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Misty recalled Psyduck and stepped aside from the Trainer's Command Zone, giving Kai her position.
On the opposite side, Anthony showed no concern at all over the change in opponent. To him, it didn't matter who stood across from him his Pelipper could never lose.
"Impressive battle tactics," Kai said with a light clap and a smile. "But your methods are far too underhanded completely without sportsmanship. Sooner or later, someone is bound to expose you. When that day comes, when you're forced to face all the Trainers you once defeated… won't you feel even the slightest bit of shame?"
Those words pierced straight into Anthony's heart like a sharp spike. His expression changed instantly, his heartbeat pounding wildly.
Impossible!!
Did he discover Pelipper's secret!?
That couldn't be right. Pelipper's gigantic beak had never been opened fully there hadn't even been the slightest visible gap. Even with the sharpest observation, it should have been impossible to detect anything.
Yet Kai's words clearly told him otherwise.
"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Anthony snapped, forcibly steadying himself. "There's no trick here! Everything Pelipper has accomplished is the result of hard training!"
"Is that so?" Kai shrugged indifferently. "Fine. Believe whatever you like. I'm not interested in arguing with you."
In truth, ever since learning that this so-called world's strongest Pokémon was nothing more than an artificial hybrid, Kai had already lost most of his interest.
Still, since he was already here, he might as well battle it properly and experience its strength for himself at least then the trip wouldn't be completely wasted.
Besides, Anthony had already defeated two of Misty's Pokémon. No matter what, Kai intended to help her reclaim her pride.
Standing nearby, Misty naturally picked up on the deeper meaning in his words and asked in surprise, "Kai… are you saying there's something wrong with his Pelipper?"
Kai gently pressed his palm downward, signaling her to stay calm. He didn't elaborate further, only smiling faintly.
"Just watch. I'll make it reveal its true colors."
Seeing how confident Kai looked, Anthony felt a surge of unease and for the first time, hesitation crept into his heart.
But when he noticed that faint, knowing smile, he clenched his teeth and forced himself to stay where he was.
So what if he knows something?
Ever since this plan was put into motion, I've defeated hundreds of Trainers. Not a single one of them has beaten me!
As long as no one can defeat Pelipper, it remains the world's strongest Pokémon!
This battle would be no different. Just like always, Pelipper would crush this mysterious show-off and teach him a harsh lesson.
Kai, of course, had no idea what kind of storm was raging inside Anthony's mind.
To stay on the safe side, he didn't send out newly captured Pokémon like Torchic. Instead, he took out a Poké Ball and released his Dragonite.
The moment Dragonite appeared, Anthony's brows furrowed slightly.
Having run this private Gym for so long and battled Trainers of all kinds, he had long since developed certain patterns of judgment.
Young children, with their immature faces and impatient movements, were clearly rookie Trainers who had only just begun their journey. Naturally, the Pokémon they carried were usually un-evolved and weak.
Battling such Trainers didn't even require special tactics—victory came easily.
On the other hand, those who looked weathered by travel, people who had clearly endured wind, rain, and countless battles, were far more difficult to deal with.
These Trainers were experienced, their Pokémon diverse, often hiding terrifying strength. To defeat them required not only full effort, but also precise use of type advantages.
But none of those were the most troublesome.
The truly dangerous ones were the rare Trainers who resembled the man standing before him now.
No matter the situation, their faces remained calm and composed. Their Pokémon were veterans of countless battles, already evolved into their final forms. For Trainers like these, even type disadvantages didn't have the same overwhelming effect anymore.
And this man, along with his Dragonite, clearly belonged to that category.
Coupled with the fact that Kai had directly exposed his secret, Anthony's eyelids twitched as a deep sense of danger surged within his heart.
But at this point, even if he wanted to back down, it was impossible.
If he made excuses and retreated now, all the reputation and prestige he had built up over the years would instantly collapse and he would become a laughingstock.
Yet if he fought… he had no real confidence.
Sigh…
All I can do now is pray Pelipper performs normally and defeats him…
While Anthony wrestled with his thoughts, both Pokémon took their positions.
There was no referee, no special rules, and no one needed to announce the start.
Seeing Pelipper ready, Kai gave a sharp whistle. Dragonite flew low across the ground, charging straight toward Pelipper!
Snapped back to reality, Anthony quickly focused on the battlefield.
"Pelipper—Wing Attack!!"
Although he had never faced a Dragonite before, he knew it was a Dragon/Flying-type Pokémon. Pelipper's Electric, Grass, Water, or Fire-type attacks would have little to no effectiveness against a Dragon-type.
Fortunately, Pelipper itself was a Flying-type Pokémon. And Flying-type attacks suffered no resistances here at least giving him a chance to fight back.
With just a single flap of Pelipper's wings, Kai had already seen through Anthony's intentions.
But he didn't change his command. Instead, he continued advancing Dragonite forward.
The two Pokémon crossed paths in low-altitude combat.
After a brief clash, they separated once again.
Yet that single exchange made Anthony's heart pound violently!
The reason was simple both Pokémon had used Wing Attack. But in the instant they crossed, Dragonite had merely tilted its body slightly, completely evading the blow.
In contrast, Pelipper was struck by Dragonite's small wing, its body staggering violently as it nearly lost balance and fell toward the ground!
From that very first exchange, Anthony immediately realized—
This Dragonite's strength and combat level were far above that of his Pelipper.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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