A water-type trainer who specializes in dragon-type water.

"cough……"

Zhang Heng took a deep breath of the cold, salty air, his eyelids trembled heavily a few times, and he slowly opened them.

The biting wind lashed his cheeks again, his feet were on solid ice, and before him lay a vast but scarred, frozen sea—he had returned, back to the icy sea at the heart of the battlefield.

"Look, look, look!"

"Gra! Gra gra!"

An anxious call immediately rang in his ears. The soft, warm feathers of the Altaria brushed against his arm, and the Swampert's pink, broad, and rough hand gently patted his shoulder, the cool touch carrying a burning concern.

They stayed by Zhang Heng's side the whole time.

Feeling the genuine concern of his companions, Zhang Heng felt a warmth in his heart. He struggled to sit up and reached out to pat the Altaria's head and the Swampert's sturdy arm.

Her voice was still a little hoarse: "I'm fine... I'm sorry to have worried everyone."

Immediately afterwards, a strange sensation surged through my entire body.

Full of energy!

He was surprised to find that his mental energy, which had been almost completely depleted due to continuous battles, commanding Z-moves, and enduring mental shocks, had been depleted.

At this moment, it was as if a dried-up spring had been refilled with clear water, becoming full and active, and my thoughts were clearer than ever before!

If his previous storage of spiritual energy was like a small water tank, now his spiritual energy is like a small pond that has been filled.

Although the pain from various parts of the body (the impact of the air blast, the surging of blood and qi caused by the compression of internal organs, and muscle soreness) still exists.

However, these external injuries are actually the easiest to heal with the medical technology of the modern Pokémon world.

What is truly precious is the restoration and enhancement of mental strength, which can usually only be achieved slowly through deep meditation or long periods of rest.

He immediately looked at the rippling water beside him. He, too, had benefited from the energy gift of the Dragon Stone Tablet, which made this ancient predator even better!

And its powerful vitality as a divine beast was on full display, with deep, bone-revealing lacerations left from previous battles and bone fractures caused by being whipped by the dragon's tail.

It had already healed most of the way, with the hideous wound covered by new, tough skin, leaving only faint traces.

Although it's still a little short of its peak, it has recovered more than 90% of its combat power!

It stood proudly on the ice, its bluish-green skin shimmering in the cold wind, its eyes still sharp, and its body exuding a powerful sense of oppression, as if the thrilling trial just now was merely a warm-up.

"Where's the Dragon Slab?" Zhang Heng subconsciously looked down at his hands—empty!

His heart tightened, and he immediately focused his mind, summoning the attribute panel of the rippling water with his thoughts:

Pokémon Name: Ripple

Attributes: Water, Dragon

Titanium crystal: Fire

Level: 81 (Champion-level combat power)

Qualification: Master

"Huh? Reached champion-level combat power?! Cool!!"

Zhang Heng couldn't help but shout with excitement in his heart. This was the first Pokémon he had ever owned that had reached Champion-level strength.

Having a Pokémon with Champion-level strength doesn't guarantee that he can become the Champion.

For example, Duan Guanjun's Pokémon team only has Champion-level Pokémon as the foundation, while his Keldeo and One-Hit Strike Urshifu are at least at the near-Master level, according to Zhang Heng's rough estimate.

Keldeo using the Fighting Plate is even a Master-level Pokémon.

The road ahead is still long, but at least we've taken the first step.

Zhang Heng suppressed his joy and then looked at the attribute panel of the rippling water.

Carried Item: Super S-Rank Item—Dragon Slate

Below this prop is a small line of description that reads:

(This item contains primordial Dragon-type power, greatly enhancing the power of Dragon-type moves used by the wielder. Simultaneously, the wielder gains complete immunity to Dragon-type moves.)

The clearly displayed inventory on the panel put Zhang Heng's mind at ease, followed by a surge of immense joy!

The Dragon Slab was indeed on the rippling water!

