Charizard's roar erupted like a shockwave, blasting across the battlefield.
The audience outside the ring might not have felt it.
But for those standing close—like Leiming—it was undeniable. His brows knit tightly together.
Gym Leader-level!That Charizard had already reached Gym Leader level!Unbelievable.
The kid across from him looked no more than a rookie trainer barely a year into his journey, and yet in such a short time, he had raised a Pokémon to Gym Leader tier?What the hell…
If everyone could do that, what was the point of Gym Leaders anymore?!
Leiming felt a chill run down his spine, and his mind flashed back to his own past.
He, too, had started his journey at fifteen. Nine years had passed—almost ten—and only now had he barely broken into Gym Leader level.
Back in his village, he was already considered the No. 1 genius trainer.
But compared to Yozora? He was nothing.
Comparison really does kill a man inside.
"Charizard, Flamethrower!" Yozora suddenly commanded, cutting into Leiming's thoughts.
The terrifying blaze surged forward. Leiming snapped out of his daze too late, letting the flames crash against his Tyranitar, swallowing its massive frame whole.
There was little he could do.
Tyranitar was never meant for agility battles—it was built for sheer stamina, overwhelming attack, and ironclad defense. Speed was its only shortcoming.
That was why Tyranitar was often played as a fortress, a super tank—trading blows, burning its bulk to crush opponents.
But—
The moment Flamethrower engulfed Tyranitar, Charizard didn't stop. Instead, it ignited Blaze, its tail flame flaring fivefold with a sudden roar.
BOOM!
Charizard surged into Blaze state, its body strengthened, its flames intensified—its Flamethrower multiplying in power.
"Excellent, Charizard! Keep it up—don't let up with Flamethrower!" Yozora shouted again.
BOOM!
The flames around Tyranitar spun into a blazing vortex, sealing it inside, burning it relentlessly.
"Tyranitar!" Leiming cried out in desperation.
He could feel it—Charizard's Blaze ability had pushed its power close to the very peak of Gym Leader-level.
If Tyranitar were still in peak condition, maybe—just maybe—it could have withstood the inferno.
But now? Tyranitar was already weakened. There was no way it could endure.
Three seconds later, Charizard cut off its flames.
As expected—
Tyranitar collapsed, unable to fight any longer.
"Tyranitar is unable to battle! Charizard wins!"
"The match is over! The victor—Trainer Yozora!" With Tyranitar's defeat, Leiming had lost all of his Pokémon, and the referee announced Yozora's victory.
"Congratulations to Yozora for advancing into the Top Eight! This year's rookies are absolutely terrifying!" the host roared excitedly.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
In that instant, Yozora seemed bathed in light, carved into the memory of every spectator. His name was now etched in the tournament's story.
Leiming, meanwhile, could only stew in bitter frustration.
"If… if it hadn't been for that Destiny Bond earlier, my Tyranitar could've kept going, right?" he muttered to himself as he recalled Tyranitar, sighed, and walked off in defeat.
The matches continued swiftly.
By that afternoon, the eight quarterfinalists were decided.
Among the veterans like Yukie, three surprising new names appeared: Yozora, Red, and Ryūnan—all rookies who had only just begun their journeys!
"Incredible! Three newcomers making it into the Top Eight—this is unprecedented!" the host exclaimed, riling up the atmosphere even further.
"Yozora, Red…"
Outside the ring, Ash's eyes flickered, his heart shaken.
They had all started from Pallet Town. Yozora and Red had broken into the Top Eight, while he, Ash, barely scraped by into the main event.
"Ha! Those two kids are really something."
Professor Oak laughed heartily and patted Ash's shoulder. "Ash, you've done well too. Don't be discouraged—you made it into the main event through sheer effort."
Even so, deep inside, Professor Oak felt a twinge of disappointment.
Pallet Town had sent four rookies this year. Three had entered the main event. The only one who hadn't—was his own grandson, Gary.
The quarterfinal matchups were quickly drawn, though the matches themselves were scheduled for tomorrow.
Match One: Ryūnan vs. Red!Match Two: Yozora vs. Yukie!
The next day arrived swiftly.
The first battle began. Red and Ryūnan clashed head-to-head. At first, they were evenly matched.
But—
The moment Red sent out his fourth Pokémon, Dragonite, the tide shifted. Dragonite swept the field, leaving Ryūnan with only one Pokémon left.
"What power… that Dragonite! Red's strength is even greater than Yozora's…"
Ryūnan was crushed by the pressure. As a last resort, he sent out Altaria and Mega Evolved it.
But even then, it fell to Dragonite's might.
By the end, Red had only lost three Pokémon. A clean three-for-six sweep. He had demolished Ryūnan.
Ryūnan had no words left.
The second match began soon after. At the host's call, Yozora and Yukie entered the battlefield.
Yukie's silver hair shimmered, her features delicate yet cold as snow.
At seventeen, she was a year older than Yozora, Red, and Ryūnan.
"Yukie is hailed as a prodigy—last year, as just a rookie, she made it into the Top Eight of the Silver Conference! This year, she's even stronger!" The host hyped up both trainers for the crowd.
The audience roared in excitement.
Both Yozora and Yukie carried large fanbases, and their clash was already legendary before it began.
"Go, Charizard!" Yozora declared as the referee signaled the start.
Across from him, Yukie released Jynx.
The humanlike Pokémon looked almost like a regal, eccentric woman—wearing a red floor-length gown that concealed its feet, with pale arms, purple hands, a purple face, pink lips, disk-shaped eyes, and flowing golden hair.
Jynx was an Ice- and Psychic-type Pokémon, famed for its ability to command ice and snow.
And Yukie's Jynx was no ordinary Pokémon—it had already reached the very peak of Lord-tier.
But even she froze for a moment when she saw Yozora leading with his Charizard.
"Charizard! Yozora has chosen to send out his strongest right from the start! Is he aiming for a swift victory?!" the host shouted, and the arena buzzed with excitement.
Yozora only smiled faintly, unfazed.
Before the battle began, he had studied Yukie's style. She excelled in using Ice-types.
And Fire beats Ice.
So, Yozora had chosen to unleash Charizard immediately, intending to shatter her momentum in the very first half.
"Begin!"
With both trainers ready, the referee blew the whistle, signaling the match's start.
(End of Chapter)