"Machamp, Secret Technique—Six King Pistol! Then, retreat immediately!"
With the power of its four arms, Machamp's Six King Pistol struck with an impact more devastating than ever.
The sheer force of the shockwave sent cracks through Trevenant's body, though the fissures were quickly filled by the ominous black aura surrounding it.
Seizing the moment, Machamp executed Shave, darting away from its original position to evade Trevenant's counterattack. At the same time, it launched Flaming Finger Pistol volleys, scorching Trevenant whenever an opportunity arose.
The health recovery granted by Ingrain was nowhere near sufficient to keep up with the grueling battle. Instead, Trevenant relied on the life energy it had absorbed but had yet to expend.
The advantage? As long as it hadn't exhausted its stored life force, Trevenant was nearly invincible.
The downside? Once that reserve ran dry, it would have to choose—either sacrifice its own enhanced strength to continue fighting or deplete its very own life energy in battle.
For an ordinary Pokémon, forcing Trevenant into such a predicament would be nearly impossible.
But against Machamp, who had mastered Life Return, endurance was never a concern—so long as it had access to premium Pokéblocks, it could fight indefinitely.
With its agility boosted by Shave and guided by Ron's precise commands, Machamp effortlessly dodged the relentless assault of withered branches—though technically, Machamp had no fur for them to graze in the first place. Even so, the ease with which it maneuvered showcased its exceptional speed.
As Trevenant spiraled further into frenzy, it manipulated its branches and tree trunks in a desperate attempt to trap Machamp, yet time and again, its efforts were thwarted by searing blasts of Flaming Finger Pistol.
The relentless blaze forced Trevenant to suppress the flames quickly—after all, with its Grass typing, prolonged exposure to fire would only hasten its downfall.
"Hissss!"
A sinister, snake-like hiss escaped from Trevenant as the dark aura around its body grew denser, coalescing into a grim, spectral face looming above its head.
Under the influence of the black mist, Trevenant's massive frame stretched taller by over a meter. In contrast, its branches became even more withered and brittle.
Worse yet, as Trevenant extended its power to manipulate the surrounding trees, the nutrients within them were rapidly siphoned away, reducing them to lifeless husks resembling its own decayed limbs.
The Ingrain-generated roots beneath Trevenant surged wildly, some even breaking through the surface, further darkening the already eerie, clouded terrain—as if the very land had been drained of all vitality.
Trevenant's escalating aggression was a clear sign: its stored life energy was running low. Now, it was preparing a final, all-out offensive to crush its opponent completely.
"Stay sharp, Machamp—use Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant!"
Sensing Trevenant's transformation, Machamp instinctively distanced itself.
At Ron's command, Machamp sprang into the air. From above, the Evening Elephant attack descended, a massive crimson phantom of an elephant's foot crashing down upon Trevenant with overwhelming force.
"Hissss!"
The eerie ghostly face above Trevenant's head let out another piercing hiss before opening its gaping maw, lunging straight for the descending Evening Elephant.
Simultaneously, thick, withered branches burst forth from the ground like spears, stabbing upward with deadly precision. The tendrils of black mist coiling around them acted like marionette strings, controlling their trajectory as they targeted Machamp with relentless aggression.
"Machamp! Use Finger Pistol: Morning Peacock to clear the way—then unleash Flaming Six King Pistol!"
Explosive waves of fire surged outward, reducing Trevenant's wooden spears to ashes in mere moments.
Clenching all four fists together, Machamp summoned a blazing inferno around its knuckles. A colossal shockwave of fire erupted as it punched forward with immense force.
In an instant, the battlefield became a raging inferno. Trevenant's ghostly black aura barely held against the searing flames, while its withered branches, unable to withstand the onslaught, disintegrated into nothingness.
Engulfed in thick shadows, Trevenant retaliated by simultaneously activating Wood Hammer and Horn Leech.
Roots from its Ingrain technique snapped apart, and Trevenant itself transformed into a massive, spectral silhouette, hurtling through the flames toward Machamp.
"Machamp—use Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant with full power!"
"Gardevoir, prepare to use Ally Switch and Teleport—stand by for immediate support!"
At Ron's command, a dense cloud of steam enveloped Machamp, every fiber of its body igniting with unparalleled strength.
With Evening Elephant fully unleashed, an enormous crimson phantom foot descended from the heavens, crashing toward the blackened, ghostly form of Trevenant.
Meanwhile, psychic energy coiled around Gardevoir like an invisible shield. The moment Trevenant broke through Machamp's assault, Gardevoir would teleport in an instant to rescue Machamp, whose overwhelming exertion would temporarily leave it immobilized.
As the colossal elephant foot clashed with the swirling black mist, the oppressive darkness surrounding Trevenant began to disperse. At the same time, cracks spread across the surface of Machamp's attack.
Locked in this final, decisive clash, neither Machamp nor Trevenant hesitated—they poured every ounce of their remaining strength into suppressing the other.
The crimson elephant foot shattered into countless fragments, scattering like embers before dissipating into invisible energy.
Meanwhile, the black mist cloaking Trevenant was completely dispersed. The ghostly tree Pokémon's withered branches cracked and splintered under the strain.
Ally Switch was activated. In a swift maneuver, Gardevoir teleported Machamp back to Ron's side. A supply of premium Pokéblocks, paired with Ron's Fighting Aura, helped Machamp rapidly recover its stamina.
Gardevoir seized the moment to teleport back to Ron's side as well, standing calmly as it awaited its next command.
Nearby, Persian, having dispatched its Ghost-type opponent, and Bellossom, ever vigilant, refrained from making a move. Instead, they stayed close to Ron, waiting for his signal.
Ron's sharp gaze remained locked onto Trevenant. His decision not to command Persian and Bellossom to attack had proven wise.
The lingering dark energy around Trevenant began to swirl once more, condensing into a dense black mist that attempted to envelop it again.
However, unlike before, the black mist was weaker—it failed to fully conceal Trevenant, only managing to cover most of its body.
Even Trevenant's presence had diminished. While it still stood, seemingly unaffected, its weakened state was undeniable—it was a last stand, nothing more than a desperate attempt to hold on.
"Go, Machamp! Use Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant with everything you've got!" Ron commanded.
The brief respite had left Machamp in far better shape than Trevenant.
Steam coiled around Machamp's body like a white mist, forming a stark contrast against Trevenant's dark aura. The imposing crimson elephant foot reappeared, crashing down with overwhelming force.
Ignoring its own yet-unhealed wounds, Trevenant desperately gathered every last drop of its life energy and launched itself at Machamp once more.
The red elephant foot came crashing down—this time, Trevenant's black mist rapidly dissolved.
Unlike before, Trevenant could not hold out. Before Machamp's attack could fully collapse, Trevenant had already reached its limit.
The dark energy that shrouded its form fractured and disintegrated, and cracks spread rapidly across Trevenant's body—like a fragile porcelain doll on the verge of shattering.
With its last ounce of will, Trevenant struggled against the crushing weight, but it was futile.
As the crimson foot descended, Trevenant's form fragmented into countless shards, scattering into the air. And in the end, its main body was pressed firmly into the ground beneath Machamp's unstoppable might.
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