The tunnel was dark, but the end of it was blinding white.
Enzo and Bea walked out onto the battlefield simultaneously. The moment they stepped into the open air, the sound hit them like a physical wave. The stadium wasn't just loud; it was shaking.
Thousands of fans screamed. But for the first time, the chant wasn't just general noise. It was specific.
"CER-U-LEAN! CER-U-LEAN! EN-ZO! EN-ZO!"
Enzo looked up at the stands. He saw hundreds of fans dressed in black tactical vests, wearing masks, mimicking his "Devon" style.
For a second, the cold, calculating mask Enzo wore slipped, replaced by a genuine surge of adrenaline.
Suddenly, the giant screens above the stadium glitched. Static noise cut through the cheering.
Daisy, the glamorous Gym Leader of Cerulean City and Misty's older sister, adjusted her headset. She looked radiant, waving to the crowd, but her expression carried a hint of serious anticipation.
"Welcome back, everyone! The atmosphere here is absolutely electric," Daisy announced, her voice echoing clearly through the stadium. "Joining me again at the commentary desk, we have the esteemed Professor Birch and the thunderous Lt. Surge."
Surge leaned back in his chair, grinning like a shark and chewing on his cigar, looking delighted. Birch looked a little nervous, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Daisy looked down at the arena, her eyes gleaming as she gestured to the two trainers standing below.
"Before we begin, look at the caliber of talent we have today," Daisy said, her voice projecting respect. "On the left side, we have a warrior whose discipline is unmatched. A true martial artist and the Fighting-type prodigy from the emerging region of Galar... Bea!"
A section of the crowd cheered politely, respecting the strength of the Galar karate master.
Then, Daisy turned her gaze to the right side of the field. Her professional mask slipped just a little, replaced by genuine warmth and local pride.
"And facing her..." Daisy said, her voice swelling with emotion. "He is a trainer who has fought through darkness to stand here today. He is one of ours. Representing our beautiful city of Cerulean... Enzo!"
The stadium erupted. His fans in black vests screamed, and the citizens of Cerulean waved their blue flags frantically.
Daisy let the applause wash over the arena for a moment before looking directly into the camera, her tone shifting from welcoming to urgent.
"But hold on to your seats, because we have a massive update from the League committee. We have just received confirmation that the rules for this Semi-Final have been changed."
She paused for effect, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"This will not be the standard 2 vs 2 tactical duel we were expecting," Daisy declared, her voice rising with the hype. "This is going to be a Full-On War! It is officially a 4 vs 4 Sudden Death match! All Pokémon on the field at the same time. Simultaneous combat. No turns."
The crowd gasped, the noise level dropping for a split second before exploding into shocked murmurs.
"The stakes couldn't be higher," Daisy finished, pointing toward the field where her city's representative stood. "Whoever survives this chaos moves on to the Grand Final to face Steven Stone!"
On the field, Bea froze mid-step. For a fraction of a second, her breathing hitched. Her martial art was built on the purity of the duel, reading the opponent's breath, anticipating the single strike. A 4 vs 4 "Total War" was a bar fight. It was pure disorder.
Chaos, she thought, the word tasting bitter in her mouth.
But years of strict discipline kicked in instantly. Bea forced her muscles to relax, her face hardening into a mask of stone. She refused to show weakness. She snapped her head up, looking directly across the field, expecting to see panic stamped on Enzo's face at the sudden change in structure.
But Enzo wasn't in panic. Enzo was looking right at her, smiling.
Bea's eyes narrowed dangerously. That smile irritated her deeply. To her, she knew it was a cheap tactic.
Psychological warfare, Bea concluded, tightening the black belt of her uniform. He's trying to unsettle me. He thinks acting unbothered will make me hesitate. I don't play mind games.
Enzo's smile widened, but not for the reason she thought. He saw the irritation in her eyes. He saw her posture stiffen.
She thinks I'm bluffing, Enzo thought, his fingers grazing four Poké Balls on his belt simultaneously. But in reality, I have been practicing this strategy with my team for weeks.
The referee raised both flags high, his voice cutting through the tension.
"TRAINERS! RELEASE YOUR TEAMS!"
Bea moved instantly. Her discipline was absolute. In one fluid, practiced motion, she threw four Ultra Balls into the air, her form perfect.
