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"Ash, how are you preparing?"
Lucas walked up to Ash and patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, Lucas, I definitely won't lose this time!"
Ash clenched his fists, his eyes shining with the determination that he would not lose.
"That's good. Good luck. If you win, I'll make something delicious for you and Pikachu."
"Yes!"
"Pika."
Watching Lucas talk to Ash, the staff in the contestant tunnel opened their mouths to tell Lucas that unauthorized personnel should not interfere with the contestants. However, they seemed to know each other, and since Lucas had been hanging out with Cynthia and Steven for the past few days, he was likely a powerful Trainer, so the staff closed their mouths again.
Fortunately, after saying a few words, Lucas left with Gengar and the others.
Returning to the stands, Ash and Paul on the opposite side were just expressing their convictions.
"Paul, this time, Pikachu and I will definitely defeat you."
Ash threw out a harsh taunt.
Paul twitched the corner of his mouth and smiled disdainfully, "You say that every time, but what's the result?"
Paul raised his right hand and clenched it, "You've lost every time."
"Damn it! Paul, just watch!"
Paul used Counter on Ash's taunt, and it was super effective.
"I'm really worried that Ash might just go over and punch Paul, and then the battle would be over."
"Ma Machamp."
The four-armed Pokémon crossed its arms and nodded in deep agreement.
It had lived a long time and this was the first time it had seen someone like Ash—strong, with a body constructed just like a Pokémon, using Thunderbolt as a face towel.
It looked down at the black-haired man beside it, who was holding Mime Jr. in his arms, and couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled.
Why is the difference between people so huge?
I don't understand.
Lucas turned his head to look at the Pokémon, "Were you talking bad about me behind my back just now?"
"Ma Machamp?"
Huh? No!
"Really?"
Lucas rubbed his nose, "Then why does my nose feel itchy? Could it be Gengar again?"
Gengar, who was happily eating popcorn in his arms: ???
/（/ . A . ）Z
Why is it me again?
"Go, Aggron."
The first Pokémon Paul sent out was Aggron; the Pokémon version of a giant steel Godzilla stood on the field, roaring continuously.
"Aggron? In that case, I choose you."
Ash threw a Poké Ball forward. A flash of red light later, a flaming monkey appeared on the field.
"Doesn't he know how to use type advantages? Why do all these strange moves appear again when he gets to the Unova region————"
Lucas muttered to himself.
Mime Jr. in his arms looked up at Lucas, puzzled.
But it was used to Lucas always saying strange things.
"Strike first, Infernape, Flare Blitz."
Infernape, engulfed in blue flames, charged toward Aggron.
"Stone Edge, knock it down!"
Massive, overwhelming jagged stones erupted from the ground. Since the arena was a dirt field, the scene was extremely open.
"Infernape, just charge through!"
Infernape gritted its teeth and roared, meeting the Stone Edge head-on. The jagged stones blocking its path were shattered one by one by Infernape. Finally, Infernape reached Aggron, and the flames on its body, which had dimmed due to the previous exertion, flared up instantly.
"Brick Break!"
Aggron, facing the Infernape that had crashed into its arms, raised its palm high. It glowed with white light and came crashing down fiercely.
Infernape was struck on the back of its neck by Aggron; the flames on its body instantly vanished, and it collapsed to the ground.
Aggron kept backing away.
"Roar."
Aggron, having steadied itself, suddenly let out a wail, and flames began to erupt from its body.
"This is————Aggron has been burned by Infernape's Flare Blitz. This is going to be hard to deal with————"
The commentator's voice rang out.
"In a burned state, physical attack is halved. For a physical attacker like Aggron, isn't that game over?"
Lucas clicked his tongue as he watched Aggron succumb to the burn effect.
"By the way, can Flare Blitz actually cause the opponent to get burned?"
Lucas turned his head to look at Ninetales when he said this.
My Ninetales has used it so many times, and I've never seen the opponent get burned?
Slap!
"Hiss————"
Lucas felt the stinging pain on his back and gasped.
"Mach Punch."
"Flash Cannon!"
"He's not switching?"
Lucas held Mime Jr. tighter, feeling somewhat puzzled.
