of the battlefield.
BOOM!
The explosion ripped through the air.
"Draco Meteor!"
Lance wasted no time, shouting his next command.
Though Dragonite staggered slightly from the blast, it immediately gathered power, launching a brilliant sphere of pure draconic energy skyward.
In the heavens, the orb shattered—turning into a dazzling shower of meteors—Draco Meteor!
"Mr. Rime, Rain Dance!"
Leon countered swiftly. The rainfall caused earlier by Dragonair's move had long since stopped.
"Rain Dance" summoned a downpour!
Though it didn't directly boost Mr. Rime's Ice attacks, it had plenty of indirect advantages—lowering temperature, improving ice formation, and weakening Fire-type moves from Dragonite.
Mr. Rime raised his cane again, conjuring a pure blue sphere of water that floated upward, swelling into thick storm clouds.
Within seconds, rain began to pour down heavily.
"Rain, huh? Then I'll make use of it too," Lance said with a smirk, looking up at the darkened sky. He could already guess Leon's intentions.
"Dragonite, Thunder!"
Dragonite's antennae sparked with golden electricity that shot into the clouds. A moment later, a blinding bolt of lightning crashed down—Thunder!
It split the stormy sky as it struck straight toward Mr. Rime!
"Dazzling Gleam!"
Leon didn't flinch—he had anticipated this from the start.
Mr. Rime's cane shone brightly, unleashing a prismatic beam that collided head-on with the descending lightning.
BOOM!
Another thunderous explosion rocked the battlefield.
"What an intense battle," Green muttered from the stands, her eyes wide as she watched the unrelenting exchange.
Neither side was giving an inch. And the most shocking thing was—even against a Pokémon with a quadruple Ice weakness, Dragonite wasn't at a disadvantage at all.
Under Lance's command, it was attacking relentlessly—as if Dragonite was the one countering Mr. Rime instead!
"Lance is deliberately wearing down Mr. Rime's stamina," Lucas analyzed calmly. "Keeping up this nonstop offense and defense consumes massive energy. If this continues, and Leon can't gain a decisive upper hand, Mr. Rime will be exhausted first."
Pokémon varied in endurance based on their species and level, but dragon-types naturally possessed far superior stamina.
And pseudo-legendaries like Dragonite? Their durability was on another level entirely.
Every attack consumed energy—no Pokémon had infinite power.
With both sides maintaining this relentless exchange and perfect concentration, fatigue was inevitable—and Mr. Rime would falter first.
"Now that you mention it… you're right!" Green and Marnie exclaimed in realization.
Indeed—Lance's strategy was working perfectly.
The battle raged on, and soon even Leon realized it himself.
Each trade of special attacks left Mr. Rime at a disadvantage—he couldn't overpower Dragonite's counterblows.
If this continued, Mr. Rime's stamina would give out first.
But what could he do?
There was no other choice—Mr. Rime was purely a special attacker. He couldn't exactly rush Dragonite for a fistfight!
Leon frowned deeply. Seeing Mr. Rime's growing fatigue, he finally decided to take a gamble.
If he didn't make a move now, he'd lose everything.
Mr. Rime dropped its defenses and went all in—the Blizzard struck true, landing a powerful blow on Dragonite.
But at the same moment, Dragonite's Thunder found its mark as well.
A golden flash engulfed the field—and when the light faded, Mr. Rime lay collapsed on the ground.
"Mr. Rime is unable to battle! Dragonite wins!"
The referee examined both Pokémon, then raised his flag to declare the result.
Instantly, the stadium erupted into deafening cheers.
With Mr. Rime defeated, Leon had only one Pokémon left!
"Good work, Mr. Rime," Leon said softly, recalling his fallen partner. He took a deep breath, then reached for his final Poké Ball.
For the first time ever—he had been pushed this far.
In Galar, he had always been invincible, never once tasting defeat—never even facing such a dire disadvantage.
"Charizard—let's go!"
Leon's expression was solemn as he hurled the Poké Ball with both determination and trust.
Even when the world seemed to crumble around him—so long as he and his partner still stood, victory was possible!
Leon had always believed in his Charizard—and that faith burned stronger than ever.
"ROAAAR!"
With a mighty roar, Charizard spread its wings and soared upward before landing heavily in front of its trainer.
Charizard—Leon's ultimate ace!
"Charizard—Mega Evolve!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Leon placed his hand over the Key Stone on his wrist, his voice firm and commanding.
This was his final Pokémon—there was no reason to hold back.
Charizard roared to the heavens as dazzling evolutionary light engulfed its form—
Mega Evolution!
(End of Chapter)