Garchomp and Red's Poliwrath clashed at blindingly close range, fists and claws striking in a storm of blows. In just seconds, they had exchanged hundreds of slashes and punches. Only when Logan's Espeon used Dream Eater to nearly incapacitate Snorlax did the two Pokémon finally disengage with a heavy, thunderous collision that sent both skidding back.
Poliwrath's muscular body was streaked with bloody gashes, though the blood froze into brittle red ice the moment it hit the damp air. Garchomp bore claw marks across its scales, along with shallow cuts from Venusaur's razor-sharp leaves—but it still stood tall, unbroken.
Just moments ago, Garchomp had single-handedly held off both Poliwrath and Venusaur, preventing them from rescuing Snorlax. And in that fierce exchange, it had even gained the upper hand.
Logan pressed a hand against the command console, sharp eyes scanning the battlefield.
"You've only revealed three Pokémon so far. So where's your last little partner, Red? Where's Pikachu? Did you leave its Poké Ball hidden on the field—or are you still holding onto it yourself?"
Even from a distance, Logan could read every twitch of Red's expression, searching for the tiniest clue.
"Why don't you guess, Logan?" Red shot back, wiping the sweat from his brow. But his smile quickly faded into seriousness. "…There's something that's been bothering me. I'm sure your past opponents noticed it too—your Pokémon seem to know too many moves!"
Logan only chuckled at the probing tone. He didn't answer.
His mind turned briefly inward. The powers he had since crossing into this world—his abilities as a traveler between realities—those were one kind of "gift." But his true edge was deeper: the innate Dragon Force within his body. Something about his soul had changed during the crossing, twisted by this world's laws into something extraordinary.
Normally, Pokémon moves are limited to heredity and training. A Garchomp, for instance, might theoretically learn Fire Blast, but in practice, perhaps only a handful in the world could ever manage it—because few trainers would even try to teach such an advanced move.
But Logan's altered soul bent the rules. His Pokémon didn't need to struggle through years of practice to learn foreign skills. They could instinctively grasp the usage of nearly any move—the only thing left was refining precision and mastery.
Of course, no Pokémon could possibly train to perfect every move it could theoretically learn. Even Logan had to choose carefully. But the most versatile, clutch techniques? Those, he made sure his partners drilled into their bones.
Just like Espeon's Dream Eater just now—used at the perfect moment, turning the tide.
Logan's thoughts sharpened again. Snorlax is nearly down… but not completely.Red hasn't recalled it, which means it still has enough fight left for one desperate, all-out strike.
Snorlax won't risk using Rest—Espeon's Dream Eater would end it instantly. If I waste time trying to finish Snorlax now, Red will seize the initiative. Better to keep it in check, but focus elsewhere.
Dragonair is injured from taking Snorlax's Snore head-on. Worth it, though—trading its damage for one of Red's Pokémon was a solid win.
Logan's mind raced like lightning, running through every possibility.
"You are most vulnerable at the very moment you try to kill your opponent," he reminded himself.
"Garchomp! Raise the storm!"
At his command, a sandstorm erupted across the battlefield, a violent swirl of grit that swallowed the entire arena.
"Poliwrath! Release your moisture—keep our vision clear!"
Red reacted instantly. Chilled vapor gushed from Poliwrath's body, condensing the dust into heavy clumps. The storm's sharp winds quickly turned to mud, splattering uselessly across the ground. Red had already prepared for environment control.
But when the storm cleared, Red froze. Something was wrong.
"…Where's your Dragonair?"
He scanned the shattered stones at the arena's edge—where Dragonair had last collapsed—but it was gone.
He either recalled it to its ball… or hid it somewhere on the field.
Red's eyes darted toward Logan's console. A neat row of Poké Balls sat there, giving away nothing. Which were empty? Which still held a Pokémon? Impossible to tell.
But hesitation wasn't Red's style. He raised his voice with fiery determination:
"Then let's settle this—three against three! Pikachu, Agility!"
A golden blur exploded into motion, zigzagging across the battlefield in dizzying Z- and S-patterns, circling around Garchomp and Espeon like lightning made flesh.
"Your Garchomp is faster than Pikachu," Red shouted, "but Pikachu's small size makes it almost untouchable! At full speed, you'll never land a hit!"
Indeed, Garchomp's rare combination of massive size and lightning speed was nearly unmatched. But small size came with its own advantage—evasion.
"Swish—!"
Vines whipped forward from Venusaur, wrapping around Garchomp's limbs. At the same instant, Pikachu launched itself from the ground, electricity flashing around its body, while Poliwrath surged in from the opposite side. Three Pokémon converged in a perfect pincer attack!
Red was seizing the initiative with everything he had.
Logan's eyes gleamed. "So… it's strength versus strength? Good. That's what I excel at. Garchomp—Earthquake, into Dragon Rage!"
BOOOOM!
The colossal arena—twice the size of a stadium—shook violently. Garchomp tore free from one of Venusaur's vines and slammed its foot down. The shockwave shattered the ground, slowing Pikachu's lightning dash.
"ROOOOOAR!"
A dragon's roar ripped through the battlefield. The earth cracked and split, stones and dirt rising as though gravity had reversed itself. The arena dissolved into chaos, the floor itself becoming a storm of flying rubble.
Pikachu's agility faltered as its footing disappeared.
Logan's focus never wavered. Poliwrath, Venusaur—they're threats. But Red's true ace… has always been Pikachu.
And just as he expected, even amidst the collapsing earth, the little electric mouse danced across airborne stones like stepping-stones. In a flash, it was beside Garchomp, tail glowing with a metallic brilliance—
Iron Tail!
"Smash!"
But instead of striking flesh, Pikachu's glowing tail slammed against an invisible wall.
Reflect!
Both Garchomp and Espeon had thrown up defenses at the last instant.
If Red wanted to steal the first move, then Logan would simply answer with the perfect counter.
This fight was far from over.
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