Aggron is at a type disadvantage against Infernape; why isn't he choosing to switch?
Mach Punch slammed into Aggron's face, sending it flying. Countless rocks buried Aggron.
In the smoke, a brilliant light shone, connecting with the light emanating from the wooden plaque pendant around Paul's neck. A huge Mega Evolution symbol appeared in the light, and then debris flew toward Infernape. Infernape used its fists to block all the fragments.
Mega Aggron returned to the field, each step shaking the ground.
Even after Mega Evolution, the battered Aggron was still suffering from the effects of the burn.
In fact, the best outcome wasn't Mega Evolution, but choosing to switch.
"Why is Paul losing his cool in the semifinals————"
Lucas muttered about every move in the battle between Paul and Ash, talking about Ash one moment and Paul the next.
He even cursed from time to time; although his voice was very soft, everyone present could hear it clearly.
Shauna and Tomoyo looked at Lucas's back, which was radiating a terrifying aura, and hid in the arms of Cynthia and Grandma Bertha, feeling a bit scared.
Cynthia frowned at the sight, opened her mouth, and prepared to speak.
"They are both holding back a lot of energy."
Steven's voice rang out. He walked up to Lucas, "Both of them are holding back a lot of energy, both thinking about using their strength to defeat the other."
Lucas nodded, "If they chose to switch, it would be easier to defeat the opponent."
"Indeed, but Lucas, a battle isn't just about winning. Sometimes, it can be for certain convictions, certain promises————"
Lucas turned his head to look at Steven. Steven smiled politely, "Part of the reason for their battle is also about you. For example, who is your best student?"
Lucas laughed upon hearing this.
"What a childish temper."
After saying this, Lucas paused.
Aren't they just kids?
"Actually, compared to skillfully using switches and creating conditions for type advantages, I prefer this kind of combat where punches connect with flesh."
Lucas placed Mime Jr. on the railing and leaned against it, speaking.
After Steven's interruption, Lucas's anxious mood improved a lot.
He cared too much about their battle, which led him to constantly pick apart their commands, thereby ignoring the meaning this battle represented, as well as their age.
"Thanks, Mr. Steven."
Steven patted Lucas on the shoulder, "I understand this feeling. After all, both sides are juniors I think highly of. No matter which side wins, I feel bad, which leads to a change in my own mindset."
"Aggron, Double-Edge!"
"Flare Blitz!"
The sounds from the field pulled Lucas's gaze back. The white-light-covered Mega Aggron and the blue-flamed Infernape collided.
Infernape did a backflip, landed steadily on the ground, and panted heavily.
Mega Aggron kept backing away, then fell backward, reverting from its Mega state, and fell unconscious.
"You've worked hard. You're next."
Paul recalled Aggron into its Poké Ball and immediately threw another Poké Ball. Gastrodon appeared on the field.
"Rest for a while, Infernape."
After saying this, Ash recalled Infernape and then sent out Staraptor.
"Staraptor, Quick Attack."
Staraptor accelerated, leaving trails of afterimages, reached Gastrodon, and knocked it into the air.
"Very good, follow up with Close Combat."
Staraptor's wings glowed with white light as it flew toward the airborne Gastrodon.
"Body Slam."
Gastrodon flipped its body in mid-air in a strange posture, then landed on Staraptor's back, interrupting Staraptor's Close Combat. They fell to the ground together, smashing out a large crater.
"Toward the sky, Water Pulse!"
Gastrodon looked up and spat out a water ball gathered with Water-type energy, which flew high into the sky and then fell back down.
"Oh? Gravitational acceleration?"
Lucas said "Oh," see, I told you learning physics is useful.
Staraptor struggled, trying to shake off Gastrodon, but Gastrodon, relying on its soft body, pinned it down tightly, making it unable to move.
Ash looked at Staraptor and pointed his finger, "Use Close Combat on the ground!"
Staraptor kept attacking the ground with its wings, using the reaction force to lift its body, breaking free from Gastrodon's suppression, and dodging the Water Pulse.
"Aerial Ace!"
"Spin your body, and then use Muddy Water!"
Under Paul's command, Gastrodon flipped over and spun its body continuously, then condensed Muddy Water into a vortex, forming a protective shield.
