"Welcome back to Indigo Arena! This morning we've already determined two of our Top Eight!"
"Now let's continue and see which trainers will advance next!"
The slick-back-haired announcer's passionate voice reignited the stadium atmosphere.
On the giant screen, portraits spun rapidly.
With Leaf and Giovanni advancing, only six matches remained. No one dared relax—on the contrary, tension was even higher.
After all, anyone who reached Top Sixteen had no weakness.
And most importantly…
"Why hasn't Champion Dylan appeared yet?"Selene kept complaining. Out of all contestants, Dylan was the one she cared about most.
This man was like a final boss just lurking among the remaining contestants, and she couldn't calm down at all.
What if someone got matched with him?!
"I really wish every match put Champion Dylan in the first slot so he can hurry up and advance!"
Hilda and the others laughed.
The first portrait stopped. A bright, smiling black-haired girl in a sunhat appeared.
Selene!
"Ha—finally my turn?!" Selene's big eyes lit up. After watching two intense battles that morning, she was bursting for action.
"Don't get too worked up. What if you get a tough matchup?" Leaf teased.
"Hmph! As long as it's not Dylan, anyone is fine!"Selene puffed up proudly, turning to Leaf.
"With my bond with Dylan, there's no way we'd meet this early! We'll fight in the finals! On the world's highest stage!"
That was her confidence.
She believed she'd be the one standing before Dylan in the end.
Red, Giovanni—anyone in the way would fall!
"Oh? Not necessarily. Look, you got matched with Dylan."Leaf grinned mischievously and gestured to the screen.
"What? Impossible! That must not happen!!"Selene froze in shock. She absolutely did not want a battle with Dylan in a "small place" like this.
She whipped her head toward the screen—then her cheeks puffed up angrily.
"Leaf!!"
"Hahaha—sorry, sorry, you're just too cute."Leaf laughed innocently.
"But your opponent is pretty special."
Selene raised an eyebrow—and saw the green-haired young man in a white cap.
The trainer chosen by the Dark Dragon of Ideals—N.
"Well—it's fine. I'll win!"
Flames lit in Selene's eyes.The legendary Zekrom, the Dragon of Ideals, huh?
A huge challenge—but…
He'd lost to Dylan before.
As Dylan's student, she couldn't embarrass him.
She looked toward Dylan. He smiled back.
"Good luck."
Selene's determination soared.
"Oh? That girl… she's frighteningly strong."Alder clicked his tongue as he looked at the brackets.
Selene—one of Kanto's "monsters," even defeating Champion Lance for his ranking.
She looked harmless and sunny, but she was undeniably one of the world's strongest trainers.
"N, what do you think?" Alder asked.
"Dylan's student, hmm… I'm looking forward to it."N's eyes shone gently.
Could Dylan's student withstand the lightning of the Dragon of Ideals?
…
"Alright! Both trainers are ready—please welcome them to the field!"
"Selene!"
"N!"
Thunderous cheers erupted.
From opposite tunnels, two figures emerged—the shorts-and-suspenders girl Selene, and the casually dressed N.
"Selene! You can do it!!"
"N will win! With the Dragon of Ideals, who besides Dylan can beat him?!"
"That's not true! Selene can!"
"Right! If defeating Zekrom is a miracle—Selene will make it happen!"
"Let's go!!"
The crowd roared.
Selene was one of Kanto's Elite Four and Dylan's former student, who had defeated Lance in the ranking phase.
N, though previously unknown, defeated Steven in Top 32—and most importantly, he used Zekrom.
One of the Unova Dragon pair of myth.Everyone knew Reshiram was with Dylan.Few knew where Zekrom was—until now.
"N, huh? Can that girl really win?" Lorelei murmured.
"Zekrom is extremely strong. Her odds aren't high," Bruno rumbled.
"In the wild, with her full team, maybe. But in a formal 1v1 format? Very hard," Agatha said calmly.
She understood that top champions could fight high legends, but only in unrestrained field battles.
"What do you think, Lance?" Lorelei asked.
After all, Lance had once held Zekrom.
He didn't answer.
Lorelei shrugged—he was cold-natured, and losing to Giovanni earlier couldn't help his mood.
"…Selene has the higher chance."
The sudden statement shocked them.
Lance believed Selene had better odds?
He ignored their expressions.Zekrom was strong—but never invincible.
If he fought it, he wasn't without chances.And Selene had defeated him.
Her arsenal of strategies was far deeper.
N was strong, but aside from Zekrom, Lance knew the rest of N's team lagged behind.That would be his fatal weakness.
And more importantly—the trainer's command mattered.
N commanding Zekrom… or Lance commanding Zekrom… who was stronger?
An obvious answer.
N simply couldn't pull out Zekrom's full power.
On the field—
The referee announced the rules, then backed away.
The pointer stopped—Selene had the first move.
She smiled, enlarging a Poké Ball.
"N."
"Yes, Selene?" N replied gently.
"Have you ever lost to anyone besides Dylan?"
The trainer chosen by Zekrom should have almost no defeats.
And N himself was strong.
"I have," N answered without hesitation.
Losing to Lance in the wild was good for him—it helped him face himself.
"I thought you never had." Selene blinked, almost disappointed.
"Is that a problem?" N asked.
"Nope! But I'm sorry—there's no way I can let you win today! I'll be sending you home here!"
Selene's energetic voice rang with blazing confidence.
She was determined to stand before Dylan.
"I see. Then show me."N smiled warmly.
The battle began.Selene opened with her powerhouse—Iron Valiant.
A brutally fast, brutally hard hitter.
N sent out Klinklang—resistant to Fairy, weak to Fighting.
There was no suspense—Iron Valiant was too fast.
Archeops fell next.
Cetitan—down.
Carracosta—Iron Valiant barely won.
Selene switched to Gengar—Mega Evolution.
N responded with Tera Dark Zoroark, but it fell as well.
Five Pokémon defeated.
"You're incredible, Selene."N looked at her in admiration.She was far more terrifying than Hilda and Mei.
Selene grinned happily.
"Then let me show you—my final support!"
"My sixth Pokémon—Zekrom!"
A deep dragon's roar shook the field as the black dragon descended heavily before N, its gaze full of overwhelming might.
"Zekrom is my last pillar," N said softly. "If you want to move forward—you must defeat it."
He watched the burning determination in Selene's eyes.
"Come—show me, Dylan's disciple.How will you face Zekrom?"
(End of chapter)
Merry Christmas