After drifting at sea for so long and experiencing so many strange and incredible events, when the iconic stadium of Pummelo Island, shaped like half of a giant peeled citrus fruit, appeared on the horizon, Ash felt his heart pounding wildly, as if struck by Pikachu's Thunderbolt.
The Orange League. The Winner's Cup!
Lapras seemed to sense its trainer's excitement as well, letting out a long cry as it sped up.
Stepping onto the dock of Pummelo Island, the air itself seemed filled with a mix of tension and excitement.
Trainers from all over were everywhere, their faces carrying both anticipation and unease. Ash took a deep breath and, together with Misty and Tracey, headed straight toward the grand stadium.
In the player's corridor outside the stadium, they ran into someone head-on.
The man wore a neat short-sleeved shirt, his posture upright, with a gentle yet confident smile on his face. A Poké Ball hung around his neck, especially eye-catching.
"That's Drake, the Leader of the Pummelo Stadium!" Tracey recognized him instantly and whispered to Ash.
Drake also noticed them. His gaze lingered briefly on Ash and the Pikachu on his shoulder before he smiled and walked over.
"You're Ash from Pallet Town, right? The Indigo League Champion." Drake's voice was calm. "I've watched recordings of your battles. They were impressive."
"Thank you, Mr. Drake." Ash responded politely, though his eyes were drawn to the Poké Ball around Drake's neck.
He could feel it, a very, very powerful presence sleeping within it.
Dragonite… a pseudo-legendary Pokémon of Kanto.
Drake noticed Ash's gaze and gently touched the Poké Ball at his neck, his tone carrying a hint of emotion. "I've been waiting here for a long time. Many challengers have been excellent, but… none have been strong enough to make me call upon my old partner. I've always been looking forward to a truly powerful opponent, someone who can push me to fight with everything I have."
Ash met his gaze without hesitation, a confident smile forming on his lips instead. "You will, Mr. Drake. Very soon."
Their eyes locked, and it felt as if sparks were flying in the air. Drake smiled. "Good. I'll be waiting to see you on the battlefield."
After their brief encounter, Ash went to register for the competition.
Before long, the broadcast echoed through the stadium, calling Challenger Ash and Leader Drake to the field.
As Ash stepped into the Pummelo Stadium, the sight before him made him pause in awe.
At the center was a standard battlefield, but the complex mechanical structures surrounding it made it clear that this arena was anything but ordinary.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience! The final challenge of the Orange League Winner's Cup begins now!" the announcer's voice boomed through the speakers. "The challenger is Ash from Pallet Town, the newly crowned Indigo League Champion! And standing against him is the undefeated legend of Pummelo Stadium, the Leader, Drake!"
"The match will be a full six-on-six battle! When all Pokémon on one side are unable to battle, the match will end! Only the challenger is allowed to switch Pokémon!"
As the referee waved the flag, the ground beneath the field rumbled with the sound of turning gears.
The once-flat battlefield split apart and shifted. In just over ten seconds, it transformed into a rugged terrain of jagged rocks combined with a central water pool, forming a complex battlefield.
"It's here! The signature battlefield of Pummelo Stadium! The first round is a combination of rock and water terrain! This will be the first test of both sides' Pokémon selection!" the announcer shouted excitedly.
Drake smiled slightly and was the first to throw a Poké Ball. "My lead is this one! Go, Ditto!"
A flash of red light appeared, and a soft, pinkish-purple blob-like Pokémon materialized on the rocky field. It was Ditto.
"Oh! Drake has sent out his trusted Ditto!" the announcer continued immediately. "This Ditto has an impressive track record! Many challengers can't even break through its first line of defense! Its perfect transformation ability often puts opponents into a tough battle!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion. Clearly, many of them were aware of how formidable this Ditto was.
Ash looked at the Ditto, already forming a plan in his mind.
He remembered this Pokémon well. It could almost perfectly copy its opponent's appearance and moves.
But even if it could copy the form, could it copy the heart of battle?
"Starmie, I choose you!" Ash sent out the Water-type, eager to give it a chance to shine after it had spent most of the Orange League challenge on the sidelines.
Starmie spun as it appeared on the surface of the water, the gem at its center flashing brilliantly.
Almost the moment Starmie appeared, Ditto's body rippled. A flash of light followed, and it transformed into an identical Starmie, even the glow of the central gem perfectly replicated!
"It's here! Ditto's perfect transformation! There are now two Starmie on the field! How will Ash respond?" the announcer shouted.
"Starmie, use Water Gun!" Ash commanded.
"We'll use Water Gun too!"
Both "Starmie" fired streams of water from above their heads at the same time. The power and speed were identical, and the attacks collided midair, canceling each other out.
"Even the moves are exactly the same!" the announcer exclaimed.
Drake crossed his arms, wearing a calm smile, clearly interested in seeing how Ash would break through.
But Ash remained composed. "Starmie, charge in and use Rapid Spin!"
His Starmie immediately began spinning at high speed, like a flying disc as it rushed toward its opponent.
The transformed Ditto copied the move instantly. The two spinning "discs" collided midair with a heavy thud before bouncing apart.
"It's useless! Ditto can even mimic your battle style!" Drake said.
"Is that so?" Ash smirked. "Then how about this? Starmie, retreat while using Psychic, cover the front in a fan-shaped area! Keep your distance!"
Starmie obeyed, pulling back as its core gem glowed. Invisible psychic waves spread outward like a fan.
The move had a wide range but its power was more dispersed.
Ditto's Starmie immediately mimicked the attack, releasing its own Psychic.
The two psychic fields collided and intertwined in midair.
But at that moment, Ash's Starmie suddenly made a strange maneuver.