This legendary supreme artifact among dragon-type items has actually recognized them in this way, becoming a permanent item in the Waves!

The small print explained that it greatly enhances the power of Dragon-type moves and provides complete immunity to Dragon-type damage! This is practically the ultimate artifact that every Dragon-type Pokémon dreams of!

"It seems that the Dragon Slate played a part in Ripple's breakthrough to Champion-level combat power, but..."

However, this ecstasy was like a stone thrown into an icy sea, creating only brief ripples before being quickly submerged by the coldness and heaviness of the reality before them.

Zhang Heng raised his head.

What lay before them was no longer an illusory trial space, but a real and brutal battlefield in the icy sea.

On the frozen waves, large patches of glaring dark red were congealed—the blood of the fallen trainers.

Buried within the shattered ice are the lifeless bodies of Pokémon, frozen in battle stances, some with wings outstretched in protection, others baring their teeth in fury.

The ruins of Chinese ships wailed in the cold wind, the smoke of battle not yet completely dissipated, and the air was filled with the deathly stench of blood, burnt flesh, and the smell of the sea.

These scenes were like countless cold, heavy hammers, striking Zhang Heng's heart, which had just been jubilant from obtaining the Dragon Tablet.

That joy was instantly crushed, leaving only suffocating grief and a heavy sense of responsibility.

These lost lives, these fearless sacrifices, weighed on his shoulders like an invisible mountain.

The Dragon Stone Tablet is a powerful aid, but acquiring it cannot lessen the pain caused by this war in the slightest.

"Zhang Heng! Zhang Heng! How are you?! What just happened? You suddenly stood there motionless, and your breathing became very weak!"

Tang Guanjun's anxious voice, accompanied by hurried footsteps, grew louder as he approached. He had clearly been watching this area closely and rushed over immediately.

"Huh?!" Zhang Heng was taken aback by the question and subconsciously recalled his experience just now.

A blank space. Or rather, a strange sense of "reasonableness".

He only remembered that he grasped the Dragon Stone Tablet, and then, as if he had passed some kind of test and gained the tablet's approval, the tablet merged into the body of the rippling water and became a tool...

But what exactly was the trial process? What about the icy and snowy space? What about the powerful Mega Dragonite? What about the earth-shattering battles? And what about the mysterious "mission"?

...All the details became blurred, as if viewed through frosted glass, leaving only the conclusion of "obtaining the prop by passing the test" clearly remaining on the surface of memory.

"I...it seems I passed some kind of...trial of the Dragon Stone Tablet?" Zhang Heng rubbed his still throbbing temples, his tone uncertain.

"Then, the stone slab seemed to... approve of us and become a tool for carrying the ripples." He pointed to the majestic ripples beside him.

Upon hearing this, Tang Guanjun's gaze instantly sharpened like lightning, sweeping across the rippling water. He clearly sensed the dragon's might emanating from it, a power that was completely different from before, a deeper and more ancient one, as well as the immense power of the unseen yet perceptible artifact.

His face showed a mixture of shock and understanding: "So that's how it is! Old Duan was right, the stone slab will choose its own master and set up tests... I'm so glad you're alright! This power came at just the right time! We..."

"Roar—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Tang Guanjun's words were abruptly interrupted by a terrifying dragon roar, filled with fury and pain, that seemed to come from the distant horizon and from another dimension!

This roar was more ferocious than any before, carrying a pressure that tore space apart, and it came from the huge rift connecting the reversed world!

It's Kyurem!

Visibly, the light and shadow within the cracks shifted violently, as icy blue and dark energies collided and annihilated each other!

Clearly, Giratina has successfully stripped control of its Dragon Slab, but Kyurem has also finally reclaimed its crucial Gene Wedge!

The deadly battle between two first-level gods has escalated once again in the depths of the Reversal World!

The aftershocks of their battle are constantly impacting and tearing apart the already fragile reality through that crack!

A new and greater crisis, like a sword hanging over our heads, could descend at any moment!