Salamence hovered midair, its sharp gaze fixed on the Dragonite it had just knocked down. For its opponent to have made it this far, despite not even being at the Elite tier, was a testament to its exceptional strength.
A golden Thunderbolt erupted from the single horn atop Dragonite's head, lightning-fast and dazzlingly bright. Yet Salamence's speed surpassed even that of the electric attack.
With a powerful beat of its wings, it outran the Thunderbolt entirely. As its wings continued to slice through the air, two Air Slashes cleaved the Thunderbolt apart, dispersing the golden electricity into nothingness.
By this time, Dragonite had already used Extreme Speed to close the distance between them, unleashing a Ice Beam that crystallized the surrounding moisture into snowflakes.
Dragonite's timing was impeccable, launching its attack at the precise moment Salamence was using its wings for the Air Slash. With its wings occupied, Salamence had no time to evade.
But it didn't need to dodge.
A powerful Hydro Pump, spiraling with compressed air, erupted from Salamence, the force of the attack causing the surrounding air to rumble and crack.
For a moment, the Hydro Pump and Ice Beam clashed, locked in a stalemate. After two seconds, the Ice Beam shattered, dissolving into countless glittering shards.
Dragonite took the full brunt of the Hydro Pump. Even though the attack had been partially weakened by Ice Beam, its sheer force was still immense.
Dragonite braced itself, its arms crossed to block the attack as its body was pushed back nearly a kilometer through the air.
When the attack finally dissipated, Dragonite's arms bore a vivid red mark, with small beads of blood seeping out.
Though the injury didn't hinder its movement, it was another stark reminder of the gap between the two.
Dragonite hadn't yet reached peak pseudo-Elite level, while Salamence stood at the very summit of the Elite tier—a full tier of difference.
'System, activate Peak Elite Experience Card'
Without hesitation, Julian used the only Peak Elite Experience Card in his inventory, granting Dragonite a temporary boost for ten minutes.
Dragonite had already been at a disadvantage from the start, so there was no point in dragging out the battle.
Comebacks and miraculous reversals? Those only happened in novels and TV shows.
When your opponent is significantly stronger than you, no amount of effort can change the outcome.
The idea of overcoming the odds was rare in reality, and Julian wasn't about to gamble on it happening now.
So he decisively used the Peak Elite Experience Card on Dragonite. Rather than waiting for it to be battered and bruised, it was far better to use it now while Dragonite was still in good shape.
A barely perceptible stream of light surged into Dragonite's body.
Dragonite: 'I suddenly feel stronger'
Salamence: 'What the heck is going on here?'
Salamence stared in confusion and disbelief as Dragonite's aura surged rapidly.
In mere moments, Dragonite's power had risen to match its own, going from pseudo-Elite to Peak Elite in an instant.
Though Salamence couldn't fathom what Dragonite had done to boost its strength, the intensity of its rival's newfound aura ignited a fire within.
Previously, Dragonite had merely been a mildly troublesome opponent, barely worth Salamence's interest. But now, it radiated an aura of equality—an opponent worthy of a fight.
The two dragons let out thunderous cries that echoed across the sky. Their auras erupted like volcanos, colliding in midair.
The clash of their unseen power sent ripples through the atmosphere, intertwining and spiraling around each other.
The pressure distorted the space between them, and their overwhelming Dragon Aura caused the Dragon Pokémon near Dragon Mountain to cower in fear.
Julian, standing below, radiated a faint Aura to shield himself, without it, even breathing would have been a challenge.
In contrast, Gible in his arms stared at the battle with wide, gleaming eyes, filled with admiration and longing.
It seemed to be dreaming of the day when it, too, could become this powerful.
The two combatants seemed evenly matched, almost as if they had agreed on the outcome beforehand.
In the next instant, both Salamence and Dragonite simultaneously withdrew their auras and charged at each other.
A streak of yellow and a streak of red collided repeatedly in the air, their clashes sending shockwaves rippling through the mountains.
The snow-covered peaks around them began to crumble, triggering avalanches from their relentless impacts.
Fortunately, Julian stood safely outside the avalanche zone.
Dragonite's Mega Punch collided with Salamence's Iron Tail in a clash that seemed to freeze time. Neither Pokémon yielded an inch as they locked attacks.
The next moment, both Pokémon were flung backward, retreating thousands of meters.
They paused briefly, locking eyes.
Dragonite: Dragon Pulse!
Salamence: Hydro Pump!
Their attacks met in midair, generating a massive shockwave that dispersed the clouds above, yet neither side gained an advantage.
Five minutes had passed since the battle began, and neither Pokémon had managed to dominate the other.
It had become a game of back-and-forth strikes—one moment Salamence landed a hit, the next Dragonite did, or their attacks simply neutralized each other.
Watching from below, Julian hadn't expected Salamence to be this tough. Even after Dragonite had reached Peak Elite and unleashed pseudo-Champion-level strength, it still couldn't overpower Salamence.
In fact, it seemed like victory might remain out of reach.
The Pokémon in special advanced secret realms are indeed stronger than those in standard advanced secret realms—this applies even to ordinary Pokémon.
As for the Dragon-type Pokémon residing in Dragon Mountain, they are considered the elite of the entire Dragon's Den secret realm.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have the qualifications to claim territory on Dragon Mountain.
The Peak Elite Experience Card only lasts for ten minutes. Five minutes had already passed, and it seemed unlikely Dragonite would defeat Salamence within the remaining five.
"Dragonite, use Thunder!"
Julian's calm voice resonated within Dragonite's heart.
Dragonite, who had been fretting over how to take down Salamence, felt its anxiety instantly dissipate upon hearing Julian's command.
Julian had refrained from directing Dragonite much during the earlier battles, allowing it to act freely to better develop its own combat skills.
However, against a formidable opponent like Salamence and with time running out, Julian took the reins.
Storm clouds began to form in the sky as golden lightning flickered and danced through the blackened clouds. Moments later, a thunderbolt as thick as a barrel struck downward.
Salamence met the attack head-on with its Dragon Claw. Vivid green Dragon energy radiated fiercely from its claws as it swung them upward.
Watching Salamence's response, Julian narrowed his eyes slightly. Just as he thought.
As Salamence shattered the Thunder attack with its Dragon Claw, a faint electric current extended from the remnants of the Thunder and latched onto its body.
The next moment, tiny arcs of electricity began to crawl across Salamence's body.
Julian didn't just watch the battle between Dragonite and Salamence in vain.
By observing Salamence's combat style, he had already gained a solid understanding of how it fought.
With its immense stamina and abundant Dragon energy, Salamence excelled at trading blows head-on. Against Pokémon with even slightly weaker strength, this approach would ensure it completely dominated the fight.