They arrived at the battlefield.
Honmura was already waiting on the opposite side, his face ashen, his eyes filled with uncontrollable malice and a hint of blustering madness.
"Ariel!"
He practically spat out those two words through gritted teeth.
"I don't care what underhanded tricks you used, you're finished today! How dare you turn my woman into that!"
His voice was loud, as if he were trying to use volume to mask his own lack of confidence.
Ariel's gaze swept over him without stopping, not even showing a hint of curiosity regarding the woman he mentioned.
To him, provocation of this level was no different from a dog barking by the side of the road.
"Your woman?"
Ariel finally spoke, his tone as flat as if he were asking about the weather.
"Who?"
These two casual words were more lethal than any mockery.
Honmura's face instantly turned the color of pig liver—a mix of shame and anger born from being completely ignored and having his dignity trampled.
"You!"
He trembled with rage and suddenly grabbed the Poké Ball at his waist.
"Stop playing dumb! Referee! Start!"
The referee glanced at the expressionless Ariel, then at the exasperated Honmura, cleared his throat, and began to read the 3v3 battle rules.
Once the rules were read, Honmura impatiently smashed a Poké Ball onto the field.
"Roar!"
Accompanied by a low roar, a burly Blastoise appeared on the field. The two black cannon barrels on its shell gleamed with a metallic cold light, and its Level 44 aura was released without reservation, bringing a moist pressure to the surrounding air.
Ariel's movements were much more casual; with a flick of his wrist, the Poké Ball traced a precise arc through the air.
A red light flashed, and a Pokémon much smaller than Blastoise landed quietly.
Weavile.
Its crimson eyes swept over the big fellow opposite it, and its tongue lightly licked its sharp claws. Its posture didn't look like it was facing a powerful opponent, but rather like it was sizing up a lunch that wasn't very appetizing.
"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!"
Honmura was eager to prove himself, leading with a powerful move.
The cannons on Blastoise's back suddenly sprayed two thick jets of water, which crossed and blasted toward Weavile with terrifying momentum.
Ariel didn't even blink.
Weavile's figure just flickered slightly, leaving an afterimage in place.
The Hydro Pump smashed into the afterimage, blasting two large craters into the rocky field behind it as water splashed everywhere.
But Weavile's true body had appeared beside Blastoise at some unknown point.
Its claws, covered in a freezing chill, suddenly slashed across that thick neck.
"Click."
A faint, barely audible sound.
Blastoise's massive body stiffened, the light in its eyes quickly faded, and then it crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Instant kill.
Another instant kill.
If the morning matches were a crushing display of power, then this was absolute dominance through skill and speed.
The entire venue fell into a dead silence once again.
Honmura's mouth was open, but he couldn't make a sound. Cold sweat rolled down his face from his temples, dripping onto the scorching ground and evaporating instantly.
He had expected Ariel to be strong, but he hadn't expected him to be strong to this extent.
"Damn it..."
He gritted his teeth so hard his gums almost bled. He withdrew Blastoise and threw out his second Pokémon.
A purple figure coalesced in the air. A Level 46 Gengar let out a sinister, eerie laugh, attempting to use mental pressure to influence its opponent.
"Gengar, use Hypnosis!"
Honmura's voice was already trembling.
Gengar's eyes lit up with an eerie pink light.
However, as a Dark-type Pokémon, Weavile was completely immune to this kind of mental Psychic-type attack.
It just tilted its head impatiently, and its figure disappeared again.
"Oh no! Quick, use Shadow Sneak!"
Honmura shouted in horror.
Gengar hurriedly condensed a dark purple Energy Ball in front of it, but it was already too late.
A black-and-red sharp light flashed from behind it.
Assurance!
Gengar's eerie laugh froze on its face. Its body fell straight to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, losing its ability to battle.
Still just one move.
Honmura gripped his last Poké Ball, his palm covered in greasy sweat.
He panted heavily, looking at Ariel with eyes full of fear, but even more so with a gambler-like madness.
"Ariel, I've asked around; your strength is indeed decent!"
His voice was hoarse, as if he were trying to cheer himself up.
"But don't think I didn't prepare in advance!"
He used all his strength to throw his final Poké Ball.
"Come out! My final trump card!"
Red light burst open, and a figure much taller than ordinary Pokémon stood in the center of the field.
Blaziken!
Its body was covered in fire-red and cream-colored feathers, flames burned fiercely at its wrists, and its legs were sturdy and powerful, full of explosive beauty.
What was most alarming was the aura it radiated; the heatwave even made the spectators in the front rows feel the scorching heat.
Level... Level 55!
"Do you see this?!"
Honmura, as if grabbing onto his last lifeline, laughed maniacally with a distorted expression.
"A Level 55 Blaziken! Fire and Fighting-type! Your Weavile is Ice and Dark, which is countered by my Blaziken's Fighting-type! I spent a fortune specifically to prepare this to deal with you!"
"You only have Dark-type Pokémon on you, right? No matter who you switch to, they'll be countered by my Blaziken!"
A collective gasp came from the audience.
A fourfold weakness—this was practically a death sentence for Weavile.
Everyone looked at Ariel to see how he would respond.
Ariel's gaze finally landed on that Blaziken, and for the first time, a flicker of emotion appeared in his eyes.
Fire and Fighting, huh?
Trying to use type advantages to turn the tables?
It's a decent line of thought.
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