Staraptor, which was using Aerial Ace, was struck hard by the Muddy Water and slammed heavily onto the ground.
Watching this move, Lucas couldn't help but laugh.
A familiar move—so Paul knows it too?
Looking at the nearly flawless Muddy Water shield, Ash recalled Staraptor.
"Go, Buizel."
As soon as Buizel entered the field, Paul commanded Gastrodon to use Ice Beam.
"In that case, we'll accept that Ice Beam. Buizel, Aqua Jet!"
Buizel, covered in a stream of water, charged toward Gastrodon. Using Gastrodon's Ice Beam, the Aqua Jet formed into ice and smashed down onto Gastrodon.
Gastrodon was knocked sliding backward, and after steadying itself, it shook its slightly dizzy head.
"A bold attempt."
Steven couldn't help but comment.
Lucas, however, was unfazed; given Ash's battle style, it was exactly the kind of thing he would do.
"Sonic Boom!"
Buizel whipped its tail, sending a shockwave toward Gastrodon.
Under Paul's command to use Body Slam, Gastrodon leaped high into the air once again.
Ash grinned at the sight, "Buizel, spin, Water Gun."
Almost identical to Gastrodon's previous move, a shield formed by Water Gun kept Gastrodon at bay.
"Ice Punch."
Boom! Gastrodon fell to the ground, unconscious.
With that, Paul had lost two Pokémon.
Oh Paul, Paul, you aren't going to get shut out, are you?
"Go, get ready to battle."
Paul threw a Poké Ball, and his third Pokémon appeared: Drapion.
Lucas remembered that this Drapion was quite powerful.
"Cross Poison."
"Sonic Boom!"
Buizel slid beneath the Cross Poison, then leaped high and whipped its tail to release a shockwave.
"Snap it!"
Drapion swung its pincers, snapping the incoming Sonic Boom in two.
"What?" Ash was incredulous.
"Pin Missile."
Drapion fired its Pin Missile into the sky, which then descended like Draco Meteor. The quantity was immense.
"This is—how can Pin Missile look like this?"
Ash had no time to think, "Do it again, Water Gun shield!"
The Pin Missiles were all blocked.
"Loaded Dice?" Aaron suddenly remarked.
Loaded Dice, a die that only rolls favorable numbers; when held, it allows for more hits when using multi-strike moves.
No wonder there were so many Pin Missiles.
During the brief moment while Lucas and the others were talking, Buizel was clamped by Drapion's tail and couldn't move; even the tail it used for Sonic Boom was caught by the arm pincers.
"There might be a way to escape."
Steven looked at Lucas, his eyes seemingly asking if he wanted to know.
Lucas tapped the railing with his finger, "It wouldn't be the flotation sac, would it?"
Steven gave a surprised "Oh." Lucas actually knew?
"Inflate your flotation sac!"
Buizel inflated its flotation sac, then broke free from Drapion's hold and immediately leaped high into the air.
"Toxic Spikes!"
Drapion scattered Toxic Spikes.
Buizel landed, right onto the Toxic Spikes, and became poisoned.
???
"Toxic Spikes can be used like that? It gets poisoned the moment they're used?" Lucas widened his eyes.
In the end, Buizel was sent back to its Poké Ball by a Cross Poison.
Paul's Drapion was very strong. The Staraptor Ash sent out afterward was also defeated by it, and it even grabbed Ash's Gliscor, slammed it hard onto the ground, and inflicted it with poison.
Facing Paul's powerful Drapion, Ash was momentarily at a loss.
"Cross Poison!"
The Cross Poison flew toward Gliscor, which was lying on the ground suffering from the poison.
"Come back for now, Gliscor."
Before the Cross Poison could hit Gliscor, Ash recalled it.
"Go, Infernape."
As soon as the Big Brother appeared, the flames on its back blazed fiercely.
The Toxic Spikes on the ground pierced its body, causing it to become poisoned.
"Do it again, Cross Poison!"
"Dig!"
Infernape dug into the ground.
"Use Flare Blitz while down there!"
The powerful flames instantly ignited the entire field, burning away all the Toxic Spikes.
Drapion felt the scorching floor and looked back at Paul. Paul nodded, recalled it, and sent out Ninjask.
