In the lounge, Steven sat frozen, staring at the transformed Charizard on-screen. His voice trembled in disbelief.
"From peak Gym level… directly past early Elite… all the way to mid-Elite?"
"That's… insane."
Beside him, Cynthia gently traced the Key Stone embedded in the lipstick she always carried. Her expression softened as memory flickered in her eyes.
She had always cherished that gift.
Before—and now even more.
On the battlefield, Chen Shi raised his hand sharply.
"Charizard—let the world witness your power."
"Use Dragon Claw!"
"ROOOOAR!!"
Mega Charizard X roared, wings spreading wide. Azure energy flooded across his claws—turning them into lethal blades.
Then—like a meteor streaking across a moonlit sky—he launched forward.
Lorelei snapped back to reality.
"Cloyster! Icicle Spear, now!"
Cloyster obeyed instantly.
A frigid gust erupted from its shell—condensing into five razor-sharp lances of ice, shooting forward like bullets.
Chen Shi's voice cut through the air.
"Split them."
Boom—boom—boom—boom—boom!!
The battlefield trembled as five shattering explosions echoed one after another.
The icicles—were destroyed.
By claws alone.
The crowd stared—speechless.
Even if Mega Charizard X was now mid-Elite, it shouldn't have been able to casually slice through such a powerful Ice-type move.
Especially using a non-STAB attack.
Lorelei's expression collapsed.
Impossible.
But Mega Charizard X wasn't slowing—its momentum only grew stronger.
Dragon Claw crashed into Cloyster's shell—and the ground beneath them fractured instantly, spider-web cracks spreading outward.
"Cloyster!!"
No response—only a painful cry.
"Charizard, Fire Punch!"
Flames burst from Charizard's fist—blue fire burning hotter than steel—before slamming Cloyster across the field.
Cloyster spun through the air like a hurled cannonball, smashing into the ground with a heavy thud.
Lorelei's voice trembled.
"C-Cloyster…?"
But Chen Shi didn't pause—not even for sympathy.
"Charizard—Dragon Rush."
A spectral dragon roared to life around Charizard, and he lunged, fierce and unstoppable.
Lorelei reacted instantly:
"Cloyster—Protect!"
A shimmering barrier snapped up just in time, blocking impact.
But Lorelei was pale—Cloyster was close to collapse.
"Charizard—Dragon Claw!"
"Cloyster—Hydro Pump!"
The two techniques collided head-on—
—and once again, Dragon Claw shredded the attack.
The water cannon dispersed like thin fog.
Lorelei's composure finally crumbled.
"This—this is impossible! Dragon Claw can't overpower Hydro Pump!"
But Charizard wasn't bound by logic.
Not anymore.
Around the world—millions watched the broadcast in stunned silence.
Not only had Charizard evolved—he was breaking through fundamental battle reasoning.
Chen Shi didn't care.
"Charizard—finish it."
"Use Blast Burn."
Flames gathered at Charizard's jaw—condensing into a blazing inferno.
Then—
BOOM—!!
A burning fire-sigil shaped like the kanji for big erupted, swallowing Cloyster completely.
When the smoke cleared—
Cloyster was unconscious.
The referee raised his arm.
"Cloyster is unable to battle—Contestant Lorelei, send out your next Pokémon!"
Lorelei inhaled slowly, then withdrew Cloyster.
She knew it: brute force meant nothing now.
Only strategy remained.
She sent out her next Pokémon—Lapras—a calm, noble Ice-Water Pokémon in early Elite tier.
Her voice was solemn.
"Lapras—Perish Song."
She wasn't aiming to win in battle.
She was trying to drag Mega Charizard X down with her.
Lapras began to sing—its mournful tune sinking into both Pokémon bodies, planting a countdown toward mutual defeat.
Chen Shi only laughed softly.
"So that's your answer."
"Charizard—Ancient Power."
"Lapras! Protect!"
Lapras shielded itself—yet Chen Shi didn't stop.
"Dragon Claw."
"Dragon Rush."
Two brutal blows landed one after another—breaking through Lapras's defenses.
Lorelei grimaced and swapped Lapras out, switching to Jynx—but at this stage it didn't matter.
Chen Shi returned Mega Charizard X and threw out Dragapult.
Within moments—
One Phantom Force.
Two Shadow Balls.
Jynx fell.
Lapras returned only to be struck down by another Phantom Force—unable to recover from Charizard's earlier damage.
The referee lifted his flag.
"Lapras is unable to battle. With all three of Contestant Lorelei's Pokémon defeated—"
"The winner of this match is—Chen Shi!!"
For a heartbeat, there was silence.
Then—
The arena exploded.
Thunderous applause—cheers—stomping—screaming—
The name CHEN SHI echoed like a chant across the stadium.
Chen Shi simply returned Dragapult, turned, and walked off the field.
Behind him—
Lorelei watched his departing figure.
Her expression was complicated—frustration, defeat, disbelief—
—but also respect.
This was the first loss she had ever tasted.
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