"e on a me see how good your Metagross really is"

  Alex called, tossing out a Poké Ball. With a fsh, a Haxorus appeared on the field, its entire body armored in tough scales. The Pokémon's sharp tusks gleamed like axes, giving Haxorus its fitting name.

  Although Haxorus was not a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, its rarity was han that of a pseudo-legendary.

  Juliahat Alex, despite being a regur student, had gained his reputation as the junior css leader through a mix of skill, luck, and hard work.

  Seeing Alex with such a rare and powerful Pokémon didn't surprise him—in fact, he'd have been more surprised if Alex hadn't had one.

  "You're not ready to face my Metagross just yet"

  Julian said with a small grin as he called out his own Pokémon.

  Instantly, his Steelix emerged, its enormous body hitting the ground with a tremor.

  Pokémon: Steelix (Steel/Ground)

  Level: 67

  Qualification:

  Ability: Rock Head

  Item: Metal Coat

  Gender: Male

  Moves: Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, Fire Fang, Rock Polish, Iron Tail, Dragoh, Earthquake, ch, Harden, Smack Down, Sand Tomb, Stealth Rock, Sm, Sandstorm, Dig, Stone Edge

  Disc Moves: Hyper Beam, Giga Impact, Body Sm, High Horsepower, Drill Run, Dragon Pulse, Heavy Sm, Breaking Swipe, Rock Slide

  Geic Moves: Defense Curl, Double-Edge, Head Smash, Dragon Tail

  --

  Pokémon: Haxorus (Dragon)

  Level: 70

  Qualification:

  Ability: Rivalry

  Item: Dragon Fang

  Gender: Male

  Moves: Assuraaunt, Ssh, Dragon Cw, Scary Face, ch, Double Kick, Focus Energy, Swords Dance, e, Guillotine, Giga Impact

  Disc Moves: Breaking Swipe, Protect, Dig, Brick Break, Earthquake, Dragon Pulse, X-Scisseic Moves: Dragon Tail, ter, First Impression, Dragon Dance

  --

  Steelix, Julian's highest-leveled Pokémon, which was level 66 when he first caught it.

  It's not that Julian didn't train Steelix, but that after being a pseudo-Elite, the experiend time required to level up each time, was no longer parable to that of Advaier.

  Most trainers spend three or four years training their Pokémon from level 61 pseudo-Elite to level 70, the pseudo-Elite peak.

  And if you want to shorteime it takes to level up, p in a vast amount of resources was the only way.

  Haxorus was at the pinnacle of the 70-level pseudo-Elite stage, just oep away from being a true Elite. Although it had qualification, reag the Elite stage required more than just leveling up.

  If you simply level up to bee ae, you'll only be an ordinary Elite. However, if you want to be the best amoes, it takes much more.

  At level 70, a massive amount of resoureeds to be ied, possibly exceeding the total resources used in the earlier stages of development.

  Only by doing this would the Pokémon, upon reag the Elite stage, have a higher life ford strength pared to ordinary Elite Pokémon.

  Julian's Steelix had not appeared in official matches and its only public appearance was during the intermediate-level Pokémon riot, where it was sent to guard the entrance of the secret realm.

  It was well known that Metagross was Julian's most powerful Pokémohis time, Julian had chosen not to send out Metagross.

  Though Steelix's aura was that of a pseudo-Elite, Alex couldn't help but feel enraged by the sense of being uimated.

  He was the representative of Junior year.

  He ehe Imperial Uy as the top student iional college entrance examination.

  Although he was born in an ordinary family, he took great pride in having outperformed many students from prestigious families.

  He had also defeated many people from top families, like Julian.

  Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to bee a member of the school team, where his strength was sed only to that of the team captain.

  "Isn't your brother uimating him too much?" Faye asked, gng at Thea.

  Although she didn't like Alex, who often hovered around Thea, she still aowledged his strength as a formidable oppo.

  "Wait and see," Thea replied.

  Although it wasn't clear why Julian hadn't choseagross, but she knew he must have a reason.

  The battle was about to begin.

  "Haxorus, use Dragon Pulse!"

  Alex sneered, as he imagieelix taking a direct hit by Dragon Pulse.

  "We'll use Dragon Pulse too"

  Julian responded calmly.

  "Ridiculous"

  Alex muttered under his breath, already dismissing Julian's choice.

  As a Dragon-type Pokémon, a Dragon Pulse used by Haxorus would naturally be more powerful than a Dragon Pulse used by a non-type Pokémon.

  As the twon Pulses collided mid-air, a surprising se appeared. Haxorus's Dragon Pulse didn't overpower Steelix's.

  Instead, Steelix's Dragon Pulse gradually gaihe upper hand, pushing Haxorus's attack back.

  Realizing that the situation wasn't good, Haxorus quickly cut off its Dragon Pulse and swiftly approached Steelix, his palm glowing with a bright white light.

  It was Brick Break.

  A Fighting-type move that dealt twice as much damage to Steelix.

  Despite its massive size, Steelix dispyed exceptional flexibility, twisting its body like an Arbok, easily dodging the attack.

  "Dragon Tail!"

  In a fsh, Steelix tered with a powerful Dragon Tail, nding a direct hit on Haxorus's back. The impact sent Haxorus reeling, momentarily dazed by the force.

  "Haxorus!"

  Alex shouted anxiously, he did not expect that the oo be knocked back would be his Haxorus.

  "Roar!"

  Haxorus, though knocked back, didn't fall down. After nding, he stood firm on the ground, the rge tusks on both sides fshing with red.

  Despite his aggressive appearance, Haxorus was typically a calm and mild-mannered Pokémon in normal ditions. However, when angered, he became truly terrifying.

  "Haxorus, Guillotine!"

  Rage made Haxorus fet the pain in his back, it focused solely on Steelix.

  'Crush it, crush it.'

  Haxorus moved swiftly across the battlefield, leaving shallow footprints in the ground. Two streams of white air formed along the sides of its tusks as it charged forward.

  "Giga Impact!" Julian tered.

  Steel-type Pokémon were never afraid of direct collisions from any move—their iron-like bodies were their greatest on.

  With a violent csh, the two Pokémon collided together.

  In that instant, a terrifying shockwave rippled outward. Sihe protective barrier hadn't been activated, everyone nearby, faced with the bde-like air currents, immediately released their own Pokémon to shield themselves from the force.

  As the two closest to the collision, Julian and Alex naturally responded by quickly dispatg their Pokémon.

  Julia out his Metagross, while Alex called upon his Akazam.

  After the Pokémon on both sides were locked in a deadlock for over ten seds, an explosion occurred, a mushroom cloud rose into the air, and from within that cloud, a figure was flung out—

  Uedly or not Haxorus.