"Combat formation! Stand ready!"
But Enzo didn't move. He stood perfectly still, his hands hovering over his belt, watching Bea's Poké Balls arc through the air. It was a deliberate pause.
Four flashes of white light exploded on the opposing side. Bea's team materialized, slamming into the ground with the heavy thud of raw muscle.
Only then did Enzo smile. "Now," he whispered.
He casually unclipped his Poké Balls and tossed them forward with a lazy, underhand throw. Enzo's team materialized a second later.
The moment Krookodile hit the dirt, he didn't just roar; he snarled, his eyes glowing red. His ability, Intimidate, washed over the arena like a cold wave.
On Bea's side, the Sirfetch'd flinched. The Hitmontop took a half-step back. Even the massive Machamp narrowed his eyes, feeling his physical attack strength being instinctively suppressed by the sheer predatory aura of the Krookodile.
Bea noticed the delay. She realized Enzo had waited on purpose to counter-deploy and land the Intimidate after her team was set.
"Cheap tricks," Bea thought, her expression remaining stone cold. She didn't take the bait. "He's trying to claw back a tiny advantage because he knows he's doomed. Intimidate won't save you from a Type Disadvantage this massive."
While the dust settled, Enzo's eyes flashed with a faint blue light. The System overlay booted up.
[ SYSTEM SCAN — TARGET IDENTIFIED ]
Specimen: Machamp
Level: 42
Potential: BLUE
Ability: No Guard
Typing: Fighting
Moves Detected: Dynamic Punch, Cross Chop, Stone Edge, Bulk Up...
Obs: "Muscle mass exceeds standard parameters. Primary physical threat. Do not engage in grappling range."
[ SYSTEM SCAN — TARGET IDENTIFIED ]
Specimen: Grapploct
Level: 40
Potential: DEEP GREEN
Ability: Technician
Typing: Fighting
Moves Detected: Octolock, Topsy-Turvy, Drain Punch, Liquidation...
Obs: "Tactical disruptor. Tentacles possess high constriction force. Priority target for ranged attacks."
[ SYSTEM SCAN — TARGET IDENTIFIED ]
Specimen: Sirfetch'd
Level: 40
Potential: DEEP GREEN
Ability: Scrappy
Typing: Fighting
Moves Detected: Meteor Assault, Leaf Blade, Swords Dance, Detect...
Obs: "High critical hit probability."
[ SYSTEM SCAN — TARGET IDENTIFIED ]
Specimen: Hitmontop
Level: 40
Potential: LIGHT BLUE
Ability: Technician
Typing: Fighting
Moves Detected:Triple Kick, Mach Punch, Counter...
Obs: "Defensive pivot. High mobility."
Up in the booth, the tension was palpable. Lt. Surge leaned over, looking at the lineup.
"Birch, give it to me straight," Surge grunted, gesturing with his cigar. "Does my kid actually have a ghost of a chance here?"
Professor Birch adjusted his glasses, looking at the type matchups with a grimace.
"I... I want to be optimistic, but look at the board," Birch said, shaking his head. "Enzo is running four Dark-types. Bea is running four Fighting-types. Statistically? It's a nightmare. The disadvantage is absolutely enormous. One clean hit from that Machamp and it's over."
The booth fell silent for a moment. Then, a voice cut through the pessimism.
"The disadvantage is enormous," Daisy said softly, leaning into her microphone. "But based on what we've seen from Enzo... I believe he will find a way to win this."
Birch and Surge both turned their heads, staring at her in genuine shock. Daisy, who had spent the entire tournament criticizing Enzo's brutal methods and lack of elegance, was now betting on him?
"You think he'll win?" Surge asked, raising an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I thought you hated his style, Daisy? Too aggressive, too nasty, isn't that what you said?"
Daisy looked down at the arena, watching Enzo stand fearlessly against the wall of muscle in front of him. She smiled, a genuine, soft smile.
"He can be aggressive," Daisy admitted. "But as Enzo said in his interview before the match... he is here to represent the honor of the Cerulean trainers. He is fighting for my city. How can I not root for him?"
Lt. Surge watched her for a second, seeing the genuine emotion in her eyes. She had been truly touched by Enzo's declaration of vengeance for Brock and Misty.
Surge leaned back in his chair, and chuckled internally.
