After climbing past 500 meters on Mountain, the path became much easier to traverse. While it was still steep in some areas, it was far better than the earlier ses where Julian had nearly fallen several times.

  With his machete in hand, Julia hag away at the trees and undergrowth in his path.

  Fortunately, his extraordinary physique kept him going. Without it, just climbing Dragon Mountain might have been enough to cim his life.

  Most trainers were in excellent physical shape. Without strong bodies and quick reflexes, it was nearly impossible to survive in the wild. Battles without protective shields could easily kill a careless trainer caught in the crossfire.

  Those without the necessary physical fitness aion speeds ofteheir end in the wilderness.

  Being a professional trainer might seem enviable, but it wasn't an easy life. Every year, tless trainers lost their lives to various acts while expl the wild.

  The risks and rewards of being a professional trainer were alroportional.

  After climbing another 300 meters, Julian and Dragonite reached the 800-meter mark.

  In sions, an 800-meter mountain would be the tallest peak in the area.

  But on Mountain, 800 meters was still barely above the base.

  Thud. Thud. Thud.

  A series of heavy footsteps echoed, signaling that Julian and Dragonite had ehe territory of another Dragon-Type Pokémon.

  A Druddigon appeared before them.

  It was another early Elite-tier oppo, but it stood taller and seemed strohan the Flygon they had faced earlier.

  Druddigon: 'Get off my territory!'

  Dragonite: ' I just fly over it instead?'

  Druddigon became furious. 'Who do you think you're mog?!'

  It roared and unleashed Drage, a bzing red sphere of energy. The heat radiating from the attack made the air around it boil, and the temperature spiked.

  Feeling the heat burn his hair, Julian quickly retreated dozens of meters.

  He wasn't sure what Dragonite had said to anger Druddigon, but its Drage was far more powerful due to its anger.

  Dragonite, clueless as to why the Druddigon was so upset, looked puzzled. Its goofy expression remained, but its as were swift.

  With a powerful fp of its wings, it summoned a Twister to ter the attack.

  Uedly, the two moves didn't collide. Instead, the Drage was absorbed into the Twister, enhang its power.

  Dragohanks for the upgrade, big guy.'

  Druddigon: 'What just happened?!'

  In a mix of fusion and fury, Druddigon watched as the fiery Twister, now infused with its own Drage, hurtled toward it.

  Druddigon roared.

  Opening its jaws, it formed a spectral image of its head in mid-air. The phantom head, brimming with sharp fangs, luo bite into the fiery tornado.

  A deafening roar erupted from Druddigon's mouth, sending powerful sound waves that shook the mountaihe vibrations dislodged rocks, many tumbling straight toward Julian.

  Julian: (?…?)

  Crack—don't misuand, it wasn't Julian's legs breaking under a falling rock—but the Twister, infused with Drage, was shattered. Druddigon had bitten straight through it, dispersing it with ch.

  Phew!

  Druddigon smacked its lips, feeling a slight tingliion but nothing too serious.

  'Whoever dares call me the disgrace of the Dragon , I'll personally deal with them!'

  The se was nothing short of jaw-dropping.

  To bite through a bitack of Twister and Drage? That wasn't just strength—it was sheer power and unyielding tenacity. And clearly, those jaws had to be as tough as steel.

  The spectral dragon head reappeared in the air, its crushing jaws aiming fonite once more.

  Dragonite braced itself, digging in with all four limbs. Despite the pain, Dragonite bent slightly, muscles coiling like springs. Then, with a powerful surge, it unleashed its strength, shattering the bsp;with a thunderous blow.

  But there was no time to catch its breath. Druddigon was already following up with Dragon Cw, a massive energy-formed cw, at least teers long, sshing down toward Dragonite.

  Swish!

  The cw swiped through empty air. Dragonite had vanished.

  In the blink of an eye, Dragonite reappeared behind Druddigon, moving with breathtaking speed usireme Speed.

  As if sensing the danger instinctively, Druddigon didn't even turn its head. It swung a Dragon Tail backward, aiming straight at Dragonite.

  Julian raised an eyebrow. The gap in strength between this Druddigon and the earlier Flygon was obvious, even though both were supposedly early Elite-tier.

  One was statio 500 meters, while the uarded the 800-meter mark. In just a 300-meter differehe challenge had escated signifitly.

  'How did Dyn make it through this with a Peak Pseudo-Elite Samence?' Julian wondered skeptically.

  To plete the Dragon Mountain challenge, one only o defeat three Dragon-Type Pokémon. But if the first oppo was already an early Elite-tier, the third could very well be at the mid-Elite level.

  'And Dyn cleared this with his Samence? Back then, it wasn't evee-tier yet.'

  Dyn: 'I have the Heart ons. Three Elites? No problem. Who are you looking down on?'

  As Juliaertaihe idea that Dyn might have used some "unofficial" methods to clear the challenge, Dragonite had already grabbed Druddigon's Dragon Tail mid-swing.

  Dragonite's razor-sharp cws dug deep into Druddigon's tail, pierg through its thick scales. Even with its sturdy armor, the tail couldn't withstand Dragonite's raw strength.

  All of Julian's Pokémon had ohing in on—unmatched physical power.

  When in doubt, brute force wins.

  With Druddigon's tail firmly in its grasp, the Dragon Pokémon tried to twist and attack. But before it could act, it realized it was suddenly airborne.

  The moment, its surroundings spun rapidly as Dragonite began swinging it like a ragdoll.

  After nearly a hundred spins, Dragonite finally looses grip. With a resounding boom, Druddigon's body smmed heavily into the mountainside.

  The once-solid rock faow featured a massive crater almost a hundred meters wide, with ks of debris tumbling down in a chaotidslide.

  Julian: 'If you want to ge trainers, just say so. I jump off the cliff myself!'

  Thankfully, Dragonite quickly stepped in front of him, shielding him from the falling debris.

  "Finish it off!"

  Julian shouted as he noticed that, while Druddigon was embedded in the mountain, its eyes were still open.

  It was clear the excessive spinning had left the Dragon-type too dizzy to trol its body.

  If they didn't capitalize on this opportunity now, when would they?

  With a powerful stomp, Dragonite uself forward. The grouh it shattered as it transformed into a streak of yellow lightning. It drove its Mega Punbsp;straight toward Druddigon.

  Druddigon sehe impending danger but could do nothing to stop it. Its body swayed, unrespoo its ands.

  With a thunderous impact, Dragonite's attack ected squarely with Druddigon's stomach.

  The blow was devastating. Druddigon's eyes bulged as searing pain surged through its body. The force was so overwhelming that its mind instinctively shut down to protect itself.

  Thud.

  Druddigon colpsed to the ground, its mouth still agape. Saliva trickled from its jaw as its body twitched sporadically.

  "Let's keep moving"

  Today's goal was to reach 5,000 meters, and they had barely made it to 800. There was still a long way to go.