After dealing some damage to Infernape, Ninjask was taken out by a single Flamethrower.
Watching Infernape constantly carrying the team, Lucas couldn't help but complain.
As expected of the Big Brother—carrying so hard—
After the Big Brother, only Greninja and Sirfetch'd are the biggest carriers.
Especially Sirfetch'd, that one is the real carrier.
Watching Infernape suffering from the poison, Ash recalled it to its Poké Ball, "Rest for a while."
Then he sent out Torterra.
One of Ash's least proficient Pokémon, Torterra!
Here's a fun fact: when Ash uses Turtwig, he carries hard; when Ash uses Torterra, he loses hard.
"Froslass, get ready to battle."
As soon as Froslass appeared, it used Hail under Paul's command. The field began to change into hail weather.
"Hail?" Ash muttered to himself, "In that case, we'll do the same as Gary. Torterra, Sunny Day!"
Lucas: "..." Sure enough—only Ash would use such an unexpected move.
How is your Torterra supposed to manually steal the weather from Froslass—
Your Torterra was already doomed against Froslass, and you even tried to manually steal the weather—
Even Flint couldn't help but complain.
"Ice Beam!"
The Ice Beam hit Torterra directly. With the four-times effectiveness and the hail weather, Torterra was essentially dead twice over.
Ash recalled Torterra and looked at Pikachu.
Pikachu nodded and jumped onto the field. The hail hit its body, but it just swatted it away with its tail, then unleashed a Thunderbolt at Froslass.
Froslass, utilizing its Snow Cloak ability in the hail, dodged several of Pikachu's attacks and even froze it.
"Pikachu, Volt Tackle!"
While frozen, Pikachu forcibly used Volt Tackle to shatter the ice around its body, then charged toward Froslass.
After slamming Froslass away, Pikachu immediately used Iron Tail to smash Froslass into the ground.
"Wow~" Lucas exclaimed.
As expected of the Pikachu God, using Volt Tackle to break out of frozen status and Iron Tail like Behemoth Bash—
After Paul sent out Drapion, Ash's Gliscor jumped out of its Poké Ball on its own.
"You want to battle? In that case, I choose you, Gliscor!"
The poisoned Gliscor and Drapion clashed once again. The result was both losing their ability to battle simultaneously.
"Big Brother Ash still has two, Big Brother Paul only has one. Two versus one, Big Brother Ash should win, right?" Shauna spoke up in a crisp voice.
Cynthia explained.
"Although Ash has two Pokémon left, Infernape is likely exhausted, and Pikachu is injured. However, Paul's Electivire is still in prime condition, so Paul should have the advantage right now."
"So that's how it is." Shauna nodded, indicating she understood.
On the field, Paul's Electivire and Pikachu had begun to battle.
"Use Thunder on the field!"
Electivire plunged its tail and hands into the ground, pouring out powerful Electric-type energy. Immediately after, the ground exploded, sending rocks flying toward Pikachu.
"Quick Attack!"
Pikachu moved like a ghost, constantly shifting using the rocks, and then slammed hard into Electivire.
"Nice job!" Ash cheered, clenching his fist.
Paul's eyes darkened, "Grab it!"
Electivire's tail grabbed Pikachu, and Pikachu could only struggle.
"Damn, can Electivire use its tail just like Drapion?"
Seeing this, Ash shouted loudly, "In that case, we'll use our tail too, Iron Tail!"
Pikachu's tail gleamed with a metallic luster, and the next second, its body was slammed heavily onto the ground.
Electivire used its tail to slam Pikachu hard onto the ground, interrupting the Iron Tail.
"Pika—" Pikachu cried out in pain, then used the opportunity to break free from Electivire's control.
"Do it again, Iron Tail!"
"Brick Break!"
Both sides clashed with brute force.
"Evenly matched? In terms of power." Paul said in a low voice.
After Electivire and Pikachu separated, the situation reached a stalemate.
Afterward, the two sides clashed a few more times. Paul remained calm and unhurried, while Ash gritted his teeth.
"In that case—Pikachu, Volt Tackle!"
Hearing this, Paul's lips curled up. "Electivire, block it!"