"Very well," Drayden conceded grimly. "If he manages to become the champion of the Dragon Festival, I will unseal the Dragon Temple and summon Reshiram and Zekrom. If he fails to earn their recognition, he cannot become the next patriarch of the Dragon Clan. In that case, I will personally step in and execute him on the spot."
Drayden laid the harsh terms bare from the outset. This youth already posed a genuine threat to Iris.
Within the Dragon Temple, the divine traces left by Reshiram and Zekrom were at their most potent, easily capable of discerning whether Feng Che truly bore the bloodline of the Unova Dragon Clan. If he dared attempt to deceive the twin dragons of Tao, he would be reduced to nothingness under Reshiram's searing white flames and Zekrom's Fusion Bolt.
"Dreepy, use Shadow Ball!"
A barrage of Shadow Balls erupted from the gloom as though they cost nothing to make.
One by one, the orbs were shredded by the protective tempest of wind scythes swirling around Mega Garchomp. Yet with every collision, the vortex weakened, the wind blades diminishing visibly in size. Through this relentless barrage, Dreepy was steadily peeling away Mega Garchomp's defenses.
"Mega Garchomp, use Dragon Pulse!"
Spreading its scythe-like arms wide, Mega Garchomp unleashed a concentrated Dragon Pulse from its maw.
Wherever the draconic beam tore across the arena floor, deep, razor-sharp fissures cracked through the stone. The surrounding shadow realm shattered entirely beneath the concussive force. Mega Garchomp had accurately calculated Dreepy's escape route, forcing the little phantom out of the collapsing pocket dimension—straight into the path of the incoming Dragon Pulse.
"Phantom Force."
Feng Che's voice cut through the air, calm and completely unruffled.
A dense wisp of black mist billowed from Dreepy's tiny claws. As the dark fog eroded the fabric of space, ripples tore through the air. A spirit rift spanning two meters wide slowly unfolded.
The Dragon Pulse crashed straight into the open rift.
"Are you kidding me? A gateway to the Spirit World opened right in the mortal realm?!"
"Where on earth did this Dreepy come from?"
"Could it be Giratina's illegitimate child?!"
Opening a gate to the Spirit World in the mortal realm was universally deemed impossible by Pokémon researchers across several regions. In theory, the moment such a rift opened in reality, any Ghost-type Pokémon attempting it would instantly disintegrate into ash.
Yet Feng Che's Dreepy stood perfectly unharmed upon the arena floor. Opening a portal to the Spirit World was as effortless for it as drinking water.
"I don't believe you can keep opening it!" Iris called out, grit in her voice. "Mega Garchomp, fire Dragon Pulse continuously!"
Summoning the dregs of its stamina, Garchomp poured its remaining strength into a relentless barrage of draconic energy. The pulses merged midair, taking the shape of an eight-headed mythical dragon that lunged from the heights toward Dreepy with bared fangs and brandished claws, locking down the surrounding space.
Just as the spectators assumed Dreepy was finally cornered, another rift to the Spirit World tore open.
Ordinary Ghost-types indeed could not manipulate interdimensional rifts with such ease. Dreepy, however, possessed Giratina's scale. Under the blessing of that divine relic, traversing the boundaries of the Spirit World was entirely second nature.
As the rift parted, a staggering gravitational pull erupted from within, dragging the swirling Dragon Pulse straight into the void. The eight-headed draconic projection struggled in vain before being swallowed whole, leaving the spectators gasping in stunned silence.
By now, Mega Garchomp's stamina had run entirely dry. Dropping to one knee, it leaned on its scythes, stubbornly refusing to collapse.
"I understand, Mega Garchomp," Iris said softly, sensing her partner's unyielding spirit. "Let's finish this together. Dragon Rush!"
With a ragged cry, Mega Garchomp hauled itself airborne. Draconic aura erupted from every pore as it transformed into a blazing, golden comet, plummeting toward Dreepy with incinerating fury.
A sly glint danced in Dreepy's eyes.
Unhurried, it peeled open the Spirit World once more.
A vivid, nine-headed dragon roared as it burst out of the rift—the very Dragon Pulse Dreepy had devoured moments ago, amplified and unleashed in full.
"No way... It can reflect the Dragon Pulse it swallowed?!"
"Garchomp is done for!"
"I thought Dreepy was finished, but what kind of reversal is this?!"
The nine-headed dragon engulfed Mega Garchomp whole. Dreepy snapped its claws together, triggering a colossal shockwave that tore through the heavens.
The blast shattered the dense cloud cover hanging over Dragon's Den, revealing an endless expanse of azure sky. The stray Dragon-types circling the heights were instantly scattered by the concussive gale, while beasts across the entire valley roared in startled unison as the divine draconic pressure rippled through the domain.
A heavy thud shook the arena. Garchomp lay scorched and battered, its Mega Evolution broken.
"Garchomp, hang on!" Iris rushed over, panic written all over her face.
"Hand Garchomp to me, I'll tend to its wounds!"
The clan healer hurried over, urgently inspecting the beast's condition. Garchomp had suffered severe burns across its scales and required immediate medical treatment.
"Please, do everything you can!"
Anxious as an ant on a hot pan, Iris recalled Garchomp into its Poké Ball and handed it over to the healer.
"Now, onto our third match."
Glancing toward Dreepy, who lay slumped on the ground seemingly drained of all strength, Iris knew the final outcome would hinge entirely on the third round.
To the spectators, the battle thus far seemed to be a grueling war of mutual destruction. Flygon and Dreepy appeared completely spent. Only Feng Che knew that both still held ample reserves of vitality.
"You're up next!"
Iris released an Excadrill.
This Excadrill was her starter and lifelong partner—a singular specimen that had awakened a latent Dragon typing. Nearly matching a Dragonite in sheer mass, its back was lined with dense, razor-sharp steel spikes.
"Come on out, Deino."
Feng Che's logic was straightforward: let Deino test its mettle against Excadrill. Even if it lost, it hardly mattered, given that Flygon and Dreepy were far from truly exhausted.
"Is he serious? He's sending out a Deino?!"
"Sure, Hydreigon is terrifying, but an unevolved Deino is practically a sitting duck!"
"Excadrill might knock it out in a single hit!"
"Iris's Excadrill has taken down plenty of Elite-level Hydreigon before. It's her starter, and she poured endless dragon resources into it just to awaken its Dragon typing!"
Amidst the chorus of incredulous whispers, Victor's gaze shifted subtly toward Drayden.