Going slightly back in time.
On top of the hill beyond the forest.
A series of black cylindrical devices were linked together, pulsing with a faint light-blue energy. The energy formed a shimmering barrier, enclosing two Pokémon at the center—Drakloak and Dreepy.
Fast asleep, the two dragons showed no signs of noticing anything unusual. Their semi-transparent, blue-green tails swayed in sync, their breathing calm and steady. If not for the eerie crimson glow covering the area, the scene would have seemed especially tranquil.
"Team B5, move forward. Activate the device and capture the Drakloak."
After giving the order, the Macro Cosmos squad leader, dressed in a gray uniform, immediately signaled the others.
The seasoned hunters moved in sync, rapidly tightening their formation. Within seconds, the barrier had shrunk to a mere five-meter radius.
Drakloak was still deep in slumber, with the team now dangerously close.
Those with weaker nerves felt their palms grow slick with sweat. Facing an Elite-level Pokémon at such proximity was nerve-wracking—one wrong move, and disaster would strike.
If a pseudo-legendary of this caliber went berserk, it could mean the total destruction of the entire Dynamax zone.
"Now!"
The squad leader's sharp command spurred everyone into action. They lunged forward at once.
Hearing the sudden noise, Drakloak groggily cracked open its eyes, but before it could react, a dozen black pillar-like devices clamped shut, trapping both Drakloak and Dreepy within.
"Capture successful!"
The squad leader pressed his earpiece, reporting in while catching his breath.
Even as a seasoned veteran, his heart was pounding wildly after securing the capture.
This was a job that could cost lives.
"Copy. The retrieval team is en route."
A low hum followed, signaling the end of the transmission. The squad leader exhaled deeply.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Inside the energy barrier, Drakloak had fully awakened. Confused by the unfamiliar surroundings, it repeatedly rammed its head against the glowing barrier.
But the space inside was too small. No matter how hard it tried, all it could do was create faint ripples on the light-blue energy walls.
Worse, the barrier exuded a bone-chilling cold that seeped into Drakloak's body, numbing its limbs.
"Drraaa!"
Drakloak roared in frustration, opening its mouth to gather deep purple Dragon-type energy.
Yet the moment it formed, the entire device lit up. The light-blue barrier flashed brilliantly, absorbing every bit of the energy and storing it in the black cylindrical containers. The barrier then grew even stronger and brighter.
"Drree!"
The smaller Dreepy also threw itself at the barrier, but the moment it made contact, it was sent flying backward.
The ice-infused energy field drained its strength, leaving it weak and limp as it collapsed onto Drakloak's head.
"DRAK-LOOOOAHK!!"
Helpless, Drakloak let out a furious roar, hoping to summon its kin.
It remembered sleeping by the Lake of Outrage, next to its tribe.
"Heh, as expected of the chairman's top-tier device. Completely useless to struggle."
A few hunters stood outside the barrier, watching Drakloak struggle with smug amusement.
"This Drakloak is an idiot. It still doesn't realize it's been caught."
"What a shame, though. A Pokémon this strong…"
Following a man sigh, the group fell silent.
Not far away, the squad leader observed the captured Drakloak and nodded in satisfaction.
Thanks to Macro Cosmos' cutting-edge technology, the paralysis-inducing energy barriers ensured that not even Elite-level Pokémon could possibly break through.
Once the Drakloak inside was drained of its energy and completely exhausted—along with the barrier's paralysis effect—they would be able to capture it effortlessly with an Ultra Ball.
At this moment, a thin man in a gray uniform approached the squad leader. After glancing around to confirm the others were not paying attention, he whispered.
"Captain Gareth... An Elite-level Drakloak and a Beginner-level Dreepy like this… isn't it a waste to hand them over to those brats?"
Gareth shot him a sharp look and growled, "Torin! Watch your mouth!"
"Y-yes, of course..." Torin quickly nodded, bowing slightly to the burly captain. "It's just... Captain, maybe we could…"
He gestured toward Drakloak inside the barrier, then pointed northeast.
That was the direction of Galar's port—toward Hulbury.
Gareth understood immediately. Torin wanted to take the captured Pokémon and flee Galar.
A strong, healthy wild pseudo-legendary Pokémon would sell for an absurd amount, no matter the region.
But Gareth had never considered leaving Galar. Unlike Torin, who had no attachments, Gareth had a wife and child here.
"Shut up and mind your own business," Gareth warned in a low voice, his thick brows furrowing as he glared at Torin with his round eyes.
"Y-yes..." Torin stammered.
Just then, a scout at the far end of the group suddenly shouted, "Captain! Look this way!"
Gareth turned his head just in time to see it—deep in the forest below the hill, numerous Onix were rising, their massive bodies thrashing wildly and toppling trees.
'Damn it!'
Realizing the danger, Gareth barked out orders.
"Send out your Pokémon! Hold this position! Don't let a single one through!"
He yanked a Poké Ball from his belt and threw it forward.
With a deafening roar, a towering Rillaboom emerged. Its brown fur was lined with markings, and its massive, muscular frame dwarfed an ordinary Rillaboom—nearly twice the size. Standing on the grass below the hill, it was like a living mountain.
The surrounding hunting team members followed suit, releasing their Pokémon to form a defensive line at the base of the hill.
But some of them hesitated, lingering at the back, unmoving and silent.
Gareth knew they were reluctant to fight, but there was no time to berate them.
Then, the earth trembled.
A deep, thunderous rumble echoed as a massive figure began to rise from where it had been lying.
The colossal form of a Gigantamaxed Machamp loomed over the hill, its towering body stretching nearly two-thirds of the way to the top of the Dynamax space.
"MACHAAAMPH!!"
Awakened from its slumber, the Machamp let out a deafening roar, its four muscular arms flexing as it turned its gaze toward the writhing Onix below.
...
High above, Shiro hovered in the air, held by Corvisquire's talons, watching the chaos unfold below.
The moment he spotted the Gigantamaxed Machamp, Shiro wasted no time. He swiftly recalled Gastly and Rhyperior into their Poké Balls before signaling Corvisquire to carry him into the sky.
The ground was no longer safe.
Even in its normal state, this Machamp was already at Gym-level strength. With Dynamax energy amplifying its power, its sheer size and physical enhancements made it an unstoppable force.
Forget ordinary Gym-level Pokémon—even Elite-level Pokémon with weaker offensive capabilities might struggle to leave a scratch on this behemoth.
Below, the Onix were fighting back, hurling massive boulders. But to Machamp, they were nothing more than pebbles. Physical moves like Tackle and Bind were utterly useless against it.
With its Fighting-type advantage over Rock-types, Machamp simply swung one of its massive arms downward.
A single Karate Chop shattered a massive Onix into rubble, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
From his vantage point, Shiro could clearly see both the struggling Drakloak and Dreepy, as well as the group of people standing watch over them.
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