After Mega Metagross blocked the attacks from Salamence and Hydreigon, it got no chance to catch its breath at all.
With a single thought from the Master—Dragonite, Salamence, and Hydreigon all charged toward Mega Metagross simultaneously.
Dragonite's body was covered in pitch-black energy, while the Dragon-type energy inside it boiled continuously. Its form transformed into a black demonic dragon.
Dragon Rush!
Salamence also used Dragon Rush.
The two terrifying attacks directly locked onto Mega Metagross, causing the surrounding space itself to become incomparably solidified.
Mega Metagross: 'Not good!'
Just as alarm rose in its heart, it saw Hydreigon fire a Hyper Beam straight toward Julian.
Because Mega Metagross was currently locked down by the two Dragon Rushes, it simply couldn't use Teleport to save Julian.
"Luca!"
Lucario, having recovered a fair amount of stamina, once again activated Burst State, forming a milky-white spear of energy in its hand.
Meteor Assault!
The spear transformed into a streak of light as it shot toward the Hyper Beam.
Meteor Assault was indeed powerful, but the gap in strength between Lucario and Hydreigon was simply too great. The spear was like a wooden stick striking an iron plate—it was deflected instantly.
It couldn't even slow the attack down in the slightest.
"Luca!"
Lucario glanced at Julian beside it, who was still in the Flow State and completely oblivious of the approaching danger. A look of determination flashed through Lucario's eyes.
It forcefully kicked off the ground, its entire body wrapped in energy as it charged toward the Hyper Beam. It was ready to block this attack with its own body.
But another figure moved even faster than it.
The heavily injured Arcanine had, at some point, emerged from its Poké Ball.
Crimson flames engulfed its entire body as its aura plummeted rapidly in that instant. Its flowing fur, bathed in the blood-red fire, exuded a unique and striking charm.
Its body surged past Lucario.
"Arf!"
Arcanine: "Vice President, I'm leaving the master to you now!"
As Arcanine's words fell, the blood-red flames suddenly flared up violently, then were compressed to their absolute limit, looking as if they were draped in a tide of crimson light.
Flare Blitz!
Unlike a normal Flare Blitz, this move was one Arcanine had learned from the King-form Arcanine in the Primal Secret Realm.
Once used, it drained fifty percent of the user's entire HP, but the move's power increased twentyfold—making it an extremely fearsome forbidden move.
"Luca!"
Lucario halted its charge, its mind filled with Arcanine's final words.
'Vice President...' It had been so long since it last heard that title.
Julian: 'What's with those flames—no, wait—it's Doggo!'
Through Mega Metagross's shared vision, Julian realized that Hydreigon's Hyper Beam was aimed directly at him.
He had already been prepared to sever the Flow State, relying on the Light Screens Mega Metagross had set up earlier—although most of them had already been destroyed—there were still a few remaining. They should be able to buy him a tiny bit of time.
And using that brief moment, he could use what little remained of his psychic powers to perform a short-distance Teleport.
The chances of successfully dodging with such an approach were still very low, but at least it was better than taking a direct hit and dying on the spot.
However, what Julian saw now was his severely injured dog charging toward the Hyper Beam, transformed into a blaze of blood-red fire, and panic instantly surged through his heart.
"Doggo, come back!!"
Julian anxiously shouted.
But Arcanine did not stop. It turned its head to look at its trainer one last time, its eyes filled with reluctance.
'Stupid bird, this time, I've outdone you.'
BOOOOM!!
The Hyper Beam collided with the blood-red Flare Blitz. The energies of both sides devouring each other relentlessly, while terrifying shockwaves swept across the air.
BOOOM!!
Another explosion rang out as the power of the Hyper Beam and Flare Blitz canceled each other out.
Arcanine's battered, broken body tumbled across the ground, rolling over and over like a torn sack.
"ARCANINE!!!"
Julian's eyes turned blood-red. In his desperation, his emotions fluctuated violently, causing him to withdraw from the Flow State as he ran toward where Arcanine had fallen.
But after only a few steps, he collapsed to the ground with a thud. A wave of utter exhaustion swept through his entire body.
First, he had maintained a Aura Link with Lucario, then activated Mega Evolution for two Pokémon at once, and after that entered the Flow State together with Mega Metagross.
Both physically and mentally, Julian had already been pushed to his absolute limit.
With Lucario's help, Julian slowly walked step by step toward Arcanine, and every step left behind a bloody footprint on the ground.
Looking at Arcanine lying completely motionless on the ground, Julian's body trembled violently as he gently placed his hand on top of Arcanine's head.
"Doggo..."
Kneeling before Arcanine, Julian softly called out to it.
But Arcanine, who would have normally responded to him enthusiastically now gave no reaction at all.
Within the darkness, Arcanine seemed to feel the pair of hands resting on its head. The familiar scent and warmth caused it to slowly open its eyes.
Looking at its trainer, whose tears kept falling, Arcanine mustered all its strength to lift its head and gently licked Julian's cheek.
Seeing that Arcanine was still alive, Julian laughed through his tears and scolded, "Doggo, I knew you weren't—"
He never finished the sentence.
Arcanine's head suddenly dropped heavily to the ground. The last flicker of life in its eyes completely faded away at that very moment.
Julian's face froze in utter disbelief.
Dead!!
Probing Eyes.
Arcanine... deceased.
Aura.
He couldn't sense Arcanine's Aura at all.
"Lucario, sense Arcanine's Aura for me. The Aura inside my body must be completely exhausted already, that's why I can't sense Doggo's Aura anymore. This dog is sleeping really deeply now, haha..."
As he spoke, Julian actually started laughing.
But Lucario remained silent.
Julian suddenly stood up and roared at Lucario, "Sense it! Doggo must still be alive! He has to be alive—!"
Tears streamed down endlessly as Julian broke down into uncontrollable sobs.
Someone once said that a man truly grows up the day he holds his father's funeral.
And a trainer truly grows up the day he loses his Pokémon.
Right now, all Julian could feel was an unbearable, searing pain in his heart.
"Growlithe, will you come with me?"
What answered him was Growlithe's cheerful, delighted bark.
"Doggo, you tore apart my bed again! Damn it, I'm going to tear down your doghouse too!"
"What dog park? I never agreed to that."
"Lying to a dog? So what if I lied to a dog? What are you gonna do about it? With Love at home, do you even dare wreck the house?"
"You damned dog! You actually peed on my bed! And Love actually thought I wet the bed—how could a grown man like me still wet the bed?!"
Countless memories with Arcanine continuously replayed through his mind, while the tearing pain within Julian's heart intensified more and more.
*****
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