Rillaboom's powerful drumbeats echoed through the battlefield as it stood firm, even after its Gigantamax form had faded. The dojo disciples had all assumed this outcome—it was well known that Gigantamax placed an immense strain on Pokémon, usually lasting only three turns.
Logically, Rillaboom should have returned to its normal size. But what was this? Massive, thick roots still coiled tightly around Hawlucha's Gigantamax form. And why hadn't Hawlucha reverted back to normal?!
Shock spread among the audience. The Gigantamax effect was supposed to dissipate completely once a Pokémon returned to its standard form. So why did these enormous roots remain?
Mustard let out an amused chuckle. "Well, well, now this is a surprise! How did you pull that off, Summer?"
Summer grinned. "It's simple, really. The roots were planted before Gigantamax wore off. As soon as Rillaboom reverted to normal, it used its drumming to control them, keeping their size intact. The drum and Rillaboom aren't technically the same entity, so even if the Gigantamax energy faded from the Pokémon, the roots retained their form."
What he didn't mention was that maintaining this effect required an immense amount of life energy—but Rillaboom had more than enough to spare.
The dojo students were speechless. Simple? Simple?! No other Rillaboom had ever controlled roots of this size through mere drumbeats before!
Mustard burst into hearty laughter. "Ahahaha! I'm glad I kept up my training all these years—living long enough to witness new tactics like this makes it all worth it!"
His playful expression sharpened as he threw a punch into the air. "But do you really think you can keep my Hawlucha bound with just some tree roots? Hawlucha, use Max Airstream—cut yourself free!"
A razor-sharp gust of wind erupted from Hawlucha's massive wings, slicing through the thick roots with ease. At the same time, a swirling wind current formed around its body, boosting its already impressive speed.
Summer remained calm. "I know. That's why we're not done yet! Rillaboom, use Boomburst!"
The dojo disciples gasped. Boomburst?! That was a special attack—Rillaboom specialized in physical moves, didn't it? Why would Summer waste a turn with a suboptimal choice?
Before anyone could voice their doubts, a deafening explosion of sound blasted through the battlefield.
The sheer force of the sound waves made everyone instinctively clutch their ears, feeling the vibrations deep in their bones.
Of course! This wasn't just any Boomburst—it was amplified through Rillaboom's drumming!
Even Gigantamax Hawlucha couldn't escape the assault. The concussive sound waves hammered against its body, making it stumble backward. Without its Gigantamax durability, it might have already fallen.
But as Rillaboom took a deep breath, preparing to unleash another Boomburst, a powerful gust of wind engulfed it.
The Max Airstream had landed.
Rillaboom staggered before slumping onto its knees. Its strength had finally reached its limit.
Summer called it back to its Poké Ball, whispering his gratitude.
The dojo disciples exhaled in relief.
For a moment, some of them had genuinely feared that Rillaboom would somehow withstand another hit.
Clara and Avery, meanwhile, were on the verge of collapse.
"He wasn't even using his full strength when he fought us…! One Boomburst from that thing would've sent us straight to the Pokémon Center!"
With his second Pokémon down, Summer considered his next move. Hawlucha was now extremely fast, having gained two speed boosts from Max Airstream. That meant it would be difficult to counter directly.
He grabbed another Poké Ball.
"Alright, it's your turn! Go, Corviknight!"
A metallic gleam flashed as Corviknight emerged, its iron wings spreading wide. The moment it took flight, its piercing red eyes locked onto the towering form of Gigantamax Hawlucha.
Then, it turned to glance at Summer.
The message in its eyes was clear.
Summer. Make me big.
Summer sighed. "Not this time, Corviknight. Our Dynamax turns are up. Besides…" He smirked. "Wouldn't it be more satisfying to take down a giant as you are?"
Corviknight blinked. Then, it let out a sharp, confident cry, flapping its wings.
Of course.
Gigantamax wasn't the key to victory.
It was skill.
With a single beat of its wings, Corviknight soared high above the battlefield.
From the ground, Mustard let out a hearty chuckle. "A Corviknight, eh? That brings back memories! Hawlucha, use Max Flare!"
A fiery orb ignited in Hawlucha's hands, burning with immense heat. With a swift motion, it hurled the massive fireball directly at Corviknight.
"Corviknight, use Hurricane!"
Corviknight let out a proud cry, its wings beating powerfully as it soared above the battlefield. "Gaaah!" It didn't need Summer to tell it what to do—it knew it would never lose to fire-type moves!
