"Huh?"
"Kōhai's Lucario can Mega Evolve?!"
Just as Aiden anticipated.
Technically, his Lucario demonstrated the original Mega Evolution—predating even Mewtwo's debut.
But he'd never showcased it publicly before.
So when the audience saw Mega Lucario's transformed silhouette—its eyes sharper, posture deadlier—their shock was instantaneous.
After all, according to recent research by Professor Sycamore, Mega Evolution required a profound bond between Trainer and Pokémon, generating enough "resonance energy" to bridge the Key Stone and Mega Stone. It was a process that couldn't be rushed.
The exact requirements remained a mystery.
Though lately, Kalos media hinted at alternative methods bypassing the bond requirement entirely.
Sycamore—the father of the bond theory—now faced accusations of "academic fraud," with no public rebuttal yet.
"Whoa…"
Across the field, Raihan—having retreated to a safe distance after Gigantamaxing Duraludon—stared at Mega Lucario, his expression shifting.
"I expected Terastalization like the other Gym Leaders… but you're full of surprises."
"But it doesn't matter! Whether Mega Evolution or Terastalization—you can't possibly beat Dynamax!"
Raihan's passion flared. He thrust his left hand skyward.
"Duraludon—Max Knuckle!"
A deafening metallic roar answered from above.
This was Gigantamax Duraludon—over 40 meters tall. Even a casual punch into the ground rivaled any Fighting-type move in power. And this strike covered Aiden's entire half—no dodging possible.
Moreover…
His Duraludon's ability was Heavy Metal!
In Pokémon Champions, Heavy Metal merely doubled weight—a seemingly useless trait.
But in reality, weight directly influenced durability and attack force. That's why Trainers sought heavier Snorlax!
Duraludon's already-massive frame, armored in hardened alloy, had no weaknesses—offensively or defensively.
Its past seven victories proved that.
No one—not even Leon's Gigantamax Charizard—had broken through it head-on.
And Aiden wouldn't either!
BOOM—!
Under the crowd's gaze, Gigantamax Duraludon slowly raised its arm.
Even this slight motion sent tremors through the arena—like a mountain learning to walk.
Its speed was glacial… yet its presence crushed all will to resist.
Even Lucario—a veteran of high-tier battles—felt a bead of sweat trickle down its brow.
What a terrifying opponent.
"Lucario—use Detect to evade at the right moment! Minimize damage!"
Aiden's command cut through the tension.
Max Moves were near-impossible to dodge.
And Lucario couldn't fly like Larry's Braviary to stall.
But by avoiding direct contact with the fist, slipping past shockwaves, or using Protect to absorb energy… damage could be reduced.
It was the best stalling tactic available.
Until Dynamax ended—and counterattacks began—Lucario had to stay pristine. Aiden wouldn't risk an early clash.
"Luca…"
Ignoring the titan's size, Lucario closed its eyes—focusing solely on the energy coiling in Duraludon's fist to predict its trajectory.
As the fist descended, Lucario snapped its eyes open, kicked off the ground—
Duraludon's strike covered the entire half-field… leaving the area beneath its own feet oddly safe.
Seizing this, Lucario slid beneath the fist, accelerating to Duraludon's blind spot—using its massive body as cover from shockwaves.
And it was right.
CRASH—!
"Max Knuckle" was just Duraludon slamming a fist into the earth.
The impact shattered the ground, sending fissures spiderwebbing outward. Energy waves ripped through the arena.
Aiden crossed his arms, deflecting flying debris—barely keeping his footing.
Then—the crowd gasped.
"Teacher Azure's Lucario is pressed against Gigantamax Duraludon's body… completely unharmed by Max Knuckle!"
After the strike, Lucario backflipped to a safe distance—within reaction range.
"Phew…"
Larry exhaled. Aiden learned how to stall Dynamax from earlier matches.
But… don't relax yet!
Aiden knew this best.
