This Pikachu was of an unusually high level—its life force must be exceptionally strong.
Yozora knew Gengar was itching to devour its dreams, but this was already the semifinals. Decisive victory mattered far more than risky gambits.
Using Dream Eater now would be far too dangerous…
"Pikachu is unable to battle. Gengar wins!" The referee declared calmly.
"What an incredible match! Both Trainers moved so fast it left us breathless! In the end, congratulations to Yozora for taking the first round!" the announcer shouted, sending waves of cheers through the crowd.
On the other side of the arena—
Red recalled his fainted Pikachu without hesitation, immediately sending out his second Pokémon: Venusaur.
Venusaur, the final evolution of Bulbasaur, looked like a massive green toad with a gigantic flower blooming on its back. Despite its bulky frame, its agility was deceptively high. Moves like Vine Whip and Razor Leaf were executed at blistering speed.
This particular Venusaur wasn't just any Pokémon—it was Red's very first partner, received from Professor Oak himself. Its significance was on par with Yozora's Charizard.
Its strength was nothing to scoff at either—it had reached Gym Leader-level, no weaker in raw power than Yozora's Charizard.
"Venusaur, Vine Whip!" Red commanded sharply.
Whoosh! Two whips lashed out, slicing through the air with deadly speed.
"So fast…"
Yozora's eyes narrowed. "Gengar, Double Team!"
Shh-shh-shh…
At once, Gengar split into over a dozen shimmering copies. The vines struck one, shattering it into smoke—it was only a clone.
"Whoa! So many Gengars! This'll be tough for Venusaur!" the announcer exclaimed.
But Red only smiled.
Venusaur's aura sharpened. With lightning reflexes, another Vine Whip lashed out—this time striking the true Gengar.
"Gengar!!" The shadowy ghost cried out in agony, hurled across the battlefield. It crashed to the ground, unable to rise again.
At that moment, all the other clones exploded into nothingness.
"The real one was hit! Venusaur managed to pick out Gengar from over a dozen illusions—that's incredible!" the announcer shouted. The audience roared in disbelief.
"Gengar is unable to battle. Venusaur wins!" The referee announced.
Yozora frowned, recalling his fallen Gengar.
"Could it be… Red also has the Power of Aura? Or has he awakened the Mind's Eye?" Yozora thought grimly.
It was no coincidence. There was precision in how Venusaur struck. Red must have been using Aura, or perhaps the Mind's Eye—piercing through illusions to lock onto Gengar's real presence. With their bond, Venusaur reacted instantly to his intent, landing a decisive Vine Whip.
"What a back-and-forth battle! Yozora had just gained the lead, and Red immediately tied it up!" the announcer roared.
Now it was Yozora's turn. He threw his next Poké Ball, releasing his second Pokémon: Charizard.
Fire versus Grass—an obvious type advantage.
That was exactly why Yozora chose Charizard. But the moment Charizard emerged, Red calmly withdrew Venusaur…
Perfectly within his rights.
In a 6-on-6 match, each Trainer was allowed two free switches.
"Red recalls Venusaur right away. Could it be he's preparing a Water-type, or another Pokémon with the upper hand?" the announcer speculated aloud.
And then—
Red sent out his third Pokémon.
The earth seemed to tremble as a colossal Snorlax appeared, sprawled lazily on the battlefield.
Though it immediately collapsed into sleep upon entry, its size was staggering—five to six meters tall at least.
Normally, Snorlax stood a little over two meters. It wasn't known for height but for sheer girth. Yet this…
A Snorlax of such monstrous scale was beyond belief.
It was enormous, obese, and radiated the weight of a mountain even while lying down.
"Good heavens!! Red's third Pokémon is a Totem Snorlax!!" The announcer rubbed his eyes in disbelief before shouting the revelation.
The stadium erupted into chaos.
"Holy—look at the size of that thing!"
"It's gigantic! How much food does it eat in a single day?!"
"Exactly! A normal Snorlax is already a bottomless stomach. What about that?!"
"No way anyone could afford to raise it…"
With Totem Snorlax's arrival, the crowd exploded.
Every spectator, young and old, stared in shock at the mountain of fat still snoring on the arena floor.
"Totem Snorlax…" Outside the field, Ryūnan broke into a cold sweat. He never imagined Red had been hiding such a monster.
Ash, Brock, and Misty all gaped in astonishment as well.
Only Professor Oak smiled calmly.
As Red's caretaker and advisor, Oak knew his full lineup by heart.
"Totem Snorlax is impressive, but it's hardly his rarest Pokémon. Red has others even more shocking. The only question is… did he register them for this match?" Oak murmured to himself.
Of course—
He also recognized Yozora's team was equally formidable. Especially that Ultra Beast, Buzzwole. Not a Legendary by title, but by sheer power, it stood on equal ground.
"A Totem Snorlax…" Yozora's eyes widened at the sight.
Just two months ago, when he visited Oak's lab, he had seen Red's Snorlax—it was normal-sized.
In such a short span, Red had encountered something extraordinary.
[Pokémon]: Totem Snorlax
[Type]: Normal
[Level]: Peak Gym Leader-tier
[Potential]: Tier 3 Legendary
[Description]: A Totem Snorlax of immeasurable strength and stamina, revered within its kind as a ruler.
…
"Wake up, Snorlax!"
The giant was snoring deeply, a massive bubble inflating and deflating from its nose.
But at Red's voice, the bubble popped. Snorlax's eyes opened, and the battlefield seemed to shake with its awakening.
…
…
(End of Chapter)