"He played her," Surge thought, looking back at Enzo on the field with newfound respect. "He didn't just prep for the battle, he prepped the narrative. He turned his biggest critic into his biggest cheerleader before the first punch was even thrown. Nero won the lottery, this kid is a genius."
The referee lowered his arm. "BEGIN!"
Bea didn't hesitate. Her voice cut through the air with military authority.
"Rhombus Formation! Protect the flanks! Machamp in the front, Sirfetch'd and Grapploct on the sides, Hitmontop in the rear!"
Bea's Pokémon moved instantly to create an impenetrable defensive barrier, ready to attack and counter with precision.
Enzo watched the perfect formation being assembled. He didn't shout complex orders. He simply spoke one word into the middle of the arena, calm and cold.
"Start."
Krookodile slammed his claws into the ground. Sandstorm. An explosion of sand and earth rose from the floor, whipping violently and reducing immediate visibility.
But the real nightmare came next.
Houndoom opened his maw, releasing a dense cloud of purple gas (Smog). But before the gas could spread like poison, the hellhound roared and fired a massive wave of searing heat (Heat Wave) directly into the gas.
The intense heat incinerated the smog's toxins instantly, transforming the poisonous gas into a cloud of thick, black, choking smoke that wasn't lethal, just blinding. The sand mixed with the smoke, creating a black and brown vortex that swallowed the entire stadium.
In seconds, the stadium lights became useless. The TV cameras showed nothing but a wall of swirling darkness. The audience fell silent, craning their necks, unable to see a hand in front of their faces.
Inside the cloud, Bea's "Rhombus" fell apart.
"Hold your positions!" Bea shouted, but her voice was drowned out by the howling wind and sand.
Machamp tried to see, but saw only darkness. Sirfetch'd brandished his leek sword against shadows. They were isolated, blind, and deaf.
But in the exact center of the hurricane, where the storm was calmest, stood Deino.
The small dragon didn't move. His thick fringe covered his eyes, as always. For him, the darkness made no difference. He was born in darkness. He could feel the vibrations of Machamp's boots on the ground. He could smell Sirfetch'd's fear.
Ignoring the furious battle around him, Deino began to glow with a faint red aura. Work Up.
He growled softly and did it again. Focus Energy.
While the world burned around him, the dragon was sharpening his claws.
High above the arena, inside the booth, Lt. Surge was leaning so far forward he was almost touching the glass. He watched the black, swirling vortex of sand and smoke with a grin that was equal parts terrified and impressed.
"Now that is a tactic!" Surge barked, pointing his cigar at the screen. "He used the Heat Wave not to attack, but to burn off the toxins in the Smog, creating a non-lethal smoke screen. Then he mixed it with Sandstorm to kill the visibility to zero. He turned a sports arena into a guerrilla warfare zone! The kid effectively blinded Bea's entire coordination!"
Daisy nodded. Her usual expression was now weighed down by serious tactical analysis.
"It is a brilliant move," Daisy agreed, crossing her arms. "By creating this environment of total darkness, he removes Bea's greatest asset: the precision of her martial arts. Her Pokémon need to see the target to connect their strikes. Enzo is playing on the terrain where his Dark-types feel at home."
Professor Birch, however, was staring at the biometric data on his monitor with a grave expression, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"The strategy is genius, no doubt. But... look at the energy readings," Birch said, his tone grim. "Tactics can bridge a gap, but they don't work miracles."
He gestured to the holographic screen displaying the Pokémon's status.
"Bea's team is a wall of consistency; they are all at the level 40 range. Enzo? He is taking a massive gamble bringing Deino..."
"Exactly," Surge interrupted, his grin fading slightly. "It's a war of attrition. If that smoke clears, even for a second... the Zoroark and the small dragon don't have the body mass or speed to take a direct hit from that Machamp."
The audience, now deprived of sight, reacted only to sound. BAM! The sound of metallic impact. CRASH! The sound of rocks shattering. Cries of Pokémon echoed from within the black cloud, followed by flashes of attack lights that illuminated the silhouette of the battle for brief milliseconds, like lightning in a storm.
Inside the smoke, Krookodile moved like a predator, trying to flank. But he underestimated one opponent.
Grapploct was standing still, tentacles extended across the floor, feeling the subtle vibrations of the shifting sand. He didn't need to see.
Suddenly, the wrestling octopus lunged.
