Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Final Dynamax Battle!

“This is…” the Emperor of Elixirs gazed at the clawed dragon engulfed in light, speaking in a low voice.

The sky began to grow dim and oppressive.

Su Yi grinned. “Gigantamax!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Like the pounding of a heart, the clawed dragon’s body expanded within the colossal energy, shrouded in a red-violet glow. Crimson clouds swirled around its head and claws.

“It’s Gigantamax!” Hop looked up in astonishment.

“What a rollercoaster of events,” the Emperor of Elixirs laughed, exchanging a glance with his Charizard. He nodded, then recalled it into its Poké Ball.

Gripping the ball, his wrist’s Gigantamax band radiated light, channeling it into the Poké Ball. It glowed, grew larger, and was finally hurled into the air.

Bang!

Roar!

The super Gigantamax Charizard roared toward the heavens, flames blazing fiercely from its mouth as its wings transformed into fiery, scarlet wings, illuminating the encroaching night.

“Charizard!” the Emperor of Elixirs waved.

“Clawed Dragon!” Su Yi clenched his fist.

“Max Hellfire!”

“Max Dragon Rider!”

Roar!

The super Gigantamax Charizard lowered its head, the fiery wings on its back erupting, coalescing into a magnificent, blazing phoenix that soared forth.

Howl!

Clawed Dragon dug its talons into the earth, roaring skyward. Its crimson wings unfurled across the ground, whirling rapidly and summoning a dark-purple dragon tornado.

Thunder rumbled!

Max Dragon Rider and Max Hellfire collided violently, searing red flames and powerful dragon energy weaving, twisting, and erupting in a tempest of force.

The shockwave, carrying waves of heat, swept in all directions.

“Meow!” Dewleaf gripped its bone knife, stabbing it into the ground to anchor itself against the wind.

Sonia stood before Hop and Little Yu, straining to shield them from the gale.

“Lucky!” A Chansey rushed over, raising a luminous wall to shield everyone from the onslaught of wind and heat.

“Thank you, Chansey,” Hop said gratefully.

Sonia turned her gaze—Su Yi stood fearlessly before the storm, eyes fixed on the arena, calmly returning Chansey’s Poké Ball to his pocket.

The Emperor of Elixirs steadied his hat, his determined gaze locked on the swirling core of energy.

Little Yu’s eyes sparkled in awe. “They’re both so strong and so cool!”

Thunder! Bang!

At last, the two energies shattered completely, the aftermath enveloping both Charizard and Clawed Dragon. Each guarded itself, staggered back a few steps, the ground pounding with heavy drumbeats.

A deep blue, decaying glow lit up Charizard’s body, lowering its attack, while flames ignited beneath Clawed Dragon, scorching it.

“Once more!” the Emperor shouted.

Roar!

Super Gigantamax Charizard bellowed in reply, wings burning, battle spirit surging.

“Clawed Dragon! Max Brawler!” Su Yi called out.

Howl!

Clawed Dragon growled, spreading its claws. In the next instant, orange-yellow light enveloped them, forming gigantic luminous claws.

Though called Max Brawler, it manifested as Max Claw!

Whoosh!

The fiery phoenix of Max Hellfire soared, and Clawed Dragon roared, slashing with its giant claws—an elegant yet deadly arc.

Bang!

Flames erupted. Clawed Dragon, caught in the blast, staggered back two steps, a yellow glow of boosted attack shining on its body.

“Now! Max Aerial Rush!” the Emperor clenched his fist and shouted.

Charizard instantly unfurled its fiery wings, beating them furiously, summoning a tornado that drilled forward in a devastating assault.

“Max Dragon Rider!” Su Yi cried, but was a moment too late. Max Aerial Rush struck Clawed Dragon, the ferocious wind forcing it steadily backward, slicing and tearing at its body.

Clawed Dragon’s consciousness blurred. After prolonged, intense battle, the exhaustion and hunger from its savage transformation, and injuries from fighting the Emperor’s two champions, it had reached its limit.

“Clawed Dragon!” Su Yi’s voice pierced through, gradually sharpening.

Roar!

Clawed Dragon braced against Max Aerial Rush, claws gripping the earth, crimson wings reappearing. The dragon’s storm raged anew, indiscriminately destroying everything around.

Thunder rumbled!

The frenzied energy whipped up wind and dust. Clawed Dragon burst from the smoke, claws slashing, jaws snapping.

“Who says Gigantamax battles must use only Max moves?! Clawed Dragon, bite it!”

Clawed Dragon lunged at Charizard, attacking with claws and fangs in primal fury.

Charizard cried out in agony.

“Charizard! One last Max Hellfire!”

Boom!

Charizard roared, grabbing Clawed Dragon in a fierce embrace, flames compressing around its body. A colossal phoenix struck with its wings, blasting Clawed Dragon at point-blank range.

“Clawed Dragon! Keep attacking with Max Brawler!”

Thunder!

The scorching, violent flames engulfed Clawed Dragon.

Boom!

Flames bloomed like crimson lotus flowers.

Red-violet energy dissipated into particles; Clawed Dragon shrank amidst the glow, collapsing, while Charizard also reverted to its original form, half-kneeling, exhausted and tormented, its body marred by bite and slash wounds.

The gloom receded from the sky, revealing the tranquil, untouched darkness of night.

“It’s over…” Sonia murmured.

“Cough, cough! The match is decided! In the 4v4 duel between the Emperor of Elixirs and Su Yi, the Emperor is victorious!” Sonia announced loudly.

Hop made no sound of celebration, staring blankly at the earth ravaged by the ferocious battle, awed by the immense destructive power of Gigantamax combat.

Roar!

Charizard’s spirit faltered, its wounds gnawing at its strength.

“Emperor, don’t let Charizard move. Stay still for eight seconds and the wounds will fade,” Su Yi advised.

The Emperor nodded. “Wound state, huh? That’s a new status to me.”

Clawed Dragon revived after Su Yi fed it a vitality shard.

“Howl?” Clawed Dragon looked at Su Yi, seeming both unwilling and ashamed.

Su Yi shook his head. “It’s not your fault—it’s ours.”

He released all his companions and began basic treatment for them.

“Everyone, thank you for your hard work!” Su Yi soothed them one by one.

He patted the head of the Great Dire Wolf, which hung low in disappointment. “You fought hard, performed well, and showed the spirit of a deep-green predator!”

The wolf growled softly, raised its head, and nuzzled Su Yi’s forehead.

Next, he smoothed the crest of the Scrappy Bird. “Excellent performance, especially that move Sky Bird Strike—so cool!”

“Caw!” Scrappy Bird hopped joyfully, unfazed by the battle’s outcome and more concerned about Su Yi’s opinion.

“Zizi, I hope you keep showcasing your talents,” Su Yi grinned.

Zizi nodded, its mood remarkably calm.

“Clawed Dragon, are you feeling better?” Su Yi turned with concern.

Clawed Dragon sneezed, scattering red-violet particles, then shook itself and nodded to show it was fine.

“What a fierce battle,” the Emperor of Elixirs fanned himself.

“Indeed,” Sonia sighed.

She could see it clearly: in the past, the Emperor always confronted opponents with power and skill, triumphing even when at a disadvantage. Yet against Su Yi’s Pokémon, he rarely switched his team so often, or forced Su Yi’s Pokémon into rotation for targeted strikes. That he acted with such caution proved Su Yi had pressured him greatly.