While maintaining its Psychic attack, its body shifted sharply at an unusual angle, curving like a boomerang as it swung around to the opponent's side!
"Now! Precise Water Gun, target the side of its core gem!"
A concentrated jet of water struck from the side, hitting the relatively weaker connecting structure of the Starmie body! The transformed Ditto took a heavy hit, its form warping as it struggled to maintain the transformation!
"What?!" Drake's calm expression vanished.
"It's not over! Continuous Water Pulse, force it to move!"
Starmie pressed the attack without pause, launching one rotating water energy sphere after another.
Ditto was forced to dodge continuously, but its movements, though copied, lacked the original's agility and adaptability.
"Finish it! Lock it with Psychic, then maximum power Hydro Pump!"
Starmie's eyes flashed blue. Its powerful Psychic instantly restrained the stiffened Ditto. Immediately after, three streams of water, several times thicker than before, blasted out at point-blank range!
Boom!
Water exploded everywhere! Ditto was blasted backward, crashing heavily against the rocks. It reverted to its original form, its eyes spinning in spirals.
"Ditto is unable to battle! Starmie wins!" The referee waved the flag.
For a brief moment, the stadium fell silent, then erupted into thunderous applause and cheers! No one had expected Drake's first line of defense, which had stopped countless challengers, to be broken so cleanly by Ash!
"Incredible! Ash has seen through Ditto's weakness! Flawless tactical execution!" the announcer shouted excitedly.
Drake recalled Ditto and looked at Ash, a genuine trace of admiration in his eyes. "Beautiful. You exploited the fact that transformation cannot perfectly copy battle awareness and flexibility, catching it off guard with a boomerang tactic and Psychic moves. You truly are different from the challengers before."
He took out his second Poké Ball. "Now then, how about this? Go, Onix!"
A massive rock serpent Pokémon appeared on the field, letting out a deep roar. Its enormous body occupied nearly half of the rocky terrain.
"It has a type advantage against Starmie, but…" Seeing this, Ash immediately recalled his panting yet bright-eyed Starmie. "You did great. Take a good rest."
He took out another Poké Ball, excitement on his face. "Time to stretch your wings! I choose you, Aerodactyl!"
"ROAR!!!"
With a ferocious roar filled with ancient, primal power, the ruler of the skies, Aerodactyl, made its entrance!
It spread its massive wings, hovering in the air, its sharp gaze locking onto the Onix below.
"Amazing! It's Aerodactyl! An extremely rare prehistoric Pokémon!" The announcer's voice rose in pitch.
"Aerodactyl, use Wing Attack!"
Aerodactyl let out a sharp cry and dove down like a fighter jet, its wings glowing white as it slashed fiercely across Onix's body. It was super effective!
Onix roared in pain and angrily swung its tail, using Iron Tail to retaliate, but Aerodactyl's speed was too fast. It easily soared back into the air and avoided the strike.
"Now! Ancient Power!"
Aerodactyl summoned countless ancient stones wrapped in energy, raining them down like a meteor shower onto Onix!
Bang! Bang! Bang! The continuous impacts left Onix unable to even lift its head.
"Onix, use Dig!" Drake attempted to have Onix escape underground.
"Don't let it get away! Aerodactyl, use Supersonic at the entrance!"
Piercing sound waves poured into the hole. Onix, which had only just begun to burrow, stiffened immediately and fell into a state of confusion.
"Finish it! Aerial Ace!"
Aerodactyl streaked down in a clean arc, striking precisely.
Onix let out a pained cry as its massive body collapsed heavily onto the ground, losing its ability to battle.
"Onix is unable to battle! Aerodactyl wins!"
In less than ten minutes since the match began, Drake had already lost two major Pokémon!
The audience completely erupted. This opening was overwhelmingly one-sided!
Drake took a deep breath and recalled Onix.
The ease on his face had completely disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness.
"What… an astonishing level of pressure." He looked at the imposing Aerodactyl on the field, then at Ash across from him, whose eyes burned with determination. "It seems I can't hold back any longer."
He sent out his third Pokémon. "Go, Gengar!"
"Kekekeke!" With an eerie laugh, the purple Ghost-type Pokémon floated above the battlefield, its crimson eyes gleaming with mischief.
A Ghost-type… Ash smirked slightly and immediately recalled Aerodactyl. "You did great, Aerodactyl."
He took out a heavy Poké Ball. "To deal with a Ghost-type, of course I'll use this big guy! Snorlax, I choose you!"
"Grrr!" The mountain-like Snorlax crashed onto the field, shaking the ground beneath it.
Today, perhaps sensing the importance of the battle, Snorlax did not immediately fall asleep. Instead, it looked surprisingly energetic, patting its belly as it stared at Gengar.
The battle unfolded simply. Snorlax executed a smooth combination of Defense Curl, Belly Drum, Rest, and Sleep Talk, leaving Gengar unable to mount any effective offense. In the end, it was finished off by a powerful Ice Punch.
"Gengar is unable to battle! Snorlax wins!"
As the referee's voice fell, the first half of the match came to an end.
Ash had completely swept the Leader Drake in the first half without losing a single Pokémon!
The entire Pummelo Stadium erupted into a frenzy of cheers!
No one had expected Drake, who had been favored before the match, to be utterly overwhelmed in the first half.
Ash recalled Snorlax, who had already fallen fast asleep again, a smile of excitement appearing on his face.
But he knew that the real test was only just beginning.
Drake's strongest Pokémon, that Dragonite, had yet to appear.
Drake stood across from him, his expression more serious than ever. He touched the Poké Ball hanging around his neck and muttered quietly, "It seems… today is your time to step onto the field."
...
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