When Krookodile tried to bite, Grapploct dodged and wrapped his tentacles around the crocodile in a fluid motion. Octolock.
Krookodile roared, trapped. His defense dropped drastically due to the lock. Grapploct, merciless, began to unleash a series of brutal punches into the trapped Krookodile's body.
With a final blow, Grapploct hurled the Krookodile away. The Ground-type's massive body flew out of the smoke cloud, landing heavily at Enzo's feet.
The referee ran over to check. "Krookodile is unable to battle!"
Score: Enzo (3) vs Bea (4)
The crowd cheered. Bea had drawn first blood.
Bea allowed herself a small smile of relief, but it was short-lived.
Inside the cloud, Sirfetch'd saw a shadow. It was Houndoom, snarling at him. The duck knight readied his lance and charged with Meteor Assault. At the same time, Hitmontop, coming from the opposite direction, saw the same Houndoom and launched himself with a High Jump Kick.
Both attacked the "Houndoom" at the same time.
But at the last second, the "Houndoom" grinned... and dissolved into purple smoke. It was an Illusion.
CRACK!
Sirfetch'd buried his lance into Hitmontop's stomach, and Hitmontop kicked Sirfetch'd's shield with full force. Bea's two Pokémon collided violently, stunned by the friendly fire.
"What?!" Bea shouted, hearing the sound of the wrong collision.
Taking advantage of the confusion, the smoke to their right parted. The real Houndoom was there. The flames in his mouth were already white-hot. He didn't hesitate.
Flamethrower.
A jet of concentrated fire hit Sirfetch'd at point-blank range. His feathers caught fire instantly. The explosion blasted the duck out of the smoke cloud, sending him tumbling onto the grass, smoking.
"Sirfetch'd is unable to battle!" the referee shouted.
Score: Enzo (3) vs Bea (3)
But Enzo didn't flinch. "Trap set."
Through the settling dust where Krookodile had fallen, a small silhouette appeared. It was "Deino", running frantically out of the darkness, looking terrified and vulnerable, heading straight for the Grapploct.
Bea saw an opening to crush the weak link. "Grapploct, restrain it! Don't let it escape!"
The Grapploct lunged, wrapping its thick, blue tentacles around the small dragon. It was a perfect capture. But as the tentacles tightened, the "Deino" didn't scream.
It laughed.
The small dragon dissolved into shadowy sludge. The Grapploct's eyes widened in horror—he wasn't holding a Deino. He was holding the Zoroark.
Zoroark unleashed all his remaining energy in a point-blank Night Daze. The explosion of dark energy was contained entirely within the Grapploct's grip. The shockwave blasted both Pokémon apart.
Grapploct collapsed, unconscious. Zoroark, drained of all stamina, fell beside him.
"Grapploct and Zoroark are unable to battle!"
Score: Enzo (2) vs Bea (2)
The black smoke swirled violently, confusing the sensors and eyes of everyone in the stadium.
Bea was sweating. She couldn't see her Pokémon. She could only hear footsteps. Suddenly, she saw a shadow dart to the left. A small, fast silhouette.
"There!" she thought, assuming it was the Houndoom or the Zoroark.
"Machamp! 10 o'clock! Dynamic Punch!" Bea screamed, seizing the moment.
Machamp didn't question the order. He spun around, his four arms glowing with explosive energy, and launched a devastating punch into the smoke at the target location.
CRACK!
The impact was solid. A sickening thud of fist hitting flesh.
But there was no howl of a dog. There was a familiar, pained cry. "Top..."
The smoke swirled away from the impact zone. Machamp froze. His fist wasn't buried in a Houndoom. It was buried in the chest of his own teammate.
"No..." Bea gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
Hitmontop crumpled to the ground, eyes swirling. Knocked out cold by his own captain.
Score: Enzo (2) vs Bea (1)
"Now," Enzo commanded.
While Machamp was paralyzed with horror at what he had just done, a shadow lunged from the right. It was Houndoom.
He didn't use fire. He used raw, predatory instinct. Fire Fang.
Houndoom clamped its jaws onto Machamp's lower left arm. The teeth sank deep into the muscle, searing the flesh. Machamp roared in pain, thrashing wildly to shake the dog off, but Houndoom held on like a pitbull, grinding his teeth to inflict maximum damage.