Max Moves weren't just powerful—they carried unique secondary effects.
Max Knuckle's? Boosting Attack.
Duraludon's power just escalated. Every subsequent punch would be deadlier—and Raihan wouldn't give Lucario such an easy dodge again.
"Use Max Knuckle again, Duraludon!"
As Lucario caught its breath, Raihan struck.
"This time—attack with both fists! No escape!"
He saw his opening.
Repeatedly using Detect or Protect strained any Pokémon. Success was near-impossible.
Raihan knew Aiden wouldn't risk such unpredictability.
Before Lucario could use Detect again, it'd have to eat this enhanced double punch!
"…"
Aiden inhaled deeply—then tossed a Tera Orb from his pocket without hesitation.
"Now, Lucario!"
"Use Terastalization to nullify weaknesses—and close the distance in one burst!"
"Don't fear its attacks—rush in and return the favor!"
"Luca!"
Mega Lucario nodded firmly, standing ground as the Tera Orb arced overhead.
"What the—?! Can you even use Tera Orbs on Mega Evolved Pokémon?!"
Iono's question hung in stunned silence.
Paldea had no Mega Evolution. Even Gym Leaders only learned of it recently—combining both systems was unthinkable.
Yet Aiden was pioneering it.
"Well… theoretically, yes."
Grusha—still wrapped in his spring scarf—spoke up.
"Tera Orbs coat Pokémon in crystallized Tera energy, temporarily altering typing."
"Mega Evolution reverts Pokémon to primal instincts, breaking evolution limits. The mechanics don't conflict."
"Dynamax? Too massive—Tera energy can't evenly coat it. One orb's insufficient."
"I'm unsure if pre-Mega Terastalization holds… but Aiden's confidence suggests he's tested it."
As Grusha spoke, the Tera Orb shattered over Lucario—showering it in violet shards.
He chose Ghost Tera?!
Grusha nodded, grasping Aiden's genius.
Dynamax was powerful—boosting bulk and move power—but it couldn't bypass type matchups, the bedrock of Pokémon battles.
Max Knuckle remained a Fighting-type move.
And Ghost-Tera Lucario? Fully immune to Fighting!
That was Aiden's confidence.
As violet shards solidified into a translucent Ghost armor—and a spectral crown formed—Duraludon's twin fists descended, engulfing the unflinching Lucario.
After one Max Knuckle boost, its power had doubled. The ground trembled before impact, cratering instantly.
Yet when Duraludon retracted its glowing fists…
Lucario—unscathed—stood atop its massive arm.
"LUCA—!"
Jet-black Lucario exploded off the limb, sprinting up the arm—and launched a punch straight at Duraludon's face.
"He didn't use Terastalization for offense… but crafted a perfect illusion to create a counter window."
Larry sighed. These kids are monsters. Should I retire already?
But… recklessness is dangerous.
If Aiden had used Iron Defense instead of attacking, combining with Sylveon's Baton Pass boosts, Mega Lucario could've easily survived three minutes—outlasting Dynamax.
Then it might've swept the team.
Too aggressive.
Even with Adaptability, Mega Lucario's STAB only applied to its Tera typing (Ghost). Fighting-type moves like Close Combat were weakened by Tera.
So how did that punch hurt so much?
Wait—?!
Larry froze mid-thought.
Mega Lucario's strike had forced Gigantamax Duraludon backward—its face twisted in pain!
What did Aiden do?!
Raihan shared the confusion.
Even Leon's Max Quake couldn't seriously wound Duraludon.
Yet Lucario did?
Could Mega Evolution alone surpass Dynamax?
"It's Counter."
Aiden's voice cut through.
"Lucario reflected Max Knuckle's force—amplifying its retaliatory punch beyond limits."
"How?…"
"My Lucario's… constitution is unique."
?
Are you kidding me?
Raihan's expression soured—he thought Aiden was joking.
But only Aiden and Nemona knew the truth.
It wasn't a joke.
