Alex had only faced Expert ranked Pokémon since the beginning. That was how he had managed to snap the neck of a fully healed Machamp, knock a Hariyama unconscious with an axe kick, and wrestle a Lycanroc to the ground. He was strong enough to overpower his opponents in raw strength and speed. As long as he avoided taking a direct hit from a truly powerful move, he could manage.
Now, however, he was facing an Elite ranked Pokémon, and one with a Steel typing at that. Technically, he was 'fighting,' but he lacked the energy of a Fighting type to deal any significant damage. He was essentially a Normal type Pokémon, to be more accurate.
"Ladies and gentlemen, an unprecedented matchup is about to unfold. This Lucario is Elite ranked. I repeat, Elite ranked. Can our contender still emerge victorious? Will his power, speed, and precision be enough to overcome this seemingly impossible opponent?"
The crowd's roar surged louder than ever, a mixture of excitement and fear. They had cheered for Alex before, but an Elite ranked battle was something entirely different. The arena had only ever hosted Expert ranked Pokémon in its history, and now they had the rare and terrifying opportunity to watch an Elite ranked Pokémon face a human with lethal stakes.
"Well, shit. I didn't see this coming," Alex said, genuinely concerned.
The plan was to get into a room with Lucien and ambush him, not to die in the arena. He had hoped to win the fight and somehow get close enough to Lucien to engage him directly before calling in his team. He had not expected to face an Elite ranked Pokémon, especially in an arena that was not built to withstand one.
"Time for Plan B, I guess," he muttered, wondering what Plan B was in the first place.
While he was distracted by his thoughts, Lucario suddenly surged forward with Extreme Speed, appearing right in front of Alex before he could even blink. The air seemed to whiplash around him as the Elite ranked Pokémon closed the distance in an instant.
Alex only had time to widen his eyes in shock before Lucario delivered a powerful kick that sent him flying across the arena. It wasn't even a move with energy, just an ordinary strike delivered with full force.
He slammed into the arena wall knocking the wind right out of him. Before he could raise his guard or land a stable footing, Lucario was already there, seizing him by the throat. Its grip was iron-tight leaving him breathless.
Alex twisted his torso sharply to the left, sliding his arm up between his chest and Lucario's chest to create a solid frame. He dropped his elbow down against the Pokémon's arm around his neck, attempting to lever it away. But, Lucario intercepted the arm and clamped down, holding it firmly in place.
Desperation surged through him as he swung his free fist into Lucario's open midsection. A resounding clang echoed through the arena as his fist met solid steel. Lucario didn't flinch, standing firm as if Alex's punch had barely registered.
Thinking quickly, Alex tried to knee Lucario in the core, hoping to force him to loosen his grip, but another harsh clang rang out. The attack was completely ineffective. Every strike and maneuver he attempted was met with unyielding resistance. He was being manhandled, tossed around like a ragdoll, struggling to find any opening, and realizing with growing dread that he had no chance to resist.
Lucario didn't go in for the kill; instead, it toyed with Alex. It was clear the Pokémon wasn't taking the fight seriously.
It struck Alex in the side with a savage punch, the sound of cracking ribs ringing sharply through his ears. Pain radiated through his body, each breath turning into a struggle. Before he could react, Lucario slammed its forehead into his skull with a punishing headbutt, almost rendering him unconscious, his vision blurring from the impact.
It threw him violently onto the ground, the shock reverberating through his spine. Then it kicked him again, sending him skidding across the floor.
Alex tried to get up, but another kick sent him sprawling through the gravel before he was slammed into a wall. He struggled to steady himself, only for a punch to land on his back, forcing him to eat dirt. Then he was kicked away again, skidding across the ground.
Every attempt Alex made to rise or defend himself was met with a barrage of punches and kicks. Joints groaned under the force, ribs splintered further, and the air was forced from his lungs repeatedly.
