"Charge in, Kangaskhan—use Dynamic Punch!"
In the arena, Kangaskhan roared, its fist bursting with blinding white light as it smashed into Poliwrath's face.
At the same time, Poliwrath countered with a sharp Brick Break, slamming its palm hard into Kangaskhan's stomach.
Flesh against flesh, blow for blow!But—
That wasn't the end.
Both Pokémon grunted in pain, then immediately lunged at each other again.
Dynamic Punch!Brick Break!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Kangaskhan and Poliwrath unleashed a furious exchange of attacks, fists and palms raining down without pause.
Finally, with a thunderous crash, their clash sent both of them staggering backward. They were panting heavily now, each badly battered.
Poliwrath's Fighting-type moves struck for double damage with every blow.
Yet Kangaskhan's stamina was extraordinary, boosted by Huge Power—each punch carried terrifying force, inflicting massive damage on Poliwrath in return.
"I was tricked?!" Captain Edson's heart sank.
By level and momentum, Poliwrath clearly had the upper hand over Kangaskhan.
That meant, overall, Poliwrath should have been the stronger one.
With its type advantage too, this should have been a one-sided fight.
But instead, Kangaskhan had traded blow for blow, leaving both Pokémon grievously injured. Kangaskhan was badly hurt, yes—but Poliwrath was nearly just as battered. This outcome was a total loss!
"That Kangaskhan… its strength and endurance are unbelievable! At least in those two areas, it's not inferior to my Poliwrath at all!"
Finally realizing the situation, Captain Edson quickly ordered, "Poliwrath, fall back—then use Hydro Pump!"
Boom!
A massive torrent, as thick as a barrel, erupted from Poliwrath's belly, tearing through the air before blasting Kangaskhan squarely. The force sent Kangaskhan flying across the arena.
With a heavy thud, Kangaskhan collapsed, unable to rise.
"Kangaskhan is unable to battle!" The referee declared Poliwrath the winner—but Captain Edson couldn't muster a smile.
His face twitched as he looked at Poliwrath, swaying on its feet, covered in wounds and barely holding on.
This was supposed to have been a clean sweep. How had it turned into this mess?
"Kangaskhan, you did great. Thank you." On the other side, Yozora recalled his Pokémon with a satisfied expression.
Outmatched in both level and typing, Kangaskhan had fought fiercely, achieving far more than expected.
"Your turn—go, Pidgeotto!"
With Kangaskhan down, Yozora sent out his second Pokémon.
"Take flight, Pidgeotto!" At his command, Pidgeotto soared high into the skies.
"Poliwrath, Hydro Pump!" Captain Edson shouted with a frown.
Against a Flying-type opponent, Poliwrath's vaunted martial arts were useless.
It could only rely on ranged water attacks.
But Pidgeotto's speed was blistering. One Hydro Pump after another shot skyward—yet not a single one found its mark.
Instead, Pidgeotto swept past again and again with sharp Wing Attacks, cutting Poliwrath down piece by piece.
By now—
Having endured both Kangaskhan's and Pidgeotto's assaults, Poliwrath's stamina was reaching its limits.
Even its Hydro Pumps were faltering.
At first, the blasts were barrel-thick. Now they were no wider than a bowl.
The power drop was staggering.
Even the speed of the jets had slowed dramatically.
Emboldened, Pidgeotto darted about in midair, taunting, weaving effortlessly around the sluggish streams of water.
It was merciless—humiliating!
Some of the children in the crowd, barely ten years old, burst into laughter at Pidgeotto's dazzling display.
"Once mighty, now brought low! After taking hits from both Kangaskhan and Pidgeotto, Poliwrath's stamina is nearly spent!" the announcer exclaimed.
"…No, wait." Yozora's eyes narrowed.
Pidgeotto's movements weren't ordinary.
"Aerial Ace! Pidgeotto's mastered Aerial Ace?!"
Excitement flared in his chest. He shouted, "Pidgeotto, use Aerial Ace!"
With a piercing cry, Pidgeotto danced around Poliwrath at blinding speed, feinting one way before vanishing and reappearing behind it. A shockwave of force gathered around its body before it slammed squarely into the back of Poliwrath's head.
Poliwrath groaned and collapsed instantly.
"Poliwrath is unable to battle!"
The referee's words had barely landed when—suddenly, Pidgeotto descended from the sky, its body glowing with a brilliant white light.
"…Eh?"
Gasps filled the arena as the dazzling radiance engulfed its frame, swelling larger and larger.
At last, the glow faded—and standing proudly in its place was Pidgeot!
"Pidgeot!"
The newly evolved bird spread its massive wings wide, releasing a piercing cry that sent powerful gales rippling across the battlefield.
"Incredible! After defeating such a powerful foe, Pidgeotto must have been overcome with excitement—it's evolved right here and now!"
"And—look at its size! Isn't this Pidgeot far larger than normal?!" The announcer's voice cracked in disbelief.
The audience stared in stunned awe.
Yozora's Pidgeot stood at least 180 centimeters tall, towering and majestic. Its wings stretched nearly three to four meters across, easily capable of stirring up a storm with a single flap.
Truth was, Yozora's Pidgeotto had always been unusually large, though it wasn't so noticeable before.
Now, fully evolved into Pidgeot, its imposing size was impossible to ignore.
[Pokémon]: Pidgeot
[Type]: Normal / Flying
[Level]: Senior High-tier
[Potential]: Elite Four-tier
[Moves]: Quick Attack, Wing Attack, U-turn, Air Slash, Hurricane, Sand Attack, Roost (Lightning Blade is a custom combo move and not separately recorded by the system)
[Description]: A Pidgeot with extraordinary potential, exuding the fierce aura of a true aerial predator.
…
After evolving, Pidgeot's power jumped two full stages, reaching the upper tier of Senior level.
"It evolved again…" Ritchie's eyes bulged, his mind blank with shock.
Just yesterday, Yozora's Charmander had evolved into Charmeleon.
And today—another evolution, right in the middle of battle.
What kind of luck was this?!
"Truly remarkable fortune. For Pidgeotto to evolve at this exact moment… it's a massive boost to Yozora's strength." Sherry, too, was astonished, though she smiled.
As a skilled Flying-type trainer herself, she knew exactly how dangerous airborne Pokémon could be, and the unique advantages they brought to battle.
All the more so for Pidgeot—a predator of the skies, renowned for its unmatched speed and aerial power.
So long as it commanded the air, Pidgeot would reign supreme!
End of Chapter