"Oh my—look at that! Chen Shi's Dragapult struck so fast with Phantom Force that Yuuko's Blaziken didn't even have time to react!"
"And judging from that wince—Blaziken took massive damage!"
The commentators' voices thundered across White Silver Arena, and the crowd answered with an explosive wave of cheering.
Back in the competitors' lounge, several faces turned serious.
That Dragapult…
was terrifying.
Cynthia watched intently.
Daiu folded his arms, shaking his head.
"Xiao Chen's not playing around anymore. Maybe this is the greatest respect he can give Yuuko."
On the battlefield, Chen Shi let out a small, relaxed laugh.
"Yuuko… zoning out mid-battle isn't a good habit."
He raised a hand.
"Dragapult — Dragon Arrow."
"Dreeehya!"
Dragapult's eyes sharpened.
Both of its smaller heads gathered swirling draconic energy—
FWIP!
A blazing Dragon Arrow streaked straight toward the still-recovering Blaziken.
Yuuko's heart lurched.
"Blaziken — Protect! Now!"
Blaziken braced itself, planting its feet and throwing up a shimmering green barrier of Protect.
A perfect response—
Or so she thought.
Chen Shi's voice came in soft, almost regretful:
"Quick reaction, Yuuko. But… Protect won't stop Dragapult."
Yuuko stiffened.
"What?!"
SZZZT—KRAK!
The Dragon Arrow speared straight through the Protect barrier like it was paper.
It slammed into Blaziken, sending it sliding back with a cry.
The stadium gasped.
The host nearly jumped out of his chair.
"Breaking news! Dragapult possesses a special trait — Pierce — allowing it to ignore defensive moves such as Protect and Light Screen!"
Yuuko's strategy had been perfect for a normal Dragapult.
But this—
This was a nightmare matchup.
Blaziken swayed, vision blurring.
Pain rang in its chest like a struck bell.
Chen Shi didn't hesitate.
"Finish it — Shadow Ball."
Dragapult glanced at the battered fighter.
There was no malice, only simple respect:
If you stand and fight, I'll defeat you with everything I have.
The ghostly dragon fired a compact, dense Shadow Ball—
It hit with a thunderous crack.
Blaziken collapsed.
The referee lifted his flag.
"Blaziken is unable to battle! Yuuko, send out your next Pokémon!"
Yuuko recalled her partner and whispered:
"Sorry… Blaziken. This one was my fault."
The sadness in her voice rippled through the stadium.
Many spectators grew quiet.
She hesitated—
Her hand hovering over her belt.
Her remaining team was too weak.
Dragapult was too strong.
She had no way to win.
She had already begun to concede when—
"Yuuko — don't give up."
Chen Shi's voice reached her like a warm breeze.
Her breath hitched.
That voice…
She remembered it from a year ago.
A rainy night.
A frightened girl.
And a young man who smiled at her and said the same thing:
"Don't give up."
Her eyes reddened—but she inhaled, steadied her heart, and lifted a Poké Ball.
The stadium fell silent.
Even the referee held back.
In the lounge, Cynthia murmured,
"When hopelessness feels certain… can you still choose to stand?"
Furong and Daiu stared at the screen, unable to look away.
Diantha clasped her hands until her knuckles turned white.
Yuuko finally spoke.
"If… if we're going to lose…"
Her voice was soft, trembling, yet firm.
"…then let's lose fighting."
She threw the Poké Ball.
A bright flash—
"Niiiine!"
A Gym-level Ninetales materialized gracefully, fur shimmering like pale gold, eyes cool and sharp.
It bowed lightly to Yuuko.
I will fight.
The stadium erupted.
"She's continuing!"
"That's the spirit!"
"What a brave girl!"
Yuuko wiped her eyes and lifted her chin.
"Ninetales… let's enjoy this battle."
The fox nodded silently.
Chen Shi laughed—not mockingly, but with genuine delight.
"That's more like it."
The referee raised his hand.
"Continue!"
Second Clash
"Dragapult — Shadow Ball!"
"Ninetales — Flamethrower, then Double Team!"
The two attacks crossed—
But Dragapult's shadowy blast collided only with an illusion.
Ninetales had already split into multiple afterimages across the field.
"Calm Mind!" Yuuko commanded.
A surge of psychic power rippled outward as Ninetales centered itself.
Chen Shi didn't slow.
"Dragapult — Phantom Force."
Dragapult vanished instantly into the spectral plane—
Not even a flicker remained.
"Ninetales — Shadow Ball!" Yuuko urged, firing blindly while generating more illusions.
Chen Shi nodded approvingly.
"Good."
Then—
"Dragapult — Dragon Pulse. Sweep everything."
Dragapult reappeared midair.
A massive Dragon Pulse exploded outward like a purple tidal wave—
Every illusion shattered.
Before Ninetales even realized it—
Dragapult vanished—
And reappeared behind it.
BOOM!!
The impact sent the fox skidding across the field like a sandbag.
"Impossible!" Yuuko cried. "How can it be that fast?!"
Chen Shi's expression didn't soften.
"Nothing's impossible. Show me everything you've got."
Yuuko bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.
"Ninetales! Can you still fight?!"
The fox trembled—
But staggered upright.
Alive. Barely.
Yuuko exhaled sharply.
"All or nothing—Overheat!!"
"Niiiiiine!!"
A massive inferno gathered in its throat.
Chen Shi raised his hand.
"Dragapult—full power Dragon Pulse."
Two bright cores of energy formed on opposite ends of the battlefield—
Red-orange flame vs. roaring purple draconic force.
The air crackled.
The stadium held its breath.
Two forces of will—
Two hearts refusing to back down—
COLLIDED.
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