This was probably partly thanks to Meloetta's encouragement; Latios and the others were wildly fired up too.
It was just that their excitement was still different from Monferno's.
Monferno was on the verge of evolving, the blazing flames inside its body starting to burst outward, barely suppressed.
After the high-frequency battles in Rayquaza's Alternate Space, the grueling fighting-technique training under Bewear, and a period of settling down after returning, Monferno had already reached the very Edge of evolution.
This point.
Natsuhiko, who had already witnessed Pokémon evolving more than once, felt it especially clearly.
In fact it wasn't just Monferno; Latios's aura fluctuations had also become a bit frequent.
But compared to Latios, Monferno was the one reacting the most intensely.
Perhaps Monferno itself hadn't realized it.
All of this had been ongoing.
Monferno was right in the middle of frantically stockpiling energy.
So Natsuhiko deliberately increased both the frequency and the amount of Energy Blocks he provided them, to make sure they could stay in their best condition at all times.
Until.
When they ran into a Wild Pokémon, it made both Monferno and Natsuhiko realize that the opportunity might have come.
"Melo~~"
Meloetta sat on Natsuhiko's shoulder, holding a small metal box in its hands, happily pinching up Energy Blocks and tossing them one by one into its own mouth.
As the delicious taste blooming in its mouth stimulated its taste buds, it would occasionally let out a loud, soft hum of a special melody.
As a Phantom Pokémon that could use its song to affect and even control Pokémon emotions, its voice was stirring up Natsuhiko's Pokémon.
Its very existence.
Was basically a top-tier mobile encouragement aura—one that buffed the whole team.
Spurred on and already close to its critical point, Monferno was darting back and forth rapidly through the trees.
Gulu gulu——
A bone boomerang wreathed in eerie green flames at both ends carved a superb arc through the air, its target Lock-ed onto Monferno as it leapt from one tree to another.
In midair, with nothing to use for leverage, Monferno could only raise both arms to block this sudden ambush.
Bang!
The tremendous force smashed Monferno straight down from midair.
It rolled several times along the ground before barely coming to a stop.
"Geh-geh!"
But Monferno moved quickly; gritting through the pain in its arms and the ache in its back from the fall, it kipped up in a swift carp flip.
Its flaming eyes locked onto the direction from which the bone boomerang had struck.
That bone boomerang hadn't stopped after hitting Monferno.
Instead, it passed smoothly through layers of obstructing branches.
And returned to the hand of a Pokémon.
Marowak!
And it was an Alola Form Marowak!
Changes in a Pokémon's form to adapt to its environment didn't only appear in one specific region.
On this little island of Thundurus, with its dense Thunder and the flames that periodically broke out from lightning strikes, Alola Form Marowak was far more suited to the environment than an ordinary Marowak.
"Maro!"
Catching the Bone Staff, Marowak fixed a sharp gaze on the Monferno that had fallen to the ground; with a light flick of its wrist, the bone scraped across the ground, and an eerie green flame once again flared to life at the end of the Bone Staff from the friction.
Monferno refused to show weakness; as it clenched its fists, flames rose from its knuckles.
Only this time.
The flames weren't just on its fists—Monferno's whole body was engulfed in fire, as if it had already entered its "Fierce Fire" state.
Marowak was a very battle-hungry Pokémon, and it just so happened that Monferno needed a fight even more desperately right now.
"Geh-geh!"
"Maro!"
The two Pokémon seemed to share a certain Momentum; after each let out a low growl, they charged straight at one another.
Latios and Eevee sensibly chose not to interfere.
Especially Eevee; it stared at the two Pokémon with burning eyes.
It disliked Water the most; it had also experienced Electricity after entering this little island and didn't like that frazzling, fur-blowing feeling.
It had learned quite a bit about Ice from spending time with Vulpix; Ice was nice, but it didn't really want to turn into something like Vulpix—icy cold all over. It worried that would make it lose the joy of eating ice cream and savoring that cool, sweet, creamy delight.
Now it was Fire's turn, so it had to watch even more closely.
Bang!!
Monferno and Marowak, closing the distance in a blur, slammed into each other head-on.
Monferno's fist collided with Marowak's Bone Staff, crimson flames clashing with green ghostly fire, scattering tiny twin-colored sparks in all directions.
In terms of raw strength, Monferno fell into a disadvantage the instant they made contact.
But in terms of flame, Monferno wasn't losing too badly at all.
Its edge lay in its flexible command of fighting technique, having grasped some of Bewear's fighting essence.
After its flaming fist was shattered by the Bone Staff and it staggered back two steps, Monferno didn't retreat; instead, it surged forward again, lunging at Marowak.
The Bone Staff spun at high speed, friction igniting flames once more, and Marowak hurled it at the charging Monferno.
Yet just as the spinning Bone Staff was about to strike Monferno head-on, it suddenly chose not to meet it with brute force.
With a low duck, it neatly slipped past the attack and dashed at Marowak again.
Without its Bone Staff, Marowak was like a tiger with its teeth pulled.
But Marowak wasn't flustered; eerie green flames surged over its whole body, circling around it as they spun, forming the shape of a wheel.