A violent beam of dragon energy burst from Mega Salamence's jaws, shooting straight toward the Haxorus below!
BOOM!
The Dragon Pulse struck true without suspense, exploding in a burst of searing force.
At the same moment, however, Haxorus's attack, Breaking Swipe landed squarely on Mega Salamence's chest!
The two dragons exchanged devastating blows, and Mega Salamence was knocked backward by the impact.
"Dragon Rush!"
"ROOOAR!!"
Mega Salamence quickly steadied itself midair. With a furious roar that shook the sky, it ascended once more.
An intense surge of pure Dragon-type energy gathered around its body, condensing into the form of a colossal, demonic dragon.
Then, with a fierce twist of its wings, Mega Salamence dived downward like a crimson meteor. The overwhelming power and savagery of its momentum made every spectator's heart tremble!
Dragon Rush!
"This isn't good. Salamence's offensive is too fierce—and Haxorus can't even fly, so it can't take the initiative!"
Raihan frowned deeply as he analyzed the battle unfolding before him.
As another Dragon-type specialist, he understood both Pokémon's strengths and weaknesses perfectly.
"Haxorus can't fly, which puts it at an inherent disadvantage… and more importantly—it can't learn Dragon Rush," Raihan muttered gravely.
Leon nodded silently in agreement. He himself had a Haxorus as one of his main Pokémon, so he knew its limits all too well.
Haxorus was undeniably a powerhouse—a top-tier physical attacker among Dragon-types. But its inability to fly was a glaring weakness. Against grounded Pokémon, that didn't matter much. Against a flying pseudo-legendary like Salamence, though? That was fatal.
What was worse—Haxorus couldn't learn Dragon Rush, one of the strongest physical Dragon-type moves!
Its most powerful Dragon-type physical move was Dragon Claw.
Sure, Haxorus could learn Draco Meteor but that was a special attack move, and Haxorus was a purely physical attacker!
Its base Attack stat reached an incredible 147 points an absolute monster in melee power!
But its Special Attack stat? A measly 60.
How could it possibly use Draco Meteor to counter Mega Salamence's Dragon Rush?
And although it could technically use Giga Impact, that move left the user immobile afterward—a death sentence against a relentless flier like Salamence.
Even if it managed to block Dragon Rush, what about the follow-up assault?
"Haxorus! Outrage!!"
Iris's mind raced frantically. She calculated dozens of possible strategies—but in the end, discarded them all, leaving only one answer.
Meet force with force!
Haxorus let out a guttural snarl. Its dragon eyes turned blood-red, glowing with feral madness as a murderous aura erupted around it.
"Dragon Claw! Catch it head-on!"
Iris shouted powerfully, her arm slicing through the air.
Haxorus's twin claws shone with a razor-sharp azure light. It raised its head, glaring up at the diving dragon with burning determination.
Closer—closer—
All eyes were fixed on the two dragons. Would Mega Salamence crush Haxorus under its terrifying Dragon Rush, or would Haxorus, empowered by Outrage, block it again?
"ROAR!!"
Mega Salamence's savage eyes blazed brighter. It accelerated again—slamming into Haxorus with thunderous force!
BOOM!
Dragon Rush and Dragon Claw collided head-on. The shockwave exploded outward, sweeping across the arena like a hurricane of raw power!
Lucas raised a hand to shield his face, his narrowed eyes fixed on the clash.
Then, as he saw clearly what had happened, a flicker of surprise flashed across his gaze.
Because at that moment—
Haxorus's claws were locked around Mega Salamence's horns!
It had caught the Dragon Rush!
The ground beneath Haxorus's feet split apart, twin trenches forming where its claws had dug in—but it had done it. Haxorus had stopped Mega Salamence's Dragon Rush!
"Whoa—!"
Gasps and exclamations rippled through the Opelucid Arena. Countless spectators stared in disbelief, their faces flushed with excitement.
This scene was nothing short of breathtaking!
Mega Salamence's strength had been overwhelming in its previous battles, yet now—it had been halted mid-charge by Haxorus!
"Excellent work, Iris. That's a truly miraculous sight."
Even Champion Cynthia couldn't help but praise her, genuine admiration in her tone.
"Now it depends on whether Iris can seize this opportunity," Leon nodded thoughtfully.
Blocking the Dragon Rush was impressive, but that was just the beginning. Haxorus was in Outrage mode—it had to finish the fight quickly.
But… would Lucas allow her that chance?
"Haxorus! Breaking Swipe!"
Iris's chest heaved as she shouted her command, emotion surging through her voice.
Haxorus roared, using all its strength to lift and slam Mega Salamence toward the ground!
BOOM!
The mighty Salamence was smashed into the battlefield, the entire arena trembling from the impact.
Mega Salamence cried out in pain.
Then Haxorus's tail glowed brightly—it swung down in a brutal arc!
