"He's way too strong! So this is the Champion of Kanto?!"
Up in the stands, Yarrow—the burly, straw-hat-wearing Gym Leader from Turffield—wiped sweat off his brow.
That was Leon's Mr. Rime out there, and it had been completely overwhelmed by Dylan's Mega Garchomp. The whole thing ended in just minutes.
"Yeah… this is kind of nuts."
Nessa, the tall, bronze-skinned Water-type Gym Leader of Hulbury, narrowed her eyes, gaze fixed on Dylan below.
"Same Dragon-type specialist, Raihan, what's your take on this?"
Melony, the icy Gym Leader of Circhester, pushed down her sunglasses, smirking as she nudged the man in the turban beside her.
Raihan, known across Galar as the "Dragon Storm," was the strongest Gym Leader in the region. He had challenged Leon more times than anyone else—over ten times—and while he'd never won, he had pushed Leon harder than anyone.
"What do I think? I think I'm using my eyes," Raihan scoffed, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "Thanks for the flattery, guys. Comparing me to Kanto's Champion like that? Bit much, don't you think?"
Despite his chill tone, Raihan was nothing if not self-aware.
Dragon-type Trainers weren't all created equal. And he knew it.
"Feels like Leon's finally got himself a real opponent," Raihan added. "I'm more curious what dragon Dylan will throw out next."
One battle was all it took—Mega Garchomp had won Raihan over. He'd already made a mental note to go catch one himself. His weather-based strategies would pair nicely with Garchomp's Ground typing. Time to swap out that Flygon.
That savage aura, that raw power—he was in love.
"And now, for my second dragon…" Dylan spun and tossed another crimson Poké Ball.
"Regidrago! Prepare for battle!"
"Regi~…"
A low, guttural hum filled the stadium as a massive, dark-red sphere floated up before Dylan. Seven glowing blue dots lit up on its head—this was no ordinary Pokémon.
Regidrago, the Dragon Titan.
"Regidrago?" Leon's eyes narrowed.
He could feel the oppressive pressure rolling off this Pokémon. No doubt about it—this one was seriously powerful.
"One of the legendary giants. A Dragon-type," Dylan said succinctly.
"A Dragon-type legendary? You really are full of surprises, Champion Dylan."
Leon's eyes lit up. A legendary Dragon Pokémon—he never imagined he'd get to battle one in a public match.
"Ohhh! Champion Dylan has sent out one of the legendary giants—Regidrago, a Dragon-type legendary Pokémon!"
Chairman Rose's deep voice echoed across the arena.
And with it, the crowd absolutely erupted.
Thousands of eyes locked on Regidrago. Sure, it looked… abstract, but who cared?
It was a legendary Pokémon.
In a world built around Pokémon battles, few things fired up the public more than the appearance of a legendary.
They couldn't believe it—Dylan had caught a legendary Pokémon?!
Many viewers who hadn't followed Dylan closely were completely floored.
"Let's see how you plan to handle Regidrago, Champion Leon," Dylan said with a smirk.
"Aegislash!"
Leon responded immediately, sending out a floating golden sword-and-shield Pokémon. Aegislash hovered in front of him, one arm raising a broad shield while the other extended a gleaming blade.
Bzzt—Aegislash, Steel/Ghost-type. Royal Sword Pokémon.
Ability: Stance Change
Moves: King's Shield, Sacred Sword, Swords Dance, Iron Head, Shadow Sneak, Retaliate…
Entry (Shield Form): Once used its mystical powers to control humans and Pokémon alike, building a kingdom suited to its needs.
Entry (Blade Form): That same king, ultimately drained of life, perished at Aegislash's hand…
"Ugh, that's a creepy Pokédex entry," Lillie murmured, squirming a little.
"Ghost-types often are," Brandon replied calmly. "Still, Pokémon reflect their Trainers more than anything."
He paused. "But… Dylan just caught Regidrago yesterday. Isn't it risky to use it in a major battle?"
He wasn't wrong. Legendary status didn't guarantee victory. Most wild legendaries hovered around Champion-tier—sometimes lower.
Take Brandon's own Regirock and the others—even with training, they wouldn't last long against Leon's aces.
What Brandon didn't know, though, was that Dylan had trained Regidrago all night in a simulation chamber—specifically to prepare for this match.
