Another planet reduced to rubble; Incineroar was on a roll.

Pride welled within him as the result of his hard work flew past him, bits of grassy debris that crumbled in the vacuum of space as his gravity ripped every piece apart until he couldn’t see them anymore. The power inside him grew, all the new energy coalescing in his core, muscles rippling as his form burgeoned larger. Planets might not be worth the effort anymore as his height grew to become best measured in light-years.

He reveled in how far he came.

For too long he lived in the shadow of everyone else, having to watch as those around him controlled what was said and done. It was pure misery. He hated it. Why should power be concentrated in the hands of those who didn’t deserve it? He had to get his own mitts on it.

While he never claimed the power that he desired, he found solace in discovering a way to accrue a different kind: fighting – or more specifically, winning fights.

Being a Pokémon it made sense in his mind, but what he didn’t expect was how far he could take it. Combat against others had turned into his primary goal in order to get what he wanted, however, he realized that at some point it started manifesting in an increase in size. Fighting became easier, so much easier in fact, that he gained less and less of that essence with every win. The revelation was discouraging until he discovered that taking on and conquering structures offered the same rewards.

The might he commanded was immense, and he made sure everyone knew it. What was once the city he lived in was now a collection of toppled skyscrapers. The country was next, then the continent, then the entire world. But just a single one couldn’t quench his thirst so he went after more, ripping apart one before slamming his fist through another. Now he was too big for even that.

While his dimensions had soared in every direction, it didn’t reveal itself much in the amount of heft he carried around. The most he was afforded was the physique of a professional bodybuilder, if a bit larger than average. Yet that didn’t bother him; why worry about muscle mass when he had unadulterated strength? “There’s no one else who can take me on. I’m an unbeatable god!”

“I disagree,” a voice behind him called out. His ears perked. Wasn’t he alone? Hastily he spun himself around to get a good look at the sudden visitor, only to smirk when it was revealed to be the God of all Pokémon, Arceus, right there before him in the flesh. His skin shone as brilliantly as the stars did without the need for any sort of celestial combustion.

Incineroar’s malevolent grin widened. “Well, if it isn’t the big man himself. What brings you to this quaint slice of universe?”

Arceus’ expression didn’t budge. “I’m constantly besieged by arrogant parvenus like you disrupting the natural order. I grow tired of having to rebuild communities because some pompous nobody like yourself gained a modicum of power and thinks they have the right to lord it over everyone else.”

“Nobody?!” Incineroar bellowed. Immediately his hackles raised, his hands curling into fists as his eyes bored holes into the newcomer. Being a fire type meant he had plenty of experience around various hot elements, but nothing heated him more in his life than to be so easily dismissed like that. He’d worked his ass off to get this far, and he wasn’t about to be pushed around without a fight.

“I can see where your priorities lie.”

“Ask those planets I smashed if I’m ‘nobody.’” Incineroar jammed a finger into the void of space behind him, forgetting that he’d vastly outgrown any and all planets he could ever come across.

The gaze of Arceus followed, his look unimpressed. A sigh followed as he remade eye contact. “Considering I put them back together in a fraction of a second, I don’t think they’ll care about you at all.”

Incineroar froze. “You… you did what?”

“I merely thought about it and fixed them all at once.”

Incineroar blinked, his mouth agape.

In an instant.

For so long had he toiled away fighting to prove himself to the world, to show he was the best around. He fought and clashed and clawed his way to the top of the ranks to the point where no one could stand up to him anymore. In his mind, he deserved the right to do whatever it was he wanted.

And all his efforts were undone in an instant. He’d never been so worried.

“You’re welcome to try it again. I’ll just keep erasing your endeavours.”

All the bluster Incineroar once sported had vapourized. In his mind he’d barely had access to this kind of strength, and already he’d stumbled across the most powerful being in existence? He didn’t even stack up! But that didn’t mean he was about to back down either. “W-Well, that doesn’t matter because I can just take you on!”

For the first time in their interaction, Arceus’ mouth did something other than remain apathetic, instead curling into an impish grin. “Oh, you can?”

That look made Incineroar feel like he was being assaulted by icy pinpricks. Nevertheless he kept his confident demeanour going, not wanting to announce his trepidation. “Yeah, I can,” he growled, brow furrowed in disdain.

