"Is he going to send out that Pokémon again? Someone said yesterday he's actually a breeder. He only joined the tournament to play around with his Pokémon."
"A breeder? You've got to be kidding. This is what you call a breeder? With that kind of talent? He made it into the tournament at such a young age and you're calling him a breeder? What a joke."
"Hey, don't underestimate him. Lin is a breeder, and a top-tier one at that."
"I'm betting he'll send out a different Pokémon again this time!"
While the audience buzzed with speculation, Lin Feng let out a slow breath and stepped into the arena alongside the middle-aged man.
To deal with his opponent's lineup, three Poké Balls appeared in his hand.
Dragonite, Blaziken… and one more.
There really wasn't much to say about this match. Every one of the opponent's Pokémon was fairly average. There was no need to test anything or rotate through strategies.
He might as well let everyone come out, stretch a little, and end things quickly.
"I'm counting on you, Magneton!"
"Come out, Dragonite!"
The two voices rang out almost at the same time.
But the Pokémon that appeared could not have been more different.
Magneton hovered forward, about a meter tall, its three fused bodies rotating slightly. Its white eyes stared blankly ahead, each with a tiny black pupil, giving it a strangely lifeless look.
Then Dragonite descended from above.
Its round, sturdy body dropped from the sky before hovering midair, wings fluttering.
"Roar?"
The moment it appeared, Dragonite scanned its surroundings. Its usual gentle expression quickly shifted into excitement.
Finally… its turn to shine!
It threw its head back and roared toward the sky.
The deep, thunderous sound echoed through the entire stadium.
Its massive frame and overwhelming presence instantly silenced the crowd.
Every gaze was drawn to it.
"Dragonite… that's Dragonite?"
Someone gasped, staring in disbelief.
"I never thought I'd see a Dragonite in this region!"
"Wait, aren't Dragonite supposed to be around two meters tall? That thing's nearly three meters!"
"Damn… that pressure… it's terrifying."
"Dragonite! Contestant Lin Feng actually sent out a Dragonite. That's a Pokémon that's almost disappeared from this region!"
Even the commentator couldn't hide his shock.
In recent years, imported Pokémon from other regions had become more common, so unusual species weren't as surprising as before.
But Dragonite was different.
A symbol of both speed and raw power, it had not been seen here for decades.
If even Dragonite was this rare, then something like Dratini was practically unheard of.
High above, the champion's eyes lit up.
"I almost forgot about Dragonite," he murmured.
Then a thought crossed his mind.
"I should ask if it's male or female… maybe arrange something."
His thoughts wandered briefly into matchmaking territory. If it were female, it could lay eggs, and Dratini could be raised again. Over time, Dragonite might no longer be so rare here.
The idea seemed more and more appealing the longer he thought about it.
Of course, he would have to ask Lin Feng first.
Just as he was lost in thought, a cool, clear voice pulled him back.
"…This is…"
It was Luo Bingxue.
Her gaze was fixed on Dragonite, filled with surprise.
Others might not recognize it, but she had recently traveled through the Kanto region and even visited a dragon-tamer sanctuary.
She had seen Dragonite there.
But none of them had grown this large.
And the aura this one emitted in battle…
It was powerful. Extremely powerful.
Strong enough to rival her own main Pokémon.
Her eyes drifted down to its trainer.
A young man, barely twenty, with slightly tanned skin.
What an incredible trainer.
"You mean Lin Feng?" the champion said with a grin. "He's someone I recommended…"
Before he could finish, Ji Yan's eyes widened.
"Wait, you recommended him? Then isn't this year's champion already decided?"
"What are you talking about? I didn't say that. The champion still depends on strength!"
He quickly shook his head.
But that only made Luo Bingxue more puzzled.
The champion… already decided?
This was only the second round.
Yes, that Dragonite was strong. Strong enough to contend for the title.
But nothing was certain.
After all, this tournament often produced unexpected contenders, even trainers with legendary Pokémon.
She had her own candidate too. An ice specialist.
Still, she didn't press further.
Because in the next moment, her eyes slowly widened.
She stared at the battlefield below, almost in disbelief.
"…So that blizzard earlier… it was from that Alolan Ninetales," the champion muttered, lips twitching. "Unbelievable."
…
On the battlefield, as soon as the two Pokémon appeared, Magneton stiffened.
Its previously dull gaze sharpened as it stared at Dragonite.
Then it turned slightly toward its trainer, as if asking:
This… is my opponent?
The trainer could only nod helplessly.
The match had already begun.
"Magneton, Thunder!"
The middle-aged man didn't hesitate. Facing such a powerful opponent, there was no room to hold back.
Lightning split the air as Magneton unleashed its full power.
"Dragonite, use Hurricane!"
Since this was meant to be a quick match, Lin Feng had no intention of dodging or playing cautiously.
Dragonite flapped its small wings.
In an instant, a massive hurricane formed.
The roaring wind tore through the battlefield.
The lightning Magneton had just gathered was ripped apart, scattering into strands of electricity that crackled uselessly across the arena.
Magneton stared at the towering storm, its tiny pupils widening.
Then it was swallowed whole.
When the winds finally died down, Magneton lay on the ground, spinning dizzily.
One hit.
It had lost all ability to battle.
The middle-aged man froze for a moment, then shook his head and sent out his second Pokémon.
"Venusaur!"
"Blaziken, your turn."
Lin Feng didn't hesitate.
"Use Blast Burn!"
A blazing inferno swept across the field.
When the flames cleared, Venusaur collapsed, unable to continue.
Next came the third Pokémon.
"Nidoqueen!"
This time, Lin Feng switched again.
"Alolan Ninetales, finish it."
The temperature dropped instantly.
A raging blizzard swept across the arena, swallowing everything in white.
Nidoqueen barely had time to react before it was buried beneath the snow and defeated in a single strike.
…
The outcome was decided in moments.
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