"W-what just happened...?"
Rafael stared in disbelief at his fainted Growlithe, unable to process the situation. He quickly retrieved Growlithe into its Poké Ball.
"Why wasn't your Dratini affected by paralysis?"
He was completely baffled. At such a close range, both Pokémon should have been affected by Thunder Wave yet Dratini's resistance was far stronger than he had anticipated. Rafael assumed Dratini would eventually falter under the attack, allowing Growlithe to escape the Wrap and counter with Fire-type moves.
However, his miscalculation cost him dearly. He had missed the best opportunity for Growlithe to break free. Dratini had held on tightly, continuously channeling Thunder Wave, and by the time Growlithe finally escaped its grasp, the paralysis had taken full effect—leaving it completely immobilized. With no way to move, Dratini landed the decisive blow.
Gabriel knew exactly why Rafael was so confused. Smiling, he reached out and patted Dratini's head.
"We trained specifically to counter Growlithe. Dratini has developed a strong resistance to paralysis."
"Muuu!" ("That's right! That's right!")
Rafael looked down at Growlithe's Poké Ball, frustration welling up inside him. This was his fault. He had made the wrong call, and that mistake had cost them the match.
Clenching his fists, Rafael glared at Gabriel.
"This time, the loss was on me. Growlithe did great. But next time, I'm going to defeat you. My Growlithe is the best!"
Gabriel scoffed but didn't bother responding. Revenge? That was such a childish notion.
Then again… wasn't his whole reason for entering this tournament to get revenge for Dratini?
Still, Growlithe was just a minor obstacle—one he would defeat every time they faced off.
Gabriel left the battlefield with Dratini. The little dragon needed proper rest. His next opponent in the finals was Pat.
On the other side of the stadium, Rafael stood quietly, gripping Growlithe's Poké Ball. His aunt, Phoebe, watched him sigh in frustration.
"Auntie… if you were the one battling with Growlithe, would you have been able to defeat Gabriel's Dratini?"
Phoebe hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"I see... So I'm just too weak." Rafael clenched his jaw. "Next time, I'll definitely defeat Gabriel's Dratini—with my Growlithe!"
Phoebe patted his head, comforting him.
"I've already signed you up for the police academy. You'll learn a lot there. Train well, and one day, you'll be strong enough to win."
"Yeah."
Gabriel and Dratini left the stadium. He had no time for distractions—Dratini's recovery was the top priority.
Just as he was about to head back to the inn, someone suddenly called out to him.
"Gabriel? Is that you?"
Turning around, he was surprised to see James, one of his previous opponents.
"James? What are you doing here?"
James grinned as he approached. "Waiting for someone. I watched your match—you and Dratini are really strong. Losing to you doesn't feel so bad."
"Of course! My Dratini is amazing."
As they chatted, another familiar face appeared before them.
"James, so this is where you were. I was wondering why I couldn't find you."
Gabriel instantly recognized him—his next opponent, Pat.
Pat extended his hand. "So, you're Gabriel? James told me about you. Guess he was just unlucky to run into you. I'm looking forward to our battle."
Gabriel shook his hand, meeting his gaze with equal determination.
"Tomorrow, you'll see for yourself just how strong we are."
After their brief exchange, Gabriel left with Dratini.
Back at the inn, the confidence Gabriel had displayed in front of Pat began to waver. Pat's Scyther was incredibly strong. Even with Dynamax energy , he wasn't sure if he could win. And Dynamax had a time limit—it could only be used at a crucial moment.
"Elle, do you think I can beat Pat?" Gabriel asked hesitantly.
Elle, his friend and cameraman, looked at him sprawled out on the bed.
"You've already done great just making it this far. Don't forget, your original goal was just to beat Growlithe. Pat wasn't even on your radar."
That was true. Pat was a powerhouse—he had taken down every semifinal opponent with a single strike.
Could he and Dratini even last one round against him?
Gabriel didn't know. But he had come too far to give up now. Plus, he had bragged to Pat earlier. Losing now would be humiliating.
"No way—I've come this far. I won't accept losing like this!"
Jumping up, Gabriel grabbed Elle's camera. He needed to study Pat's battle footage. He had to find Scyther's weakness.
Elle sighed. Just moments ago, Gabriel had been moping. Now, he was fired up again. What a waste of his emotional support—Gabriel had bounced back way too fast.
The next morning, Gabriel was up early with Dratini.
"Dratini, today is the final battle. Are you ready?"
He set off for the stadium.
From the judges' box, Roland observed Gabriel's entrance and nodded approvingly.
"This kid is strong. I've decided to recruit him into Jindu Academy No matter what it costs, we need him. With a talent like him, we won't be dead last in the Academy Battle anymore."
Roland looked at Roland in surprise. She hadn't expected him to make such a firm decision so quickly.
"No rush. He might even win the championship. If he does, the deal with the inn still stands—I'm a witness, after all."
Roland chuckled, watching Pat step onto the battlefield.
"If Pat really loses, I'll honor the agreement. But if a Pokémon Trainer raised by an Elite Four member gets defeated here, I'd love to see the look on that Elite Four's face."
Pat stood on the battlefield, his expression calm.
This match was no different from the ones before. He had already analyzed his opponent. Gabriel was strong, but compared to him? Insignificant.
Pat shook his head. He was simply on another level. After all, he had been trained by an Elite Four. Losing here would be unacceptable.
"You're strong," Pat said. "But it's unfortunate for you to have met me. Surrender now."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow, meeting Pat's gaze.
"Are you that confident you'll win? You'll only know once we battle."
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