"Toooxa!"
The shrill cry echoed inside Toxapex's huge body.
Within the dark mass of writhing tentacles, its exposed purple core trembled like a defenseless woman, screaming in panic.
"Toxa!"
Corviknight moved with incredible speed. Its body twisted in a tight spin, and even before its strike connected, a cutting gust burst from the tip of its beak, slicing through the air and piercing Toxapex's surface.
A powerful sense of danger washed over the giant Pokémon.
All its tentacles contracted inward at once, shrinking its pumpkin-like exterior into a shriveled shell. The movement was fast, but Corviknight's attack was faster. Its beak drove in like a sharp needle. No matter how much the creature compressed, the needle remained lodged in its flesh, and the tightening only made the pain worse.
"Toxa!"
The purple core screamed once more, unable to bear the pressure. Corviknight's steel beak had already reached its target and continued to move without resistance.
This was no simple needle anymore. It was a power drill, or a spinning scalpel cutting deep into living flesh.
Pain surged through Toxapex from its back to every part of its body. From outside the field, its gigantic form looked as if it were collapsing in on itself, shivering in agony.
Toxic fluid exploded from the sacs on its tentacles, splashing in all directions. The venom was potent enough to kill a Wailord, and it poured over Corviknight completely.
But the bird didn't react. It kept driving itself deeper like a relentless drill.
Steel-types are immune to poison.
The one thing Toxapex prided itself on, its deadly toxins, had no effect. The needle stuck inside it remained just as sharp, untouched by the venom.
Up in the referee's seat, Ryan wiped the sweat off his forehead, unsure how to even comment. He had no idea what was happening inside. From his view, it looked as if Toxapex had swallowed Corviknight whole.
Had it crushed the bird inside, or had Corviknight forced its way in?
He couldn't tell, nor could he guess what Shiro had planned.
Toxapex's Dynamax presence was overwhelming. Its level, strength, and raw energy far outclassed Corviknight's. Even the slightest hesitation should have been enough to crush that seemingly fragile body of the bird.
So… had Corviknight lost its ability to fight?
What was going on inside Toxapex?
Ryan drew in a sharp breath. His voice wavered as he spoke into the mic. "The battle… is intense! Toxapex doesn't look like it's taking this well. It seems Corviknight might still be fighting. Perhaps Gym Leader Nathan could consider recalling it?"
His tone carried doubt, but Nathan didn't dare withdraw Pokémon.
After all the struggle, only a minute remained of the Dynamax time. If Toxapex managed to defeat Corviknight in this final minute, all would be fine. But if he recalled it now and the steel bird came out still capable of fighting, the consequences would be devastating.
Once recalled, Toxapex would lose its Dynamax state while severely injured inside. It would be in no condition to keep fighting.
Even if both Pokémon were knocked out together, Nathan still had a chance. Shiro's remaining team had only recently reached the Gym-level, their strength still not very strong.
He still had a real shot at victory.
'Come on, Toxapex…' Nathan clenched his teeth and prayed silently in his heart.
* * *
In the audience stands, Raihan rested his chin on one hand, holding his camera that he had pulled with the other. He snapped picture after picture of the gigantic Toxapex writhing in pain, clearly enjoying the scene.
"This is art," he said to Leon with a grin.
Leon leaned back in his seat, ignoring Raihan's remark. He was deep in thought, considering how he would handle a similar situation during his own Dynamax battles.
If his Charizard lost control like this on the field... if the opponent seized the chance to boost themselves and dragged the fight to the very end of the Dynamax timer, what would he do?
He mentally ran through Raihan's six Pokémon, playing out different battle scenarios and countermeasures in his head.
Among this year's challengers, the two who would reach the Champion Cup finals were basically set in stone: him and Raihan.
For the past six months, Leon had been preparing for that battle. Raihan, backed by the Dragon Tamer family, had resources and dragon types most trainers could only dream of. He likely had at least one Elite-level dragon, maybe even two.
Leon, on the other hand, had only his Charizard at the Elite-level. The rest of his team topped out at the peak of Gym-level. His greatest trump card, aside from company resources and rare items, was Dynamax itself.
"Hm?" Raihan noticed Leon's faraway expression but didn't realize he was already thinking about their future match. Bored, he turned away with a slight pout.
Behind them, Nessa watched the match with a worried face. She couldn't see what was happening within Toxapex. Though the giant Pokémon was obviously in pain, Corviknight had vanished inside its body. Anything could happen in there.
Even if it survived, what if it emerged gravely injured and unable to fight? If Shiro lost Corviknight, his remaining lineup would be at a serious disadvantage.
"Can he win…" she whispered to herself.
"Relax, that's Shiro we're talking about," Marvin said, arms behind his head, looking completely at ease. "I've never seen him lose his footing in a match. Every move he makes is calculated."
Edgar also nodded in agreement. "He's got this. Toxapex's poison can't affect Corviknight at all, and Corviknight has already boosted its attack and defense several times. Even if it took a hit head-on, it wouldn't struggle much, let alone now that it's inside."
Hearing that, Allister turned his head toward them.
Edgar let out a chuckle and added to his student, "Remember this. When you use Dynamax in the future, don't make the same mistake as Nathan did. Never Dynamax a Pokémon that's at a type disadvantage and think that sheer size will carry you through the battle. Sometimes, type matchups can decide everything. Just like Flying being immune to Ground or Ghost being immune to Fighting."
"..." Allister nodded quietly in response.
Right then, a faint hum spread through the battlefield. Somewhere along the way, the dark red energy that blanketed the sky began to fade. Shafts of sunlight broke through, shining down on the field.
The once dim arena grew brighter, and the massive Toxapex, still curled up in pain, started to shrink. Its Dynamax form was coming to an end.
**
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