In the Training Lowlands, after gathering enough Dynamax Mushrooms, Summer decided to prepare Dynamax Soup right then and there. Having done it before, he quickly gathered the necessary ingredients.
He poured fresh water into the pot, and as Ogerpon eagerly volunteered to provide the heat, the water soon came to a boil. Next, he added berries favored by Rillaboom and Corviknight, followed by the star ingredient—Dynamax Mushrooms. Now, all they had to do was wait.
Fifteen minutes later, a red steam seeped through the gaps in the lid, rising into the air and forming a faint scarlet cloud above the pot.
"Looks like it's ready. Rillaboom, Corviknight, you can drink now," Summer called out.
The two Pokémon swallowed hard. Rillaboom lifted the lid, while Corviknight carefully gripped it with its beak. They peered inside at the swirling, crimson broth, still visibly pulsing with energy, almost as if it were alive.
It was an ancient energy, one that could awaken dormant power hidden deep within their bloodline.
Rillaboom was the first to drink, tipping the entire pot back in one gulp. As the warm liquid coursed through its body, a faint drumbeat echoed in its mind.
For a moment, it found itself standing in the middle of a vast, endless forest, surrounded by towering trees. In front of it sat a gigantic wooden drum, so enormous it could blanket an entire battlefield. Four mighty vines extended from its back, wielding colossal drumsticks, ready to unleash a rhythm that could shake the heavens and earth.
The ultimate beat. The song of the wild.
Meanwhile, Corviknight also downed its portion. Almost instantly, its scarlet eyes widened.
Its wings stretched endlessly, casting an immense shadow over the land. Countless razor-sharp steel feathers floated around it, each imbued with whirling, unstoppable wind blades. It could feel itself commanding the very air, directing a storm of deadly blades toward its enemies.
When they snapped back to reality, both Pokémon were visibly trembling from the intensity of the visions. They had touched the power of their Gigantamax forms, and even though they weren't in battle, they could already feel the change within them.
Rillaboom clutched its drumsticks, sensing a new rhythm flowing through its veins. Corviknight flared its wings, realizing it now had far greater mastery over wind manipulation.
The two exchanged glances before turning to Summer, eyes burning with gratitude and excitement.
"We've gained new power! Thank you, Summer!"
Summer chuckled, shaking his head. "No need to thank me. You guys have always been helping me, haven't you? We're partners. Your growth makes me just as happy as you are."
The two Pokémon grinned, knowing full well this was just how Summer was.
"Ponio?"
Ogerpon tilted its head curiously. Can Ponio, Lilligant, and Jangmo-o also get Gigantamax forms?
Summer hesitated. "That's… a good question."
His knowledge of Gigantamax forms mostly came from the games, but in this world, things weren't necessarily the same. Even online, the known Gigantamax forms were limited, and some Pokémon—like Gigantamax Melmetal—didn't even exist in official records.
One thing was certain, though: Gigantamax was a phenomenon unique to Galar. It primarily affected Pokémon native to this region, though there were exceptions—like the Kanto starters, whose Gigantamax forms had been discovered by Honey, the very person who invented Dynamax Soup.
There had been experiments before. A trainer from Kalos had once tried using Dynamax Mushrooms on the Kalos starters, only to be disappointed when nothing happened.
Ultimately, Gigantamax was still a relatively new discovery, and even now, no one knew exactly how it worked. If this were the game's world, they'd probably have to wait until a DLC release to find out.
Still, Summer had a gut feeling.
"Maybe it's possible," he finally said. "Since we're already searching for Armorite Ore, we can look for more Dynamax Mushrooms along the way. Even if they don't work, they're still incredibly nutritious."
Besides, Honey had plans to commercialize Dynamax Soup into a ready-to-eat product. If that was even possible, then the mushrooms must be valuable beyond just Gigantamaxing.
"Ponio!"
Ogerpon cheered, already imagining itself as a giant, wielding an enormous club that could flatten entire battlefields.
Lilligant, Hisuian Lilligant, and Jangmo-o also began daydreaming about what their Gigantamax forms might look like.
Summer clapped his hands, snapping them out of it. "Alright, if everyone's done resting, let's get moving. Time to find that Armorite Ore."
