First Victory, Mutation

"Don't make any rash moves yet. We have the upper hand, so there's no need to take the initiative."

Super Gible actually stayed put. Liu Xin was surprised he had listened so obediently.

Liu Xin had thought he would ignore the order and charge straight into a brawl.

Fan had other ideas. "Fraxure, use Taunt!" he roared.

"Then use Serrated Strike!"

They used Taunt all the time, though it usually had no effect.

Fraxure's body glimmered faintly green, while the tusks on either side of its mouth and its eyes gleamed.

"Fraxure!"

With a cry, it launched its Taunt. The glow around its body grew stronger and brighter.

Super Gible fell for the Taunt and couldn't stay still. He walked toward Fraxure step by step.

Ding! While under the effects of Taunt, attack skills cannot be used. The opponent likewise cannot use skills.

It was a skill meant to lure its target in.

Liu Xin kept his eyes fixed on the two Pokémon, ready to defend or counterattack the moment his opponent made a move.

Fan seized the initiative as soon as the Taunt took hold of Super Gible.

His timing was perfect. Fraxure's tusks, which had just drawn Super Gible in, flashed and took on jagged edges, sharply increasing their destructive power.

Got him!

"Bite!"

Liu Xin gave his order at the same time. Super Gible's fighting power rose a notch, and he struck back head-on.

Boom!

A blast of wind swept outward. Their attacks were evenly matched, but Super Gible's Ability dealt Fraxure another blow.

It was a shameless way to fight, and it gave both Fraxure and Fan a headache.

No matter how they fought, Super Gible held the advantage.

Dragon Claw!

A pale blue sheen instantly covered Super Gible's claws. They lengthened and became razor-sharp.

He sped up too. With only a few fist-lengths between them, he struck in an instant.

Dragon Claw.

Fraxure used Dragon Claw as well. Their claws met and clashed.

They struck again and again, the harsh screech of scraping claws making everyone's scalp prickle.

Violet Aurora.

The fight had gone back and forth, but the moment Super Gible used his Super Ability, the tide turned.

A faint purple glow spread over his pale blue claws. His fighting power climbed again, and that purple light was no minor boost.

With his skill strengthened, Super Gible's Dragon Claw immediately overwhelmed Fraxure.

Fraxure's expression tightened as it struggled to hold on.

Purple light flared as they fought. The boost to Super Gible's skill was considerable.

Fraxure was thrown back, a fresh wound left on its body.

"Fraxure!"

Its injured roar sounded weak. Super Gible was simply too strong with Violet Aurora active.

Super Gible roared smugly as the Dragon Claw glow faded from his hands.

"Fraxure, use Dragon Breath! Finish this!"

"Super Gible, use Dragon Breath too! Meet it head-on!"

Both sides turned to their final skill to decide the match.

Dragon Breath.

They drew deep breaths. Energy gathered amid their draconic cries, and their fighting power surged.

They inhaled and gathered power in different ways, but neither attack could be underestimated.

Purple light wound around Super Gible's Energy Ball. Though the two spheres had started at about the same size, his grew larger and surpassed Fraxure's Dragon Breath within moments.

The power behind Super Gible's attack swelled, and its energy expanded further.

Both had reached their limits. Their Dragon Breath stirred the waves around them, sending them crashing harder against the shore.

The spectators instinctively took a few steps back, their eyes bright with anticipation. Which side would win?

Both attacks burst forth at once. The small spheres transformed into little dragons that lunged at each other with bared fangs and claws.

Their destructive power was terrifying.

Bolstered by Violet Aurora, Super Gible's Dragon Breath was larger than Fraxure's, let alone stronger. It bore down on its opponent.

Pale blue energy flecked with purple light pressed relentlessly forward.

Fan's face tightened. "Come on! You can beat him!" he shouted.

But the gap was too wide. The Super Abilities of Mewtwo-Powered Pokémon were downright unfair.

There was no clash at all. The blue-and-purple dragon swallowed Fraxure's Dragon Breath whole.

It swept forward without slowing, its overwhelming power far more than Fraxure could withstand.

Harden!

Fraxure made one last attempt to resist, but it lasted less than three seconds.

The attack sent it flying several meters before it collapsed unconscious.

"Gible!"

Super Gible snorted proudly.

More importantly, he had barely used up any energy. This match clearly hadn't been enough to satisfy him.

Liu Xin had seen just how formidable Super Gible was. Even his endurance had improved after evolving.

Before, a single Dragon Breath would leave him weak. Now he was still full of life and energy after using it.

Fan recalled his Fraxure and said, "Super Gible really is powerful. I lost this match fair and square."

How could he argue? Even if Fraxure had withstood that Dragon Breath, what then?

Super Gible didn't look anywhere close to falling. He could have fired off another Dragon Breath without a problem.

Unlike Super Gible, Liu Xin was modest. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Fan, he went his own way.

Everyone nearby now saw Liu Xin as a rival. When it came time to compete for Giant Dragonite's treasure, he would be one of the strongest contenders.

Sen Anxiang came over at once to congratulate him. She stroked Super Gible, and to his surprise, the Pokémon didn't resist or act defiant.

So he really did like her more than his own trainer.

Ito Hei wanted to pet Super Gible too. Who could resist a Pokémon that cool?

But before he could get close, a Dragon Claw sent him flying. He landed in a miserable heap.

Liu Xin spent two more days training with Super Gible before returning him to his Poké Ball.

Super Gible had reached level 22. To keep his other Pokémon from falling behind, Liu Xin sent out the one that most needed to grow stronger: Giant Onix.

The moment Giant Onix appeared, his sheer size made him look terrifyingly powerful, whatever his actual strength.

Before Liu Xin could say a word, Giant Onix began sweeping through the area with ferocious energy.

"Liu Xin is frightening. He even has an Onix that huge. Just look at the size of him."

"When the time comes, Giant Onix can lead the charge. He could crush plenty of Pokémon with his size alone and seize the treasure."

Giant Onix was strong, but he was no match for the Pokémon here.

Type advantages still helped him somewhat, of course, and the fights also built up his resilience.

The other two weren't idle either. Ito Hei began searching for his fourth Pokémon.

Sen Anxiang, meanwhile, played with her own Pokémon and befriended the Pokémon on the beach. If she wanted to catch them, she had plenty to choose from.

Rumble!

On the fifth day, while they were quietly training, a distant mountain shook violently.

Had Giant Dragonite appeared?

But when they drew closer and saw what had arrived, they were stunned. It wasn't Giant Dragonite.