There were truly talented people everywhere.
Sam couldn't help but want to applaud the author of that forum post. The analysis was almost completely accurate.
Netizens were constantly leaving comments below it.
"Elite level is already crazy, but it's also a Shiny? That's just annoying."
"Haha, Sam is nothing special. The only difference between me and him is a Shiny Gengar. Once I catch one, I'll beat him easily!!!"
"Waiting to catch it? I already bought a train ticket to Lavender Town. The Shiny Gengar is mine!"
"Buy a ticket? I've already started riding my bicycle there."
With the addition of these ridiculous comments and the detailed analysis post, the whole forum suddenly changed tone.
What had started as serious debate quickly turned into chaos.
After returning to the hotel, Sam didn't think about the next day's battle at all. Instead, he spent the entire evening browsing the forum.
"Dong…"
"Dong…"
"Dong…"
The clock struck midnight.
Sam hadn't even noticed how quickly time had passed.
He stretched lazily, closed his laptop, and prepared to sleep.
Hopefully tomorrow's opponent would bring him some fun.
Hopefully.
---
"Charizard has lost its ability to battle! Player Ash is in serious danger now!"
"After losing Charizard, Ash only has one Pokémon left, while Gary still has Blastoise, which hasn't battled yet! What will Ash do now?!"
In the Top 8 battle, Gary and Ash had finally met.
Two Trainers from Pallet Town were competing on the same stage for the first time.
Ash had performed extremely well throughout the match, but Gary—who was fighting seriously and without holding back—still had the upper hand.
Now Ash only had one Pokémon remaining.
And everyone already knew which one it would be.
"Blastoise… so the starter Pokémon Gary received from Professor Oak was Squirtle," Brock said thoughtfully.
"Pikachu still has a type advantage against a Water-type like Blastoise. Ash still has a chance!" Misty said nervously.
Although reaching this stage was already an incredible achievement for Ash, as his friends they still hoped for a miracle.
After recalling his defeated Charizard, Ash took a deep breath.
He looked down at Pikachu beside him.
"Please… Pikachu."
"Pika!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu looked extremely energetic today.
Even watching through the lounge projector, Sam could feel Pikachu's intense battle spirit.
Was Ash really about to create a miracle?
Sam was suddenly looking forward to it.
---
Tap…
Tap…
Footsteps echoed in the quiet players' lounge.
Sam frowned slightly.
Each quarterfinalist had their own private lounge.
Was it a staff member?
That didn't seem right. There was still some time before his own match.
"Creak…"
The lounge door slowly opened.
A delicate fragrance filled the air.
A familiar scent.
"Miss Karen," Sam said calmly without even turning around.
"Instead of preparing in your own lounge, why come to mine?"
Karen walked in casually.
She found a seat, crossed her long legs, and leaned comfortably against the chair.
"As your rival—the biggest competition you'll face in this Indigo Plateau Conference—it's only natural that I come to gather some information," Karen said with a sweet smile.
But at that moment, Sam's attention wasn't on her smile.
It was on her legs.
To be honest, Karen had the longest and fairest legs Sam had ever seen.
They looked as white as milk.
Probably very smooth too, Sam thought distractedly.
Karen clearly noticed his gaze.
But she didn't seem bothered.
Instead, she gently swung her long legs slightly—as if deliberately teasing him.
Sam quickly shook his head, forcing away those thoughts.
He refocused on the projector.
The battle between Ash's Pikachu and Gary's Blastoise was about to begin.
Karen chuckled softly.
"Little brother, does watching this level of battle really interest you more than watching me?" she asked teasingly, brushing her hair back with a finger.
Sam replied calmly:
"A rose with thorns is beautiful, but it still pricks your hand."
"Besides… this match might actually be more exciting than you, Miss Karen."
His words made Karen raise an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"Then let's see what's so special about this match."
---
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
Ash didn't want to lose.
Especially not to Gary.
Although the two had grown up together and shared a bond deeper than most friendships, they were still rivals above all else.
Ash gripped the Poké Ball in his pocket tightly.
Gary looked at him seriously.
"Ash, I admit you've grown a lot. Your growth speed surprised me."
"In just half a year, you've become a qualified Trainer. I take back what I said before—you really will become a powerful Trainer."
"But…"
"I won't lose."
"While you were growing, I wasn't standing still either. If I want to defeat Sam one day, I can't allow myself to stop here."
"Blastoise—withdraw into your shell!"
The golden lightning had already reached Blastoise.
Just before it struck, Blastoise quickly retracted its head and limbs into its shell.
The tightly sealed shell acted like a powerful shield, blocking most of the electricity.
"Now, Blastoise—use Hydro Pump!" Gary commanded loudly.
Gary had perfectly seized the moment when Pikachu's attack had just finished and its next move hadn't begun yet.
It was the perfect timing for a counterattack.
Blastoise extended its limbs again.
The cannons on its back aimed directly at Pikachu.
Two high-pressure water blasts erupted from the barrels.
After being amplified through Blastoise's cannons, the power of the Hydro Pump reached its limit.
They shot straight toward Pikachu.
"Pikachu! Hurry—dodge!!!" Ash shouted desperately.
But miracles didn't happen every time.
Pikachu's stamina had already been greatly drained.
It couldn't perform a quick evasive maneuver anymore.
The attack hit.
Blastoise's Hydro Pump struck Pikachu directly.
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