"That still wasn't its true body?!"
"Where on earth is Dreepy hiding?"
Before the astonished cries could settle, countless Shadow Balls erupted from the darkness.
Good thing I stayed cautious, Dreepy thought, sighing in relief. Otherwise, I would've been chopped in two! Even though the Ground-type energy is eroding my shadow space, the spreading sand casts brand-new shadows everywhere. As long as I slip into a newly formed shadow before the old one collapses, I'm completely safe.
Mega Garchomp glared at the barrage blotting out the sky. If all those Shadow Balls detonated at once, the explosion would tear the entire battlefield apart and leave it severely wounded.
Surging draconic aura surged around Mega Garchomp. Empowered by Iris's Dragon Force, it unleashed Slash.
A flash of golden light streaked across the air, carving fine, radiant lines across the surface of each oncoming orb. The Shadow Balls detonated instantly, blanketing the arena in dense, billowing black smoke.
Right then, the air cracked with a piercing whistle.
Another Dragon Darts shot silently out of nowhere, a golden glint piercing through the dark smog. Having anticipated the sneak attack, Mega Garchomp whipped up a flurry of scythe-like wind blades, slicing the incoming dart to pieces.
Yet an all-too-familiar, searing ache immediately flared across its body.
Mega Garchomp's pupils shrank to needlepoints. Looking down, it saw a speck of golden light burst against its scales.
How is this possible? Why was there another Dragon Dart?!
Iris was equally stunned. Garchomp had clearly struck down the projectile—how had it still hit?
Everything I've studied says that when Dreepy launch themselves as Dragon Darts, they disperse into wisps of spirit energy upon impact, she thought, bewildered. The main body needs at least two days of rest to reconvene a new Dreepy, or else its latent potential suffers permanent damage. What is happening here? How can it fire another Dragon Dart so quickly?
Who am I? Where am I? What am I even doing?
Even a prodigy and Dragon master like Iris was utterly lost.
She had no way of knowing that Feng Che's Dreepy had received Giratina's blessing, boosting its strength through Giratina's scale. It could rapidly reconstitute the spiritual essence needed to fire little Dreepy darts in relentless succession.
"Dreepy, keep firing Dragon Darts!"
Dart after dart slammed relentlessly into Mega Garchomp. Although its exterior bore no obvious physical wounds, the relentless spiritual assault was exhausting Mega Garchomp's very soul.
"Mega Garchomp, catch!"
Seeing her partner teetering on the verge of collapse, Iris retrieved a precious Dragon Soul Fruit from her spatial ring and tossed it over.
The thumb-sized fruit resembled a miniature, lifelike dragon. These treasures grew only along the edges of ancient dragon barrows, thriving on the draconic soul remnants drifting from the tombs. The one Iris held had taken at least a century to mature. A Dragon Soul Fruit could fortify and protect a Dragon-type Pokémon's soul, shielding it from the harrowing assaults of Ghost-types.
The fruit arched straight into Mega Garchomp's maw. Before its teeth could even bite down, the fruit melted against its palate.
A soothing coolness flowed straight from its stomach into its limbs and bones. Its thoroughly battered spirit revitalized in an instant. Beyond just recovery, Mega Garchomp even experienced a minor breakthrough, releasing an immense wave of pressure from within.
Endless swirling sand swarmed to guard Mega Garchomp, surrounded by a whirlwind of razor-sharp wind scythes that formed a lethal barrier. Anything that dared step close would be shredded instantly.
What an absolute spendthrift! Feng Che's heart practically bled at the sight. If that Dragon Soul Fruit had ended up in my hands, I could have brewed an even higher-grade Dragon Soul Potion!
Such fruits were exceptionally rare; even Celestic Town barely possessed a handful, and cultivating them demanded very specific conditions. The one in Feng Che's own collection was only several decades old, nowhere near the century-old treasure Iris had tossed away so casually.
The Unova Dragon Clan truly sits on a goldmine backed by the Dragon's Den, hoarding so many Dragon-type resources, Feng Che thought, feeling the sting of wasted potential. Once I bring them under my wing, I'm definitely going to comb through their vaults.
Pushing the thought aside, he commanded, "Dreepy, use Night Shade!"
Billowing black mist surged from Dreepy, coalescing in midair to form the looming phantom of Giratina.
Dreepy was already known by many as a "mini Giratina," sharing its unique Ghost and Dragon typing. Now, the ethereal silhouette radiated an authentic aura of legendary divine pressure, spreading in all directions.
"Why do I feel the pressure of a Legendary Pokémon from that Night Shade?"
"And look at the silhouette—it looks just like Giratina!"
"Could this Dreepy possess Giratina's legacy?"
The Dragon Clan members erupted into frenzied murmurs. If this Dreepy truly carried Giratina's heritage, its worth was astronomical, rivaling that of a mythical Pokémon.
The oppressive aura rolling off Dreepy even startled the Drampa resting beneath the Second Elder. Drampa sensed a deeply repulsive aura spreading through the air, causing its frame to shudder uncontrollably.
"What is it, Drampa?"
The Second Elder placed a gnarled, bark-like hand on Drampa's head, channeling a hair-thin wisp of Dragon Force into the beast.
That Pokémon is radiating the pressure of a Legendary Pokémon, Drampa relayed honestly. That aura... I detest it completely.
"The aura of a Legendary Pokémon?"
The Second Elder tugged at the sparse, weed-like strands of hair on his scalp, a chilling glint flashing in his eyes.
Fascinating. First using Dragon Force to trigger atavism in a Flygon, and now a Dreepy carrying Giratina's legacy. Just who is this kid?
His curiosity flared like an itch he couldn't scratch, desperate to uncover Feng Che's true identity.
"Drayden, if my eyes aren't deceiving me... that's Giratina, isn't it?" the High Priest asked solemnly, a flicker of unease crossing his face. "Are we certain he belongs to our clan? Could he be an undercover agent sent from Celestic Town in Sinnoh?"
Just as the High Priest raised his hand to signal a halt to the match, Victor shook his head.
"High Priest, I personally examined the Dragon Force within him. It is extraordinarily violent, even harboring faint traces of Dark-type energy. That distinct signature belongs solely to the direct bloodline of our Unova Dragon Clan."
Victor's assurance put the High Priest's suspicions to rest, staying his hand and allowing the battle to continue.