A muffled explosion echoed as the Gyarados, caught off guard by the aerial assault, was sent flying by the draconic fury. Its scales shattered, blood splattering across the sand.
Yet, after tumbling over a dozen meters, the sea beast reared its head once more and roared defiantly at the sky, as if completely unfazed by its injuries.
"As expected of a Gyarados that's spent its entire life battling powerful Pokémon in the deep sea. Judging by its physique and the luster of its scales, it must be old—likely dethroned by a younger, stronger leader of its pack. Now, this aging king has been driven from its territory, seeking one last moment of glory along the coast."
Ryuuske stood atop Dragonair's head high in the sky, hands in his pockets, calmly observing the Gyarados a hundred meters below.
The panicked crowd, still fleeing in chaos, gradually slowed their steps, their eyes widening in awe at the sight of Dragonair and Ryuuske hovering above. Though they continued retreating, curiosity and the human instinct to spectate kept them lingering, eager to witness this battle between a trainer and a monstrous wild Pokémon.
"...Wait, isn't that Ryuuske? That really famous trainer?"
Someone recognized him. While most trainers remained obscure before competing in major tournaments, Ryuuske had gained significant online notoriety for various reasons—some good, some bad.
"You mean the guy who's involved with all those girls?"
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
Ryuuske, as if hearing the gossip, turned his head slightly toward them. Dragonair mirrored his movement, its serpentine gaze sweeping over the onlookers. Though far more elegant than the brutish Gyarados, the sight of a dragon's piercing stare still triggered primal fear. The crowd instinctively shuffled back further.
"Tch. Boring." Ryuuske scoffed. "...Well, whatever. Professor Oak would probably be interested in this Gyarados. An aging, exiled pack leader from the deep sea is a rare specimen. Might as well catch it for his research."
He wasn't heartless. Professor Oak had helped him immensely, so if possible, Ryuuske didn't mind collecting rare Pokémon for the old man's studies.
On the beach, the Gyarados continued roaring at the sky. Despite its Flying-type attributes, its aerial mobility paled in comparison to true avian Pokémon. A veteran of countless battles, it knew engaging in midair combat would be suicide. When its Intimidate failed to provoke Dragonair into descending, the beast wisely ignored its airborne foe and instead lunged once more at the defenseless little girl.
"Oh no you don't. You ruin this, and I lose face!"
Ryuuske's eyes sharpened. With a command, Dragonair plummeted like a meteor, intercepting the Gyarados mid-charge. Its horn, amplified by gravity, smashed squarely into the sea monster's forehead.
A pained howl erupted as the Gyarados thrashed violently, its massive body slamming into the sand and kicking up a towering dust storm. Seizing the cover, it whipped its tail at Dragonair with brutal force.
Dragonair grunted but remained unfazed. Meanwhile, Ryuuske, now crouched low on its head, scooped the trembling girl into his arms.
"Dragonair, Dragon Tail—send it flying!"
Dragonair's tail gleamed with an azure light, hardening like tempered steel before delivering a devastating swipe. The blow carved a deep gash across the Gyarados's body, hurling it back into the ocean with tremendous force.
Though Dragonair's smooth exterior suggested fragility, its scales were densely layered, granting it formidable defense—a trait common among Dragon-types, which resisted most attacks with ease.
"You alright, kid?"
Ryuuske kept his left arm securely around Sapphire's waist while his gaze remained locked on the Gyarados, though he spared a moment to check on her.
The girl seemed paralyzed with fear, clinging to him with her eyes shut, tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't even speak.
Seeing her state, Ryuuske sighed and refocused on the battle.
"Hm? That stance—"
The Gyarados, now half-submerged in the sea, arched its body and began inhaling deeply. Energy coalesced in its maw, countless tiny lights converging into a single, terrifying mass. Ryuuske instantly recognized the move.
"Hyper Beam, huh? Fine—Dragonair, match it!"
Dragonair roared, its maw splitting wide as it gathered energy at twice the speed of its opponent. In near unison, both Pokémon unleashed beams of pure annihilation capable of leveling mountains.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The two Hyper Beams collided—but instead of canceling each other out, they created a shockwave of apocalyptic force. A gargantuan sphere of light, akin to a nuclear blast, erupted at the shoreline, expanding endlessly. The resulting hurricane-force winds sent the entire crowd tumbling through the air like ragdolls.
For a brief moment, the sky was filled with screaming, flailing bodies before they crashed onto the soft sand—bruised, battered, and in some unfortunate cases, even suffering fractures.
While the Hyper Beam clash had flung hundreds of people aside and obliterated everything left on the beach, Ryuuske remained perfectly steady atop Dragonair. The residual energy, dampened by Dragonair's protective barrier, felt like nothing more than a gentle breeze to him.
"Push harder. Send that Hyper Beam right back at it!"
At Ryuuske's command, Dragonair intensified its output, the beam's diameter doubling instantly. The blinding sphere of destruction—now over a hundred meters tall—was forcibly shoved backward, slamming directly into the Gyarados.
KABOOOOOM—!!!
The ocean split apart. The beach ruptured. A crater a hundred meters deep formed at the water's edge before the sea rushed in to reclaim it. The sheer devastation left the scattered onlookers dumbstruck, their minds struggling to comprehend such power.
The Gyarados, now steaming like a boiled lobster, floated limply in the water, its scales peeling away. Yet, against all odds, it hadn't fainted. Its remaining eye burned with even greater fury as it desperately tried to regain control of the six Twisters, directing them toward the shore.
"If I'd met you in your prime, I might've taken pity and captured you properly."
Ryuuske sighed, a flicker of regret crossing his face—but his next action was merciless.
"Jolteon, finish it. Thunder."
The darkened skies trembled as the god of lightning answered the call. A pillar of pure electricity connected heaven and earth, its blinding radiance illuminating all of Fuchsia City in an instant. The thunderbolt struck the Gyarados with catastrophic force, inflicting far greater damage than even the Hyper Beam had.
SCREEEEEECH—!!!
A final, agonized wail tore through the air before being abruptly silenced. The Gyarados's massive frame collapsed into the sea with a colossal splash.
"Snap."
Ryuuske flicked his fingers. Dragonair raised its head and let out a resonant cry. The Twisters, now devoid of their master's control, dissipated into nothingness. Even the storm clouds, once heavy with impending rain, retreated under Dragonair's weather-altering prowess, allowing the sun to reclaim the sky.
If not for the injured crowd, the ravaged beach, and the Gyarados's lifeless body floating in the water, one might have thought it all a dream.
Still cradled in Ryuuske's arms, Sapphire stared up at him in stunned silence.
With a wave of his hand, he had commanded the power of dragons to reshape the world.
With a snap of his fingers, he had banished the storm itself.
To her young heart, this was the stuff of legends—and it left her utterly breathless.
To be continued…
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