The horn-shaped poison spike on its head gleamed with a sharper edge than that of an ordinary Nidoking.
That meant its impact, destructive force, and toxicity were all far stronger than other Nidoking.
"Still Tier 3 Legendary potential." Yozora glanced at Nidoking's attribute panel, his heart stirring.
Before evolving with the Supreme Moon Stone, Nidorino had already possessed Tier 3 Legendary potential.
Normally, potential was set in stone—evolution could not change it.
But supreme-grade evolutionary stones often had the effect of cleansing and reforging a Pokémon's body, sometimes allowing their potential to rise.
At this moment, Yozora was certain: though Nidoking remained at Tier 3 Legendary potential, its aptitude had clearly improved from before.Of course, the gap between Tier 3 and Tier 2 was vast—such a leap could not be achieved overnight.
"If I let Nidoking continuously absorb Toxic Gems, then its potential will one day reach Tier 2 Legendary." Yozora was sure of it.
The problem was, Toxic Gems were incredibly expensive—each one starting at thirty million.
And to raise potential, one or two wouldn't be enough. Nidoking would have to devour them in bulk. That meant money.
A mountain of money.
Though Yozora had a few financial goals in mind, he couldn't afford to throw away such sums right now.
Besides—If he was going to invest in raising potential, he would prioritize Beedrill and Charizard.
"What a powerful Nidoking!" Brock exclaimed in awe as he examined it.
Nidoking wasn't especially tall—around 1.4 meters—but it was built with tremendous muscle.
Yozora's Nidoking was slightly taller than the norm, about 1.5 meters, yet far bulkier.
Its sheer strength made it look imposing, giving the illusion that it towered over others.
"Exactly! Its aura is so overwhelming. Congratulations, Yozora—you've gained another mighty warrior." Misty said warmly, hugging Togepi as she congratulated him.
Ash, however, quietly clenched his fists.
Tch… tch tch tch. In just the blink of an eye, Yozora had added another powerhouse to his team.As a fellow Trainer from Pallet Town, Ash felt an enormous pressure weighing on him.
"Junior brother, congratulations. If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back now." Senior Brother Ahao suddenly excused himself.
For the sake of the Supreme Moon Stone, Ahao had run around tirelessly. Now that he had just arrived, he was already leaving, which made Yozora feel quite guilty. He thanked him repeatedly.
Ahao only waved his hand, then released his Pidgeot, leaping onto its back. With a grin, he said, "Little brother, do your best in the matches ahead. If you make it to the quarterfinals, all of us brothers—and even Master himself—will come to cheer you on!"
"Master himself would come?" Yozora's heart stirred.
Ahao chuckled, nodded at Ash and the others, then took to the skies on Pidgeot.
By Yozora's calculations, tomorrow night he would face the fifth round of the preliminaries—the final round.
The battlefield had already been decided: a Water Field.
"Yozora's match will be on a Water Field, and Ash's will be on a Grass Field. Both of you, good luck," Brock said like a walking calendar, somehow remembering both schedules perfectly.
The next afternoon arrived swiftly.
Ash stepped onto the Grass Field to face the same young lady from the original story—the one who used Bellsprout.
Though this world was a blend of many, some storylines still followed the original.
And the result was exactly the same as in the anime.
Ash's Muk finished the match with a single Body Slam, crushing Bellsprout in an instant.
Ash advanced smoothly into the main tournament, securing a spot in the top 32 of this year's Indigo Plateau Conference.
He was in Bracket B.
By 3:30 p.m., it was time for Bracket C's matches. On the Rock Field, Gary Oak was narrowly defeated.
From the audience seats, Yozora, Ash, and the others watched in stunned silence.
Unbelievable.
In this world, Gary's starting point was even higher than in the anime. Yet he had still fallen short.
"Gary…" Yozora and Ash hurried out, only to find Gary and a group of girls sobbing inside his extended luxury sports car.
Normally talkative, Gary this time said nothing.
He merely waved his hand and sped off in the car, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.
The loss had struck Gary hard—far harder than anything before.
To fall behind Yozora and Red… that, perhaps, he could accept.
But to fall behind Ash—That was intolerable.
Still, Yozora knew this defeat would mark a turning point for Gary's true growth.Next time they met, those giggling girls around him would surely be gone.
"Gary… already left?"
As Yozora and Ash were walking back, a figure finally appeared, jogging toward them.
On his shoulder sat a Pikachu.
Unlike Ash's cute, slightly dopey Pikachu, this one radiated quick-witted sharpness and keen intelligence.
This was his partner Pikachu.
Its potential might not rival Ash's Pikachu, but it was steadier—and its level was far higher. Much higher.
"Red!" Ash's eyes blazed as he stared at the newcomer, his fighting spirit surging.
Like Red, Ash was a battle fanatic.
Whether it was Red, Yozora, or Gary, Ash longed to face each of them in combat, to prove the strength he had cultivated.
"Ash, Pikachu—you two haven't changed. Still brimming with energy," Red said softly, rubbing Pikachu's head. Then, with a faint sigh: "If only Gary could be the same right now…"
The four of them had grown up together, bound by both rivalry and deep friendship.
Though they competed, their bonds were unshakable.
As fellow Trainers, Red, Yozora, and Ash could all feel the sting of Gary's defeat.
"Victory and loss aren't decided in a single moment. Gary's always been too arrogant—this loss may be the lesson he needs," Yozora said with a small smile. Red nodded in agreement.
The three chatted a while longer, then returned with Brock and Misty to continue watching the matches.
Time flew, and soon it was 7 p.m.—the matches for Bracket D.
Though night had fallen, the massive stadium was still ablaze with light.
Tens of thousands of seats were filled, with not a single empty spot in sight.
And this was only the preliminaries. The sheer enthusiasm of the crowd suggested that during the main tournament, even standing tickets would sell out instantly.
The Rock Field shifted away, replaced by the shimmering Water Field—every match tonight in Bracket D would be held on water.
Sixteen trainers remained, vying for the eight final spots in the main tournament.
The first two matches ended quickly. The third was about to begin.
"Water Field, Match Three! Contestants Yozora and Natsume—please enter the arena!" the announcer called, his voice echoing with excitement.
(End of Chapter)