Dynamaxed Golem!
Shiro narrowed his eyes as data about this Pokémon flashed through his mind.
[Name: Golem
Type: Rock/Ground
Level: 65 (59)
Ability: Sturdy
Held Item: None]
A Champion-level Golem?
No... it's actually at only Lv59, the peak of the Elite-level. The jump to Lv65 had been caused by an excess of Dynamax energy, making its apparent strength fluctuate. And with the Sturdy ability, it couldn't be knocked out by a single hit. In real combat, this trait also meant its physical resilience had increased significantly.
Its rocky hide would be even tougher now. Along with the added size from Dynamaxing...
"This pressure... it's almost like a legendary Pokémon. I don't think we can beat it." Felix spoke grimly and turned his head, only to find Shiro already staring at him. A chill ran down his spine.
He realized that if he didn't offer a solution and simply said it was hopeless, he'd be the first to die.
Speeding up his speech, he continued, "But that doesn't mean we can't get out of this place."
"What do you mean?" Shiro pressed.
"The edges of the den are made of a barrier formed from Dynamax energy. That's why we can't break through—it's simply too strong. But this energy is connected to Golem. It'll never exceed the limits of its source."
He caught on right away.
"Golem is one of the dumber types. After Dynamaxing, it's probably even more straightforward and aggressive now. So you're saying... we use its own attacks to break the barrier?"
"Right." Felix nodded slightly. "Golem can't leave this den, but the barrier is still within it. In theory, it can hit it. We just have to work out the details..."
While the giant Pokémon slowly lumbered south, confused and searching, both men finished working out their plan.
Golem was easily angered. As long as it was provoked, its favorite thing to do was to roll itself into a ball and chase after whoever annoyed it.
Though Stony Wilderness was riddled with uneven terrain, it was still relatively flat for the mountain-sized Pokémon. The only real danger was that huge pit they'd passed earlier, which was deep and wide enough to hold most of its body.
The northern part of the field sat higher in elevation, with that pit marking the dividing line.
Riding on their Pokémon, the two raced to catch up with Golem from behind.
They had to lure it toward the northern section of the Stony Wilderness first. Then, they would split away fast, drawing it into using a rolling or charging move from the north straight toward the southern edge... and crashing directly into the barrier.
The Dynamax Den was still shrinking. The grassy slope and woods where Shiro first arrived had already been pushed outside.
It seemed the space was actively separating living beings, forcing both humans and Pokémon to remain inside.
There was no time to waste.
Corviknight shot through the air like an arrow loosed from a bow. In just thirty seconds, it crossed more than half the plains. It had always been trained for speed, and after its evolution and repeated battles, it had completely adapted to its new body. Flying now felt effortless.
* * *
Boom! Boom!
Each of Golem's steps left huge craters in the ground, sending tremors through the surrounding earth. But perhaps because of its size, it didn't seem to feel anything was out of place, just mildly confused.
It had only burrowed underground to sleep through the stormy weather. Normally, this kind of thing happened once in a while. Spend a few days resting underground, and everything would be fine.
But this time, when it awoke, it found itself already on the surface. All its kin had vanished, and… something felt off about the environment. It didn't quite look like the Stony Wilderness.
Golem was still trying to figure out which small patch of land this might be, so it wandered toward the red mist at the boundary. Just as it approached, something tiny caught its attention.
A buzzing bug near its ears… Why did it sound so much like a Corviknight?
But Golem remembered that steel bird was supposed to be slightly bigger than it was…
"Corviknight! Use Steel Wing!" Shiro shouted.
The violent wind pouring into his mouth and nose nearly drowned out his voice, but Corviknight, perfectly attuned to its trainer, caught the command from even a fragment of sound. It twisted mid-air and dived toward Golem.
Against a Ground- and Rock-type Pokémon like it, the most effective types were Water and Grass, followed by Ice, Steel, Fighting, and Ground.
Corviknight's Steel Wing would deal double damage.
"Coooor!"
Its shiny black wings gleamed with a metallic sheen as it dove through the sky, slamming them with full force into the exposed, dusty-yellow neck of the giant.
Boom!
The impact echoed like stone cracking under pressure. A visible split appeared on Golem's neck, and a thin outer layer of rock crumbled away.
"So it had an additional outer rock layer…" Shiro gritted his teeth. This Golem was already incredibly powerful, and after Dynamaxing, its defenses had reached absurd levels. So even though the layer Corviknight knocked off was sizable, compared to the Pokémon's whole body, it was barely more than a mosquito bite.
Pressing his head tightly against the steel bird's back, he yelled, "Corviknight! Steel Wing! Hit the same spot!"
The Pokémon circled in the air, its movements crisp and fluid, then dove once more. Both wings slashed down, hammering the same point on the back of Golem's thick neck.
This time, the stone plating there cracked open entirely, revealing a rugged, greenish-brown inner layer beneath.
"Quick Attack! Then Steel Wing!" Shiro barked.
Golem was starting to feel a faint itch at the back of its neck. It raised an arm to scratch, but a sudden stab of pain shot through its nerves and up to its brain.
Because of its massive frame, the creature moved slowly, especially now, made clumsier by its oversized Dynamax form. Corviknight, specialized in speed, easily landed blows before it could react.
"Gooleeem!"
With a deep growl, Golem turned. The ground and nearby boulders trembled with its movement.
A faint red glow began to flicker in its eyes, but it still couldn't spot that buzzing insect that had just stung it.
"Malamar! Use Psychic!" Felix's voice rang out in time.
Positioned just slightly downhill and in Golem's field of vision, Malamar brought its fins together, unleashing a powerful ripple of psychic energy.
The giant Pokémon, still scanning the sky for Corviknight, took the hit full on. The jolt of pain made it bare its teeth. The mental assault struck directly at its mind, pushing its agitation into pure rage.
"Goool!"
Lowering its head, it quickly noticed Malamar and its trainer ahead.
"Run!" Felix shouted, just as Golem let out a roar and lunged forward. Its claws reached out, footsteps pounding like thunder as it charged straight at them.
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