"Oh! I never thought Leon would use the combination of Grass Pledge and Fire Pledge to completely burn away Naoki's Grassy Terrain!"

"This means Gogoat won't be able to use the field to restore its HP, and it'll be constantly taking damage from that raging sea of fire. Could this mean Naoki Ranch's famous 'Grassy Trial' strategy has finally been broken?"

The commentator's voice brimmed with excitement.

Both Trainers on the field could hear every word loud and clear.

Leon smirked, glancing up at Naoki from across the battlefield.

But Naoki showed no trace of panic. Instead, his expression was calm, controlled, as if he already had the situation figured out.

A flicker of unease sparked in Leon's mind.

'Wait… does his Gogoat have some trick I don't know about?'

"Gogoat, Sacred Sword!" Naoki commanded sharply.

Leon snapped back to focus. "Dragapult, Dragon Darts!"

A green glow surged from Gogoat's horns, while its entire body gleamed with white light.

Naoki's Gogoat lunged forward using a Return-style speed technique combined with the cutting power of Sacred Sword, turning it into a high-speed sword charge.

The grassy greatsword in its mouth shimmered as it charged straight through the blazing sea of fire toward Dragapult.

With a whoosh, two tiny Dreepy launched from Dragapult's launchers, spiraling toward Gogoat like guided missiles.

The Dragon Darts hit, but Gogoat didn't flinch. It pushed through the pain, swinging its massive Holy Sword of Grass in a single, sweeping slash that sent Dragapult hurtling backward through the air.

But Dragapult was a champion's Pokémon for a reason. It quickly righted itself, wings slicing through the smoke as it dove again at blinding speed.

"Power Whip!" Naoki ordered, his tone steady.

Two enormous, vine-like whips erupted from the ground beside Gogoat with a roar, snapping forward like giant pythons.

"Sucker Punch!" Leon's command came almost in unison, as if he'd predicted Naoki's move.

The moment the vines lashed out, Dragapult vanished into the shadows, using the cover to slip into stealth and circle for a sudden counterattack.

As expected, the Power Whip missed entirely.

Gogoat stood its ground, every muscle tense, scanning the battlefield for any flicker of movement.

"Trying to set up a Sucker Punch sneak attack, huh?" Naoki's voice rang out, quick and sharp. "Gogoat, don't give it that chance! Leaf Storm, now!"

"Meaaa!"

A surge of grass-type energy exploded from Gogoat's body. In an instant, the air filled with countless emerald blades of light.

The leaves spun faster and faster until they became a roaring Leaf Storm, a green cyclone tearing outward from Gogoat in all directions.

The hidden Dragapult, just about to lunge from the shadows, was shredded by the storm, forced to reveal itself as the whirling leaves slashed at its scales.

"Unbelievable!" the commentator gasped. "Naoki has taken Leaf Blade mastery to an entirely new level, even combining it seamlessly with Leaf Storm!"

"Gogoat, Sacred Sword!" Naoki's voice cut through the downpour of leaves.

"Dragapult, Flamethrower!" Leon countered immediately.

The grassy greatsword reformed in Gogoat's mouth, its blade shimmering with emerald light as it charged.

From Dragapult's jaws, a torrent of searing flame erupted, roaring forward to engulf its opponent.

But Gogoat didn't slow down. It lowered its head, raised the Sacred Sword across its body, and in a single, unstoppable advance, the emerald blade split the wall of fire clean down the middle.

"Dragapult, unleash your full power, Flamethrower!" Leon commanded sharply.

Dragapult's scales flushed a deep crimson as it gathered every ounce of Fire-type energy it could muster. The torrent of flames bursting from its jaws swelled in size, the heat radiating off them enough to warp the air itself.

Under the blazing sunlight, boosted by Sunny day, the battlefield's temperature spiked to an unbearable extreme.

But still, Gogoat pressed forward.

The flames licked at its fur, embers scattering into its mane. Wisps of fire curled up its legs, the smell of scorched grass lingering in the air, yet it kept forcing its way through, Sacred Sword of Grass held firmly across its body, cleaving the inferno apart bit by bit.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Some leapt to their feet.

"Amazing…"

"Arceus above! A Grass-type Pokémon charging straight through a boosted Flamethrower?!"

"Oh my gosh! Is Naoki really trading blow for blow here? Is he trying to sacrifice Gogoat just to force Dragapult down and gain the numbers advantage?"

