Charizard is a unique Pokémon. When it's young or inexperienced, the flame on its tail burns dimly, and the heat it emits is relatively mild.

But as it goes through more and more battles, gaining strength and experience, that flame intensifies, growing brighter, hotter, and fiercer with every challenge.

Eventually, the heat from its breath can melt through just about anything.

Leon's Charizard had already reached that peak. Even without Gigantamaxing, it was strong enough to rival Eternatus in the main storyline.

It wasn't just powerful; it was legendary. Arguably the strongest Charizard in the entire world.

With the effects of Grass Pledge and Fire Pledge having burned away the field of grass, and with Gigantamax energy further amplifying its firepower, plus the sunny day enhancing Fire-type moves, Leon had set the perfect stage for Charizard's dominance.

And without any grassy terrain left, Gogoat couldn't activate its Grass Pelt ability. In this setup, if it were hit directly, it could be knocked out in a single blow.

Leon had three Gigantamax Wildfire attacks left, and they just so happened to match the number of Gogoat Naoki had.

Naoki knew he couldn't let Gogoat take that move head-on. Locking eyes with the approaching inferno, he shouted a command.

"Gogoat, use Protect!"

A shimmering film of white light instantly formed around Gogoat like a barrier.

The next moment, the enormous fireball, burning as hot and bright as the sun, crashed down.

Cracks formed on the barrier immediately, spiderwebbing outward.

CRACK!

The shield shattered in an instant, overwhelmed by the searing heat. The fireball's power vaporized the protective energy in a flash.

The Gigantamax Wildfire engulfed Gogoat in flames.

"Naoki called for Protect, but it failed!" the commentator cried out, eyes wide as he leaned over the railing, stunned.

Blistering waves of fire energy surged across the field, smashing against the battlefield's energy barrier. The front-row spectators were caught between awe and terror, fearing the shield might not hold.

Naoki's eyes stayed fixed on the blaze.

"Gogoat… hang in there!"

BOOM!

A massive explosion rocked the stadium.

Dust and chunks of earth flew into the air.

A beam of white-hot energy blasted skyward, residual power from the Gigantamax Wildfire that even the flames couldn't consume.

After a long, tense pause, the smoke began to clear.

The sea of fire still roared. The flames within had left no mercy. Gogoat had taken the full force of the blast and was down.

"Absolutely incredible!" the commentator shouted. "Gigantamax Wildfire just took down Gogoat in one strike!"

Could Protect have worked? Maybe. But not with a blast that wide. Even if Gogoat managed to dodge using Substitute, the fiery shockwave would've still reached it.

What about Dig?

Naoki thought for a moment. A shallow hole would've been useless against such an enormous blast radius. But if it burrowed deep enough, it could survive.

With that in mind, Naoki returned Gogoat to its Poké Ball and immediately threw out his second.

"Let's go, Gogoat!"

"Naoki's not backing down!" the commentator exclaimed. "Despite that devastating attack, he's sent out a second Gogoat! Wait… has he figured out a new strategy?"

Facing his opponent's next Gogoat, Leon didn't give an order right away. Instead, he looked across the field and called out gently.

"Naoki."

Naoki paused, then looked up to meet Leon's gaze.

"Charizard was my very first Pokémon," Leon said with a warm smile. "It's been with me on every adventure. My first battle, my first catch, my first evolution, it was always Charizard. No matter what happens, I'll trust Charizard to finish this battle."

As he spoke, Charizard seemed to respond with pride. Its flame blazed even brighter, flaring with unshakable confidence and power.

Charizard's fighting spirit flared brightly.

At that moment, Naoki could feel it, the connection between Leon and Charizard. It wasn't just firepower. It was trust. Devotion. A shared journey that had carried them both to the top.

"I see it," Naoki whispered, watching that invisible bond ripple through the battlefield.

Leon raised his hand with unwavering confidence. "Charizard, use G-Max Wildfire!"

Naoki didn't hesitate. "Gogoat, use Dig!"

The two Trainers gave their commands simultaneously.

From Charizard's wings burst another colossal fireball, glowing like a miniature sun. It blazed downward toward Gogoat.

Gogoat wasted no time. It stomped the ground with its hooves and burrowed quickly, vanishing beneath the battlefield.

"Naoki actually had Gogoat dig underground to avoid the attack!" the commentator cried out.

Just as he finished, the massive fireball slammed into the ground where Gogoat had just been.

Fire exploded outward in all directions. The battlefield was instantly consumed by a searing inferno, the flames twisting and roaring like a living creature.

But beneath the surface, Gogoat remained untouched. The firestorm raged above, but underground, the air was still.

