"Metagross, Psycho Cut!"
Hawkins's voice, tinged with a hint of anxiety, echoed in Metagross's mind, unconsciously influencing its emotions. The blades of psychic energy were released in rapid succession, yet they failed to land a single hit on Charizard. Most frustratingly, even though Metagross had used Agility to push its speed to the limit, it still couldn't close the gap!
"Hawkins has lost," Bavi stated firmly from the Hoenn League's resting area.
"Why?" the other team members asked, looking at Bavi in confusion.
"His heart is in turmoil. He's overlooking details and falling straight into Gu Yuan's trap. His defeat is certain!"
As soon as Bavi finished speaking, the situation on the field shifted. When Metagross swung another Psycho Cut, Charizard stopped fleeing and nimbly dodged the strike. It unsheathed its Dragon Claw and lunged toward Metagross with terrifying speed.
"So you finally dare to face me head-on!?"
"Go, Metagross! Meteor Mash!"
At Hawkins's command, Metagross collided violently with Charizard. However, the result defied Hawkins's expectations; Metagross, who should have held the physical advantage, was pushed back. The next second, Charizard's Fire Blast slammed into it, delivering a secondary blow.
"Use Teleport to get away!"
Seeing Charizard's relentless assault, Hawkins hurriedly issued an order. Psychic energy surged as Metagross vanished, but Charizard, prompted by Gu Yuan, continued its pursuit. Both Hawkins and Metagross were caught off guard by Charizard's sudden spike in power. Losing the initiative, Metagross fell completely into a disadvantageous position.
This transformation was due to the Expert Mastery of Dragon Dance and Swords Dance. When these moves are mastered to the limit, their movements can be fluidly integrated into the user's natural actions. During the previous chase, Charizard had combined Flame Charge with Dragon Dance to stay ahead of Metagross. It then layered in Swords Dance to ensure its attack power surpassed Metagross's defense.
Had Hawkins remained calm, he might have noticed this. However, consumed by the desire to defeat Charizard and reverse the Hoenn League's misfortune, he had overlooked these subtle changes.
In the air, Charizard closed in on Metagross once more. Faced with the fierce offensive, Metagross's body was marred by several new gashes. It could no longer pull away, and its Teleport was effectively countered by Gu Yuan's own psychic abilities. Hawkins had lost his footing; his desperate attempts to gain distance only created more openings.
"Metagross, Meteor Mash combo! Force it back!"
"Charizard, Outrage, Dragon Claw!"
As Gu Yuan's voice rang in Charizard's mind, a physical surge of fighting spirit erupted, manifesting as flames that wrapped around it. Charizard casually blocked the heavy punch Metagross threw at its face.
"Teleport and retreat!"
Hawkins shouted, but the psychic surge was too late. Charizard's hand shot out, gripping Metagross's arm, followed by a Dragon Claw that pierced right through Metagross's steel body. Roaring flames erupted as Charizard unleashed a point-blank Fire Blast. While Charizard was caught in the expanding flames, the target, Metagross, undoubtedly took the brunt of the devastation.
"Metagross! Meteor Mash, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch—hit it with everything! You must get away from it!"
Following the desperate command, Metagross unleashed all three moves simultaneously, creating an imposing aura.
"Block them with Fire Punch and Dragon Claw, then use Dragon Rush!"
Gu Yuan had no intention of dodging. The moves collided, but Charizard acted as if it felt nothing. Dragon energy condensed with such speed that Metagross couldn't break free from Charizard's hold.
Roar!
With a draconic cry, the energy manifested into a great dragon that swallowed Metagross whole, driving it straight into the cratered battlefield. The rising smoke was instantly dispersed by the downdraft of Charizard's wings. In the center of the pit, Metagross lay unconscious.
The Hoenn League's final hope, Hawkins, had fallen. As he dejectedly recalled Metagross, it looked as though the spirit had been drained right out of him.
Witnessing the battle-hungry Charizard, the final member of the Hoenn team had no choice but to step up. Though the audience wanted to cheer for him, they knew the Regional Battle Tournament was lost and couldn't find the energy. From an observer's perspective, it looked as if Gu Yuan had single-handedly suppressed the entire Hoenn League until they could barely breathe.
The Poké Ball opened. Knowing defeat was inevitable, the final trainer still chose to fight to the end. Swampert appeared on the field.
"Go, Charizard! Dragon Rush!"
Charizard lunged, dragon energy coiling around it to form a massive draconic image. Suddenly, flames ignited across the dragon's form as Charizard's Blaze ability was triggered.
"Swampert, Hydro Cannon!"
Faced with the lightning-fast assault, Swampert couldn't dodge. Its trainer opted for a direct confrontation. An enhanced blast of water shot out, but it couldn't stop Charizard's momentum. The dragon tore through the water and consumed Swampert entirely.
"Swampert, fight back with Mega Punch!"
His trainer shouted into the chaos, but only Swampert's cry of pain answered. When the smoke cleared, Swampert lay defeated. The gap in power was too great to be bridged, even with a type advantage.
Charizard, wreathed in flames, radiated a terrifying pressure toward the final trainer. With his strongest Pokémon, Swampert, crushed, his remaining two Pokémon stood no chance against a Charizard at peak speed and power.
"The Kanto region wins!"
As Ludicolo fell, the referee announced the final result. The entire stadium fell into a deathly silence. The people of Hoenn had considered the possibility of losing, but they never imagined it would be such a total landslide.
One thing was undeniable: after this battle, the name Gu Yuan would spread far and wide.