Riding on Corviknight's back, Summer soared over Isle of Armor, scanning the ground below. He had already searched the previous locations and found nothing. That left only two places to check—Potbottom Desert and Challenge Road.
As they neared the desert, Summer peered down. "...Challenge Road has no strong Pokémon. I hope Potbottom Desert has something useful."
"Gaa!"
Corviknight suddenly spotted movement below—two Pokémon locked in battle. Without hesitation, it dove straight down at high speed.
"Whoa, wait—! Not this landing style again!" Summer grimaced, shielding his face as a cloud of sand exploded around them.
"Gaa! (Time to clean up this fight and take the prize!)" Corviknight smirked, flexing its wings proudly.
With a powerful gust, it scattered the sandstorm, revealing the battle below.
Summer blinked. "A Flygon… and Grimmsnarl?"
What was a wild Grimmsnarl doing in the desert?
Before he could think further, the Grimmsnarl made its move.
As soon as the sand cleared, it lunged at Flygon with a burst of dazzling light, its claws glowing with lethal energy. The impact sent Flygon crashing to the ground, unconscious.
"Gaa! (Perfect! I'll finish the job and take the ore!)" Corviknight prepared to strike.
"Wait, Corviknight!" Summer suddenly stopped it, his gaze locked onto the Grimmsnarl's stance.
Something about it felt familiar.
"…Summer?"
A voice called out.
Summer turned his head and finally noticed someone standing nearby—a young woman in a wide-brimmed sun hat, black sunglasses, and a punk-styled scarf covering half her face. She wore simple training gear, which looked out of place with her usual vibe.
Though he didn't recognize her outfit, he definitely recognized that voice.
"…Marnie?"
Marnie lowered her sunglasses onto her hat, then pulled down her scarf, revealing her fair complexion. As her long black hair spilled free, she flashed him a familiar, knowing smirk.
"It really is you, Summer," she said, her tone both teasing and slightly surprised. "What's up? You're not here just to check on my training, are you?"
For some reason, her heartbeat was racing a little.
It had nothing to do with the intensity of battle just now.
Absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Summer had just dropped out of the sky looking like some kind of battle-hardened hero.
"No, I came looking for Armorite Ore," Summer answered, smirking. "Though I have to say, I'm surprised to see this side of you. So this is what you meant when you said you'd be training in a desert."
Marnie scoffed lightly, twirling a strand of her long hair around her finger. "Well, it's Galar's only desert, after all. Besides, I'm not like you, running around everywhere in that forest ranger uniform."
She crossed her arms. "Ever thought about changing outfits for once?"
Summer tapped his chin, pretending to think. "Hmm… maybe. But I still think twin-tails suit you best."
Marnie stretched out her arms and let out a relaxed sigh, her expression softening. Then, resting one hand on her hip, she tilted her head and said, "Marnie agrees. Twin tails are definitely my favorite hairstyle."
She paused for a moment before glancing at Summer with interest. "So, what kind of ore are you looking for? Maybe I've seen it before."
"It's called Armorite Ore. A purple mineral that glows when struck with force," Summer explained.
Marnie furrowed her brows in thought. "Hmm… sounds familiar."
Before she could recall anything, Grimmsnarl let out a low growl. It had seen Armorite Ore before and knew exactly where to find it—northeast of the desert, near a rock formation.
Corviknight immediately squawked in irritation. "Gaa?! (This is important info! Why didn't you say so earlier?!)"
Grimmsnarl snarled back, baring its fangs. "Hrrr! (I didn't know it was important! Besides, weren't YOU just sitting there eating popcorn, enjoying the show?!)"
The steel bird awkwardly clamped its beak shut. Well… that was true. But hey, the fight had been entertaining, so it decided to let it slide.
Marnie chuckled at their antics before giving a small shrug. "Looks like you two are getting along. Alright, Grimmsnarl, lead the way. Training's over anyway—think of it as a cool-down walk." She turned toward Summer with a playful glint in her eyes.
"And since it's been a while since we last met, tell Marnie a story~"
Summer smiled. "Alright… let's start with a tale of a mother and son."
After about an hour of walking, they arrived at the rock formation Grimmsnarl had mentioned. Beneath the jagged stones, clusters of purple crystals protruded from the ground, glowing faintly with an eerie shimmer.
