The golden electricity from Zebstrika's mane roared like a thunder dragon, coiling around Hisuian Braviary.
"Braviary, Teleport!"
The dragon of lightning struck only a fading afterimage. The real Braviary had already blinked through space, reappearing directly behind Zebstrika.
The Hisuian form possesses the Psychic type, Feng Che thought. When I first caught him, his mastery of psychic moves was raw. But after that brutal training session with Mewtwo, he's mastered Teleport. If he ever learns Ally Switch, he could swap places with Zebstrika mid-attack, forcing the zebra to eat its own ten-thousand volts. Even an Electric-type would be crippled by that.
"Finish it. Psychic!"
Seven-colored light rippled from Braviary's purple crest. The telekinetic shockwave slammed into Zebstrika's spine, nearly pinning it to the floor. The zebra staggered, its legs trembling as if it had been struck by a physical sledgehammer.
"Zebstrika, Swift!" Sasaki Sho yelled, desperate to turn the tide before his Electric Terrain vanished.
Zebstrika let out a deafening bray and stamped its forehooves. Dozens of golden, glowing stars streaked from its mane.
"Braviary, Light Screen!"
A translucent wall of energy manifested around Braviary. The stars hammered against it, spider-webbing the barrier with cracks. But just as Feng Che was about to order another Teleport, Sho pushed Zebstrika for one last Thunderbolt.
The air erupted in smoke and static. When the haze cleared, Braviary drifted down to the ground, untouched.
Zebstrika, however, collapsed.
"Rotom! Zebstrika is unable to battle! The winner is Leader Feng Che!" the Battle Rotom announced, scanning the fallen Pokémon.
"Return, Zebstrika," Sho said, his face darkening. That was his strongest ace, fallen in the first round.
"You too, Braviary. Take a rest," Feng Che said, recalling his bird.
Sho looked stunned. "Why recall it? It still has plenty of energy."
Feng Che sighed, looking mockingly troubled. "Braviary is a powerful little guy. If he won the match three-to-zero all by himself, it would give me a real headache. It wouldn't be fair to my other Pokémon to let him hog all the fun."
The insult wasn't subtle. It was a slap to the face. Sho's face contorted with rage. To win three-to-zero would be a 'headache'? He's saying my whole team isn't worth a single bird!
"Go! Eelektrik!"
Pokémon: Eelektrik Level: 59 Potential: Deep Green Type: Electric (Levitate)
The blue, eel-like Pokémon hovered, its circular, sucker-like mouth pulsing. Sho was clearly holding out for a high-quality Thunder Stone to evolve it into Eelektross, hoping to break into the Epic potential tier. With Levitate, it had no natural weaknesses—or so Sho thought.
"A counter for my flyers? Then meet the counter for your sparks. Go, Gliscor!"
Feng Che's Gliscor was a terrifying sight. Evolved from a Gligar he'd liberated from poachers using a top-tier Razor Fang, it was a grey-purple nightmare with glowing yellow eyes and a wicked, cross-shaped tail.
Pokémon: Gliscor Potential: Epic (Cyan) Ability:Poison Heal (Holding a Toxic Orb) Level: 58 Type: Ground / Flying Status: Perfect Evaluation: Armed to the teeth. With Poison Heal and its Toxic Orb, its regeneration speed is unparalleled.
"Dammit, a Gliscor? My Eelektrik's Electric moves are useless!" Sho gritted his teeth. "And is that a top-grade Toxic Orb around its neck? How does he have such treasures?"
Sho's eyes flashed with jealousy. He knew the rumors—that Sasaki Taro had been sponsoring Feng Che. Taro is throwing away the family's wealth on an outsider!
The Electromagnetic Shield
"Eelektrik, Acid Spray!"
Eelektrik spat a glob of brownish-red acid that burst in mid-air, raining down. A pungent, stinging scent filled the arena.
Suddenly, four Swoobat appeared at the corners of the field, erecting a psychic barrier to keep the fumes from reaching the audience. The crowd cheered at Feng Che's foresight.
"Gliscor was born in the high peaks, gliding on the winds of three-thousand-meter cliffs," Feng Che said dismissively. "Rain doesn't touch it."
Gliscor blurred through the acidic mist, dry as a bone. "Gliscor, Rock Blast!"
Gliscor's claws fired massive boulders. Eelektrik twisted its body, using its magnetic control to weave through the debris.
"Eelektrik, Substitute!"
Eelektrik split into four forms. They linked together, creating a conical cage of golden electricity. When the rock shards hit the cage, they were vaporized into dust.
"Haha! A trick I learned from Lt. Surge of the Vermilion Gym!" Sho bragged. "An electromagnetic defense that stops all physical attacks!"
In the stands, Lt. Surge blinked. "I taught him that? I don't even know that kid." He scratched his head as Sabrina gave him a death stare. "I'll... uh... investigate how my secrets leaked. But don't worry, Gliscor has this."
Nearby, Sasaki Taro and Sasaki Tenshi watched from the shadows. "Look at them," Taro whispered to his grandson. "The side branches are so desperate to replace us that they jump at the first chance to sabotage your teacher. Tenshi, remember this: a leader can lack raw power, but they must have a heart of iron. Use your wealth to buy strength, and once you have it, never let them threaten you again."
Tenshi nodded solemnly. The kidnapping had changed him; he was no longer the timid boy he once was.
Breaking the Siege
Feng Che looked at the shimmering cage—a move known for being one of the most annoying "stall" tactics in the book. "A clever cage. But every cage has a hinge. Gliscor, Giga Impact!"
Gliscor spiraled into a grey tornado. Its sharp claws, acting like industrial drills, slammed into a single point on the electromagnetic shield.
Golden sparks flew, lashing out at Gliscor's body. But as a Ground-type, Gliscor simply ignored the voltage.
"Smart," Surge muttered. "He's focusing the entire impact on one square inch. Force equals pressure over area—he's piercing the bubble."
CRACK.
The shield shattered like glass. The Giga Impact plowed through, dispelling the substitutes and slamming the real Eelektrik into the dirt with a thunderous boom. When the dust settled, Eelektrik was unconscious in a deep crater.
"Return!" Sho's hand shook. "Fine. Then deal with this! Go, Alolan Sandslash!"
Pokémon: Alolan Sandslash Level: 57 Potential: Green Type: Ice / Steel
The blue-bodied, ice-quilled Pokémon landed, its massive claws digging into the frost.
"Surprised?" Sho sneered. "I didn't just bring Electric-types. I brought your worst nightmare: Ice."