As he looked at the Charizard across from him, its body radiating explosive heat under the blazing sun, Peter's lips curled into a grin. There was something uniquely exhilarating about a head-on clash like this—pure, unfiltered power colliding with power.
"One move."
He raised a single finger.
"You set up Sunny Day. I'll boost once. Then we decide everything with one attack. What do you say?"
Brent froze for a moment.
Trick Room was still active for a short while, meaning Slaking held absolute priority. On the other hand, Charizard's Solar Power relied heavily on sunlight. Under normal circumstances, this exchange heavily favored Peter.
But—
If Charizard didn't unleash its strongest flames under the sun…
Brent would never accept it.
That was why he had risked everything earlier just to set up sunlight.
Clearly, Peter had seen through that.
This wasn't just a battle anymore—
It was a duel of pride.
Brent nodded firmly. "Just don't regret it."
Peter laughed, then his expression turned serious. "My Slaking… has never given me a reason to regret anything."
"Good…!! Charizard—Sunny Day!"
"Slaking—Focus Energy!"
Blazing sunlight poured down once more. Flames erupted across Charizard's body, the searing heat biting into its skin—yet only fueling the inferno burning in its eyes.
Slaking, meanwhile, steadied itself. Its aura surged outward, its gaze sharpening as it locked onto its opponent's weaknesses.
"Professor Peter… thank you for letting me show Charizard at its strongest."
Brent's expression twisted with intensity, almost madness.
"Charizard—FULL POWER… OVERHEAT!!!"
"ROOOOAR—!!!"
Charizard threw its head back and unleashed a deafening roar. A burning ember formed before its chest, and in the next instant, the entire battlefield turned suffocatingly hot. Sweat rolled down Peter's face as even the sky itself seemed to burn crimson.
Then—
A spiraling pillar of fire, over five meters wide, tore through the air.
It descended like divine punishment.
The sheer pressure alone made it feel as if the world itself had lowered by inches.
Slaking slowly straightened, staring directly into the heart of the flames—toward the faint silhouette of Charizard within.
A flicker of madness flashed through Peter's eyes as well.
"Slaking… show them your strongest power—Return!!!"
"ROOOOAR—!!!"
Under the boy's gaze, Slaking roared, its entire body erupting with energy. Its massive limbs slammed into the ground—
"CRACK—!"
Fractures spread across the arena.
Then—
Like a cannonball—
It shot straight into the inferno.
"BOOM…!"
A dull explosion echoed from within the flames. At the center of the firestorm, a void appeared—the air itself being forced inward.
Slaking, through sheer brute strength, carved out a vacuum within the Overheat, pushing forward against the torrent of fire.
Every eye in the arena locked onto that rising figure within the blazing pillar.
Including Peter's.
He knew—
This was a true test.
Overheat had a base power of 130.
Under sunlight ×1.5
Solar Power boost ×1.5
STAB ×1.5
Charcoal boost ×1.2
Final effective power:
526.5
Only a Gym-level Charizard could unleash something this monstrous.
As Slaking climbed higher, the fiery pillar began to fracture—but its speed slowed.
"Push through!!! CHARIZARD—!!!" Brent roared hoarsely.
"ROOOOAR—!!!"
Charizard's tail flame exploded brighter. The fire pouring from its mouth intensified again.
Inside the inferno—
Slaking faltered.
The heat.
The burning.
The suffocating pressure—
All of it gnawed at its will.
The flames finally broke through its protective force.
Its fur ignited.
Fire spread rapidly across its body.
Its momentum slowed.
Its vision blurred.
Is this… the end?
My fists feel heavy… I just want to stop… to rest…
Even if I lose… there are others… they can still win…
But—
Why… does it feel so unwilling?
Why won't my heart accept defeat?
Am I still… that weak, helpless Slakoth…?
No…
That's not right.
The light in my hands…
Its name is—
RETURN!!!
"SLAAKING!!! GO—!!!"
Peter's voice tore through the flames, raw and desperate.
Slaking's eyes snapped open.
A blazing light ignited within them.
This move—
Was called Return.
The boy behind me…
I made him a promise.
Losing—
Was never an option.
"ROOOOOOOAR—!!!"
Its aura reignited.
Power surged explosively.
The entire pillar of Overheat—
Shattered.
"BOOM—!"
Charizard's eyes bulged as it clutched the back of its head, its body shooting downward like a meteor.
Return—critical hit.
"BOOOOOOM—!!!"
The ground trembled violently as cracks spread across the entire arena. Dust swallowed everything in sight.
…
Moments later—
The smoke cleared.
Slaking stood, swaying slightly, barely holding itself upright.
Beneath it—
Charizard lay embedded in the ground.
Unconscious.
"Charizard is unable to battle! Challenger—"
"No need."
Brent raised his hand, cutting the referee off.
"I don't have a sixth Pokémon."
He looked at Peter, eyes glistening, and bowed slightly.
"And even if I did… I would still accept this loss wholeheartedly."
"Slak…"
Only then did Slaking finally collapse, its body giving out as it sat heavily on the ground.
"Thank you… Slaking."
Peter's slightly hoarse voice reached its ears.
It turned its head.
Saw him smiling—
Holding out a Pokéblock.
In that moment—
That same smile—
Was reflected in its heart.
[Ding! Slaking's bond has erupted. Ability Huge Power fully awakened!]
[Ding! Host completed consecutive higher-tier challenges. Master Points ×100!]
[Ding! Slaking, Lopunny, Arboliva, Indeedee, and Zoroark leveled up. Talent points available!]
[Ding! Arboliva's friendship maxed. Learned and mastered special move: Return!]
Peter paused for a moment, then smiled.
His partners—
Had become even more reliable.
Opening the system panel, he began assigning points.
Lopunny, Slaking, Indeedee, and Zoroark each gained +20 HP.
Arboliva received +10 Defense and +10 Special Defense.
Total cost:
208 million Poké Dollars.
After this battle, Peter realized something—
Even with maximum control from his dual Fake Out strategy, he couldn't always win head-on. With insufficient bulk, fast attackers like Lopunny and Zoroark could only strike and retreat.
So—
He chose to invest in durability.
To increase his margin for error.
Glancing at levels, he fed Indeedee a Rare Candy.
[Ding! Indeedee leveled up from Lv.39 → Lv.40!]
[Ding! Indeedee's friendship maxed. Learned and mastered special move: Return!]
[Ding! All Pokémon skill proficiencies updated. Check system panel for details…]
The team—
Was evolving.
And this battle—
Had only been the beginning.
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T/N:
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