When Cynthia brought Riolu, it showed uncanny Counter timing.
Aiden's Tera Orb toss was perfectly timed—activating just before Max Knuckle hit.
Not only to prevent Raihan from canceling the move… but to let Lucario feel the attack's lethality.
To Lucario, Max Knuckle was certain death.
Thus—its counter punch shattered limits, staggering a 40-meter titan.
Admittedly, the punch wasn't enough to KO Duraludon.
But Aiden now held the advantage.
Lucario didn't leap away—it stayed perched on Duraludon's head, the safest and most dangerous spot.
"Now, if Duraludon uses any Max Move… it'll hit itself too~"
"Feel free to try Max Darkness!"
Facing Raihan's dismay, Aiden lightly added:
"Lucario—rapid-fire punches!"
"LUCA!"
Now Raihan had to choose:
Risk self-damage to eliminate Lucario?
Or let it stall until Dynamax faded?
He had no choice—and Aiden predicted his next move.
"Duraludon…"
Raihan's voice cracked with frustration.
"Use Max Darkness!"
Dynamax's fatal flaw? Time pressure.
His clock was ticking.
At least Max Darkness (Dark-type) countered Ghost-Tera Lucario—and copper could withstand self-damage.
Dual-system Lucario still can't beat me!
When Raihan committed, Aiden finally exhaled—and gave his final order.
"Lucario—Endure!"
(Not the move—Aiden meant go all-out.)
Raihan's choices had matched Aiden's predictions perfectly.
Time to end this grueling battle.
"Endure" wasn't a move—it was Lucario's ultimate technique, used once against Master Mustard's Urshifu.
That single punch defeated Urshifu (holding back).
But the cost was dire: after striking, Lucario would lose consciousness.
Yet to shatter Duraludon's shell…
Go all-in!
Never yield in spirit!
"LUCAAAAA—!"
With Aiden's permission, Lucario's body surged—white steam erupting from its pores as its aura spiked.
It clenched its fist—then unleashed a punch.
BOOOOM—!
Fist winds clashed with Max Darkness's dark energy—neither sound distinguishable.
Then… as the smoke cleared…
Gigantamax Duraludon was gone.
"Did it stall out time… or actually defeat the invincible titan…?"
Even Larry gripped his hands, eyes darting across the crater.
When the answer came, the crowd gasped.
Normal-sized Duraludon lay supine in its own crater—eyes shut, a gaping hole in its forehead.
"OHHHH! HE DID IT!"
Kofu roared—ready to vent days of humiliation.
But his cheers died as he saw Lucario.
Though standing tall post-landing… its eyes were blank, unfocused, motionless.
Mutual destruction…
Larry sighed. Honestly, this was the best outcome.
Lucario was far weaker than Duraludon (Champion-tier). Surviving one Max Knuckle was miraculous.
But a 1-for-1 trade left everyone hollow.
Even maximum effort can't guarantee perfection?
If Lucario had stayed conscious after winning…
With Torkoal already crippled, victory was near.
Now? Uncertainty lingered.
…Or did it?
NO!
"You've done enough, Lucario."
Aiden recalled his fallen warrior—then raised his final Poké Ball.
"Now, Ogerpon—take this match… and end it in one sweep."
A red flash—and Ogerpon appeared, blue well-mask gleaming.
Aiden knew from the start:
Gigantamax Duraludon was the only threat.
Even Tera Ogerpon couldn't guarantee a win within Dynamax's timer.
But with a different approach… victory was clear.
If Lucario eliminated Duraludon, Raihan's Sunny Day/Sandstorm teams would both collapse.
One Ogerpon could counter both!
"Oger~"
Behind its mask, Ogerpon's eyes locked onto Raihan—its ivy-staff coiled with water.
Now Raihan panicked.
He knew Aiden had this form-shifting ace… but his back was against the wall.
With Torkoal and Turtonator confirmed on his bench…
How could he possibly win?
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