If Charizard had still been Gigantamaxed, it might have blasted fire into the tunnels and forced Gogoat out. But in its current form, it couldn't reach its opponent.

"Looks like Dig really worked!" Naoki exhaled with relief.

But Leon wasn't fazed. In fact, he smiled.

"Dodging G-Max Wildfire by digging underground?" Leon said calmly. "Clever. But let's see how well that works against this…"

"Charizard, use Earthquake!"

Naoki's face changed. Earthquake wasn't just strong, it was devastating, especially against an underground target.

"Gogoat, get out of there, now!" Naoki yelled.

But it was already too late.

Charizard slammed its foot into the ground with full force. A violent tremor surged outward from the point of impact. The battlefield cracked and groaned, rocks splitting apart as seismic energy erupted in every direction.

The earth quaked violently.

Underground, Gogoat took the full brunt of the impact. With a sharp cry, it was blasted out of the soil, tumbling onto the scorched battlefield.

At the same moment, Charizard's Gigantamax energy reached its limit. Its massive form began to shrink rapidly, returning to its normal size.

Luckily, Gogoat had a high resistance to Ground-type attacks. Though it was injured, it wasn't down yet.

"Gogoat, Milk Drink!" Naoki commanded.

The weary Gogoat bleated and began to heal, drinking the Life Gogoat's restorative milk. Its wounds closed quickly, its breathing steadied.

But Leon wasn't giving him a second.

"Charizard, Flamethrower, now!"

Charizard, back in its sleek, nimble form, darted forward. Flames built in its mouth and erupted in a powerful stream, hurtling straight for Gogoat.

Naoki raised a hand. "Substitute!"

With the healing power of Milk Drink, Gogoat still had the strength to use a decoy.

Just before the flames landed, Gogoat let out a puff of air. In an instant, its form was replaced by a small puppet shaped like a dinosaur.

The Flamethrower struck directly, engulfing the Substitute in fire.

"Now!" Naoki shouted. "Rock Slide!"

Gogoat's real body had silently crept behind Charizard amidst the chaos. Lowering its head, it planted its heavy hooves and pressed its massive horns against the earth. With a sharp motion, it heaved up a massive boulder and hurled it toward Charizard's back.

But the moment Charizard's flames hit the Substitute and it realized the deception, it whipped around mid-air and narrowly dodged the falling rock.

"Smokescreen!" Leon commanded without hesitation. Right now, all they needed was time, time for Gogoat's milk recovery to run out.

Obeying the order, Charizard unleashed a thick white fog from its mouth, blanketing the battlefield in swirling smoke. Visibility dropped instantly. Gogoat's view of the battlefield was cut off, and Charizard's silhouette vanished into the haze.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!"

"Gogoat, run!"

Both Trainers barked out their commands at the same time.

A beam of searing fire burst from Charizard's mouth just as Gogoat charged forward. Hooves pounding the scorched earth, it darted through the flames and smoke, pushing through the heat in search of an escape route.

The battlefield was wide, and the smokescreen couldn't cover everything. If Gogoat could make it past the edges, it could regain its footing!

But Charizard wasn't going to let that happen. Wings spread, it soared low through the fog, keeping pace with Gogoat's movements. Fire beam after fire beam erupted through the haze.

The first one missed. Then the second. The third scorched the ground nearby.

The fourth struck home.

"Gogoat, jump!" Naoki called out, eyes locked on the billowing battlefield.

Despite its injuries, Gogoat gathered strength and launched itself high into the air. Pokémon like Gogoat were excellent jumpers, easily clearing the height of a three-story building. It burst out of the smokescreen, arcing gracefully through the air before landing on the far end of the field with a heavy thud.

"Charizard, Heat Wave!"

Charizard shot upward, wings blazing with energy. It flapped powerfully, sending a scorching gust of heat surging across the field like a desert storm. The winds slammed into Gogoat, leaving fresh burns along its body. It staggered, gritting its teeth through the pain.

"Catch it!"

Bracing against the heat, Gogoat extended two vine whips from its sides and lashed out at the airborne Charizard.

"Air Slash! Cut them down!" Leon countered.

Charizard whipped up a pair of razor-sharp air blades with a flap of its wings. The blades sliced through the air toward the oncoming vines.

But Gogoat was crafty. One vine slowed deliberately, taking the brunt of the slash as a decoy, while the other coiled like a serpent, slipping past the first wave and striking true.

With a sharp twist, the second vine wrapped around Charizard's body, binding its wings and trapping it in midair.

Leon's eyes narrowed. "Flamethrower!"

A stream of intense fire burst from Charizard's mouth, engulfing the vine in flames. The whip started to burn away rapidly.

