Because of the tournament schedule, Conway and Luther's two matches were the final ones for Group D.
One match was held in the morning and the other in the afternoon, with only a midday break in between. Luther was accustomed to these double- and triple-match arrangements.
The remaining Group D competitors gathered on the sidelines, their fates hinging on the outcome of Conway and Luther's matches that day.
When Conway easily defeated his opponent in the first match, Luther could see the relief wash over the other competitors.
While everyone acknowledged Luther's and Conway's formidable strength, the tension remained palpable until the matches concluded.
After Conway's victory, it was Luther and Atsuya's turn to take the stage.
During the customary handshake, Luther extended his hand to Atsuya. However, Atsuya smiled, brushed aside Luther's hand, and strode directly onto the battlefield.
The referee was stunned. Although not mandatory, the pre-match handshake had become a long-standing tradition.
Even after the massive fallout between Luther and Hayata, the two had calmly shaken hands.
Conway, walking off the field, smirked slightly. "Looks like you're not very popular with Atsuya, are you?"
Conway wasn't the only one who witnessed the incident. The other competitors waiting for their results had also seen Atsuya violate Battle etiquette, and they were all visibly displeased.
Luther, however, didn't seem to care. Atsuya was just a sore loser venting his frustration over his failed attempt to buy his way into the Main Tournament.
This behavior seemed like a desperate, dying struggle. Unable to qualify for the main tournament, Atsuya was lashing out at Luther.
Just as Luther took his position on the battlefield, the commentator's voice boomed over the stadium speakers.
"Today marks the end of the preliminary rounds! Thanks to a tip from an enthusiastic fan, we've uncovered a fascinating, little-known fact!"
Luther sighed helplessly. As Diantha mentioned last night, his "inability to fly" had become a running joke.
Atsuya mocked Luther mercilessly, pointing out the irony of a Pokémon Trainer with Darkrai who couldn't carry people in flight. It was truly embarrassing.
Ignoring Atsuya, Luther followed the referee's instructions and released his Pokémon.
"Oh, Luther has unexpectedly brought out Darkrai again! And Atsuya has countered with... Rhyperior, who hasn't appeared even once in the preliminary rounds!"
Luther hesitated for a moment when he saw Rhyperior.
With the preliminary rounds nearing their conclusion, any trump cards needed to secure a spot in the main tournament should have been revealed long ago. There was no logical reason to suddenly deploy such a well-trained Pokémon in the final round.
Even the commentator chuckled, remarking on how deeply Atsuya had hidden his trump card, refusing to reveal it until now.
Clearly, this Rhyperior wasn't Atsuya's own Pokémon. It was far too different from his others. It was as if he'd replaced his entire team.
"Is this the 'ability' of the wealthy?" Luther sneered, clasping his hands in a mock salute. "I've learned my lesson."
Atsuya grinned. "Jealousy won't get you anywhere. Today, I'll hand your Darkrai its first defeat."
Luther chuckled at Atsuya's remark. "You've got it all wrong. I'm not jealous, not even a little. My friends say that your family's wealth pales in comparison to theirs. If I were to envy anyone, it'd be them, not you."
This was the truth. After purchasing his points, Luther immediately consulted Mai and Hayata, two renowned young heirs.
After hearing Luther's account, the two of them analyzed Atsuya's reputation, connections, and assets. They ultimately concluded:
"Just a bit of pocket money."
Luther figured they refrained from calling Atsuya "poor" out of politeness.
Honestly, during his travels, Luther had found most wealthy heirs to be quite approachable. In his group, there was someone from a family comparable to Hayata's.
Though he was eliminated early, that young man remained courteous to everyone and warmly invited his fellow eliminated Pokémon Trainers to visit his estate.
Hayata was no exception. After getting to know Hayata, Luther found him to be an outstanding young man, except for a lingering trace of arrogance that hadn't completely faded.
A good family background and an excellent education typically produce someone of decent character. Atsuya's behavior confirmed Hayata's assessment that he was simply nouveau riche.
Noticing Atsuya's intent to retort after Luther's taunt, the referee swiftly raised the flag, signaling the start of the match.
"Ice Beam."
Darkrai's blistering speed allowed the Ice Beam to strike Rhyperior before Atsuya could react.
Although the attack landed, it seemed less effective than expected.
"Sturdy Rock-type Ability?" Luther murmured.
This ability reduces damage from super-effective moves and was a considerable advantage for Rhyperior.
Rhyperior instinctively braced himself, only to realize that the Ice Beam had struck his head. Glaring at Darkrai, Rhyperior angrily raised his arm, preparing to retaliate with Hammer Arm.
"Rock-type Cannon!"
Atsuya, confident in Rhyperior's Sturdy Rock-type ability, decided to unleash the full force of his Rock-type Cannon. He aimed to blast Darkrai out of the Battle Arena with a single, devastating strike.
Rhyperior paused, retracted its Hammer Arm, and concentrated its power in its chest, preparing to unleash the Rock-type Cannon.
However, Rhyperior's motion to release the Rock-type cannon was so powerful that Luther felt he would be unfit to be a Pokémon Trainer if he didn't intervene.
"Dark Void."
Darkrai didn't pause, flinging a black sphere forward at high speed.
Just as the Dark Void neared Rhyperior's face, its eyes, which had been tracking Darkrai's movements the entire time, suddenly narrowed sharply. With a thunderous roar, Rhyperior hurled the fully charged Rock-type cannon.
It was a perfect prediction. Darkrai hadn't anticipated Rhyperior's ability to predict its movement patterns and was caught completely off guard by the cannon's impact.
Similarly, Rhyperior's post-attack stiffness left it utterly vulnerable, allowing Darkrai to strike without fail with Dark Void.
"Dream Eater."
Darkrai unleashed its psychic power, relishing the rare opportunity to replenish the stamina it had lost earlier.
However, Dream Eater's devastating damage shattered Rhyperior's slumber, jolting the Pokémon awake.
Shaking off the lingering drowsiness, Rhyperior gritted its teeth and rose to its feet.
Seeing Darkrai within striking distance, Rhyperior lashed out in fury, swinging its Hammer Arm in a wide arc, ready to unleash the attack.
The Pokémon League official recording move usage on the sidelines prepared to mark down Hammer Arm.
Seeing Rhyperior swiftly snap out of its slumber and rise to its feet, Atsuya erupted in jubilation, shouting, "Use the Rock-type Cannon again!"
With a furious grind of its teeth, Rhyperior slammed its Hammer Arm into the ground and raised its arm, ready to unleash another Rock-type Cannon.
Another wide-open opportunity presented itself, and Luther capitalized on it immediately. He had Darkrai launch an Ice Beam from afar while maintaining optimal positioning to avoid another Rock-type Cannon strike.
Against a Pokémon as lightning-fast as Darkrai, Rock-type cannons clearly required predictive aiming. Rhyperior doubted its ability to consistently predict Darkrai's movements with such precision.
Moreover, Darkrai wasn't foolish enough to consistently telegraph his movements.
The moment Rhyperior fired his Rock-type cannon, he sensed the attack would miss.
Immobilized by the Rock-type cannon's recoil, Rhyperior could only endure Darkrai's relentless Ice Beam barrage. The Pokémon's rock-hard body emitted a grating, teeth-grinding "crack, crack" sound under the assault.
Just as Luther was strategizing how to overcome the heavily armored Rhyperior, the commentator's startled exclamation drew his attention.
Rhyperior had turned its back on Darkrai, wheeled around, and now glared menacingly at Atsuya.
Where have I seen this before? Luther thought.
(End of Chapter)
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