As the Max Flare roared toward it, Corviknight spun rapidly in midair, forming a protective vortex of wind around itself. The flaming projectile collided head-on, but instead of being consumed by the inferno, Corviknight's wind barrier absorbed the force, transforming the attack into a spinning cage of fire.
For anyone else, this would have been a death trap.
But for Corviknight?
A wicked glint flashed in its eyes.
Wind mixed with fire is still wind!
The spinning vortex expanded, the flames dispersing and creating openings on both sides. Cool currents rushed in, isolating the heat, while Corviknight's precise manipulation of air redirected the residual flames into a firestorm under its control.
The once-menacing Max Flare had now become Corviknight's weapon.
With a single, mighty beat of its wings, the swirling firestorm lunged downward like a great serpent, its burning maw opening toward Hawlucha, who had just reverted from its Gigantamax form.
Hawlucha's sharp instincts kicked in—it wouldn't stand still and get swallowed whole. With impressive agility, it dashed across the battlefield, attempting to outmaneuver the descending flames. But no matter how fast it was, it wasn't faster than the wind.
Corviknight controlled the flow of air itself.
The moment Hawlucha hesitated, the firestorm coiled around it, trapping it in a spiraling inferno. The heat intensified as the flames compressed inward, sealing its escape routes.
A thunderous explosion rocked the battlefield.
Scorching air rushed out in every direction, turning the battlefield into a blazing furnace. The impact was so intense that even from a distance, the spectators felt the heat on their skin. The residual energy altered the weather—the battlefield was now bathed in harsh sunlight.
When the smoke finally cleared, Hawlucha lay sprawled on the ground, its once-pristine feathers charred and scorched.
It was completely knocked out.
The dojo disciples gasped.
"Master Mustard's Hawlucha… lost?!"
Clara and Avery exchanged uneasy glances. What kind of monster had they fought before?! Summer never even used full strength against them!
Mustard, however, showed no frustration. Instead, he let out a hearty laugh. "Ahahaha! Now that was impressive! I finally understand how you pulled off that trick back then. Your Corviknight—it's the most skilled in wind manipulation I've ever seen!"
The disciples gawked in disbelief. Master Mustard praising someone else's Pokémon like this?!
Corviknight, high above the battlefield, puffed out its chest and let out an obnoxiously smug cackle. "Gaaaaah! Gahahaha!"
Of course! No Pokémon knew wind better than it!
Mustard shook his head, still grinning. "What a feisty one you've got there, Summer. But we're not done yet!" He grabbed his final Poké Ball. "It's time to use the full power of this sunny weather. Let's go, Emboar!"
With a burst of light, a massive, muscular boar landed on the battlefield. Its powerful legs dug into the ground, and the flames around its neck flared wildly, licking up the air as if they were feeding off the intensified sunlight. Emboar—the true king of fire and combat!
It exhaled a blast of searing-hot air, its breath alone warping the space around it. The heavy black eyebrows above its eyes swayed with the rising heat, but its gaze remained locked onto Corviknight with unwavering battle spirit.
Up in the sky, Corviknight flapped its wings lazily, clearly feeling superior. "Gaaaah! You can't fly, can you? Too bad! That's your natural disadvantage! Hahaha!"
Summer, watching this unfold, couldn't help but sigh. "Corviknight, don't get cocky—"
Mustard suddenly stomped the ground, his expression fierce. "Hah! If you think staying in the air makes you invincible, you're dead wrong! Let me teach your Corviknight a valuable lesson!"
Emboar stomped down, its legs flexing with pure muscle power before launching itself into the air.
Mid-jump, it kicked a large rock upward, sending it soaring toward Corviknight. Then—before landing—it kicked two more, launching them one after another in a perfectly timed sequence.
Corviknight's eyes widened. "Gah?!"
The first rock shot toward it like a cannonball, forcing it to dodge. But the second was already following close behind. Damn it, this pig is fast!
Then came the third rock.
And this time, Emboar didn't just kick it.
It grabbed the rock with its powerful arms and hurled it straight at Corviknight with all its might!
Summer's eyes narrowed. "Corviknight, use Hurricane! Blow them away!"
But before Corviknight could react—
"Too late, Summer!" Mustard roared.
Emboar displayed an astonishing burst of strength, leaping into the air and using the floating stones as stepping platforms to climb higher and higher.
Corviknight, still basking in its arrogance, finally snapped back to reality. As it saw Emboar nearing the last rock, it didn't panic. So what? That pig doesn't have any way to attack me up here! Even if it tried using fire, Corviknight was confident it could easily counter it.
