Chapter 557 - 557: 557. Gigantamax Vs Gigantamax

"Edwin, let's land near the volcano together. Help me take on the Centiskorch." Jacob said to Edwin, who stood beside him, as he drew three Poké Balls and hurled them into the air.

"Go, Metagross! Darkrai! Gyarados!"

Three shapes burst into the sky — Metagross, Darkrai, and Gyarados, each one quasi-Champion level in strength and fully capable of aerial combat.

"Metagross, set me down outside the volcano." Jacob leapt onto Metagross's back, guiding it toward the volcano's edge.

Even three quasi-Champion level Pokémon wouldn't be enough to handle a Champion-level Centiskorch on their own. To truly defeat and capture the Gigantamax Centiskorch, they still needed Gigantamax Lapras and his senior's Iron Valiant. But before any of that could happen, they first had to lure the Gigantamax Centiskorch out of the lava and force a proper battlefield.

"Darkrai, Dark Pulse!"

"Gyarados, Hydro Pump!"

Jacob ordered Darkrai and Gyarados to strike, drawing the Centiskorch's attention.

...…

At the same moment, Edwin touched down on solid ground. Without hesitation, he released his two ace Pokémon, Baxcalibur and Ursaring, and sent them into the fight.

"Ursaring, Belly Drum!"

"Baxcalibur, Icicle Spear!"

Four Pokémon struck the Centiskorch at once, but the creature proved far too cunning. It plunged its entire crimson body beneath the lava, letting the scorching magma absorb every attack.

"It's hiding in the lava — we can't reach it." Edwin studied the scene grimly. "We need to force it back out."

"Mm." Jacob nodded, a glint in his eye.

In terrain like this, a Gigantamax Centiskorch was nearly untouchable. As long as it stayed submerged in the volcano's lava, nothing could touch it.

Just as Jacob was working out how to break the deadlock, a violent tremor tore through the far side of the volcano. The ground split open, and endless Rock-type energy poured out. A massive stone slab rose from beneath the earth, climbing to a sky-blotting height in a single heartbeat, like some enormous wall.

"Boom!"

Max Rockfall!

With a thunderous crash, the towering slab collapsed downward, crashing toward the Gigantamax Centiskorch within the volcano. But the Centiskorch reacted instantly, diving back beneath the lava to shield itself. The stone slab shattered on impact, sending Rock-type energy surging outward and stirring the air into a sandstorm.

The sudden assault caught both Jacob and Edwin completely off guard. They traded a startled glance.

In the distance, flames flickered wildly, and a crimson shape came soaring toward them, towering fire trailing in its wake. Its face was fierce, blazing fire curling around its neck, and its whole body wreathed in dense Fire-type energy — it looked every bit like a dragon born to bring ruin. Most striking of all were the twin wings on its back, wreathed in flame that seemed to steam and ripple like liquid.

Gigantamax Charizard?

A second Gigantamax Pokémon?

Jacob froze. He hadn't expected a second Gigantamax Pokémon to appear in this Secret Realm. It was only the second time he'd ever come across a Secret Realm holding two Gigantamax Pokémon at once.

"Is that... a Gigantamax Charizard?" Edwin clearly hadn't expected this either, his eyes fixed on the towering fire-type.

"Mm. Two Gigantamax Pokémon — that complicates things." Jacob studied the pair carefully. "Though it seems these two don't get along particularly well."

That much was obvious. Gigantamax Charizard and Gigantamax Centiskorch were clearly bitter enemies. That opening attack from Charizard had been aimed squarely at ending Centiskorch's life. As a Fire/Bug-type, Centiskorch was four times weak to Rock-type moves, just like Volcarona. Charizard's choice to open with Max Rockfall made its intentions unmistakable — it was going for the kill. Had that hit landed cleanly, Centiskorch would likely have been gravely wounded. Only the lava had cushioned the blow, absorbing most of the damage on its behalf.

Gigantamax Charizard paid no mind to Jacob and Edwin, brushing past the two as though they were beneath notice, and let out a booming roar toward the Centiskorch still hidden in the lava.

"Roar!"

Centiskorch rose to answer it, lifting its head like a serpent, flames dancing across its crown as its whole body ignited, and it bellowed back at the Charizard with equal ferocity.

Gigantamax Charizard versus Gigantamax Centiskorch — the scene playing out before them looked like nothing so much as a clash between a Western dragon and an Eastern one.

Watching the two titans size each other up, Jacob couldn't help the smile tugging at his lips, nor the thought running wild in his head.

Fight! Fight! The fiercer, the better!

He lowered his voice and murmured to Edwin, "Hold your Pokémon back for now. Let's watch how this plays out first."

For the two of them, a fight between Gigantamax Centiskorch and Gigantamax Charizard was nothing short of a gift. Whoever came out on top, he and Edwin stood to gain either way — even if they couldn't capture both, they could still take the loser once it was worn down.

Heaven must be smiling on me, Jacob thought.

Edwin nodded at Jacob's words, though in truth he'd already called his own Pokémon back before being told to. It was like watching two tigers fight from the safety of the mountainside.

His eyes moved back and forth between the two combatants, already weighing which one he'd rather claim for himself. With two Gigantamax Pokémon in play, Jacob obviously couldn't hand him both. If it came down to picking just one, Edwin knew he'd choose Charizard without hesitation.

Setting looks aside, Charizard's Flying-type was exactly what he needed. He didn't yet have a single quasi-Champion level Flying-type Pokémon on his team, and aerial combat had always been his weak point. Capturing this Gigantamax Charizard would fill that gap immediately.

"Boss..." Edwin turned to Jacob. "Two Gigantamax Pokémon. If it's all the same to you, I'd like the Charizard."

Jacob smiled and gave an easy nod. "Sure. You're missing a Flying-type anyway, and its aerial strength would round out your team nicely."

Then he paused, a faint smile still on his face as he glanced at Edwin. "Though it's a bit early to be dividing up the spoils. Let's capture them first."

...…