"Go, Fraxure! This is your solo show. Make sure to give it your all," Gu Yuan instructed patiently, stroking Fraxure's forehead.
After a series of intense battles, Fraxure was extremely close to its final evolution. All it lacked was a fight fierce enough to draw out its hidden potential. The Machoke standing ahead was the perfect opponent Gu Yuan had found for this purpose.
"Fraxure, Taunt!"
Fraxure lunged forward. The Taunt hit its mark, and the previously calm Machoke instantly flared up with rage. It activated its raw strength as its muscles began to bulge, charging toward Fraxure with incredible speed.
"Now, Scary Face!"
Distracted by its own fury, Machoke made no attempt to dodge and was struck directly by Fraxure's Scary Face. Although the anger dampened its fear, its physical speed was significantly reduced.
"Next, use your agility to tangle with it! Open the path with Dragon Pulse!"
A wave of draconic energy surged forward, but Machoke used its sheer physical power to punch right through it. As the dissipated energy scattered, Fraxure seized the chance to close the distance. Its claws swung down in a Dragon Claw attack, forcing the late-reacting Machoke to cross its arms in defense.
Scarlet blood sprayed as the sharp claws left several deep gashes on Machoke's arms.
"Don't give it room to breathe! Alternate between Dragon Claw and Slash!"
Refusing to let up, Gu Yuan immediately ordered an all-out offensive now that they held the advantage. Ordinarily, Machoke would never be foolish enough to tank such sharp claws, but under the influence of Taunt, it chose to strike back with brute force instead.
While it managed to block the Dragon Claw, Fraxure's follow-up Slash slammed into Machoke's chest. The speed advantage was proving decisive. Following the Slash, Fraxure unleashed another Dragon Claw.
The searing pain seemed to clear Machoke's head. It instinctively dove to the side, yet it was still grazed by the claws.
"Dragon Pulse!"
Another blast of energy was released. At such close range, Machoke had no time to evade and was sent flying by the explosion. As it hit the ground, the effect of Taunt finally wore off.
Having regained its composure, Machoke looked warily at Fraxure, who was rhythmically swaying in place. As a wild Pokémon, Machoke didn't realize Fraxure was using Swords Dance; it only felt a mounting sense of dread and lunged forward to interrupt the movement.
Unfortunately, it was too late. The Swords Dance was completed, further boosting Fraxure's already formidable attack power. A Dragon Pulse fired off, heading straight for the charging Machoke.
Having learned its lesson, Machoke nimbly dodged the blast, tensing its muscles to guard against Fraxure's next move.
"Dragon Claw! Slash!"
At Gu Yuan's command, Fraxure was already upon its foe. A prepared Machoke met the Dragon Claw with its full power, but the Swords Dance boost allowed Fraxure to shatter Machoke's defense.
Under Machoke's shocked gaze, Fraxure's Slash landed on its chest once again. For a moment, Machoke felt as if the air had been sucked out of its lungs before a massive force pushed it back. A final Dragon Pulse followed; the grounded Machoke couldn't dodge and took the hit directly.
As the smoke cleared, Machoke staggered to its feet. The accumulated injuries had brought it to its absolute limit. It only remained standing due to its Guts Ability.
Fraxure charged again, thrusting its claws forward. Staring down its opponent, Machoke mustered every ounce of strength for a final counter-attack. However, in its weakened state, it was no match for a Swords Dance-boosted Fraxure. Its defense was broken once more.
This time, Machoke did not stand back up. It collapsed into unconsciousness.
Suddenly, an indescribable sensation welled up in Fraxure's heart. Following Gu Yuan's previous instructions, it reached out and grasped that feeling. A surge of power erupted, causing Fraxure to close its eyes.
From Gu Yuan's perspective, Fraxure had frozen in place after the victory, only to be immediately enveloped by the brilliant light of evolution.
Several white beams of light shot out as Charizard and the others took up defensive positions to guard their comrade. Alakazam used its powers to move the fainted Machoke out of the way. Within the glowing light, Fraxure's silhouette began to shift and grow.
Soon, the light faded, and the evolved Haxorus stood before the group.
"Roar!"
A draconic roar echoed as Haxorus vented its excitement. The evolved Pokémon was now covered in hard, armor-like scales, boasting tusks so sturdy they wouldn't chip even when cutting through steel beams.
While normal Haxorus are mostly olive green, Gu Yuan's Haxorus was a Shiny Pokémon, making its entire body a sleek, intimidating black. Only the tips of its tusks, fingers, and toes were a vibrant red. Spikes lined its neck, and its body featured segmented structures from head to shoulders. Its tail had grown longer and more lethal.
Most notably, its tusks possessed overwhelming destructive power, capable of snapping thick steel pillars with ease. Haxorus takes great pride in these tusks; in the wild, they are known to lick soil to replenish the minerals needed to maintain their strength.
"Congratulations, Haxorus!" Gu Yuan praised excitedly, looking at his majestic new partner.
Haxorus walked up to him and lowered its head, nuzzling Gu Yuan affectionately. Despite its fierce appearance, Haxorus possesses a gentle nature, usually only flying into a rage if its tusks are touched. However, if it were Gu Yuan, Haxorus wouldn't mind even then.
As the other Pokémon offered their congratulations, Gu Yuan pulled up the data for his newly evolved partner.
Pokémon Haxorus
Gender Male
Ability Rivalry
Rank Senior Rank
Type Dragon
Level-up Moves Scratch, Leer, Bite, Assurance, False Swipe, Taunt, Slash, Dragon Claw, Scary Face, Crunch, Dragon Dance, Breaking Swipe, Focus Energy, Dragon Pulse, Outrage
TM Moves Facade, Bulldoze, Snarl, Endure, Brick Break, Iron Head, Protect, Shadow Claw, Draco Meteor, Stomping Tantrum, Earthquake, X-Scissor, Close Combat, Substitute, Dig, Body Slam
Egg Moves Counter, Night Slash
"Let's go, Haxorus! We're going to find a new opponent to see exactly how powerful you've become!"
After reviewing the stats, Gu Yuan was eager to witness Haxorus's new strength in action—a sentiment Haxorus shared completely.