The commentator's voice climbed with every word. "Without Grassy Terrain to heal, and with the flames beneath its hooves constantly searing it, Naoki may be going for an all or nothing gamble to finish this right now!"

But on Leon's side, a frown tugged at the corner of his mouth.

No, this isn't a reckless charge. He's hiding something.

Leon knew Dragapult wasn't a pure Fire-type. Its Fire reserves weren't limitless. And right now, Dragapult's face was flushed from strain. That much power in such a short time couldn't last.

Meanwhile, Gogoat's aura still blazed with vibrant Grass-type energy, almost unending in its intensity.

Finally, Dragapult's Flamethrower faltered. The blazing column wavered, its heat thinning, and in that instant, Gogoat struck.

With a single, decisive sweep, the Sacred Sword of Grass split the weakened flames in two. The emerald blade crashed against Dragapult in a blinding arc, cutting through its guard entirely.

Gogoat landed heavily, hooves pressing into the scorched arena floor. It didn't turn around.

Behind it, Dragapult spiraled downward, its flight collapsing as it fell toward the fiery field below like a kite with its string cut.

For a long heartbeat, silence reigned.

Then, referee found his voice. "Dragapult is unable to battle!"

Leon recalled his Pokémon without hesitation, the red beam whisking Dragapult away. Without missing a beat, he threw his next Poké Ball.

With a burst of light and a powerful roar, Charizard reappeared, wings snapping open wide.

"Leon's Charizard is back on the field!" the commentator called. "But Gogoat has already taken heavy damage from multiple clashes, and with the heat from the Sea of Fire still raging, its stamina must be running critically low!"

Under sunny skies, Firepower flared around Charizard, making its flames burn even more fiercely. Against a worn-down Grass-type, the odds looked grim.

Naoki's expression didn't change. If anything, his faint smile deepened.

Too naive.

Did they really think Gogoat's only source of recovery was Grassy Terrain?

Naoki's eyes gleamed. "Gogoat, Milk Drink!"

Leon's response was immediate. "Charizard, Blast Burn!"

The two Trainers shouted their commands almost in unison.

On the battlefield, Charizard's wings beat powerfully, fanning the flames gathering in its mouth until they condensed into an immense beam of searing fire. With a deafening roar, the Blast Burn surged forward, an unstoppable wave of destruction aimed straight at Gogoat.

And then, to the astonishment of the crowd, Naoki's Gogoat did something no one expected.

It began… drinking milk.

The next moment, the torrent of flames crashed over it, engulfing the Grass-type in a blazing inferno.

But the scene everyone imagined, that Gogoat would collapse under the Blast Burn's overwhelming power, never came.

Instead, Gogoat stood within the flames, calm and steady, lifting its head to drink from the milk it produced itself. The fire scorched its fur and left deep burns along its body, but in the blink of an eye, those wounds closed, the damage undone as if it had never been there.

Destruction and recovery… pain and renewal.

These two extremes played out in perfect rhythm, right before the audience's eyes.

Gasps swept through the arena. Even those watching on TV sat frozen in shock.

"That's… Milk Drink!" the commentator shouted, his voice full of disbelief. "And there are only two Pokémon known to master this move, Miltank and Gogoat!"

"When used, the Pokémon drinks its own milk, restoring its stamina on the spot!" he continued. "A normal Gogoat would've been knocked out before it could recover, but Naoki's Gogoat… is no ordinary one. This is the producer of the legendary Life Milk!"

The crowd erupted with chatter.

That Life Goat Milk, known worldwide for its miraculous restorative properties, was so potent it could heal even the gravest of injuries instantly. Trainers across the globe sought it, but only a handful had ever managed to obtain a single bottle.

Even Leon couldn't help but look on in awe. "So… this is your trump card?"

A small smile tugged at the corners of Naoki's lips.

Leon chuckled under his breath, then swiftly recalled Charizard, sending out his Rillaboom instead.

Facing an opponent that had just recovered to peak condition, Leon wasted no time. "Rillaboom, Taunt, then U-turn!"

Rillaboom pounded its chest and roared, its fierce glare daring Gogoat to try anything fancy. It was all part of the plan, land the Taunt, then make a quick getaway to bring Charizard back in for the finishing blow.

But Naoki had already read the move. "Don't let it escape, Vine Whip, grab it!"

The two Pokémon moved almost at the same time.

