Far behind the Tigrex, Zhang put down his binoculars.
Tigrex
Level: 69 (Elite Four)
Finally found it, he thought. Now, who to send? Tigrex is weak to Thunder and Dragon. Goss Harag and Redhelm Arzuros don't have those typings, so they're out. Rathalos and Barioth are Dragon-types, but their main attacks are Fire and Ice. That means Nargacuga is the most suitable. Its moveset was almost entirely Dragon-type, a perfect counter.
After a moment's thought, Zhang decided to let Nargacuga take on the challenge.
In the swirling snow and fierce wind, Nargacuga approached the Tigrex with silent footsteps. It made no effort to hide; there was nowhere to hide. The Tigrex spotted it instantly.
"ROAR!" The moment it saw Nargacuga, the Tigrex let out a deafening roar, a sound far louder than any monster Zhang had encountered before. Some hunters called it the "Roaring Wyvern" for a reason. Its roar was powerful enough to physically stun a hunter who got too close, a testament to its raw sonic force.
"Roar!" Nargacuga roared back, not to be outdone. Though not as loud, its cry was sharp and defiant.
"ROAR!" Feeling its dominance challenged, the Tigrex's eyes reddened with fury. It was an apex predator, a tier above Nargacuga in the natural order. Where did this upstart get the audacity to provoke it? Like a high-speed train, the Tigrex charged, using its infamous Dragon Rush.
In a straight line, the Tigrex's charge was nearly as fast as Nargacuga's Feint Attack. Both were wyverns with somewhat degraded wings, built for ground speed over flight. But where Nargacuga evolved blade-wings for agility, the Tigrex had perfected its crawling ability for pure, straight-line speed. Without its ability boost, Nargacuga might have even been slower. But the Tigrex was a charging heavy knight: fast, but inflexible.
Nargacuga met the charge without fear, using its own Feint Attack. Just as the two behemoths were about to collide, Nargacuga twisted its body, evading the charge and appearing at the Tigrex's left flank. It swung its wing, the sharp blade digging into the Tigrex's leg.
CLICK!
Scales and flesh tore open, leaving a massive gash.
"ROAR!" The injured Tigrex howled in rage. A visible wave of sound erupted from its mouth, blasting Nargacuga and sending it skidding back a hundred meters.
Good job, Nargacuga is making full use of its agility, Zhang thought, watching the battle from high above on Barioth's back.
The moment Nargacuga was knocked back, the Tigrex heaved its arm, flinging a rock the size of a car through the air.
Swish!
Nargacuga vanished with a Feint Attack, and the boulder crashed into the ground, leaving a deep crater.
"ROAR!" The Tigrex roared again and charged, enraged and reckless.
"Tail Spike!" Nargacuga raised its tail, flicking it and sending a volley of black spikes shooting forward like crossbow bolts.
"ROAR!" The Tigrex opened its mouth and let out another sonic blast, which deflected the spikes harmlessly.
I really want to fight it myself, Zhang thought, his hands itching to draw his Long Sword and deliver a Helm Breaker. But for the sake of the fair duel and the glory points, he held back.
"Wingblade!" Nargacuga leaped into the air, its bladed wing aimed at the Tigrex's neck. But the Tigrex didn't dodge. It jumped to meet the attack, clawing at Nargacuga in mid-air.
CLICK!
Nargacuga's wing blade carved a huge wound across the Tigrex's chest. At the same time, the Tigrex's massive claws slammed into Nargacuga, sending it tumbling to the ground. The blow was powerful, but it was just a normal attack, not a special skill. The massive Nargacuga was not seriously injured.
The instant it landed, the Tigrex charged again. But Nargacuga was too agile. It sprang to its feet and used Feint Dodge to evade the attack. No matter how strong the Tigrex was, it couldn't land a clean hit. If it were Redhelm Arzuros or Goss Harag out there, they would have been forced into a head-on clash, which was exactly what the Tigrex excelled at.
The Tigrex stopped, tilting its head as it tried to figure out how to deal with such a nimble opponent.
It's a shame stat-boosting moves are forbidden, Zhang thought with a sigh. Dragon Dance or a War Cry would end this easily. He had discovered that moves that weakened the enemy, like Screech or Scary Face, were also banned under the "fair duel" rules.
Nargacuga, get to the underground cave behind you, Zhang ordered, using Gardevoir to relay the message telepathically. It's dark in there. You can use your ability to its full potential.
Although Nargacuga had the upper hand, it was only a slight advantage. The battle could drag on, and there was always a risk of a reversal. In the shadows, Nargacuga's speed bonus would increase from 100% to 200%.
Hearing the order, Nargacuga broke off its attack and sprinted for the cave. Seeing its opponent flee, the vindictive Tigrex immediately gave chase. It was injured and enraged; it would not let Nargacuga escape.
The moment Nargacuga entered the darkness, the Tigrex was right behind it. Deep inside the cave, Nargacuga stopped and turned. The Tigrex charged onward, its heavy footsteps echoing in the dark. The darkness didn't affect its vision, but it had a profound effect on Nargacuga.
Swish!
With a Feint Attack, Nargacuga vanished. Now boosted by the full 200% from its ability, it was so fast the Tigrex couldn't even react.
CLICK!
