"So… so fast! Golduck actually defeated its opponent in an instant!!"The announcer could hardly find the right words to describe the scene. His voice trembled uncontrollably.
Psychic power—completely invisible!Absolutely impossible to resist!
"That Golduck…"From the sidelines, Ryūnan fixed his eyes on Golduck, pressure weighing down on his chest.
Standing outside the arena, he couldn't feel Golduck's aura directly. Because of that, he couldn't accurately gauge its level.
But his instincts screamed at him—this Golduck was no ordinary Pokémon. It was very likely Yozora's second ace after Charizard.
At this point…
The preliminaries for Regions A, B, and C had all concluded. In Division D, only the final round remained. Every trainer still standing now was a true powerhouse.
Ryūnan had already faced Yozora once before. He had always regarded Yozora as a rival, so naturally he paid close attention to every detail of Yozora's battles.
Of course, the Indigo Conference this year was filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
Aside from Yozora, Ryūnan also kept watch on several other opponents—especially those long-established veterans with fearsome reputations.
…
While Ryūnan pondered, the announcer's voice boomed again:"All right! In the blink of an eye, only one Pokémon remains for Trainer Natsume! So, which Pokémon will she choose to face Yozora's Golduck?"
"Go! King of the Waters, fearsome warrior—Gyarados!"
At last, Natsume sent out her final Pokémon—Gyarados!
The entire stadium erupted in thunderous cheers.
Gyarados versus Golduck.A clash of titans.The moment everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived.
The Gyarados before them was clearly Natsume's ultimate trump card. Its strength was formidable—mid Lord-tier.
To put that into perspective—
A wild Pokémon of this level could easily dominate an entire forest or command an entire valley.
That Natsume had managed to raise such a Pokémon spoke volumes of her ability. She was undoubtedly a Veteran Elite, a Gold Trainer!
"Gyarados, strike first! Use Aqua Tail!"
Natsume didn't dare risk having Gyarados taken down in one shot by Psychic like her other Pokémon. The instant she released it, she gave the first order.
Boom!
The massive liquid tail crashed forward with terrifying force.
At that very instant, Golduck's eyes flared crimson, its aura surging sky-high.
An overwhelming psychic wave burst forth, freezing Gyarados's tail in midair as if slammed against an invisible wall—unable to move even an inch.
Sweat poured from Gyarados's brow. Its snarl looked savage, but deep down, terror had already taken root…
It was the kind of fear one feels when accidentally provoking a king.
"Throw it up with Psychic—and finish it with Hyper Beam!"
Lord-tier peak power!
At Golduck's current level, Hyper Beam required no charging. It could be fired instantly.
BOOM!!
A blazing golden beam of energy smashed into Gyarados, exploding with the brilliance of fireworks. Smoke and shockwaves tore across the arena.
With a gut-wrenching cry, Gyarados plummeted from midair, crashing into the pool below. Enormous waves surged forth, flooding half the battlefield.
"Woooahhh!!" The crowd went berserk.
Tens of thousands of spectators widened their eyes at once. This battle was too incredible, impossible to look away from.
Yes, in front of Golduck, Gyarados seemed utterly helpless…
But Golduck's performance was so dazzling, so explosive, that the audience couldn't help but roar in exhilaration.
…
At last, the water curtain cleared.
The massive Gyarados lay sprawled across the pool like a corpse, completely unable to battle.
Golduck, in contrast, stood tall and unshaken upon its floating platform, radiating composure and style.
Starmie. Dewgong. Gyarados.
Golduck had swept through all three without moving a single step.
"Gyarados is unable to battle! Golduck is the winner!"The referee's call rang out.
"It's over! Trainer Natsume has no remaining Pokémon! Therefore, victory goes to Trainer Yozora, who advances to the main tournament!!"
The announcer's shout was drowned by the deafening cheers of the crowd.
Another trainer had advanced!
At that moment…
Every competitor who had already secured their place in the main tournament shifted their gaze toward Yozora. Each of them silently began considering—what kind of lineup would be required to take him down?
By 8:40 PM, Division D's matches had concluded. The final competitor to qualify was confirmed.
Thus, the preliminaries came to an end. Thirty-two trainers had emerged, who in seven days would face off in the fierce main tournament.
"All right! Dear audience members, please don't leave yet! And for everyone watching on TV, don't change the channel!"
The announcer raised his voice with excitement:"As promised on tonight's tickets, we've prepared a special bonus event—introducing all thirty-two main tournament competitors right here on stage!"
"Everyone, let's welcome them!"
Clap clap clap clap…!BOOM BOOM BOOM…!
Even before he finished speaking, the arena was already erupting with screams from countless fans.
Many had been waiting for this moment. Some hadn't even noticed the announcement printed on the ticket, and now, realizing there was a bonus event, their joy was beyond words.
One by one…
Under the announcer's grand invitation, the competitors appeared on stage. About twenty-something arrived—several, despite the prior notice, were still absent.
Even so, the fans were overjoyed.
And there, among the lineup of trainers, Yozora saw many familiar faces…
Red. Ash. Ryūnan. Ritchie. A.J.…
And one silver-haired girl who stood out from the rest—Yukie.
That fleeting encounter on Seafoam Islands had left Yozora with a deep impression.
It wasn't her beauty he remembered, but the fact that she had been in the company of Lorelei.
A girl traveling with Lorelei… could hardly be an ordinary person.
It was because of Lorelei that Yukie's silver-haired figure lingered so vividly in Yozora's mind.
And speaking of Lorelei…
What Yozora didn't know was that, at this very moment, Lorelei was watching the live broadcast from her home.
Her gaze was fixed squarely on Yozora.
That incident on Seafoam Islands… she remembered him clearly.
She hadn't witnessed it directly, but Lorelei was convinced—the slaughter of those Team Rocket operatives was Yozora's doing.
In her eyes, his methods had been too ruthless—indistinguishable from Team Rocket itself.
Though those who died were Rocket members unworthy of pity, the possibility of internal betrayal couldn't be ignored.
Perhaps… Yozora himself was a Rocket member, willing to kill his comrades to rise in rank.
As one of Kanto's Elite Four, Lorelei couldn't afford to dismiss such suspicions. She had to take Yozora seriously.
The preliminaries were one thing.
But when the main tournament began… she would be watching closely. And if necessary—Lorelei intended to meet Yozora personally, face to face.
…
…
(End of Chapter)