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The acrid stench of scorched flesh mixed with the heavy scent of blood, blanketed the ruined battlefield. The screams of dying humans still seemed to linger in the howling wind, refusing to fade.
Bzzzz—
Stakataka let out a low, resonant hum, as though savoring the satisfaction of destruction.
Its massive body shifted slightly. The glowing blue eye scanned the battlefield, searching for survivors.
There were none.
Under the devastation of its beam, nothing had lived. The ground, torn apart and littered with charred craters, was strewn with the corpses of humans and Nightmare Pokémon alike.
Proof enough.
Satisfied, Stakataka began to turn away, ready to seek its next target.
Then—
A sound.
Thump. Thump.
Heavy footsteps echoed across the field.
Slow. Deliberate.
Each step carried an almost rhythmic weight, stirring something deep within Stakataka's core. Its destructive instincts surged.
It turned sharply.
And saw him.
A tall, dark purple figure approached from a distance, walking calmly.
For the first time since entering this world, Stakataka felt something unfamiliar.
Danger.
A sharp, focused killing intent hung in the air like an invisible blade.
It did not retreat.
Instead, the sensation excited it.
The stronger the prey, the sweeter the destruction.
Bzzzz—
Its eye flared with brilliant blue light.
It locked onto the approaching figure.
Yet strangely, the figure showed no fear.
He continued walking forward, unhurried, as if strolling through his own backyard.
Without hesitation, Stakataka fired.
A brilliant beam tore through the air at impossible speed, leaving only a distorted afterimage in its wake.
Certain of its victory, Stakataka watched.
Its body froze.
The figure had simply tilted his head.
And the beam missed.
Boom!
The explosion erupted behind him, heat and shockwaves rolling across his back.
But to Kael, it felt like nothing more than warm air.
He did not stop walking.
His crimson eyes studied Stakataka with quiet curiosity.
Then—
He moved.
His speed exploded forward, shattering the air itself with a deafening sonic boom.
His right fist clenched.
Fighting-type energy gathered instantly, forming a dense, blazing aura around his knuckles. It compressed into something thin and precise, yet filled with explosive force.
His powerful body unleashed its full strength in an instant.
From stillness to overwhelming motion.
Stakataka could see him.
But it could not react.
Its massive six-meter body, while granting immense power and durability, shackled its speed.
It raised its defenses instinctively.
Exactly as Kael intended.
"Focus Punch."
BOOM—
The impact shook the earth.
The seemingly simple punch carried overwhelming force, crashing into Stakataka's body.
Its stone form trembled violently.
A molten glow spread across its surface.
Crack. Crack.
Fractures spread like spiderwebs across its body, blinding light bursting from within.
Kael's eyes narrowed in surprise.
He pulled back instantly, retreating a few steps and raising his guard.
BOOM!!
A pillar of white energy erupted outward, carrying countless fragments of shattered stone.
And just like that—
The Ultra Beast was gone.
Destroyed in a single strike.
Even Kael found himself stunned.
As the dust settled, he looked down at his fist.
Confused.
Over the past six months, his strength had grown tremendously.
With Gaia's guidance, he had destroyed dozens of Phantom Order bases and defeated numerous Ultra Beasts.
Their power had pushed him to heights he had never imagined.
He stood on the edge of his final evolution.
Stakataka was meant to be the final step.
But…
It had been too easy.
He had not even entered his Crowned Shield form.
He had only wanted to test his raw strength.
And it was enough.
Too easy.
What Kael did not realize was that Stakataka's Rock and Steel typing made it catastrophically vulnerable to Fighting-type attacks.
In battle, such weaknesses were absolute.
Against Kael's overwhelming strength, combined with the devastating power of Focus Punch and the creature's unstable structure…
Its defeat had been inevitable.
Still.
Kael was not happy.
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