Nargacuga's wing blade struck the same gash on the Tigrex's leg. With no flesh or scales to block it, the blade bit deep into the bone, nearly severing it.
"ROAR!" The Tigrex screamed in pain and unleashed another roar, forcing Nargacuga back. Nargacuga immediately followed up with another volley of tail spikes. The spikes slammed into the Tigrex's body as it was recovering from its own roar. They weren't fatal, but they added to the pain.
"ROAR!" The Tigrex tried to charge again, but as it put weight on its injured leg, the bone snapped.
BANG!
The massive wyvern collapsed, skidding across the ground.
"ROAR!" The moment the Tigrex fell, Nargacuga moved.
SWISH!
Its massive tail came down like a mace, smashing into the Tigrex's head.
BOOM!
The Tigrex's head was driven into the ground, blood pouring from its mouth and nose. Yet even then, its eyes held only madness, no fear. It dragged its broken leg and lunged forward, trying to bite Nargacuga. It was a creature of pure violence.
Nargacuga easily leaped away from the desperate attack. Its tail came down again.
BOOM!
This time, the Tigrex was knocked unconscious.
"Good job, Nargacuga," Zhang praised, landing nearby on Barioth. As Nargacuga defeated its foe, a series of prompts appeared in his vision.
Your Nargacuga has fairly defeated the Tigrex. You have earned 1 Glory Point.
The Glory Shop is now open. Please check it yourself!
I'll put the Tigrex away first and look at the shop later, Zhang thought, throwing a Poké Ball. It shook seven times before settling.
Successfully subdued the Tigrex!
Tigrex beginning Pokémonization...
Pokémonization successful!
Tigrex's information is as follows:
Tigrex
Level: 69 (Elite Four)Attribute: DragonAbility: Earth's Roar (+200% Speed, +100% Attack, and +100% sound-based move power when on the ground.)Base Stats: HP 100, Atk 170, Def 100, SpA 10, SpD 100, Spe 140. Total: 620.
A powerful ability, and only 10 Special Attack. That distribution is extreme, but perfect, Zhang thought with satisfaction. Tigrex won't use special attacks anyway, so it's a non-issue. Its Dragon Rush would now be boosted by its ability, and its Roar, with a base power of 100, would now hit for 200.
He released the newly Pokémonized Tigrex and his Escuregot, having it heal the wyvern's injuries. Then, he opened the system and began to check the Glory Shop. It was sparse, with only three items. The first one immediately caught his eye.
Knight's Bondstone
Description: Special equipment for a monster Rider that connects them to their monster, allowing the use of combo skills.Price: 10 Glory Points
In the Monster Hunter Stories games, this was the core item that allowed Riders to use powerful Kinship Skills. For Tigrex, that skill was "Crashing the Ground," an earth-shattering attack.
Bondstone, Zhang thought, his eyes hot with desire. This was similar to a Z-Move and would be a massive power boost. 10 glory points. That's not too much.
He looked at the next item.
Monster Mega Stone Pack
Description: Upon opening, randomly receive a Mega Stone for one of your monsters. The first time you open it, you will also be given a Key Stone.Price: 10 Glory Points
A Mega Stone for my monsters? Zhang's eyes lit up. Mega Evolution was the strongest power-up, granting a 100-point stat boost and a new ability. I have to get this after I have enough points. I'm curious what a Mega Evolved monster would even look like.
He wiped the drool from his mouth and looked at the final item.
Elder Dragon-Tier Mega Stone Pack
Description: Upon opening, randomly receive a Mega Stone for an Elder Dragon or an Elder Dragon-level monster.Price: 100 Glory Points
"Damn, a separate pack for Elder Dragons, and it's so expensive? That's a ripoff," Zhang muttered. "But these are all good things. I'll buy the Bondstone first, then the Monster Mega Stone pack. I'll worry about the Elder Dragon pack when I actually have an Elder Dragon."
Time to get to work, he thought, fantasizing about the future. He pulled out his map and began searching for the Mizutsune.
In a wide, two-meter-deep river, a 20-meter-long monster was leisurely eating fish. It was slender and pink, its body resembling a mythical eastern dragon, but with the head of a fox. This was the Mizutsune, a monster whose power was on par with the Tigrex.
Mizutsune
Level: 69 (Elite Four)Weaknesses: Thunder, Dragon
"Found it," Zhang said from Barioth's back, putting away his binoculars. He threw a Poké Ball.
Bang!
The newly healed Tigrex appeared before the Mizutsune. Its weaknesses were the same, so Rathalos, Barioth, and the others were out. Rathalos, a Fire-type, would be especially disadvantaged against the water-wielding Mizutsune. That left Tigrex and Nargacuga. Since the riverbank was open and shadowless, Nargacuga couldn't use its ability to its full potential. Tigrex was the best choice.
"ROAR!" The moment it appeared, the Tigrex roared, its eyes red. Though it didn't understand how it had gotten here, it was furious at the provocation. This was its territory now.
"Roar!" The Mizutsune roared back. It was not afraid. It had fought many Tigrex over territory before.
"Dragon Rush!"
The Tigrex charged. With its ability boosting its speed by 200%, plus the 200% from the move itself, it was now even faster than Nargacuga in broad daylight. It closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
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