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"Tyranitar, do you see that red marking? Aim there and fire off a Dark Pulse!"
At Kai's sharp command, Tyranitar opened its massive jaws. A pulse of swirling black energy formed and blasted toward the spot where Kecleon had disappeared.
Harrison stiffened.
So Kai even knows Kecleon's weak point?! That kind of insight isn't something most Johto trainers would know… he must have trained in Hoenn before.
"Kecleon, move now!"
Still cloaked in its camouflage, Kecleon leapt aside just in time. Harrison's careful training showed most Kecleon weren't known for their speed, but this one moved like lightning. It darted out of Tyranitar's attack range in a blur.
BOOM!
Dark Pulse slammed into the frozen battlefield, shattering the ice and blasting shards outward like crystal shrapnel. Kecleon reappeared unharmed on the opposite side.
Harrison finally exhaled, tension easing from his shoulders.
He'd been spooked by Kai's precision earlier, but even if Kai could see through Kecleon's invisibility, it didn't matter. He still had speed on his side.
"Let's find an opening!" Harrison shouted.
Kecleon began circling Tyranitar, moving so fast its stripes blurred into flickering afterimages. Its camouflage and velocity made it practically invisible to the naked eye.
Tyranitar turned, trying to follow, but each time its eyes locked on, Kecleon vanished again. With no clear target, Tyranitar couldn't counter.
Then Kecleon lunged its long tongue snapping forward like a whip, aiming squarely at Tyranitar's chest.
But—
THUD!
The tongue bounced harmlessly off Tyranitar's armored hide.
Harrison frowned. Too tough…
Kecleon retreated before Tyranitar could retaliate. This was a battle of pure speed versus defense.
From the trainer's box, Kai's eyes scanned the smooth ice surface. Then, an idea sparked.
"Tyranitar — Earthquake!"
Tyranitar raised its heavy foot and stomped down.
CRACK—KRAK-KRAK!
Fissures raced out like spiderwebs, the entire arena rumbling as the ice shattered and buckled. In one strike, the battlefield transformed into uneven terrain.
Kecleon stumbled, struggling to keep its balance and that's when the second Dark Pulse came.
"Dodge!" Harrison shouted.
Kecleon leapt, barely avoiding the blast. But the once smooth battlefield now worked against it. Jagged ice, cracks, and uneven footing slowed it down, making it impossible to maintain its earlier speed.
"Use Psybeam!" Harrison barked.
Kecleon fired the attack from range, hoping to confuse Tyranitar but the moment it stopped to attack, Kai struck back.
Spikes of jagged stone erupted upward, meeting Psybeam head-on. The beam shattered harmlessly against them, while the rocks struck Kecleon midair, knocking it out of its camouflage. It crashed to the ground, dazed.
Tyranitar loomed over it, cold and unrelenting.
"Gotcha," Kai murmured. "Finish it Hyper Beam!"
Tyranitar's maw glowed with intense orange light before a massive energy beam tore through the arena.
Harrison yelled, "Kecleon, get out of there!"
But there was no escape. The Hyper Beam engulfed Kecleon entirely.
BOOOOOOM!!
When the light faded, a gaping hole had been melted into the icy floor. Kecleon lay motionless.
The referee raised the green and red flags.
"Kecleon is unable to battle! Tyranitar wins the first round!"
"Yeah!!" Misty cheered from the stands, waving her flag. Unlike when Kai faced Ash earlier, this time she had no reason to hold back. She didn't even know Harrison.
Harrison returned Kecleon with a grim look, then grabbed his next Poké Ball.
He tossed it high into the airvrevealing a jet-black canine with curled horns and a devilish tail. Houndoom.
The crowd erupted. A familiar Johto Pokémon finally.
Kai recalled Tyranitar and sent out his Jolteon.
"Dog versus dog," he said with a grin.
The referee signaled. The next round began.
Both Pokémon charged, weaving through the cracked terrain effortlessly. Houndoom was fast but Jolteon was faster.
Rather than confront head-on, Jolteon darted around the battlefield, luring Houndoom into pursuit.
The ice had partially melted from earlier attacks, leaving shallow puddles across the field. When Houndoom's paw splashed through one of them, Harrison suddenly realized Kai's plan.
"Wait—!"
"Now, Jolteon! Discharge!"
Electricity exploded from Jolteon's fur, racing across the wet battlefield faster than any dodge.
The current engulfed Houndoom before it could react.
BZZZT!
The Fire/Dark-type collapsed with a hiss of smoke, still twitching.
Jolteon was already on its double kick—
BAM! BAM!
Houndoom hit the ice and didn't get back up.
"Houndoom is unable to battle! Jolteon wins the second round!"
In the stands, Misty tilted her head. "Weird… It feels like this match is easier for Kai than when he battled Ash."
Brock shook his head. "Don't be fooled. Harrison's Blaziken hasn't even entered the field yet. That's his ace."
Ash crossed his arms smugly. "Pfft, you guys act like this is surprising. Kai's incredible. No one got past him at Indigo Plateau either! Honestly, only my Charizard and Pikachu can really give him trouble."
Misty snorted. "Don't get cocky, Ash."
The third round began, and Harrison sent out Miltank. Instead of using Blaziken, he was clearly saving his ace for the second half.
Kai responded with his Crystal Onix, earning a loud cheer from the audience. Its shimmering, translucent body caught the light like a diamond serpent.
Miltank charged, relying on pure power and close combat rather than Rollout headbutts, stomps, or even a full-body slam.
But Onix absorbed the hits, then coiled around Miltank, crushing her with Bind before ramming her into a jagged ice boulder with Take Down. Miltank couldn't fight any longer.
"Miltank is unable to battle! Crystal Onix wins the third round!"
Three battles. Three wins for Kai.
As the halftime whistle blew, Harrison slumped in his chair, breathing hard. Sweat beaded down his forehead. He was just one step away from the finals. One step… but his opponent felt like a wall.
Kai, meanwhile, sat calmly with his eyes closed, barely breaking a sweat. His mind was already focused on Blaziken the only opponent here that might actually be a threat.
Then his shadow rippled. A mischievous grin appeared in the darkness as Gengar floated up beside him.
"Hey, boss," Gengar chuckled, rubbing its hands together. "Let me handle the next one."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "You?"
"Of course! Watching everyone fight all week has me itching to throw a few punches myself," Gengar said, pounding its chest like a drum.
Kai laughed softly. "If you go in, that might be a little… unfair."
Gengar smirked, fangs flashing. "Then pick the weakest one. I'll take it easy. Promise."
Up in the stands, Ash and his friends noticed the shadow movement immediately.
"What's Gengar doing out there?" Misty whispered.
"Uh-oh," Brock muttered. "If Gengar's asking to fight… Harrison might be in trouble."
Ash leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "This is gonna get interesting."
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