"What? You're giving up already? Don't you think you should ask for Dragonite's opinion first?"
Julian's voice cut through the hum of the static, reaching Silver Wolf across the field. She had been bracing for the inevitable—the math of the battle was leaning heavily toward Julian's powered-up Pikachu. But at his words, she looked at the holographic Dragonite.
The great dragon was scorched, its scales dull and smoking from the repeated electrical discharges, but its eyes were burning with a fierce, unmistakable defiance. It wasn't just a rendered model anymore; in that moment, it was a living partner.
Silver Wolf felt a strange surge of warmth—not from the stadium heaters, but from the Path-link Julian had facilitated. For the first time in a decade of gaming, she wasn't just managing a resource. She was fighting with someone.
"If you still have the will to fight," Silver Wolf said, a genuine, competitive smile breaking across her face, "then how can I give up? Dragonite! Let's give them everything!"
"WAAAH!"
The dragon's roar shook the rafters. A swirling aura of draconic energy erupted from its body, clashing against Pikachu's golden lightning.
"Thunderbolt, full output!" Julian roared.
"Dragon Pulse! Don't back down!"
The two trainers weren't just giving commands; they were straining as if they were the ones holding the energy. Pikachu lunged forward, encased in a sphere of white-hot lightning, while Dragonite unleashed a concentrated beam of indigo power.
The collision was blinding. For a few seconds, the two forces held in a stalemate, a bridge of pure energy connecting the two partners. But the Charge buff was the tipping point. The lightning began to consume the dragon-fire, pushing the beam back into Dragonite's maw.
BOOM!
Dragonite was thrown backward, crashing into the stadium wall as the energy dissipated.
"Dragonite is unable to battle! The winner of the exhibition is Julian Reed and Pikachu!"
Owlbert's professional instincts kicked in immediately. He hovered over the fallen dragon, checking the status before raising his wing. The stadium exploded into a wall of sound. The fans weren't just cheering for the winner; they were chanting "Silver Wolf" and "Dragonite" just as loudly. It was the most visceral match the Luofu had ever seen.
Silver Wolf walked toward her fainted partner. She instinctively reached out to touch its snout, then pulled back, remembering it was a projection. But then, she felt it—a faint, warm pressure against her palm. She didn't look at Julian, but she knew he was maintaining the "Soul-Bridge" just long enough for a goodbye.
"You did your best," she whispered, stroking the digital scales. "I wasn't good enough today. Next time, we win."
Dragonite let out a weak, happy rumble before dissolving into digital particles as Silver Wolf recalled it.
On the other side, Pikachu tried to run to Julian, but its legs buckled. It had spent every drop of its energy. Julian was there in a flash, scooping the small mouse into his arms.
"Thank you, Pikachu," he murmured, scratching its ears. "You were incredible."
"Pika..." The mouse nuzzled his chin one last time before falling into a deep, exhausted sleep.
As the exhibition match concluded and the arena was reset for the official tournament, Julian made his way to the VIP section. Silver Wolf walked beside him, her disgruntled expression replaced by a look of deep contemplation.
"So that was the 'Soul Connection'," she said softly. "I have to admit... it's addictive. Anyone who feels that once is never going back to a standard controller."
"That's the goal," Julian replied. "But you caught me, didn't you? You know I held back on the tactics."
Silver Wolf curled her lip. "Please. I've played you in the dev-builds. You didn't use half the switch-baits or entry hazards you usually do. You just wanted a flashy head-on collision."
"Hey, it was an exhibition!" Julian laughed. "The fans wanted a spectacle, not a 20-minute stall-match."
Julian took his seat in the VIP row, finding himself sitting directly next to Robin. The galactic superstar was leaning forward, her eyes sparkling with an intensity that caught him off guard.
"Mr. Julian," she said, her voice slightly breathless. "Could you... could you bring Pikachu back out? Just for a moment?"
Julian realized that even the most famous singer in the galaxy was just another fan at heart. He didn't have the heart to refuse. The Path-energy was still humming in his veins; projecting a resting Pikachu consumed almost nothing compared to a high-speed battle.
With a snap of his fingers, the golden light flickered, and a sleepy Pikachu appeared in Julian's lap.
"Pikachu?" It blinked, confused. Its wounds were gone—erased by the reset of the projection—leaving it fresh and fluffy.
"Pikachu, meet Miss Robin," Julian smiled. "She's a big fan."
He gently passed the Pokémon to her. Robin cradled the mouse with a look of pure wonder, her hands glowing slightly as they made contact with the Path-enhanced projection.
Below them, Owlbert's voice boomed once more: "And now, for a special announcement! Boss Julian has agreed that for the grand finals, he will use his Path-ability to give the finalists' Pokémon the same level of intelligence we just saw! Get ready for the first-ever sentient tournament!"
The crowd's roar was loud enough to vibrate the seats. The "Gamer" age had truly begun.
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