With all the matches concluded, Rex knew the moment everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived.
"This egg belongs to my Gardevoir's child. I hope you'll take good care of it."
Caitlin gently stroked the beautifully patterned egg, then handed it to Rex.
Truth be told, a major reason Caitlin hosted this entire event was to find a worthy trainer for this Ralts egg.
"I promise I'll raise it well. Next time we meet, I'm sure its strength will make you proud."
Rex accepted the egg with great care, offering a solemn vow.
Once the prizes for the top competitors were distributed, it was time for the most thrilling part of the day.
"Rex, as the champion of this event, who would you like to challenge?"
Caitlin stood before the finalists and asked.
"I choose to challenge Miss Cynthia!"
Even though Rex had already expressed this wish earlier, speaking it aloud in front of everyone sent a surge of adrenaline through him. This time, it wasn't just a friendly match—it was an official challenge.
Cynthia stood, her expression shifting from relaxed to razor-focused in an instant. The subtle change in her demeanor was striking.
As expected, Morane chose to challenge Diantha, while Marlin went with Marshal of the Elite Four. The fourth-place finisher, Sabel, would go up against Caitlin herself.
Soon, Rex and Cynthia stood on the battlefield, and the crowd held its breath in anticipation.
"Rooooar!"
"Skreee!"
As Garchomp and the Titan Swellow appeared on opposite sides of the field, both let out thunderous cries that shook the air.
"Whoa! Cynthia's Garchomp is terrifying!"
"Is it just me, or is that Swellow way too massive!?"
"Yeah! I've never seen a Swellow that size in my life!"
"Wait, isn't Rex supposed to specialize in Fighting-types? What's up with this monstrous Swellow?"
The crowd erupted in astonishment. While Cynthia's Garchomp was expected, all eyes were drawn to Rex's towering Swellow—clearly a Totem Pokémon in its own right.
Some even questioned their assumptions about Rex's battling style. Many had pegged him as a Fighting-type specialist, so the appearance of this sky-dominating Swellow came as a surprise.
"Rex, your Swellow's grown so much… I'm even more excited for this battle now."
Cynthia's eyes sparkled with surprise and anticipation. Garchomp, too, stared at Swellow with narrowed eyes, needing a moment to recognize the Pokémon standing across from it.
Yes—it was the same Swellow it had battled before.
Garchomp remembered. That match had left a deep impression. It had been a worthy fight.
"Well then, Rex, let's enjoy this battle."
Though Cynthia spoke with her usual calm demeanor, Rex could feel the battlelust burning in her gaze.
Watching so many exciting matches throughout the day had clearly stirred something in her.
"Garchomp, Dragon Rush!"
"Swellow, Brave Bird!"
Neither trainer held back. They both opened with high-impact moves, ordering their Pokémon to launch head-on assaults.
BOOM!
The two Pokémon collided midair with such force that a massive shockwave burst outward. The blast of sound echoed across the battlefield, forcing both trainers to step back instinctively.
But neither took their eyes off the dust-shrouded clash between Garchomp and Swellow.
When the haze finally cleared, Swellow's figure emerged first—suspended in the air, seemingly unscathed. Its sharp eyes were locked onto its opponent.
"No way! That kind of collision, and Swellow's completely fine!?"
"Seriously?! That thing's huge AND tanky!?"
While the spectators voiced their shock, Rex knew better. He could see that the Totem aura around Swellow had thinned significantly. It wasn't unscathed—it had simply used its Totem energy to absorb the hit.
Moments later, Garchomp stepped out of the smoke as well, just as pristine.
This meant it had come out on top in that clash—its body still surrounded by the unbroken veil of dragon-type energy it had launched the attack with.
"Meteor Shower!"
At Cynthia's command, Garchomp fired a compressed orb of draconic energy straight into the sky.
The orb exploded high above the battlefield, raining down dozens of smaller energy blasts in every direction like a violent meteor storm.
"Swellow, Tailwind, then evade!"
Swellow darted through the air, weaving between the falling energy blasts with such speed that it left afterimages trailing in every direction.
Cries of awe erupted with each near-miss, but again and again, the real Swellow vanished just before impact.
This wasn't Double Team—it was pure speed. Swellow was so fast that the air itself struggled to keep up, painting illusions of its movement.
Despite Garchomp's efforts to guide the meteors precisely, Swellow was simply too fast. It was nearly impossible to lock onto it.
"Garchomp, Sandstorm!"
Seeing that Meteor Shower had failed to land a hit, Cynthia called for her next tactic.
Garchomp landed on the battlefield, swept its arms upward, and unleashed a swirl of sand infused with ground-type energy.
In seconds, the battlefield was engulfed in a sandstorm, and Swellow's afterimages began to fade—until only the true Swellow remained visible in the storm.
The sand whipped across Swellow's body, carrying Garchomp's elemental energy with it. Bit by bit, it chipped away at the protective Totem aura around the massive bird.
"Swellow, Air Slash—rapid-fire!"
Unable to see Garchomp's exact location, Rex switched strategies, ordering Swellow to bombard the ground from above.
Blade-like gusts of wind tore through the storm, carving deep trenches into the battlefield.
Though none of the Air Slashes struck Garchomp directly, the barrage steadily disrupted the sandstorm. Soon, visibility returned—and Garchomp was once again exposed.
"Rex, your Swellow really has improved. Then I suppose… I'll stop holding back."
Cynthia's voice took on a more serious tone as she reached for the Key Stone embedded in her bracelet.
She was about to unleash Mega Evolution. Rex braced himself.
This was what he wanted—to push his Swellow to the limit, to see just how far it had come.
And now, the real battle was about to begin.
(End of Chapter)