“I’m so glad you think so.”

While Incineroar knew he was the underdog in this fight, he would still give it his all no matter what the outcome. Whatever tricks the god could pull out, he’d adapt and come out on top. He was sure of it.

And then he felt his feet be pulled to something solid. He looked down, startled, only to see he stood on something soft with an obvious hard floor underneath. And then he noticed how the floor was square and that there were ropes running around the perimeter attached to turnbuckles which were in turn attached to poles.

He couldn’t believe his luck – he was in a wrestling ring! His cocky smirk only grew wider. For a being with such omnipotent power, Arceus just made this fight so much harder for himself.

“Before we get started, I believe I should state what the rules are here. The rules are,” the divine being gave a dramatic pause, “there are no rules.”

“Works for me!” Incineroar wasted no time in attacking his opponent, his fist enveloping in a blaze as he delivered a blow to the abdomen of the god. His grin never faltered as he followed up with another hit across the face. Arceus’ skin seemed to singe; did that mean his foe had dropped power levels to match his, or was he really strong enough to face a deity?

Whatever the case, he’d be sure to take advantage of it.

Arceus seemed to be on the defensive, which he used to start the fight off on the right foot, a flurry of flaming fists hurled in the direction of his opponent, one after another. Some hit, some missed, but he was slowly backing the god into a corner. This was his best chance to get an edge in the brawl. He lunged forward, hands positioned into a grapple with the intent to send his enemy to the mat, but, to his shock, his attack was dodged with lightning-quick speed. His eyes couldn’t even follow the equine beast!

“You will have to be quicker than that,” Arceus tut-tutted before reciprocating with a forceful grapple of his own, slamming Incineroar into the stage with a seismic boom.

“H-How…” He sputtered, vision blurring as he laid there, dazed. His mind reeled when he realized the magnitude of his boast. Never before had he been so deceived, lulled into a false sense of security by someone he thought would meet him on an even playing field, to match strengths with him in the ring.

But then he remembered – there were no rules. His fur bristled with concern.

His bearings eventually returned to him, the time in which it took to do so feeling like an eternity, though given he was in a fight against the Pokémon creator it very well could’ve been. He honestly couldn’t sense the passage of time as well as could here.

And that’s when he discovered that he didn’t even really know where ‘here’ was. The ring appeared to be held in some kind of white void, almost like what he envisioned purgatory to look like. Every depiction of the afterlife he’d ever encountered in entertainment media flashed into his mind, leading to some questions he’d always had getting answered, while creating others to take their place.

By the time he felt right enough to try and push himself up he was met with the imposing visage of Arceus atop the post glaring down at him. “I’m glad you came to. I was starting to think we were done already,” he teased. Incineroar wasn’t thrilled his opponent got to jab him so relentlessly using words; he wasn’t used to being on the receiving end this much. And as if it couldn’t get any worse, there was zero warning for the flying elbow headed his way.

Any breath he held was knocked out of him the instant the blow connected, his eyes going wide from the sheer amount of power the impact held, his chest feeling like it just caved in. It didn’t, thankfully, but in no way could he have anticipated just how strong this guy was. He needed to shift into high gear just to stand a chance!

Seeing a punch heading his way caused him to gasp, narrowly dodging the strike by quickly flipping onto his front and landing in a fighting stance. The god was tough for sure. It would take some ingenuity on his end to secure even a single meaningful hit.

Well, he wasn’t one to shy away from dirtier tactics, and with the rules saying anything was allowed, who would tell him otherwise?

Thrusting his fists in an alternating fashion got his foe following the pattern he was hoping for, giving him the golden opportunity to pivot into something a little underhanded. That was apt given he jabbed a fiery fist at the deity’s groin with all the might he could muster. It would’ve been enough had a hand not grabbed his own with supersonic speed.

“Don’t think you’re the first to try that,” Arceus scoffed.

The velocity in which his attack was blocked left Incineroar speechless. That wasn’t even to mention the strength his foe possessed, clamping onto his fist with all the force of a vise. But what he heard wriggled through his head. The first? So there were others before him? Given how he didn’t see any around, it had him feeling like his chances of coming out victorious were dwindling by the second.

