"Roooar!"
Cynthia activated the Key Stone, initiating Garchomp's Mega Evolution. Its body transformed dramatically, growing more fearsome by the second.
With just a casual swing of its now scythe-like arms, Mega Garchomp unleashed slicing gusts of wind that tore across the battlefield, gouging deep lines into the ground.
"Go, Garchomp!"
As Cynthia's voice rang out, the Mega Garchomp vanished in a blur. The next moment, it reappeared, its Dragon Claw crashing down on the ever-alert Titan Swellow.
"So fast!"
Rex hadn't anticipated such a boost in speed post-mega evolution and could only watch as Garchomp's blade-like claw slammed into his Swellow.
The attack wiped out the last remnants of Swellow's Totem aura and sent it hurtling backwards through the air.
Fortunately, most of the impact had been absorbed by the now-faded aura, allowing Swellow to recover midair and steady itself.
Still, Rex knew—this Mega Garchomp was far stronger than the last time they'd faced off.
He and his Swellow had let their previous experience mislead them, which resulted in a costly defensive lapse.
"Miss Cynthia, you really went easy on us last time, didn't you?"
Rex gave a wry smile.
"Of course not. You and your Swellow performed wonderfully. But today, Garchomp and I are giving it everything we've got!"
Cynthia gave him a playful wink.
Rex wasn't entirely convinced. Whether or not this was Garchomp's full power, one thing was clear: Swellow would need to go all out.
"Swellow, don't back down—Hyper Beam!"
Rex cleared his mind and shouted the command.
Swellow roared as a brilliant beam of energy erupted from its beak, lighting up the sky and roaring toward its opponent.
Though Garchomp was able to cleave through some of the blasts with its scythe-arms, it still found its movements restricted.
"Now—Aerial Ace!"
Rex had been waiting for this opening. Swellow looped through the sky and struck from Garchomp's blind spot.
BAM!
In a blur of motion, Swellow vanished and reappeared behind its foe, driving its sharp beak straight into Garchomp's back.
"Raaah!"
Garchomp howled in pain, but even in agony, it reacted instantly—instinctively swinging a Dragon Claw and smacking Swellow aside.
Even though it was a reflexive counter, the blow landed cleanly. With the Totem aura gone, Swellow had no buffer, and the damage was significant.
The sheer intuition Garchomp displayed reminded Rex of Machamp. It was battle instinct honed to perfection.
Rex had hoped to catch Cynthia off guard, but instead the strike turned into a brutal exchange of blows.
It was clear now—Mega Garchomp wasn't just powerful; it was monstrous.
The crowd was riveted. This was elite-level battling, the kind that made every spectator feel lucky to witness it live.
"I didn't expect Rex to be this strong… That Swellow could rival my main Pokémon."
Marshal of the Elite Four wore a conflicted expression.
He'd been impressed with Rex's martial prowess, sure, and had even respected his tournament win—but he hadn't truly recognized the boy's full potential until now.
But with Swellow's performance, Marshal stopped seeing him as a promising youth and began to see him as a peer.
Age never defined greatness in the world of Trainers. Both Cynthia and Diantha weren't even twenty yet.
Watching from the stands, Elesa couldn't help but sigh. During her match with Rex, he hadn't even used his ace.
Now she was starting to suspect that he had underestimated her.
She glared daggers at him. If looks could hurt, Rex would've been in critical condition by now.
Down on the battlefield, Rex suddenly felt a chill—someone was watching him with a lot of heat. He glanced around but found nothing suspicious and brushed it off.
The battle raged on.
Swellow and Mega Garchomp dueled through the sky in a high-speed dance of violence. Their speeds made it nearly impossible for even their trainers to issue precise commands.
"Swellow is unable to battle. Garchomp wins!"
The referee shouted the verdict, and the crowd erupted in applause—cheering both Rex and Cynthia's names.
Yes—Rex had ultimately fallen short of defeating a Champion.
His Titan Swellow had fought valiantly, severely injuring Mega Garchomp and even forcing it out of Mega Evolution. But in the end, Garchomp's final Dragon Rush proved too much.
"You gave it everything. Let's keep training, Swellow. I know one day… we'll beat Garchomp."
Rex knelt beside his Swellow, who had just regained consciousness. Seeing its downcast expression, Rex gently reassured it.
"Skreee…"
Swellow let out a low cry. It wasn't upset with its Trainer—it just hated falling short when victory had felt so close. But Rex's words steadied it.
With other matches lined up, Rex returned Swellow to its Poké Ball, planning to heal it later with his own powers.
"Rex! Is Swellow okay?!"
Back in the stands, Mira rushed to his side the moment he sat down.
"Nothing serious. Thanks for worrying, Mira."
As workers repaired the battlefield, Rex answered calmly.
"Seriously, Rex—how long were you planning on hiding a monster like that Swellow? I've known you for days and never even suspected!"
Now that she knew Swellow was fine, Mira shifted straight into scolding mode.
Like many others, she had assumed Rex specialized in Fighting-types. But today's match had shattered that image completely—and left her reeling from the revelation.
(End of Chapter)