But then—
"Corviknight, that last rock is exactly how it's going to attack you!" Summer's urgent voice rang out.
"Gaaah?"
Corviknight's eyes widened in confusion, just as Emboar grabbed the final rock instead of stepping on it. With a fearsome grip, it hurled the stone directly at Corviknight's wing with Smack Down!
The impact sent Corviknight plummeting like a meteor.
Its beak dropped in shock. Oh crap. I should've listened to Summer sooner!
And then—
Emboar, still falling, reached out and caught Corviknight mid-air. Its massive arms locked around Corviknight's throat, and the flames around its neck flared violently. The two Pokémon became a blazing fireball, crashing toward the battlefield.
BOOM!
The ground trembled as they slammed into the dirt.
When the dust settled, Emboar stood tall and victorious, pressing Corviknight beneath its weight. It casually brushed the dust off its shoulder, exuding the aura of an undefeated king.
The dojo disciples were left speechless.
Right… they had almost forgotten—their master was a monster too!
Summer silently recalled Corviknight. "You did great," he said before tucking the Poké Ball away. He'd lecture it about overconfidence later. For now, he had one last battle to win.
He grabbed his final Poké Ball.
Emboar had taken damage from Wild Charge and the fall. This fight was still in his favor.
"Go, Ogerpon!"
The masked Pokémon hopped onto the battlefield, its delicate frame belying the power within. It was still wearing the Teal Mask, the one it had used to fight Galarian Moltres.
Summer's eyes gleamed. "Switch to the Wellspring Mask."
Ogerpon nodded. Its mask shimmered, shifting into a deep blue hue. Water replaced Grass.
By now, the disciples were used to Summer's madness. Of course, his Pokémon could change its type. What else was new?
Water was the best choice against Emboar. Even if Mustard pulled out Poison Jab, Ogerpon had already eliminated the biggest threat—fire-type attacks.
Mustard's voice cut through the tension. "Emboar, Wild Charge!"
Of course. In harsh sunlight, Wild Charge was the next best thing.
"Ogerpon, Spiky Shield!"
Ogerpon crouched, crossing its arms. Suddenly, sharp thorns sprouted around its body, forming a natural shield.
Emboar crashed into the spikes headfirst, instantly recoiling from the pain.
"Tch," Mustard smirked. "Then we'll get in close—Poison Jab!"
"Counter it!" Summer called.
Ogerpon didn't dodge.
Emboar's poison-coated fist slammed into its body.
Ogerpon's masked face twisted into a grin.
"Not bad, piggy. But I've fought someone stronger."
Its thorned club pulsed with energy.
It swung.
The full force of Revenge exploded into Emboar's chest, sending it skidding backward across the battlefield, nearly losing its footing.
The disciples gawked. What the hell was in that club?!
Even Mustard let out a laugh. "Haha! I see now, Summer! You already have a Pokémon that rivals Kubfu! I should've realized it earlier!"
Summer's response was calm but firm. "Ogerpon—I never had a doubt."
"Then let's see it take this!" Mustard declared. "Emboar, Blaze Activation!"
Emboar roared, and the flames around its neck erupted like a wildfire. Its Blaze ability had activated—a sign that its HP was nearly depleted.
Summer tensed. If it's going down, it's going down swinging.
"Flare Blitz!"
Emboar's entire body ignited, the once-orange flames turning deep blue from sheer heat.
Summer's eyes flashed. "Meet its power head-on! Ivy Cudgel!"
Ogerpon charged forward.
The battlefield blurred as the two forces collided at full force—Emboar roaring with flames, Ogerpon spinning its cudgel like a raging typhoon.
The first strike landed—
Then the second.
And the third.
The water-infused cudgel slammed into Emboar's weakened chest wound.
Emboar clenched its teeth, determined to fight through it.
But then—
A second cudgel materialized in Ogerpon's other hand.
It was the first time the disciples had seen it. Ogerpon dual-wielding.
Before Emboar could react—
THWACK!
The second strike landed.
A tide of rushing water flooded Emboar's system.
The blazing blue flames died out instantly.
Emboar's fist, mid-swing, froze in the air.
Its body staggered…
…then collapsed with a heavy THUD.
Silence.
Then—
A single disciple whispered:
"Master… lost?"
Another murmured, "Master Mustard lost… to Summer?"
Then the realization hit.
"HE LOST?!"
Summer exhaled, stepping forward as Ogerpon casually swung its cudgel onto its shoulder, tilting its mask ever so slightly.
Mustard chuckled, shaking his head.
"You got me, Summer. That was one hell of a fight!"