The crimson aura surrounding Ursaring pulsed violently.
Its eyes were bloodshot, muscles swelling beneath scorched fur. The burn marks across its body did not weaken it—instead, they ignited its fury.
Its Guts Ability had activated.
Instead of suffering reduced power from the burn, Ursaring's Attack surged dramatically.
Thorton immediately recognized the opportunity.
"Finish it quickly! Ursaring, High Horsepower!"
Golden Ground-type energy erupted from beneath Ursaring's feet, spiraling around its body like coiling dragons of earth. The power gathered so intensely that the outline of a gigantic phantom bear seemed to form behind it.
Across the battlefield, Gary's eyes sharpened.
"Arcanine… Flare Blitz!"
There would be no retreat.
No hesitation.
No calculation.
Only a decisive clash.
"URSAARRR!!!"
Ursaring roared like a true forest king, its voice shaking the arena. The golden aura intensified, wrapping its entire body in earthen force.
"Awoooooo!!!"
Arcanine threw its head back and released a long, majestic howl. The flames inside its body ignited wildly, surging through its fur like molten rivers. Balls of blazing fire erupted from its mane, merging into a colossal flaming beast that roared behind it.
The heat warped the air.
Both Pokémon were pushing their limits.
"Go!" Thorton shouted.
"Charge!" Gary commanded.
The battlefield seemed to shrink as both Pokémon lunged forward simultaneously.
Ursaring thundered ahead like a charging mountain.
Arcanine became a blazing comet.
RUMBLE!!!!!
The collision shook the entire Battle Factory.
The ground cracked open.
Shockwaves rippled outward.
Energy exploded in a blinding flash of gold and crimson.
For several seconds, nothing could be seen except dust, flames, and shattered stone.
When the smoke slowly settled—
A massive crater had formed at the center of the arena.
Inside the crater lay two figures.
Arcanine.
Ursaring.
Both motionless.
The machine referee's mechanical voice echoed through the silence.
"Arcanine and Ursaring are both unable to battle."
"It's a double knockout."
Thorton exhaled slowly.
"A draw…"
He had believed Ursaring, with Guts activated, would overpower Arcanine in that final exchange.
Under normal circumstances, he would have been correct.
But Gary's Arcanine was far from normal.
Its Flash Fire Ability was no ordinary boost. It had enhanced not only its Fire-type attacks, but its overall offensive pressure. Combined with its held Charcoal and exceptional training, Arcanine had reached a level capable of contending with Elite-tier Pokémon directly.
Gary gently recalled Arcanine.
"You did perfectly. Rest now."
Thorton also retrieved Ursaring.
"You fought bravely."
Now—
Only one Pokémon remained on each side.
Under the Battle Factory's rules, the Frontier Brain's Pokémon were originally chosen by the challenger. The final Pokémon left for Thorton was—
Bronzong.
The machine referee announced:
"Both Trainers, please release your final Pokémon."
Thorton held his last Poké Ball tightly.
"Bronzong… it all comes down to you."
"This is the first time I'm using you in battle. Don't let me down."
He threw the Poké Ball.
"Donggg—!"
Bronzong appeared with a heavy metallic resonance, its massive bell-shaped body reflecting the arena lights.
Stealth Rock activated instantly, sharp stones striking against its steel surface with metallic clinks.
Gary calmly released his final Pokémon as well.
A crimson and metallic body materialized in a burst of heat.
The temperature in the arena rose sharply.
"HEATRAAAN!!!"
Molten energy pulsed beneath its armored exterior.
Heat shimmered around it like a living aura.
Thorton's eyes widened.
"Heatran?!"
As a native of the Sinnoh region, Thorton knew exactly what stood before him.
The Legendary Pokémon of Stark Mountain.
He had studied its data.
But seeing it in person—
On a battlefield—
Was something entirely different.
He finally understood what Scott had implied earlier.
Gary was extraordinary.
Not only in strength.
But in destiny.
"Bronzong, gather data. Use Flash Cannon!"
Bronzong tilted forward, its bell mouth glowing silver as concentrated steel energy formed within.
"Flamethrower," Gary replied calmly.
Heatran opened its jaws.
Molten fire surged outward.
You could even see magma dripping between its metallic teeth.
The flames crashed into Flash Cannon mid-air, instantly overwhelming it and slamming into Bronzong.
Yet—
Bronzong endured.
The flames dissipated against its body.
Thorton's lips curved slightly.
"Heatproof."
Bronzong's Ability reduced Fire-type damage.
Gary nodded subtly.
"So it's not Levitate."
That meant Ground-type attacks would work.
"Heatran, use Earth Power!"
Heatran stomped forward.
The ground beneath Bronzong glowed golden.
Cracks split open violently.
"Light Screen!" Thorton commanded immediately.
A translucent barrier formed around Bronzong just as Earth Power erupted upward.
BOOOOM!!!
The golden pillars of earth swallowed Bronzong entirely.
When the dust cleared—
Bronzong remained standing.
The Light Screen had significantly reduced the damage.
"Bronzong, use Extrasensory!"
"Dong—!"
A deep metallic chime echoed.
Invisible psychic waves surged outward and struck Heatran.
The impact caused Heatran to slide slightly—but the damage was limited.
"Dig," Gary ordered.
Without hesitation, Heatran burrowed underground.
Thorton remained composed.
"Lift yourself with Confusion!"
Though Bronzong did not possess Levitate, it could still manipulate itself telekinetically.
Psychic energy enveloped its body.
Bronzong slowly began floating above the battlefield.
Gary never intended Dig to hit directly.
It was positioning.
"Now! Come up and use Body Slam!"
The ground beneath Bronzong exploded.
Heatran burst upward, less than three meters below.
It leapt, its heavy body crashing forward.
"Flash Cannon!" Thorton countered urgently.
Bronzong began gathering steel energy—
But splitting focus between Confusion and Flash Cannon was difficult.
Its concentration wavered.
It descended slightly.
The Flash Cannon fired—
But narrowly missed.
Heatran slammed into Bronzong mid-air.
CLANG!!!
The impact sent both crashing to the ground.
Heatran pinned Bronzong down with its powerful forelimbs.
Gary's voice turned cold.
"Heatran… Magma Storm."
"HEATRAAAN!!!"
Heatran roared.
A vortex of flames erupted from its mouth.
Molten fire spiraled violently around both Pokémon, forming a blazing prison.
Magma dripped from Heatran's jaws, splattering against Bronzong's steel body.
Even with Heatproof—
The continuous burn was unbearable.
Bronzong's metallic surface began glowing red from rising temperature.
"Extrasensory!" Thorton shouted desperately.
Bronzong forced psychic energy outward.
The invisible wave struck Heatran.
But Heatran refused to release its hold.
Its other Ability—
Flame Body—
Activated.
The temperature continued rising.
The vortex tightened.
Bronzong trembled.
Its metallic resonance weakened.
Its body glowed brighter red—
Approaching structural limits.
Thorton clenched his fists.
He understood.
Continuing would only cause unnecessary harm.
"Stop! I concede!"
The arena fell silent.
Heatran blinked.
"Heat…?"
It tilted its head slightly.
In its past experiences, battles ended only when the opponent fled—or fell.
This was the first time it had heard surrender.
Bronzong itself had not fainted.
Yet the Trainer had chosen to stop.
Heatran looked at Gary.
Gary nodded calmly.
"Heatran, that's enough."
The flames gradually subsided.