"This is Armorite Ore, huh?" Marnie adjusted her sunglasses and crouched down to inspect it. "Marnie didn't even notice these before. Does it really glow when hit?"
"That's what I heard." Summer reached out and ran his fingers over the ore's rough surface. "We could try it ourselves."
Corviknight perked up, eager to bash the ore into pieces—after all, it had to be crushed before eating anyway.
Just as Marnie was about to say something, an eerie, piercing screech tore through the air.
"Gaa-shhhhhh—!!"
A massive, pitch-black bird descended from the sky, its pink flames flickering ominously along its wings. Its icy-blue eyes gleamed with arrogance, surveying the lesser beings below with utter disdain.
A dark aura pulsed around its body, filled with swirling malevolence—a corrupting fire, burning away both spirit and life itself.
This was Galarian Moltres.
A legendary Pokémon long feared in Galar, known as the Harbinger of Death.
Summer's eyes widened. "Galarian Moltres!"
Of all the powerful Pokémon that Armorite Ore could attract, he hadn't expected this one.
"Gaa-shhhhhh—!!"
The dark phoenix flapped its wings, sending razor-sharp air currents slicing toward them. Arrogant as ever, it didn't even take the fight seriously, treating them like insignificant pests.
Summer didn't hesitate. "Corviknight, Hurricane!"
The air exploded into motion as Corviknight summoned a furious storm, tearing through the desert sands.
"Gaa! (Like hell I'll let you show off those flashy flames!)"
Fueled by indignation—and a touch of jealousy—Corviknight launched a roaring vortex toward Moltres. The storm sucked in the cutting winds of Moltres's attack, amplifying its force and hurling it right back at the dark phoenix.
A torrent of sand and wind crashed against Moltres, its scorching black feathers now dusted with grit.
"Gaa-gaa! (Ha! Taste some sand, fancy bird!)" Corviknight taunted with a cocky flap of its wings.
Moltres's icy-blue gaze sharpened. No one—NO ONE—had ever mocked it like this. The malicious energy around it surged, its burning aura flaring dangerously.
It would burn them all to ashes.
Summer exhaled sharply. "…Corviknight, I think you just made it angrier."
Just then, he noticed Marnie standing frozen, clutching the edges of her jacket. Her hands trembled slightly, her usual sharp gaze clouded with hesitation.
She was shaken.
Of course she was.
This was Marnie's first time facing a Legendary Pokémon.
All this time, Summer had been surrounded by battle-hardened allies—trainers who had fought Titans, Legendary Pokémon, and unnatural calamities. He had gotten so used to it that he had forgotten…
Not everyone was like that.
"Marnie!" he called out, snapping her out of it. "I'm here. Wake up!"
Marnie's mind spun, a hazy flood of childhood memories rushing back.
She was small again, standing alone in Spikemuth's dimly-lit streets. No Morpeko. No big brother. Just a scared, crying girl.
She clenched her fists.
No. Not in front of him.
She refused to let Summer see her like this.
Marnie sucked in a sharp breath. The swirling fear in her eyes vanished, replaced by a familiar glint of determination.
"…Tch."
She lifted her chin, took one step forward, then shouted at the top of her lungs:
"Marnie's pissed now!"
Moltres actually paused.
Marnie jabbed a finger at the legendary bird, glaring up at it with pure defiance.
"Doesn't matter what kind of fancy bird you are. You made Marnie look like a fool—so I'm plucking every single one of those pretty feathers off your body!"
Summer smirked. There she is.
Marnie bit down on her lower lip, her pride still stinging. How dare it make her look so weak—especially in front of Summer?!
She spun toward Grimmsnarl. "Oi, Grimmsnarl! Wake up, you wanna-be warrior! You gonna let some oversized pigeon intimidate you?!"
The dark fairy shook its head, snapping back to focus. Right! It had almost gotten lost in the overwhelming aura of the battle, but it wasn't about to let some flaming chicken steal the show!
Moltres narrowed its eyes, now genuinely intrigued.
What was this girl's aura?
For the first time, the black phoenix wondered…
Had she just activated Berserk too?
(To be continued...)