But he had to put that out of his mind. Regardless of whether or not he was the third or three hundredth challenger, he’d be the one to finally put this god in his place. He wrestled his hand free with a tug, the fist he made automatic, but that was just a distraction for his real move, which was an unexpected elbow smacking his equine opponent square in the face.

It worked. His blow dazed his enemy, giving him enough time to follow up with another shot below the belt, this time a kick that was far from being blocked. The way the god crumpled allowed him to land more body shots, feeling the impact of every single one against his knuckles. His grin returned in full force.

A knee to the abdomen. A punch to the face. A headbutt. He was laying the smackdown on Arceus, not letting up for a moment lest he lose any window of opportunity he had. A bead of sweat trickled from the top of his head, traveling down his cheek until it matted some fur by his chin. He had no idea he was building up such a sweat until just that moment!

That lined him up to grapple his battered opponent, hands grasping the equine’s broad shoulders. His mind wandered around, thinking of what he could do in that situation. Flinging his foe to the floor sounded opportune, if a little basic, but it would get the job done.

Which made him wonder what a flashier way to subdue this god would be.

And then he saw the ropes. Without thinking, he hurled his enemy at them like he’d seen on television many times before, watching as they stretched to take on the other man until they became taut, which is when they released their tension and sent the man flying back in the reverse direction.

That was his cue to meet with his foe, only with an arm outstretched. How fast the god came back at him was matched, his limb colliding with the equine beast’s neck, sending him plummeting to the stage. Oh, the rush of the fight thrilled him to bits, his nearness to victory coursing adrenaline through his veins. He stood over his downed opponent, a smug grin across his mug as he savoured his handiwork, enjoying the spectacle of him being on top.

“Ooh, not so tough when you’re on the floor,” he gloated, hands resting on his hips. “Anything you wanna say before I end you?”

“Yes,” Arceus spat back almost instantly, the corners of his mouth tightening into a smile of his own, “the fight’s not over yet.” Without warning, Incineroar found his balance being swept from under him, his world spinning until he landed hard on the stage, chin first. The brunt of him slamming the floor dazed him momentarily, just enough to get him to lose track of himself as his brain worked quickly to process what in the hell just happened.

To make matters worse, the length of the brawl was getting to him. So much exertion was taking its toll, his chest heaving to suck in as much air as he could, trying to keep his lungs as inflated as they needed to be as he picked himself up into a crawl. Just getting to his hands and knees was becoming a challenge in and of itself. He’d say he was worried he bit off more than he could chew, but it was far too late to do anything about it now; he was in too deep.

He searched for his opponent around the ring to no avail. It flabbergasted him that he lost track of the other man so easily, wondering where he could’ve gone off to.

Until it hit him. Literally.

A leg drop he never saw coming smashed his skull into the stage, the power he accrued miraculously keeping him in one piece, but not doing enough to dull the pain. He rolled over onto his back, his world spinning as he did all he could to not lose consciousness. This whole experience was unlike anything he could’ve ever expected. One, he didn’t even know that the God of all Pokémon actually existed. Two, he could’ve never anticipated just how strong this deity really was. It started to feel like he was getting toyed with by someone who did this for a living.

It made him feel like how all the previous challengers did, even if he never met them to know for sure.

His composure returning, he twisted himself around to get a better look at his foe, only to receive a knee to the face for his troubles. That sent him flying to the floor, landing face up as he only just realized how much time he’d spent lying down on the mat. He had no idea he’d be this outmatched; why did he have to run into this guy so soon? Couldn’t he have gotten the chance to experiment with his power a bit more first?!

In the time he’d been wallowing in his grief at being bested so easily, he barely had a moment to register a foot hovering over his face before it was slammed in his direction, which jolted him from his thoughts and motivated him to not have his face stomped flat. His nerves surged as his heart raced, with him flipping onto his feet in a fraction of a second, putting him face-to-face with his opponent once more.

His hasty reaction elicited a happy grunt from Arceus. “And here I thought you were done. I was really thinking you had nothing left in you!”

Incineroar wheezed as he struggled to stay upright. “I guess I’m not like all the others after all.”

