BOOM!
BOOM!
Two figures crashed into the battlefield simultaneously, creating massive craters in the ground. The referee, reporters, and Gym Leader Hank all watched intently, eager to see the outcome of this spectacular clash.
John already knew the result. It wasn't Mega Garchomp that had fallen from the sky, but his regular Garchomp—meaning his powerful dragon had lost the ability to battle. The only question remaining was whether Hank's Dragonite had survived the exchange.
The ice crystal formations high above shattered, sending a shower of frost raining down across the entire battlefield. Through this glistening curtain, Dragonite slowly pushed itself up with both arms, struggling but finally managing to stand.
"DRAGONITE!" Dragonite roared defiantly, declaring its victory.
"Garchomp is unable to battle! Dragonite wins!" the referee announced, making it official.
John studied the fine scale patterns covering Dragonite's body, his mind racing through calculations. Hank's Dragonite possessed the hidden ability Multiscale—when at full health, it could reduce incoming damage by half. This crucial ability had allowed Dragonite to survive Mega Garchomp's devastating Dragon Ascent attack, though it had clearly sustained serious injuries.
This explained why Hank had commanded the ice-type Z-Move Subzero Slammer from the very beginning. The veteran trainer knew that once Dragonite unleashed this powerful technique, John would likely attempt a mutual knockout strategy. With John still having two Pokémon in reserve while Hank would be down to his last, the Gym Leader had wisely chosen to force an all-out clash before Dragonite's Multiscale ability could be compromised.
Hank's tactical intention had been perfectly executed. The advantage John had built up during the battle had been neutralized, though at the cost of Dragonite being seriously injured. Yet even this injury didn't change the fundamental situation, Hank still had two fresh Pokémon waiting in the wings, and all he needed to do was make a switch.
"Let's go, Hariyama!" John called, returning Garchomp to its Pokeball and sending out his next battler.
A brilliant flash of light erupted as Hariyama materialized on the field, its sumo-like form gleaming with an unusual coloration that immediately caught everyone's attention. The reporters, already overwhelmed by the intense battle, frantically pressed their camera shutters.
Was John impossibly lucky? Another Shiny Pokémon? While not as renowned as a Shiny Gyarados, a Shiny Hariyama was still an incredibly rare sight!
"A Fighting-type?" Hank raised an eyebrow, unconcerned with Hariyama's unusual coloration. What puzzled him was John's choice, Dragonite was a Dragon/Flying type, giving it an advantage against Fighting-types like Hariyama. Had John really sent out a Pokémon that was at a type disadvantage?
Hank sensed a trap. Cautiously, he considered switching Dragonite for one of his remaining Pokémon that was in better condition.
But then his eyes met John's. The challenger's gaze burned with confidence as he stared down the Gym Leader. John didn't immediately call an attack, instead waiting to see if Hank would swap out his injured Dragonite.
"Going for another Pursuit attack?" Hank thought to himself, recalling John's earlier strategy.
After several tense seconds, John finally broke the silence. "Gym Leader Hank, are you staying with Dragonite? If you're not switching, I'm attacking now!"
"Hariyama, Aura Sphere!"
Hariyama extended its massive palm, generating a blue energy sphere that rapidly expanded from the size of a baseball to a basketball and finally to something resembling a massive boulder. The sphere pulsed with concentrated power.
Hank's eyes widened. This Hariyama's mastery of aura energy was extraordinary.
"I need to switch!" Hank thought desperately. Even with type resistance, his injured Dragonite couldn't withstand an attack of this magnitude.
Hank quickly reached for a Pokeball to recall Dragonite. Seeing this motion, John's face broke into a triumphant smile.
"NOW!" John commanded.
Hariyama launched the massive Aura Sphere, which hurtled through the air toward Hank's side of the field. The Gym Leader gritted his teeth and threw his next Pokeball. Arcanine emerged with a brilliant flash.
"AROOO!" Arcanine's intimidating howl echoed across the battlefield as its Intimidate ability activated, reducing Hariyama's physical attack power by half.
But this had no effect on the already-launched Aura Sphere, which was a special attack fueled by energy that couldn't be intimidated.
John had predicted Hank would switch to Arcanine, and had timed his attack perfectly to catch the fire-type as it materialized.
The boulder-sized Aura Sphere slammed into Arcanine with devastating force. "BOOM!" The explosion shook the entire arena.
As the smoke cleared, a six-foot-deep crater appeared where Arcanine had stood. The majestic fire-type lay motionless at the bottom, swirls in its eyes indicating it was completely knocked out.
"One-hit KO?!" Hank stared in disbelief. His Arcanine had faced John's Greninja earlier in the match and had been recalled before sustaining significant damage. It had been at peak condition—how could it be defeated by a single attack from a Pokémon that didn't even have a type advantage?
A slight smile played across John's lips.
This knockout was the result of careful planning. The Black Belt item Hariyama held had made all the difference. Normally, Hariyama wouldn't be able to instantly defeat an Arcanine with excellent physical defense, especially without a type advantage.
But John had three Fighting-type Gym Badges in his possession: the Knuckle Badge from Dewford Gym in Hoenn, the Rumble Badge from Sala Gym in Kalos, and the Storm Badge from Cianwood Gym in Johto.
These three badges provided a 30% power boost to Fighting-type moves. Combined with the 90% boost from the Black Belt, Hariyama's Aura Sphere was hitting with more than double its normal power, 220% to be exact!
Even without type advantage, this enhanced power exceeded what type advantages normally provided. Given Hariyama's natural strength, even without considering the level difference between the two Pokémon, a one-hit knockout was entirely possible.
"Arcanine is unable to battle! Hariyama wins!" the referee announced.
The momentum had shifted yet again. The advantage Hank had gained with his injured Dragonite had been completely nullified by John's strategic play.
"It's been a long time since I've had such an exhilarating battle," Hank said, loosening his shoulders as he reached for his final Pokeball. As he adjusted the cap on his head, energy seemed to flow into the ball, causing it to expand dramatically until he needed both hands to hold it.
"Time to face my true power!" Hank called out.
"Bring it on!" John responded, ready for whatever came next.
The enormous Pokeball soared through the air, releasing a blinding silver light. From this radiance emerged a four-armed titan that towered over the battlefield.
It was Hank's trump card, Dynamax Machamp!
The colossal Fighting-type flexed its four massive arms, each one thicker than a tree trunk. Dark storm clouds began swirling overhead, drawn by the immense energy radiating from the Dynamaxed Pokémon. The ground trembled beneath its feet as it let out a thunderous roar that echoed throughout the entire arena.
John's Hariyama suddenly seemed tiny in comparison, standing barely as high as Machamp's ankle. Yet the Shiny Pokémon stood its ground, its fighting aura flaring around its sumo-like body in response to the overwhelming pressure.
The spectators fell silent, awestruck by the sheer scale of the Dynamax phenomenon. Many had only seen it on their television broadcasts from otherr region. Witnessing it in person was an entirely different experience, the raw power was palpable in the air.
"This is where the real battle begins," Hank announced, his voice carrying across the battlefield. "Show me if your bonds with your Pokémon are strong enough to overcome this challenge!"