"Charmeleon, use Flamethrower!"
Despite being burned and startled, Ursaring's attack was far from enough to bring down Charmeleon.
In contrast, Charmeleon already triggered its Blaze ability as its HP dropped, shrouding itself in an invisible fire. This made its Fire-type moves even stronger.
A point-blank Flamethrower shot out. The exhausted Ursaring had no chance to dodge and was hit right in the forehead.
The impact forced Ursaring to stagger backward a few steps before finally collapsing, unwilling but unable to continue.
Charmeleon stood firm with complete willpower, eyes full of excitement.
No matter how hard the battle was, victory in the end was all that mattered.
Soon, continuous applause echoed around, dedicated to both Charmeleon and Ursaring for fighting until the last moment.
"Well done, Charmeleon. Let's keep working hard."
Gu Yuan patted Charmeleon's shoulder, giving full praise, then headed to the Pokémon Center to heal him.
The next day, the organizers gave a rest day so the participants could fully recover.
"Alright, after a morning of rest, I bet you're ready to train again."
"Charmeleon, just keep your training light today like last night to maintain your form."
"Of course, Eevee, your training amount stays the same."
Gu Yuan patted Eevee's small head, delivering the words that made it groan in disappointment.
Though Gu Yuan spoiled Eevee, he wouldn't let it skip on training.
Lowering its head, Eevee felt that life was getting harsher.
"Alright, go train now. I'll have your favorite snack ready for you."
Caressing Eevee's soft fur, Gu Yuan used its favorite snack to entice it into action.
Upon hearing this, Eevee's ears perked up, yet it tried to keep its proud attitude while starting its training.
Shaking his head, Gu Yuan noted that compared to Charmeleon, Eevee was like a child who needed proper care.
Once Charmeleon and Eevee began training, Gu Yuan focused on studying nearby.
A relaxed day passed before Gu Yuan returned to the battle arena.
According to the draw, Gu Yuan's match was scheduled to be the third one.
Fortunately, none of the four Senior Rank trainers in this tournament would face him.
Perhaps to excite the audience, the first match involved a Senior Rank trainer. Watching it, Gu Yuan noticed the clear gap between Intermediate Rank and Senior Rank.
To prevent the Senior Rank trainer from ending the battle too quickly, the organizers deliberately gave him a type-advantage opponent.
However, even with the type advantage, the power difference more than made out for that. It only slowed down the inevitable loss.
The second match featured two Intermediate Rank trainers, a truly intense battle.
Then it was Gu Yuan's turn. His opponent was a female trainer named Rina, who sent out a Pikachu.
"Begin the battle!"
"Charmeleon, Flamethrower!"
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
As soon as the referee finished, both Gu Yuan and Rina gave their commands simultaneously.
Flames and electricity collided in the center of the arena, scattering sparks and currents in a dazzling display.
Neither trainer had time to admire it, as the exchange showed perfectly even strength.
Both knew their opponent's ability. Being evenly matched meant their rival had likely defeated stronger opponents earlier, proving they were a worthy adversary.
"Charmeleon, Ember!"
Gu Yuan had noticed Pikachu could use tricky tactics, so he made sure it wouldn't get the chance.
"Pikachu, use Agility and rush in!"
Rina, knowing Charmeleon's speed and Ember proficiency, immediately adapted her strategy to rely on Pikachu's Static ability.
Static could paralyze any opponent that touched Pikachu.
Darting through the flames, Pikachu displayed remarkable agility and speed.
When Pikachu prepared for the finishing move, Charmeleon used Dragon Breath first.
Rina, expecting Charmeleon to use only Ember and Flamethrower, didn't anticipate Dragon Breath.
The move disrupted Pikachu's attack and, more importantly, gave Charmeleon the offensive advantage.
"Charmeleon, use a Flamethrower combo!"
"Adjust your position, Pikachu, then use Thunderbolt to counter!"
Pikachu repositioned itself in midair and used Electricity to block the incoming Flamethrower before landing safely.
Without giving Pikachu a moment to recover, Gu Yuan ordered Charmeleon to use Flamethrower again.
No complicated tactics were needed. Gu Yuan aimed to slowly wear down Pikachu and Rina. Once both sides were tired, Charmeleon's Blaze would give him the upper hand to end the battle.
Gu Yuan rarely used flashy commands like Quick Attack or unexpected maneuvers. He preferred steady advantage accumulation until victory was secured.
This strategy is hard to counter because opponents rarely make mistakes, leaving them little chance to turn the fight around.
Rina's situation reflected this perfectly.
Faced with the continuous flames, she could only order Pikachu to use Thunderbolt, watching Charmeleon steadily wear them down.
"Pikachu, use Double Team to dodge, then Agility to get close and finish with Iron Tail!"
Seizing a small opening, Rina launched her final attack.
Several illusions appeared. Before Pikachu could charge, Flamethrower hit the center, flames piercing many illusions, eliminating Gu Yuan's uncertainty.
"Charmeleon, use Ember to locate Pikachu, and prepare Flamethrower!"
Gu Yuan remained calm, sending out sparks to find Pikachu's position.
Pikachu, boosted by Agility, rushed forward, swinging Iron Tail at Charmeleon.
In the next second, Charmeleon, already prepared, unleashed Flamethrower.