Flapping its wings as it dove, Roaring Moon seized the momentum to unleash Dragon Claw.
Ursaring's response was extremely simple: it struck back with Slash. In terms of raw power, Roaring Moon clearly held the upper hand due to the force of its descent, directly forcing Ursaring back.
"Roaring Moon, fly into the air and use Sunny Day."
To test Roaring Moon's combat effectiveness under the sun, Gu Yuan immediately issued the command as soon as he saw Ursaring was pushed back.
Hearing this, Roaring Moon hesitated for a moment before immediately following Gu Yuan's instructions. Ursaring stumbled back several steps to stabilize its body, a hint of wariness appearing in its eyes as it looked at Roaring Moon. Despite this, Ursaring showed no intention of retreating.
With a roar, Ursaring charged toward Roaring Moon using High Horsepower. If Ursaring hadn't wasted time with its previous movements, it might have had a chance to interrupt the Sunny Day, but it was too late now.
"Roaring Moon, Dragon Rush!"
Gu Yuan's command rang out. Feeling the surge of powerful energy within its body, Roaring Moon immediately launched its assault. Dragon-type energy condensed, and in the blink of an eye, a massive dragon appeared before Ursaring.
Without giving Ursaring any chance to dodge, Roaring Moon—transformed into a giant dragon—engulfed it. Without needing Gu Yuan's further instructions, Roaring Moon, used to the kill-or-be-killed life in the wild, seized the opening to strike at Ursaring's vitals with Dragon Claw.
Enduring the sharp pain, Ursaring reacted with remarkable speed, using Slash to barely parry Roaring Moon's attack. Although Ursaring reacted quickly, it was still a step behind, resulting in several deep gashes across its chest.
Gu Yuan didn't issue any more commands, letting Roaring Moon fight freely. Roaring Moon understood the principle of pressing the advantage when the enemy is down. With its claws wreathed in energy, it engaged Ursaring in a fierce melee.
Using the strength boost from its Protosynthesis ability, Roaring Moon easily suppressed Ursaring, continuously leaving wounds on its body. Blood flowed out, seemingly draining Ursaring's stamina along with it. Roaring Moon's relentless, storm-like offensive left Ursaring struggling to cope. Before long, Ursaring was panting heavily.
"Roaring Moon, intimidate him with Scary Face, follow up with a barrage of Scale Shot, and finish him with Dragon Rush!"
Seeing Roaring Moon push Ursaring back once more, Gu Yuan immediately gave the orders. Roaring Moon unleashed Scary Face. Ursaring, already somewhat fearful under the pressure, froze in place after being affected by the move, and its speed began to drop.
Then came the Scale Shot. The scales were fired like lasers, repeatedly striking Ursaring and forcing it to retreat further. Simultaneously, the use of Scale Shot boosted Roaring Moon's speed, though its defense became more fragile in exchange.
"Now! End the battle with Dragon Rush!"
As the third wave of Scale Shot ended, Gu Yuan had Roaring Moon launch the final strike. After several bouts of cooperation, Roaring Moon's reaction speed was undoubtedly faster. It launched the attack immediately upon receiving the command. Dragon-type energy converged, causing Roaring Moon to transform into a soaring dragon once again.
The disparity in speed and the accumulated injuries made it impossible for Ursaring to counterattack effectively. Facing the rapidly approaching dragon, Ursaring only had time to use Slash as a final defense, but it was instantly overwhelmed by Roaring Moon.
As the smoke cleared, following Gu Yuan's instruction, Roaring Moon didn't actually deliver a killing blow, stopping just in time.
"You did great. I believe our coordination will only get better from here. This is your reward."
Gu Yuan brought out food that Dragon-type Pokémon enjoy as a reward, while also making sure to praise Roaring Moon. He firmly believed that if he gave his heart sincerely, Roaring Moon would eventually offer its total loyalty, rather than being bound only by a bet or a sense of obligation.
After the battle ended, Gu Yuan didn't leave immediately. Instead, he treated Ursaring's wounds and let Charizard and the others take turns sparring with it. Even Moltres couldn't resist joining in, showing Gu Yuan exactly what the oppressive pressure of a Legendary Pokémon looked like.
By the time Charizard and the others had finished their rotations against Ursaring, the bear had turned into a total "salted fish," likely needing quite a while to recover.
Gu Yuan didn't forget his promise to Moltres. He had Alakazam use Teleport to transport the group away, searching for the next Leader Rank Pokémon. Soon, they tracked down a Persian who had been wondering who that brute Ursaring was fighting.
"Go, Moltres! Just like Roaring Moon, you can fight freely. I will only give you commands at specific moments, and I hope you can act or attack according to my instructions in a timely manner."
Without giving Persian any time to react, Gu Yuan directed Moltres to attack. Having been unable to hold back any longer, Moltres spread its wings and charged. The unique pressure of a Legendary Pokémon manifested, beginning to suppress Persian's strength.
Fortunately, Moltres could control this pressure so it didn't affect Sylveon and the others; otherwise, it would have been truly difficult for Moltres to integrate into the team.
Moltres released Fire Blast. Sensing the danger, Persian cast aside its fear and struck back with Swift. However, even with the Technician ability bonus, Swift could not withstand being swallowed by the Fire Blast. Luckily, Persian used Power Gem at the last second to finally block the remaining power of the flames.
Before Persian could breathe a sigh of relief, Moltres's Heat Wave swept in, blowing it away. The scorching wind was so intense that Persian's fur began to curl. Following up, Moltres used Blast Burn for a heavy bombardment.
Compared to Roaring Moon, who excelled in close-quarters combat, Moltres was clearly better at long-range attacks. Combined with the suppression from being a Legendary Pokémon, the battle felt like a total stomp.
Interestingly, perhaps due to its advantage as a Paradox Pokémon, Roaring Moon didn't seem to feel much of Moltres's pressure at all.
On the battlefield, Persian's Power Gem wasn't enough to completely stop the force of Blast Burn, and the scattered flames struck Persian directly. Normally, Moltres would have used Blast Burn again, but Gu Yuan's voice suddenly rang out, telling it to use Heat Wave instead.
Under the influence of the scorching air currents, the lingering flames combined with the Heat Wave to form a firestorm, trapping Persian inside. Once it was certain Persian couldn't escape, Moltres used Blast Burn again, completely engulfing the opponent.
Accompanied by the explosion of flames, Persian was sent flying. Although it hadn't fainted yet, even standing up had become difficult. With Moltres releasing one final Flamethrower, the battle concluded with Moltres's victory.