Breaking Swipe!
Another direct hit!
"Dragon Claw!" Iris commanded without hesitation.
The Outrage wouldn't last long—she had to end it now!
If she could just defeat Mega Salamence, she'd consider it a victory.
After all, this was Lucas's strongest Pokémon among his first three!
At this point, Iris wasn't even thinking about winning anymore. As long as she wasn't completely swept, she'd be satisfied.
Otherwise… she wouldn't have the face to go outside for a while!
Unless Lucas challenged another Masters-ranking member next—then she wouldn't be the only one embarrassed!
"Dragon Tail."
But just then, Lucas's calm voice came through the storm.
Iris's heart skipped a beat.
From the ground, Mega Salamence's tail lit up with draconic energy—and with a violent swing, it slammed into Haxorus's legs!
Caught off guard, Haxorus stumbled. It didn't fall but its attack rhythm was broken!
"You did an excellent job, Iris," Lucas said with a soft smile. "Even I'm a little impressed. But this… is the end."
Iris bit her lip, her face pale.
Because Mega Salamence—was rising again.
Spreading its blood-red crescent wings wide, it soared back into the sky, eyes burning with ferocious rage.
The dragon had been angered.
"It's over."
Seeing Mega Salamence take flight once more, Leon exhaled softly.
The outcome was already decided.
Iris had missed her fleeting opportunity. Even though Haxorus had landed two solid hits, they hadn't been enough to deal fatal damage.
Now that Mega Salamence had recovered its momentum, Haxorus would never get another chance like that again—especially with Outrage's time running out.
Among Dragon-type techniques, Draco Meteor was the strongest special move, while Outrage was the strongest physical one.
But Outrage's aftereffects were severe—when it ended, the user became dazed and weak.
Everyone understood what was coming.
The silence among Champions Steven, Cynthia, and Leon said it all.
…
On the battlefield, Lucas spoke calmly, his tone still gentle yet absolute.
"You've fought well enough to earn my respect, Iris. But now—it's time to finish this."
"Salamence, use Hurricane!"
"ROOOAAAR!!"
Mega Salamence let out a sky-shattering bellow. Its blood-red crescent wings beat furiously, whipping up a howling tempest that engulfed the arena!
The storm roared across the field, slicing through the air with countless wind blades that lashed against Haxorus.
Even under Outrage's empowerment, Haxorus was forced to lower its head, bracing against the crushing wind pressure.
Iris clenched her small fists tightly, her long hair and clothes whipping wildly in the gale.
Her partner on the field couldn't even lift its head.
Such terrifying force—what an overwhelming Hurricane!
"Dragon Rush!"
As soon as the suppression took hold, Lucas gave his next command.
Mega Salamence stopped its Hurricane, roared toward the heavens, and gathered a massive surge of Dragon-type energy.
A monstrous, spectral dragon formed around it once more, and it dove straight down toward the battered Haxorus!
The air itself seemed to scream as that destructive energy descended.
"We haven't lost yet! Haxorus, Dragon Claw!"
Iris shouted with all her strength.
If Haxorus could block it once, it could block it again!
The crimson-eyed dragon raised its claws, both glowing sharply with pure blue light.
The second collision came a heartbeat later—
Dragon Rush vs. Dragon Claw!
The shockwave of impact split the ground beneath them, fissures spiderwebbing across the arena floor!
Everyone stared breathlessly, afraid to blink for even a second.
But this time… the miracle did not repeat.
After only two seconds of stalemate, the blood-red glow in Haxorus's eyes began to fade rapidly.
The Outrage had ended.
A wave of weakness flooded its body, and dizziness clouded its mind.
Sensing its opponent falter, Mega Salamence roared triumphantly and pushed forward, breaking through Haxorus's guard.
The crimson dragon crashed headlong into its foe!
BOOM!
The Dragon Rush hit with full force!
"I… Haxorus…" Iris's voice trembled as her eyes widened.
The dust settled.
Haxorus lay collapsed on the cracked ground, breathing heavily.
Above it, Mega Salamence hovered—its wings spread, eyes cold and domineering.
"Earthquake."
Lucas gave no time for recovery.
Mega Salamence landed heavily. The moment its claws touched the ground, the battlefield erupted in a violent quake!
Invisible shockwaves rippled outward, shattering what remained of the terrain.
Earthquake!
Haxorus let out a final cry of pain. In its weakened, dazed state, it couldn't fight back—couldn't even dodge.
Especially not after taking that last Dragon Rush.
The entire arena fell silent for a heartbeat—
Then erupted in deafening applause and astonishment.
The match was over.
Mega Salamence stood victorious—its wings still unfurled, its body battered yet unyielding.
The king of the skies had once again proven its supremacy.
And for Iris, the proud Dragon prodigy of Unova—
Her battle had ended in total defeat.
(End of Chapter)