“That’s for me to decide.” A sudden flash was all the indication Incineroar got of Arceus’ attack before the god had vanished from his sight again, and knowing how much was taken out of him before, he knew he had to prevent a hit from connecting. The bastard was crafty, his agility not letting him get a good look at where a strike could possibly come from, but the previous encounter got his mind trained to predict where one could land. It took everything he had in him to not lose focus in such a crucial time, and he was rewarded with a shot to his face being blocked by his arm. That opened up him to attack, taking no time at all to send another kick to his opponent's groin without the chance for it to be thwarted.

His opponent fell, buckling to the floor in front of him. He gave a wry smirk as he watched the god struggle with receiving a boot to the crotch, thanking his lucky stars there wasn’t anything preventing him from handing out blows that low. The moment was one to savour; not any time in his life did he think he’d be able to go toe-to-toe with a god and have a chance of succeeding.

But seeing the other man in that position immediately gave him an idea for how to come out on top. That ring around Arceus’ back seemed secure, not once moving while they fought, which gave him the brilliant idea to use it as a handle to deliver more pain. His breathing laboured, he grabbed the ring – which was made of some material far stronger than anything he’d ever come across – and used it to swing his knee into the battered face of his foe, sending the god sprawling onto the mat.

To witness such a brutal beatdown was one thing, but to be the one administering it? A feeling better than any ambrosia he’d ever had in his life. So much he’d been worn down by the fight, run ragged more than any other person had been able to do to him, but this was the moment he was waiting for. This was his moment! He justified the power he’d attained to an actual deity, proving once and for all that he was meant to be as strong as he was.

If only he’d been paying attention to his opponent.

He only took his eye off the other Pokémon for what he thought was a second, but that was enough to distract him from the god regrouping and giving him what could easily be considered the most powerful punch any person had ever seen right in the middle of his groin. The pain was instant, his body going into shock the exact moment his nerves shot that signal to his brain, his hands reaching for the area right after. Dropping to the stage was inevitable. Were he a lesser man, that blow would’ve shattered his pelvis to dust.

Incineroar’s mind reeled as he recalled everything that led up to that point. All the fighting he went through… was it all for nothing? A dull throb pulsed through his body as he lay there motionless, unable to do anything except hold the area he was walloped. He couldn’t even get up. There was no doubt in his mind why he hadn’t seen any other challengers hanging around here. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn’t think he was able to continue. “I’m done,” he weakly groaned.

“Lasted longer than I thought.” Arceus circled around him, hands resting on his waist. “I’ll give you that much.”

Incineroar wasn’t sure what was bruised more – his body, or his ego. All he could do was let out a grunt as he pulled himself to his feet using the ropes, legs unstable as he struggled to stand, hands shaking, chest heaving. He couldn’t be sure his very soul wasn’t banged up. But the more he was able to catch his breath, the more he realized he was even getting the opportunity in the first place. Shouldn’t something be happening right now? “Wait, why aren’t you, like, disposing of me or taking away my power or something?” He watched Arceus bend down to look at him.

“Because you intrigue me. You’re clearly good at what you do, if undisciplined.” Arceus offered a hand. “But discipline can be taught. We have all eternity for that.”

“Discipline? But we fought no-holds-barred. Why do I need discipline?” Incineroar’s wobbly legs kept buckling under him.

“I meant that you’re sloppy. You might have the strength to fight, but your technique leaves something to be desired.” Arceus gave a wry smirk. “You fancy yourself a god? I’m going to need you to prove it.”

The only thing Incineroar was really capable of at that moment was blinking, which is why it caught him off guard that the ring suddenly vanished, replaced again by the endless void of space. Any force he felt pulling him down disappeared, making it easier for his body to recover from the fight. “So, you’re not gonna take my power away?” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Only if you show you’re not worthy of wielding it. That kind of might is capable of doing some incredible things. But misuse it and it’s gone.”

There wasn’t any way Incineroar would look a gift Pokémon in the mouth. Whatever it took to let him keep his power, he’d do it knowing full well what the alternative was. Yeah, he’d have to be following the orders of someone else, but if there was the possibility he could get even stronger, was that really such a bad thing after all?

Who knew what kind of fun awaited him?