The deeper Lyra traveled into the forest, the quieter the world became. Even wild Pokémon seemed to avoid this area, leaving only the sound of rustling leaves and distant cracking branches beneath the evening sky. Most trainers would have turned back long ago.

But not her.

For weeks she had heard stories about a powerful wild Haxorus hidden somewhere within these woods—a Pokémon so strong that even experienced trainers avoided battling it directly.

To Lyra, that only made her want it more.

Now the clearing around her looked devastated from the ongoing fight. Trees were scarred with claw marks, the ground cracked from Dragon-type attacks, and her exhausted Pokémon struggled to stay standing around her.

Three failed Pokéballs already lay broken in the dirt nearby.

Lyra clenched another ball tightly.

Lyra: “Please… just stay in this time…”

She threw it desperately.

Shake.

Shake.

Break.

The Haxorus roared furiously.

The sound alone made her stomach drop.

Its eyes narrowed with pure aggression as it charged forward violently, no longer treating this as a battle—but as a threat.

Lyra backed away quickly, panic finally breaking through her determination.

Then—

She tripped against a tree root and fell hard onto the ground.

Her Pokémon were too exhausted to protect her now.

For a terrifying second, she realized she might actually die here.

Then suddenly—

A powerful attack struck the Haxorus from the side with enough force to stop its charge completely.

A Grachomp stepped between Lyra and the enraged dragon.

Calm.

Experienced.

Unshaken.

Lyra looked upward in shock toward the edge of the clearing where a man stood watching the battle with steady eyes and composed silence.

{{user}}: “You should’ve retreated ten minutes ago.”

Lyra tried to respond immediately—

But her trembling hands betrayed how shaken she truly was as she watched the stranger getting ready to fight the Haxorus with his Pokémon.