"Electrode has lost the ability to battle!!"
"Please have the contestant switch to the next Pokémon!"
The referee's face was dark, both from irritation and from being smoked by the explosion, as he turned toward the androgynous contestant and announced coldly.
Hearing the referee's words, the trainer couldn't help swallowing hard. A trace of nervousness flashed through his eyes.
Aaron's Greninja had placed overwhelming psychological pressure on him. After two rounds of battle, it felt as though Greninja was barely taking the fight seriously.
If it was already this terrifying while holding back… what would happen if it actually went all out?
The thought alone sent a wave of panic through him.
"Please switch in your next Pokémon!"
"If you fail to do so within two minutes, it will be judged as a forfeit!"
While his mind was in turmoil, the referee's stern reminder rang out again.
The trainer froze for a moment, then finally snapped back to his senses. He recalled Electrode and threw out his final Poké Ball.
"Come out… Altaria!!"
A flash of light burst forth, and a blue bird Pokémon draped in cloud-like feathers appeared in the air.
[Name: Altaria]
[Gender: Female]
[Nature: Relaxed]
[Types: Dragon / Flying]
[Ability: Natural Cure]
[Base Stats: 490]
[Level: Advanced (Early Stage)]
[Pokémon Potential: Champion-Class]
[Known Moves: Dragon Breath (Proficient), Disarming Voice (Proficient), Peck (Proficient), Dragon Pulse (Basic), Mystic Safeguard (Basic), Cotton Guard (Basic), Growl (Basic), Mist...]
[Description: Altaria, the Humming Pokémon. The evolved form of Swablu. It loves singing among cotton-like clouds, its voice beautiful and pleasant...]
...
Good grief—so it's the infamous "dragon-traitor bird."
Aaron couldn't help recalling a meme from his previous life.
After all, once Altaria Mega Evolves, it becomes Dragon and Fairy-type.
Truly one of a kind in the entire Pokémon world.
...
"The battle begins!!"
With the referee's shout, the match resumed.
The effeminate trainer seized the initiative and struck first, shouting toward Altaria in the air,
"Altaria… use Dragon Pulse!!"
He opened straight with a big move.
"Chrii—"
Altaria let out a melodious cry as powerful energy surged through its body. A crimson, dragon-shaped energy wave shot toward Greninja on the ground.
"Greninja… Water Pulse."
Aaron's calm voice rang out.
Greninja had already condensed a water-blue energy sphere and hurled it forward.
Boom—
A massive explosion erupted midair, clouds of steam billowing outward.
"That's enough."
"Greninja… Quick Attack."
"Then use Ice Punch."
Aaron found the fight dull. At this level, it was nothing more than bullying.
But he had no choice—at his age, he was already bearing pressure he shouldn't have had to face.
Across the field, sweat streamed down the effeminate trainer's face. It was obvious he was under extreme stress.
The moment he heard Aaron's command, his pupils shrank sharply, and he shouted at the top of his lungs,
"Hurry—use Cotton Guard!!"
But just as the words left his mouth—
"Grenin—!"
Altaria had only just begun to react to its trainer's command when Greninja's cry rang in its ears.
Out of the corner of its eye, it caught sight of a black figure closing in.
Greninja's eyes glowed with an indescribable light. Its right fist was wrapped in biting cold, frost rapidly forming around it.
Then—
The punch came down.
Boom—
"Chrii—!"
Altaria let out a pained screech as its body was blasted away. Icy frost spread across its feathers.
Struck by a four-times super-effective Ice Punch, Altaria slammed into the cold ground, its eyes spinning wildly.
It fainted on the spot.
And with that, the match came to an end.
Aaron's Greninja single-handedly swept three opponents, crushing Spirit Insight Academy's final student and securing victory in overwhelming fashion.
"Altaria has lost the ability to battle!!"
"Since all five Pokémon from Camp 7 are unable to battle…"
"Therefore, the winner of this match is—"
"Camp 1!!"
The referee raised the red flag high and announced the result in a loud, passionate voice.