"Begin the battle!"
"Nidoran♀ / Nidoran♂, use Poison Sting!"
"Charmeleon, use Flamethrower!"
As soon as the referee gave the signal, both teams shouted their commands.
In an instant, the two small Pokémon of the rival team spat poisonous needles that crossed in the air, fusing into a brilliant purple burst that shot directly at Charmeleon.
They had already seen the previous battle of Alex Baxter and Ethan Black, and they knew the trainer of Charmeleon was quite arrogant. That's why they planned a "divide and conquer" strategy, focusing their offense on him.
Charmeleon, facing two opponents at once, didn't show even a trace of fear. He roared and unleashed a powerful Flamethrower to counter the attack.
BOOM!
Both attacks clashed in the air with a loud explosion. Although Charmeleon's level was clearly superior, he couldn't completely overpower the combined attack.
The poisonous needles managed to push the Flamethrower back slightly before exploding in midair, filling the field with a dense cloud of smoke.
"Good chance! Charmeleon, run in and use Scratch!"
Taking advantage of the smoke cover, Charmeleon launched his attack. His claws glowed with white light as he lunged at his rivals.
"Endure it and counter with Fury Attack!"
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
The three Pokémon clashed in close combat, blow after blow.
In terms of raw strength, Charmeleon had a clear advantage, but the two Nidoran coordinated extremely well. The battle was evenly matched.
"Wow, these two Pokémon must have been together for a long time. You can't get that kind of coordination overnight," Ethan Black remarked, impressed.
Alex Baxter frowned, annoyed by that synchronicity. He observed the two Pokémon carefully until suddenly his eyes lit up.
"Charmeleon, focus only on Nidoran♀! Ignore the other one!"
Charmeleon hesitated for a moment, but quickly followed the command and went all out against Nidoran♀.
Even though he took several hits from Nidoran♂, Nidoran♀'s situation became critical, completely overwhelmed by Charmeleon's attacks.
"Perfect! Use Flamethrower at full power!"
BOOM!
Charmeleon leapt back, raised his head, and fiery energy built up in his throat.
With a roar, a massive blaze shot straight at Nidoran♀.
But just as the attack was about to hit her, a purple figure suddenly leapt in the way.
It was Nidoran♂!
At the last second, he threw himself forward and blocked the attack with his own body.
BOOM!
The impact sent him flying until he crashed into the stage's protective barrier. He collapsed to the ground, completely drained.
"Nidoooor!" Nidoran♀ cried in horror.
And before she could react, she too was struck by the lingering flames, blasted through the air and landing beside her partner.
Both Pokémon lay side by side, a defeated yet inseparable couple.
"Hahahaha! Battle over!"
Alex Baxter, elated, raised his arms toward the crowd. After all, he had just won a 2 vs 1.
Where was the applause?
But instead...
"Awwww! That Nidoran♂ was amazing! He sacrificed himself for his beloved! I'm crying!"
"Yeah! It was so beautiful! I wish I had a boyfriend like that!"
"Exactly! It was like a brave knight defending his princess from the evil dragon's breath!"
The scene had turned somewhat... surreal.
In the stands, the girls wept with emotion.
The boys, instead of cheering for Alex Baxter, comforted their companions. No one seemed to remember that he was the actual winner.
(End of chapter)