The weeks following the Aggron incident had been tense, with Dewford Town slowly trying to recover from the devastation. Rion and his uncle, Ryker, had kept mostly to themselves, mourning the loss of Poliwrath and grappling with the growing realization that something needed to change in this world. But despite their shared grief, there had been a quiet skepticism lingering in Ryker’s eyes whenever Rion brought up his ideas.

Rion couldn’t blame him. It was one thing to say you knew things, to claim knowledge of evolutions and secrets that had been guarded for generations, but it was another thing entirely to prove it. Even as Ryker had agreed to listen to him, to help him in his mission, there had been a part of him that remained doubtful. And Rion understood—after all, how could he expect his uncle to believe something so outlandish without evidence?

That was why today was so important.

They stood together in a secluded clearing deep within Granite Cave, the place where Ryker had always brought his Pokémon for training. The cave walls, still scarred from past battles, seemed to bear witness to their endeavor. Ryker’s Machamp was nearby, keeping a watchful eye on the proceedings, but the focus today was on Primeape. The Fighting-type paced back and forth, its usual boundless energy seeming even more volatile than usual.

Rion took a deep breath, steeling himself. He had spent days thinking about how to approach this, how to teach Primeape the move that would trigger its evolution. Rage Fist wasn’t just a move—it was a manifestation of deep, untapped anger, something that required a specific kind of training to bring out.

“Are you sure about this, Rion?” Ryker asked, his tone cautious. “Primeape’s already got a lot of anger issues. I don’t want to push it too far.”

“I’m sure, Uncle,” Rion replied with more confidence than he felt. “Rage Fist isn’t just about anger. It’s about focusing that anger, channeling it into something powerful. Primeape needs to learn how to harness that rage, not just let it consume him.”

Ryker nodded slowly, still looking uncertain. “And how do we do that?”

Rion looked at Primeape, considering his next words carefully. “We need to push Primeape to the edge, but in a controlled way. It needs to face challenges that will frustrate and anger it, but we’ll be there to guide it, to show it how to use that anger in battle. We’ll start with endurance.”

He turned to Primeape, who stopped pacing and looked at him with a fierce intensity. “Primeape, we’re going to push your limits today. I want you to use Focus Energy and keep it up as long as you can. Machamp will be your sparring partner. The goal isn’t to beat Machamp, but to learn how to sustain that energy, to hold onto it even when it gets tough.”

Primeape snorted and nodded, dropping into a stance as it began to focus. Its body tensed, the usual jittery energy becoming more concentrated, more intense. Machamp moved into position, raising its arms defensively.

“Machamp, go easy at first,” Ryker instructed. “We’re trying to build up Primeape’s frustration, not break it.”

Machamp nodded and began a series of light jabs, just enough to push Primeape back, to make it struggle. Primeape grunted in annoyance, dodging and blocking, but as the minutes dragged on, the strain began to show. Its Focus Energy wavered, and Rion could see the frustration building.

“Keep going, Primeape,” Rion encouraged. “Don’t let the anger take over—use it. Let it fuel you, but stay in control.”

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The training continued, with Primeape repeatedly pushing itself to maintain the Focus Energy while enduring Machamp’s relentless attacks. The longer it went on, the more frustrated Primeape became, its anger building with each failed attempt to land a solid hit on Machamp.

Rion watched closely, looking for the signs he knew would come. Primeape’s anger was reaching a boiling point, its movements becoming more erratic, more desperate. But it was also learning, slowly but surely, to channel that rage into its strikes. Each punch became more precise, more powerful.

After what felt like hours, Rion called a halt. “Alright, that’s enough for now.”

Primeape stopped, panting heavily, its fur bristling with barely-contained energy. Its eyes were wild, but there was a new focus there, a clarity that hadn’t been present before.

“That’s it, Primeape,” Rion said, smiling. “You’re getting it. Now we need to take it one step further.”

Ryker raised an eyebrow. “What’s the next step?”

Rion took a deep breath. “Primeape needs to experience real pain and frustration. It needs to be pushed to its absolute limit and come out the other side. But it can’t be just any pain—it has to be personal.”

He turned to Primeape, who was still catching its breath. “Remember all those battles where you were outmatched, where you couldn’t win despite how hard you fought? That’s the feeling we need to tap into. The feeling of being cornered, of facing an opponent you can’t beat. We’re going to recreate that, but this time, you’re going to use that feeling to power up.”

Ryker frowned. “And how do we do that?”

Rion’s expression was grim. “We let Primeape fight Machamp at full strength. No holding back. We push Primeape until it’s almost at its breaking point, and then… we keep pushing.”

Ryker hesitated, clearly uneasy with the idea. “That sounds dangerous, Rion.”

“It is,” Rion admitted. “But it’s the only way. If Primeape can learn to channel its rage in that situation, it’ll trigger the evolution.”

After a long pause, Ryker finally nodded. “Alright. Let’s do it.”

Machamp and Primeape squared off again, but this time, there was no holding back. Machamp’s punches came faster, harder, driving Primeape back with each blow. Primeape fought back with everything it had, but it was clear that Machamp was the stronger opponent. The frustration was evident in Primeape’s eyes, but so was the determination.

Rion watched as Primeape absorbed hit after hit, its anger building with each blow. But instead of lashing out wildly, Primeape began to focus that anger, its fists glowing with a dark, ominous energy.

“Rage Fist,” Rion whispered, feeling a thrill of excitement. “It’s happening.”

With a primal roar, Primeape unleashed the Rage Fist, its fist connecting with Machamp’s chest in a powerful blow that sent the larger Pokémon stumbling back. The energy surrounding Primeape grew more intense, the dark aura wrapping around it like a shroud.

Rion felt his heart race as the air around Primeape began to crackle with energy. This was it—the moment of evolution. Primeape’s body began to glow with a bright light, its shape shifting and expanding as the evolution took hold. The light grew blinding, forcing Rion and Ryker to shield their eyes.

When the light finally faded, standing in Primeape’s place was a new Pokémon, one that radiated power and fury. Its body was larger, more muscular, and its eyes burned with an intense, spectral light. Ghostly wisps of energy floated around it, and its fists were now encased in a dark, crackling aura.

“Annihilape,” Rion said in awe, barely able to believe his eyes. “It worked.”

Ryker stared at the newly evolved Pokémon, his skepticism melting away as a look of astonishment and pride took its place. He stepped forward, placing a hand on Annihilape’s shoulder, feeling the power thrumming beneath its skin. “You did it, Rion. You were right.”

Annihilape growled softly, its rage now tempered with a newfound control. Ryker turned to Rion, a wide smile breaking across his face. “I don’t know how you knew about this, but you’ve earned my trust. I’m with you, Rion, whatever you need.”

Rion felt a surge of relief and satisfaction. “Thank you, Uncle. This is just the beginning. We’ve proven that my knowledge is real, and now we can start using it to make a difference.”

Ryker nodded, his expression serious. “You’re right. But we’ll need to be careful. The kind of change you’re talking about won’t come easy. We’ll have to plan our next steps carefully.”

Rion looked at Annihilape, then back at his uncle. “We will. But with your help, I know we can do it.”

Together, they left the clearing, the bond between them stronger than ever. The path ahead was uncertain, and the challenges would be great, but for the first time, Rion felt like they had a real chance to make things better.