"My brother doesn't make moves he isn't sure of," Lillie said sweetly, her smile unwavering. "He told me—he wants to win beautifully. So that the whole world knows who he is."
"I'd worry less about Dylan," Blue added. "Worry about Leon. After this, I just hope the guy still has his mental state intact."
Because from what she could see… Dylan wasn't just pulling out all the stops—he was firing on eight cylinders.
This wasn't just strong—it was a statement.
Back on the battlefield—
"Aegislash, huh? Interesting pick," Dylan mused.
Aegislash was a complex Pokémon. It had two forms: the offensive Blade Forme, and the defensive Shield Forme.
Switching between them involved using King's Shield to shift into defensive mode, or attacking to switch into Blade Forme. It also came with temporary immunity and a physical attack debuff to contact attackers.
Handled well, it was an incredibly high-ceiling Pokémon.
Handled poorly, it was a glass cannon with no defense.
"Shadow Ball!"
Leon moved first. In Blade Forme, Aegislash charged a pulsing orb of black energy and launched it toward Regidrago.
"Crush it."
Dylan's smile sharpened.
"Dragon Energy."
Regidrago rose higher, its arms folding in as the two massive jawbones clamped shut around its body—forming a single, ominous dragon's skull.
Red energy flared between its fangs. The Dragon's Maw ability activated, powering up Dragon-type moves.
A deep hum pulsed through the air as Regidrago's maw opened—unleashing a blinding purple-red beam of concentrated energy.
Regidrago's signature move—Dragon Energy, one of the strongest Dragon-type attacks known.
Nicknamed "Dragon Spout" by fans, it was similar to Hydro Pump or Fire Blast in form but even deadlier in power.
At full health, its base power was a whopping 150—as strong as most Pokémon moves get.
And with its ability and STAB (same-type attack bonus) factored in…
Shadow Ball didn't stand a chance.
BOOM!!
The two moves collided—but only briefly. Dragon Energy shattered Shadow Ball like glass, then hurtled straight toward Aegislash.
"Aegislash!" Leon snapped.
"King's Shield!"
Aegislash brought its shield down and stabbed its hilt into the ground. A gleaming wall of metallic energy shimmered to life.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
Dragon Energy slammed into it like a meteor strike, sparks flying. The barrier groaned under the pressure, wavering but somehow holding.
Three full seconds passed. The purple-red beam still hadn't stopped.
Leon blinked. What?! It's still going?
Then he saw Dylan flash him a wide grin.
"Regidrago," Dylan said softly.
The dragon's maw widened further—and the beam swelled in size.
BOOOOOM!!
The King's Shield finally shattered—and the full force of Dragon Energy smashed into Aegislash.
It was over.
The impact slammed Aegislash into the dirt with a devastating crash. The explosion kicked up a pillar of light and dust high into the air.
A massive crater formed at the impact site.
"My Arceus…" someone whispered.
The crowd was silent. Then, a rising murmur.
Gasps. Screams. Awed exclamations.
Leon squinted past his arm, which he'd raised to shield himself from the blast. His heart sank.
Even with type resistance to Dragon, even with its defenses, Aegislash's HP pool wasn't great. And that beam had been on another level.
"Earthquake!"
Before the energy had even cleared, Dylan issued another command.
Regidrago descended, jaws unfurling as it twisted its body—and slammed into the ground.
BOOM!!
A shockwave tore through the battlefield, hammering the dazed Aegislash still lying in the crater.
Earthquake was super effective.
When the dust settled, Aegislash lay unconscious at the bottom of the pit.
Leon's brow furrowed. This was bad.
He hadn't expected to lose two of his best this quickly.
This Regidrago… it was feral. He'd never seen such a prolonged Dragon Energy before.
"Aegislash is unable to battle. Regidrago wins!"
The referee was visibly sweating as he called the result.
This Champion of Kanto was ferocious.
Two matches. Two swift, dominant wins.
Leon silently recalled Aegislash.
As he looked up, he saw Dylan recalling Regidrago as well.
Dylan noticed his gaze and smiled, calmly switching Poké Balls.
Leon's eye twitched.
What kind of monster is he sending out this time?!
(End of Chapter)