"Rapidash, Fme Wheel!"

  "Magcargo, boost it with Fmethrower!"

  Rapidash charged at full speed, its body engulfed in fmes, heading straight for Houndoom.

  From behind, Magcargo's Fmethrower struck Rapidash's back, intensifying its fmes into a r inferno.

  "Houndoom, dodge quickly!"

  "Gengar, Shadow Ball—interrupt Rapidash!"

  Wester shouted in panic, while Sato pyed along.

  A barrage of Shadow Balls struck Rapidash, weakening its assault, giving Houndoom the perfect opening to "escape."

  "Magcargo, Rock Slide!"

  "Rapidash, enha with Fmethrower!"

  Massive boulders, coated in Rapidash's bzing fmes, rained down like fallieors, their sheer presence overwhelming.

  Sato aer exged gnces.

  Anyone who made it to the knockout rounds was no weakling.Their oppos' teamwork was seamless—they even had bitacks prepared.

  It was time to get serious.

  "Houndoom, charge in!"

  "Gengar, Hypnosis!"

  Somehow, Gengar had already maneuvered in front of Magcargo, its crimson glow fshing in Magcargo's eyes—Instant sleep!

  Ever since Gengar started meditating non-stop, it had beore like a Psychic-type Pokémon—its Hypnosis skill was now fwless!

  The Rock Slide attack colpsed without dire, its fming boulders crashing in a free fall.

  Houndoom ighe bzing debris, leaped past Rapidash, and closed in on Magcargo!

  "Dream Eater!"

  "Dream Eater!"

  Gengar and Houndoom attacked simultaneously—Magcargo, still fast asleep, colpsed instantly!

  "Magcargo!"

  The athletic girl froze—just moments ago, they had the upper hand. How had her Pokémon been knocked out in seds?!

  Sato shot Wester a gnce.

  He had assumed Houndoom would use a different move—he never expected it to also use Dream Eater.

  Talk about having moo burn…

  Unlike Gengar, which could naturally learn Dream Eater, Houndoom had to be taught via TM. And high-powered Psychic-type moves like Dream Eater weren't cheap!

  "Rapidash, Bounce! Ayako, switon!"

  The gsses-wearing trainer directed Rapidash to push back Houndoom and Gengar, while also advising his teammate.

  "Oh—uh, whie should I use?"

  She stammered in panic.

  They had made it this far by relying on her partner's information gathering—now that his data had failed, she didn't know what to do.

  "Gengar, Mean Look!"

  "Houndoom, Dark Pulse!"

  As Gengar retreated, it left behind a terrifying ghostly face, looming over Rapidash with a predatre.

  "Neighhh!"

  Rapidash instinctively recoiled, just as Dark Pulse struck it head-on!

  "Noctowl, use Extrasensory on Gengar!"

  "Rapidash, use Agility to evade!"

  The athletic girl sent out a Noctowl—a Normal/Flying-type Pokémon, pletely immuo Gengar's Ghost-type attacks.

  Not only that—it could use Psychic-type moves, making it a major threat to Gengar!

  "Gengar, use Psychi Rapidash!"

  "Houndoom, Thunder Fang—take Noctowl down!"

  Noctowl was dangerous, but it wasn't alone itlefield.

  Switg targets!

  With a powerful leap, Houndoom lu Noctowl, fangs crag with electricity.

  Noctowl was in the middle of chargirasensory, leaving it pletely vulnerable. It had only oion to avoid the attack—It had to cel its move.

  "Gengar cackled."

  The momerasensory faded, Gengar tered—astronger Psychic attack barreled straight toward Rapidash!

  Rapidash took another direct hit, colpsing to the ground, seemingly uo stand back up. A beam of red light fshed as Rapidash was recalled.

  "Feraligatr, ch!"

  Sato's brows furrowed.

  The battle dispy didn't indicate that Rapidash had lost scioushe gsses-wearing trainer had sed Pokémon with incredible speed.

  The Poké Ball nded right o Gengar, and the instant Feraligatr emerged, it lu Gengar with its jaws wide open!

  Too close!

  "Gengar, Protect!"

  "Ka ka!"

  The Protect barrier barely held, but it mao block the ch attack.

  Sato focused on Feraligatr.

  That terrifying attack power… There was only one possibility—Sheer Force!

  A Pokémon with Sheer Force sacrificed sedary effects to boost its move's power by 30%!

  A ch attack like that was absolutely devastating!

  "Invisible—Thunderbolt on Noctowl!"

  The moment Protect disappeared, so did Gengar.

  Meanwhile, Noctowl could only watch helplessly as Rapidash was recalled—while it was still locked in a duel with Houndoom!

  Wester's Houndoom wasn't particurly special in size, but it excelled at Special Attacks. It had even refihunder Fang to the point where it could release electricity at a distance, keeping Noctowl pletely occupied!

  Suddenly, Noctowl sensed immense danger approag.

  It instinctively fpped its wings, retreating slightly—and in the moment, a Thunderbolt streaked through the space where it had just been!

  A narrow dodge!

  "Gengar, Thunderbolt again!"

  "Houndoom, Roar!"

  "Feraligatr, Waterfall on Houndoom!"

  Roar activated first—Noctowl froze is body stiffening.

  Before it could recover, Thunderbolt struck directly! The moment, Feraligatr charged forward, smming into Houndoom with Waterfall—and Houndoom was knocked out!

  "Breloom, Seed Bomb!"

  "Gengar, Thunderbolt!"

  Wester recalled Houndoom with his left hand and immediately threw out Breloom with his right.

  A well-aimed Seed Bomb, bined with Breloom's monstrous physical attack, heavily damaged Feraligatr!

  At the same time, Thunderbolt struck again, nding squarely on Feraligatr, now half-kneeling on the ground.

  When the electric light faded, Feraligatr remained motionless—Its charred skiing a faint burnt smell.

  "It's still standing?"

  Wester was momentarily stunned and was about to finish it off, but Sato raised a hand to stop him.

  "Gengar, Hypnosis!"

  Feraligatr slowly colpsed, finally succumbing to its injuries.

  Sato felt a wave of emotion.

  There were always some Pokémon that, whether for their teammates, their trainers, or themselves, fought until the bitter end.

  A fsh of red light recalled Feraligatr.

  Since Rapidash hadn't officially been ruled unscious, the oppo surrendered after withdrawing Feraligatr.

  "I forfeit."

  The gsses-wearing traiook a step back, gng apologetically at his partner, Ayako.

  "I forfeit too!"

  Ayako recalled her exhausted Noctowl, her voice lighthearted.

  "Sorry, it was my misjudgment…"

  "Yeah! It's all your fault!"

  Ayako turned away dramatically in monoyance.

  "I…"

  The gsses-wearing trainer looked stunned and fell silent.

  "You're the one who insisted on teaming up with me! If you hadn't, you'd still be winning!"

  Ayako's voice suddenly softened, sounding genuinely guilty.

  "That's not true!"

  "Yes, it is!"

  "It really isn't—"

  "I said it is!"

  "…Fine."

  "You actually think I'm holding you back…?"

  Sato aer blinked.

  Was this…

  A public dispy of affe?!

  Wait, who actually won this match?!