Lucario hurled him across the arena like a ragdoll, slamming him into walls and sending him skidding across the floor. It tore at his defenses with ruthless efficiency, targeting limbs and torso, leaving bruises, swelling, and internal pain in its wake. Broken fingers, strained muscles, and battered bones compounded the agony, yet it never delivered the finishing blow.
Every attack was calculated to inflict maximum suffering without ending the fight, a relentless display of raw power that reminded Alex and the crowd of how completely outmatched he was.
Finally, Lucario tossed Alex's battered body to the other side of the arena before looking up at the balcony, directly at Lucien.
"A marvelous fight," Lucien's voice boomed over the arena. "But it has run its course. How would you like to finish it?"
"This is it, folks," the announcer shouted. "Vote on how you want to see this Elite ranked trainer meet his end!"
The crowd glanced at the prompt beside them and began casting their votes. Some called for a bloodier end with Metal Claw, while others preferred a flashy explosion with Meteor Mash. In the end, the winning vote went to Aura Sphere.
Excited, the crowd erupted into a chant.
"Aura Sphere! Aura Sphere! Aura Sphere!"
Lucien smiled at the crowd's response and gave a subtle nod to Lucario, who instantly understood the command. No matter where Alex ran, escape was impossible. The Elite ranked Pokémon was about to strike with a guaranteed Aura Sphere.
Lucario positioned its arms to the front and began gathering Fighting type energy into a glowing sphere. The crowd's excitement grew as the Pokémon charged its energy, their chants rising in unison.
Finally, Lucario released the move, sending the Aura Sphere hurtling directly at Alex.
Despite his injuries, he dug deep and summoned every ounce of strength he had left. With a fierce push from his legs, he launched himself into the air, aiming directly for the balcony where Lucien watched with detached amusement.
Lucien's Pokémon had been on high alert the entire time. Their psychic energy surged, lashing out to push Alex away from the balcony before he could reach it.
He felt the invisible force try to yank him back, but in that instant, he shrouded himself in Dark type energy. The shadowy aura crackled and twisted around him, countering the psychic push and letting it slide past.
The Aura Sphere, which had initially been aimed at the center of the arena, changed course and followed him. The glowing ball of Fighting type energy cut through the air, closing in faster than the Pokémon on the balcony could react.
Alex braced himself, holding the Dark type energy around him as a shield while the force of the Aura Sphere slammed into him. Pain exploded through his body, twisting him violently in midair.
The impact sent him hurtling toward the balcony glass. The combined force of the Aura Sphere and the Dark type energy surrounding him shattered the reinforced panes. He crashed through the glass and landed before Lucien's feet, battered and bruised. Every bone ached, several were clearly broken, and he could barely move, gasping for air. The Elite ranked Aura Sphere had struck true and yet he had survived, barely.
"This was your plan?" Lucien mocked. "Kiss my feet before your inevitable death?"
He stepped on Alex's face, grinding it into the shattered glass on the floor. He enjoyed mocking and torturing his victims, especially when they had put their best effort into taking him down.
"No," Alex groaned. "But it's close enough."
Suddenly, Lucien's Pokémon turned their heads toward the window behind the room. Intruders were heading straight for them.
Lucien received the message from his Pokémon and immediately started to panic.
"Get me out of here! NOW!" he shouted.
His Pokémon obliged, channeling Teleport to take Lucien away. Their psychic energy wrapped around him, preparing to transport him, but something was wrong. The energy faltered, failing to hold him.
"What are you doing?" he yelled. "Teleport me out now!"
In his mind, they responded that their energy could not wrap around him for some unknown reason.
Lucien finally realized what was happening as he attempted to pull his foot away from Alex's face, but a hand closed around his ankle before he could move.
Dark type energy surged from Alex, enveloping Lucien and blocking the psychic energy from wrapping around him. This prevented him from teleporting away.
"Where do you think you're going?" Alex asked. "The party's just about to get started."
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