Machamp finally managed to rip the Houndoom off his arm, throwing the dark dog across the arena. Houndoom tumbled but scrambled back to his feet, growling, flames leaking from his mouth.
He stood in front of the small cloud of smoke. For a moment, it looked like Houndoom was protecting the little dragon inside it.
"Machamp, focus!" Bea yelled, trying to regain control. "Ignore the pain! Destroy that dog, and victory is ours! Use Brick Break!"
Machamp slammed the ground. Sharp pillars of rock exploded upwards, chasing the Houndoom. The Hellhound dodged the first two, but he was tired. The third pillar caught him under the ribs, launching him into the air.
Machamp followed up, jumping and smashing Houndoom into the ground with a double-fist hammer blow.
Houndoom didn't get up. "Houndoom is unable to battle!"
Score: Enzo (1) vs Bea (1)
Machamp stood tall, panting, with the unconscious Houndoom lying at his feet. The four-armed giant was burned and tired, but he still radiated raw power.
Bea allowed herself a smile. Finally, the dog had fallen. Now, only the small, blind dragon remained, hidden in the last pocket of black smoke lingering in the center of the arena.
"It's over," Bea said, confidence returning to her voice. "Machamp, wait for it!"
But before she could issue an attack order, the wind began to die down. The artificial Sandstorm Enzo had created reached its time limit. The howling gale faded into a gentle breeze, and the thick, black dust slowly drifted to the ground.
Visibility returned to the arena naturally.
Bea let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Her confidence surged back instantly.
"The cover is gone," Bea announced, her voice echoing in the sudden silence. "Your little trick has expired. Now, my Machamp can see perfectly. You have nowhere left to hide."
Bea expected to see a scared, cowering Deino. But her smile vanished.
In the center of the arena, Deino wasn't shaking. He was vibrating. The ground around his paws was cracked from the pressure of the blood-red aura surrounding him. While chaos reigned, he had accumulated the maximum amount of power possible.
Enzo spoke, his voice cutting through the sudden silence.
"That was your mistake, Bea."
Machamp stopped, panting, finally seeing the target.
"For Machamp, vision is essential. Without it, he hesitates," Enzo continued calmly. "But Deino? He sees nothing, with or without smoke. His other senses are absolute. While you were trying to see... he was just loading the gun."
Enzo raised his hand. "Now," he whispered. "Headbutt."
It wasn't a run. It was a launch.
Deino shot off the ground with such force that he left a crater behind. Propelled by the Hustle ability and the accumulated energy, he became a red and blue blur.
Machamp tried to cross his four arms to block, but it was too late. The last thing the giant saw wasn't a small dragon. It was a guided missile coming directly for his forehead.
BAAAAAM!
The sound was like thunder. The impact of the headbutt was so violent that the air around them exploded in a visible shockwave.
The giant Machamp was lifted off its feet. His eyes rolled back instantly. He flew backward, inert, and landed on his back with a crash that shook the stadium's foundations.
The dust settled. Machamp didn't move. The small Deino landed gracefully, puffing smoke from his nostrils, victorious.
The silence was total for a second. No one could believe what they were seeing.
The referee ran to the fallen giant, raised his arm, and pointed to Enzo's side.
"Machamp is unable to battle! The winner is ENZO!"
The stadium exploded. The noise was deafening.
In the booth, Daisy was incredulous, but a smile of pride tore across her face. She began to applaud with enthusiasm.
"Incredible..." Daisy said into the microphone, her voice choked with emotion. "He took the Pokémon's greatest weakness—blindness—and turned it into his win condition."
She looked at the stands, where the Cerulean fans were crying and hugging each other, waving blue flags.
"Cerulean..." she continued. "We have a monster representing us!"
The crowd from the Water City, who throughout the tournament had doubted Enzo's brutal methods, was now chanting his name.
In the center of the arena, Enzo didn't jump. He didn't shout. He walked calmly over to Deino, patted his fur-covered head, and recalled him to his Poké Ball.
Then, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his black Devon tactical pants. He ignored Bea, who was still staring at Machamp in shock. He ignored the referee. He turned slowly until he found the main broadcast camera, which was beaming to millions of people, and focused his gaze on the lens.
His stare pierced through the screen.
"Steven," Enzo said, his voice cold and calm. "You are next."