The ground trembled beneath the monstrous weight of the Turtonator.
Level 31.
Fire/Dragon-type.
A living fortress — a shell harder than iron and resistant to most physical strikes.
For a swordsman like Bai Chen, it was the perfect counter.
"Turtonator—Flamethrower!"
A roaring jet of fire shot forth, blazing across the battlefield.
Bai Chen braced himself and shouted toward the sideline:
"Tinkatuff! Lend me your hammer!"
"Ya–ma!"
The pink Smith hurled her heavy weapon his way.
Bai Chen flickered forward with Quick Strike, catching the hammer mid-sprint—just as the inferno reached him.
"Move—Protect!"
The flames crashed against an invisible barrier.
Heat licked at his skin, the air rippling around him.
When the fire finally thinned, he stood unharmed—left hand gripping the hammer, right hand resting his blade on his shoulder.
He looked at Kiawe with a sharp grin.
"Your Growlithe gave me an idea earlier. I think I'll test it now."
"Move—Agility."
Bai Chen's figure split into two.
Then three.
Speed—so fast it left afterimages hanging in the air.
"That's impossible…" someone whispered from the sidelines.
"That's a Pokémon move! He just learned it!?"
The wind shrieked as Bai Chen vanished.
"Let's go!"
In the blink of an eye, he appeared beneath Turtonator's shell.
A drop of sweat slid down the dragon's snout.
It couldn't even track his movements.
"Take off, big guy!"
Bai Chen drove Tinkatuff's hammer upward. Boom!
The 400-kilogram turtle launched into the sky like a rocket.
"Turtonator, Body Slam!" Kiawe barked.
Blue-green light flashed over the Pokémon's body as it plummeted downward like a meteor.
BOOM!
A crater exploded across the battlefield.
But Bai Chen was gone.
He'd blurred out of the impact zone using Agility, reappearing at the beast's flank.
"Step-Slash!"
His blade cut down—sparks flying.
Turtonator whipped around, shielding itself with its back.
KA-THOOM!
An explosion tore through the air.
The shockwave hurled Bai Chen backward, dust cloud billowing behind him.
He slid to a halt, blood tracing shallow cuts across his skin.
"That pack on its shell really does explode," he muttered, shaking off the pain.
He steadied his stance.
Light gathered at his feet.
"Quick Strike!"
"Turtonator, Iron Defense!"
Hammer met shell with a thunderous crack.
This time, the dragon didn't budge—its scales flashing like tempered steel.
"Flamethrower, now!"
"Hunter Art—Insight Slash!"
Bai Chen sidestepped the flames, drawing and sheathing his blade in one fluid motion.
A streak of black-and-crimson energy carved across the turtle's chest.
"GRAAAH!"
Turtonator roared, staggering back, the scar still glowing red.
Kiawe's eyes widened.
"That's dragon energy…? How can a weapon channel Dragon-type power!?"
Bai Chen didn't answer. His gaze locked onto the small, glowing vent on the monster's chest—the weak point.
One good slash there, and this would be over.
But before he could move—
He felt it.
The air itself trembled.
"All right, Turtonator," Kiawe said quietly, stepping forward.
He crossed his arms, palms glowing. The Z-Ring on his wrist erupted in light.
"He's using a Z-Move!" Mimo cried from the sideline, eyes wide with excitement.
The air pulsed with synchronized rhythm—trainer and Pokémon moving as one.
Both drew their fists back, fire flaring between them.
"My whole body—my heart—my soul!" Kiawe's voice roared across the field.
"Let our power burn like Mount Akala itself!"
Bai Chen's danger sense screamed.
Every instinct told him: Dodge or die.
He exhaled slowly.
There was no time to run.
No place to hide.
"Guess I'll take it head-on, then."
A reckless smile crossed his face.
He'd seen Z-Moves in the anime. But to feel one—
to stand at the heart of it—
How could he resist?
"If I don't take this hit myself, I'll regret it forever!"
"Come on then!" he shouted, voice blazing with laughter.
"Show me your strongest Z-Move!"
Kiawe's fist tightened.
"Together—let's ignite everything we've got!"
Flames surged from Turtonator's shell, condensing into a massive, swirling sphere—
a burning sun one meter wide.
The air warped from the heat.
"Move—Protect!"
Bai Chen's aura burst outward, white light cocooning his body.
"Inferno Overdrive!!"
The world turned red.
BOOOOOOM!
The explosion split the sky.
Clouds tore apart.
A wave of fire rolled across the ranch like the wrath of a god.
Everyone shielded their faces from the heat.
"There's no way… a human could survive that," someone whispered.
For a moment, nothing moved.
Then—
Clink.
Something heavy dropped within the flames.
Kiawe's pulse spiked.
"Did we… did we actually—?"
"That hurt."
The voice came from inside the fire.
Kiawe's breath caught in his throat.
"Impossible…"
Through the searing blaze, a figure emerged—
shirtless, skin burned and smoking, muscles gleaming beneath the soot.
Bai Chen stepped forward, carrying both his sword and Tinkaton's hammer over his shoulders.
The flames licked across him but refused to burn. His armor was gone—his gear vaporized—but he still stood, defiant.
With one swing of his hammer, he sent a blast of wind across the field, snuffing out the remaining fire.
Only scorched earth remained beneath his feet.
If his Protect hadn't absorbed three-quarters of the damage, he'd be dead.
But he was still standing.
"He… he really blocked it," Mimo whispered, eyes sparkling.
"Big brother's amazing!"
Bai Chen smirked.
"Move—Agility."
"Move—Quick Strike."
White light streaked forward.
In a blink, he was upon Turtonator again.
"Hunter Art—Spirit Slash Form I!"
A clean horizontal cut split the air.
"Form II—Form III!"
Blades flashed like mirrored lightning.
"Final Form—Great Spiral Slash!"
Scarlet aura burst from his weapon.
Bai Chen leapt, swinging Tinkatuff's hammer upward.
The impact launched the turtle into the sky.
"Iron Defense!" Kiawe shouted.
"It won't save you!" Bai Chen's eyes burned gold.
"Secret Art—Rising Dragon: Sky-Cleave!"
He vaulted ten meters high—
Then brought his sword down.
Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing!
Seven slashes in one breath.
Turtonator's body hit the ground with a thunderous crash—eyes swirling in defeat.
The referee's voice trembled:
"Turtonator is unable to battle.
The winner… is Bai Chen!"
The field fell silent for a heartbeat—
then erupted in cheers.
Lillie exhaled, her worry melting into awe.
Tinkatuff threw both hands in the air, hammer clanging behind her like a victory bell.
And Bai Chen… smiled, brushing ash from his shoulder.
"Z-Move, huh? Not bad."
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