Rillaboom's provocation hit its mark, but before it could leap back toward Leon's Poké Ball, thick, green vines erupted from the ground, wrapping tightly around its body like iron chains.

Rillaboom thrashed and strained, but the grip only tightened.

Leon's eyes narrowed. "So that's your play…"

Realizing his Pokémon couldn't break free in time, he snatched a Poké Ball from his belt and tried to recall it.

But Naoki wasn't about to give him that chance.

With a sharp gesture from its Trainer, Gogoat heaved upward, its vines lifting Rillaboom high above the battlefield. The recall beam from Leon's Poké Ball missed entirely.

"Throw it!" Naoki commanded.

The vines slammed Rillaboom into the flaming ground with a thunderous crash, the force carving a crater into the scorched arena floor.

Gogoat's eyes flashed, and it lashed its vines again, ready to hurl Rillaboom a second time.

Leon's jaw tightened. If even Rillaboom's brute strength couldn't break free, just how powerful was that Vine Whip? There was no time to wonder.

"Rillaboom, break those vines, Hyper Beam!"

Hearing its Trainer's command, Rillaboom instinctively opened its mouth to gather power for a Hyper Beam. But before it could fire, Gogoat's vines slammed it hard into the ground.

The impact knocked the air out of it, and the move it had been charging fizzled instantly.

For a heartbeat, the entire arena went silent.

All eyes were on the poor Rillaboom, bound tight by Gogoat's relentless vines and hurled about like a ragdoll. Each slam shook the battlefield, the ground trembling beneath the force.

Even Leon, normally so quick with his commands, could only watch. No matter what he shouted, Rillaboom couldn't get a single move off, it was too busy being tossed, crushed, and yanked back into the air.

Finally, after one last brutal throw, Rillaboom hit the ground and didn't rise again.

The audience erupted in shocked murmurs.

"Rillaboom is unable to battle!" the referee announced in a flat, almost dazed tone.

Leon's expression softened with a hint of resignation. He quietly recalled his partner, then reached for the final Poké Ball at his side.

Holding it for a moment, he looked up at Naoki with a warm, determined smile.

"Meeting you… has been the best thing that's happened to me in years," he said, voice carrying across the arena. "You've shown me there are Trainers even stronger than me, and it's been an honor to battle you."

His eyes lit with renewed fire. "Come on, no matter what happens, let's give it everything we've got!"

Naoki didn't switch Pokémon. In truth, he wasn't fond of the way Leon had been using Poké Ball recalls mid-battle to dodge attacks, it was a smart tactic, but doing it too often felt… cheap. Once or twice was fine. But this time, he wanted Gogoat to face Charizard head-on.

Leon's wristband flared with crimson energy, swirling into the shape of a massive Dynamax band aura. The Poké Ball in his hand glowed purple, then expanded to a colossal size before he hurled it high into the sky.

It burst open in a blinding flash. With a sound like a meteor slamming into the earth, a Pokémon over forty meters tall emerged, its white belly marked with diamond-shaped patterns, wings ablaze with roaring flames. Fire poured from its tail, its mouth, and the horn-like crests atop its head.

"Gigantamax Charizard!"

The moment it appeared, an intense wave of heat rolled over the battlefield, prickling Naoki's skin even from a distance.

"Leon's ultimate trump card, Gigantamax Charizard, has arrived!" the commentator cried, barely able to contain his excitement. "Look at the size of it! Look at the power radiating off that form!"

Gogoat faced the towering behemoth with unflinching eyes, but its muscles tensed. It could feel the danger in every beat of the Charizard's massive wings.

Naoki studied his opponent closely. In a Gigantamax state, a Pokémon could only use three Max Moves before reverting to normal. If Gogoat could endure those three strikes, then Rock Slide, a quadruple-effective blow against Charizard, could finish the job without needing to call in Koraidon.

The final clash began.

"Charizard, G-Max Wildfire!" Leon's voice rang out, confident and commanding.

From Gigantamax Charizard's maw erupted a torrent of infernal flames, coiling into the shape of a massive fire dragon that streaked across the sky toward Gogoat. The blazing serpent then coalesced into a colossal fireball, burning hotter than a midsummer sun.

The temperature in the arena spiked instantly. Waves of heat distorted the air, and the fireball's sheer size blotted out the view of the battlefield.

There was nowhere for Gogoat to run.