But Naoki wasn't aiming for a direct hit.

"Smash!"

With a sudden pull, Gogoat yanked the vine downward, dragging Charizard off balance. As the vine burned, it collapsed, but it had already done its job. Charizard spiraled down from the sky and crashed to the ground.

Naoki had been waiting for this moment.

"Now! Rock Slide!"

Without missing a beat, Gogoat tore another boulder from the scorched earth and launched it toward the grounded Charizard.

Charizard took the full brunt of the Rock Slide, the boulders slamming down like a meteor shower. It staggered, its legs buckling, and dropped to one knee. Dust and grit clung to its scales, and its vision swam from the impact.

"Charizard!" Leon's voice rang out over the roar of the crowd.

"Get up!"

Naoki seized the moment. "Don't give it a chance! Rock Slide again!"

Gogoat reared back, hooves pounding the scorched earth. Another volley of jagged rocks burst upward and hurtled toward the fire-breathing dragon. The stones struck home, pounding against Charizard's wings and body until it was left battered and gasping for breath.

But the pain only reignited its fighting spirit. With a sudden surge of strength, Charizard spread its wings wide and launched skyward, a rush of hot wind swirling in its wake.

"Charizard, Purgatory!" Leon commanded.

"Gogoat, Aerial ace, Sacred Sword!" Naoki countered without hesitation.

Both Pokémon moved at once.

Charizard cloaked itself in a blazing inferno, spirals of crimson flame wrapping around its body as it dove. The searing heat warped the air around it, and the scent of burning earth filled the arena.

But Gogoat was faster.

Its body became a streak of green-and-white light, charging forward with the speed of a swallow in flight. The gleaming Leaf Blade, shaped like the sacred sword of grass, slashed upward with deadly precision.

Mid-air, the two forces met.

Flames roared around Charizard, enveloping Gogoat in a furnace of heat. The Leaf Blade cut into the blaze, and for a heartbeat the two were locked together, power meeting power.

Then....Boom!

A shockwave ripped outward from the collision, rattling the stadium's walls. The explosion sent smoke and embers spiraling into the sky.

From the swirling haze, both Pokémon tumbled downward, battered and motionless. They crashed onto the battlefield, their bodies still.

Silence held for only a second before the referee's flag dropped. The match was over.

The crowd erupted. Cheers and applause thundered through the stadium, echoing far beyond its walls.

Everyone watching knew, the new Supreme Champion had been crowned.

Far away, deep beneath Hammerlocke City in the Galar Energy Plant, the celebration's noise seemed to carry through the network.

Olive glanced at the screens, turning to Chairman Rose. "Chairman, the champion has been decided."

Rose's gaze never left the majestic figure before him. "Then let us begin."

"Yes, sir."

At the press of a button, streams of Galar particles surged through the massive pipes and into Eternatus's body. Its dull, lifeless frame began to glow faintly, then brighter, until a mysterious, ominous radiance wrapped around it.

A moment later, its eyes snapped open.

Rose looked up, locking eyes with the towering Pokémon. If they could subdue Eternatus now, the crisis threatening the Galar region could be averted.

But Eternatus had already realized the truth.

It was trapped.

Furious, Eternatus thrashed violently, slamming its body again and again into the restraints that bound it.

Each collision sent shockwaves through the energy plant. Metal groaned and walls cracked. For a moment, it felt as if the entire structure would collapse under the pressure of its wrath.

The tremors didn't stay contained.

Far above, the shaking reached the arena, just as Leon and the tournament officials were preparing to present Naoki with the championship trophy.

Suddenly, the stage trembled beneath their feet. The vibrations continued, low and ominous.

"What's going on?"

"An earthquake?"

Confused cries rippled through the audience. The cheering faded into uneasy murmurs.

Naoki, standing still amid the growing unrest, felt a chill creep down his spine. His instincts screamed something was wrong.

He raised his eyes to the sky.

The clear blue had darkened. Heavy clouds now churned above the stadium, tinged with red as eerie particles drifted through the air like sparks. Lightning crackled silently in the distance.

That...

An impossible thought flickered through Naoki's mind.

Eternatus had awakened.

No, something was off.

Why now?

At that same moment, Leon's Rotom Phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then lifted the device to his ear, listening intently.

A voice came through, tense and panicked.

"Report! The number of Dynamax Pokémon outbreaks across Galar is increasing rapidly. Suspicious black clouds have formed above major cities and in the Wild Area!"

Leon's eyes narrowed. "What happened?"

"We don't know!" the voice on the other end replied, strained with confusion and urgency.

A nearby staff member from the Galar League looked up at the sky. His face went pale.

He stepped back slowly, whispering in horror.