Time flew by as Ace trained. Without him even noticing, three days had passed in a flash.
The preliminary rounds were over, and when Ace found out about their format, he was extremely glad he had impulsively chosen the stage matches. The preliminaries used a point system: two points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. So, to stand out from their respective sections, each person had to battle at least thirty times, a much higher intensity than the stage matches.
Afterward, the top ten from each section, plus the four winners of the stage matches, made up the top sixty-four. Next was the group stage, where the sixty-four people would be randomly paired off in a knockout format until the top sixteen were decided.
"Just two wins to get into the top sixteen. That's pretty fast."
The sixty-four participants gathered, and the drawing began. During the drawing, Ace also saw Cynthia. However, Cynthia didn't speak to Ace. She simply drew her lot and then walked to the side.
Soon it was Ace's turn. He casually reached into the lottery box and grabbed a sphere. When he pulled it out, he saw "C4" written on it. This meant his would be the fourth battle in Section C.
"The last match. So my opponent is..."
Ace looked at the large screen at the drawing site, which displayed the names and sections of all the contestants. He quickly found C4, and his opponent was a girl named Rika.
Ace didn't know this person, but Rika, upon seeing that her opponent was Ace, immediately found him with a pained expression. Rika held out her hand to Ace. "I saw your stage match. I don't think I'm your opponent, but it's a pleasure to be able to battle you."
"Likewise."
Ace also shook Rika's hand. Rika then turned to leave, waving at him as she went.
"Can you really go through with it?"
Just as Ace was about to head to Section C, a familiar voice sounded from behind him.
"I thought you didn't recognize me anymore."
Ace smiled, turning to look at Cynthia, who was wearing a tight-fitting workout top and cargo pants. "Long time no see."
"Long time no see." Cynthia spoke to Ace with a generous attitude. "I didn't expect you to join this competition as well. Let's both do our best. I hope to have a battle with you in the finals."
"That depends on whether you can make it to the finals."
Ace said flatly, but he nodded inwardly. The current Cynthia already had a hint of her future Champion self; she was no longer the naive girl from before.
"Talk to you later."
Cynthia said to Ace and then quickly walked to Section A. She was A1, so her match was first.
Ace watched Cynthia leave, smiled, and then turned to walk toward Section C.
The group stage still used a one-on-one battle system, so the matches were very quick. After waiting for twenty minutes at the edge of Section C, it was soon Ace's turn to battle.
Ace walked to one end of the battle arena, and Rika walked to the other. At the judge's command, Ace and Rika simultaneously threw their Poké Balls. Gible and Flygon landed on the field.
"A battle of Dragons! I won't give up so easily."
Rika cried out with a fiery spirit. On Ace's side, both he and Gible's expressions were very subtle. There was no helping it; Ace had battled so many Dragon-type Pokémon in the Dragon's Den at Meteor Falls that he was all too familiar with how to deal with them. You want to use a Dragon-type Pokémon to battle in front of Ace? Don't even think about it. Unless you have Champion-level strength, even if Lance were revived, Ace could have him train for a few more years and still effortlessly dominate him in a battle of Dragon-types.
"Dragon Claw!"
Rika was the first to attack. Flygon flapped its wings, quickly closing in on Gible. Simultaneously, Dragon-type energy gathered on Flygon's right claw, taking shape on its sharp talons.
"Dragon Claw."
Ace and Gible instantly entered battle mode. Compared to Flygon's Dragon Claw, Gible's Dragon-type energy quickly coated its spikes and fin-like arms. With the spikes for offense and the fins for defense, this integrated attack and defense was much more powerful than a simple Dragon Claw.
Thud!
Gible raised its left arm fin, instantly blocking Flygon's Dragon Claw attack, and its right claw spikes shot out instantly. However, Gible awkwardly changed its direction, and the spikes only hit Flygon's shoulder. Having gotten used to battling Combusken, Gible instinctively aimed for Flygon's neck. If that strike had landed, Ace and Gible would probably be begging Flygon not to die right now.
"As expected, I'm not suited for official competitions..." Ace sighed to himself. The Pokémon he trained were all born for battle. The rules of official competitions really weren't a good fit.
Flygon was forced to retreat with one move, and it clutched its injured area in pain. When it looked back at Gible, Gible had already disappeared from its original spot.
"Dig? That won't work on Flygon with its Levitate ability!" Rika shouted. "Force it out, Flygon, Earthquake!"
Flygon nodded and then stomped heavily on the battle arena. But the moment Flygon used Earthquake, Gible burst out from the ground behind it.
"Dual Chop!"
Gible crossed its arms in front of it and charged at Flygon's back. At this moment, as Flygon's Earthquake was just being unleashed, Gible's two sharp spikes struck fiercely at the base of Flygon's wings. Flygon cried out in pain from the wing injury and fell heavily to the ground.
Levitate? Non-existent! Once you knock it down, its Levitate ability becomes useless!
"It's over. Dragon Rush."
Using Flygon as a springboard, Gible leaped high into the air. As it did so, Dragon-type energy gathered over its entire body. As Gible descended, it crashed forcefully onto the back of Flygon, who hadn't had a chance to get up.
Thud!
A muffled thud was heard, and cracks instantly appeared on the ground beneath Flygon. When Gible jumped back to Ace's side, Flygon lay on the ground, having lost its ability to battle.
"Flygon is unable to battle! Gible is the winner!"
With the judge's announcement, all four rounds of matches in Section C were officially over. Ace recalled Gible, and Rika recalled Flygon, walking toward Ace.
"You really are strong." Rika looked at Ace with a smile. "Hey, handsome, can I have your number?"
"Sorry, women only slow me down from getting stronger."
Ace replied flatly and then turned to leave, leaving Rika bewildered in the wind.
"Pfft, ha ha ha..." Cynthia, who had been watching Ace's match from the side, heard this and completely lost her composure, laughing loudly without any regard for her image.