Chapter 324: Victory!! Moving Up the Ranks!
As the two Pokémon traded blows in a violent rhythm, Kenji's expression became increasingly relaxed.
Equipped with the Radiant Bloodthirster, every strike Gyarados landed on Infernape didn't just deal damage—it pulsed with life-stealing energy, restoring its stamina and sealing up its minor wounds.
It was a war of attrition, and with each passing second, the scales were tipping toward the serpent.
On the other side, Tanya Tang was growing frantic.
The Sunny Day was about to expire. She knew that if she didn't find a way to delete Gyarados before the light faded, the remaining balance of power would shatter. Without the sun's buff to fire and nerf to water, Infernape would be a sitting duck.
"ROAAAARRR!!!! —"
A roar that sounded more like a scream erupted from the center of the arena.
Kenji blinked in surprise. Gyarados was now shrouded in a pulsing, crimson aura. Its eyes, already fierce, turned into twin pools of boiling blood.
It had triggered Outrage.
In this state, Gyarados's raw physical attack power hit a frightening ceiling. But the cost was its sanity. The serpent was descending into a state of primal, blind fury. It would no longer follow complex strategies; it would simply destroy until it collapsed.
In competitive play, Outrage was a double-edged sword. It could cut through a team in seconds, or it could leave the user wide open to a calculated counter-attack.
"Infernape!!! Go all out!! Flare Blitz!!!"
"Haqia!!!! —"
Tanya saw the opening. A berserk opponent is a predictable opponent. She ordered Infernape to take the ultimate gamble, meeting the enraged serpent head-on.
Infernape ignited into a sun-bright fireball once again and rocketed toward Gyarados.
"ROAAAARRR!!!! —"
Gyarados lunged, its massive jaws unhinged, aiming to simply bite the fireball out of the sky.
Infernape used its superior agility to vault high into the air, clearing the serpent's head with a graceful flip before dive-bombing straight into Gyarados's exposed back.
BOOM!!!! —
With a heavy thud, the Flare Blitz connected. Flames exploded across Gyarados's scales.
"We got it!" Tanya cheered.
The crowd gasped as they watched the hit land. But Tanya's joy was short-lived.
Within the smoke of the explosion, Gyarados didn't fall. It didn't even flinch. Instead, it whipped its massive head around with a speed that defied its weight. Its face was mere inches from Infernape.
Scary Face!!!
Simultaneously, Gyarados unleashed the full weight of its dual-aura pressure. Boosted by the madness of Outrage, the serpent looked less like a Pokémon and more like a primordial deity of slaughter.
The "Visage of Terror" was too much. Infernape, who had just landed its "winning" hit, found itself locked in the gaze of a nightmare. The psychological weight of the move, combined with the Intimidate and Pressure effects, physically froze the monkey in place. It stood on Gyarados's back, unable to move a muscle.
Gyarados roared, its tail whipping up from the ground. It drew a massive volume of water from the air, coiling it around its tail like a liquid chainsaw, and slammed it vertically down onto the monkey's head.
Aqua Tail!!!!
KRA-KOOM!!!! —
This time, there were no defenses. Infernape ate the full weight of a 4-Star, Outrage-boosted, critical-hit Aqua Tail directly to the skull.
"Haqia—!!"
The monkey didn't even finish its scream before its face met the arena floor with bone-breaking force.
The recoil of its own Flare Blitz, the psychological shock of the Scary Face, and the physical devastation of the Aqua Tail combined to short-circuit Infernape's brain. It lay limp, its internal systems overwhelmed.
But Gyarados wasn't done.
Deep in the throes of Outrage, the serpent's bloodlust was peaking. It raised its tail again, the water coiling for a "double-tap" on the unconscious opponent.
"Gyarados!! STOP!!"
Kenji's voice rang out like a whip, sharp and commanding.
In the Huaxia League Conference, a Pokémon attacking a fainted opponent was a severe violation of conduct. If a Pokémon ignored its trainer's orders to cause unnecessary injury, the trainer could be disqualified on the spot. A trainer who can't control their Pokémon isn't fit for the title of Champion.
At the sound of Kenji's voice, the massive tail—already descending—froze. It hovered just centimeters above Infernape's head, the rushing water spraying the monkey's fur.
"Hnn..."
Gyarados let out a low, vibrating growl. Slowly, the blood-red light in its eyes began to fade, replaced by its normal sapphire hue. It retracted the move and used its tail to gently flip the unconscious monkey onto its back.
Infernape was out cold. The flames on its head were barely flickering.
Kenji let out a long breath of relief.
While Gyarados was naturally aggressive, it had learned its lesson years ago when Beedrill had "disciplined" it right after evolution. Since then, it had been a model of obedience. Today, it had proven it could finally master the rage of Outrage, maintaining a sliver of rationality even in the heat of battle.
Among Kenji's team, Beedrill and Arbok had already mastered this "Controlled Rage." Gyarados had just joined their ranks.
Now, only Tyranitar and Annihilape remained—the two shortest-tempered members of the family. Tyranitar was making progress at the temple, but Annihilape... well, Annihilape was a walking explosion. Kenji knew that asking a Pokémon that literally died of anger to stay "calm" was probably the hardest task in the world.
But that was a problem for another day. Right now, he had another victory.
Ding!
Kenji's eyes flickered to the invisible interface. After the intense struggle against a Level 91 opponent, Gyarados's experience bar had hit the cap.
[Gyarados Level Up: 78 -> 79]
"Infernape is unable to battle!!! Gyarados wins the match!!!"
"All three of Contestant Tanya Tang's Pokémon are unable to battle!!! She is eliminated from the tournament!!"
"Congratulations to Kenji!! He advances to the next round!!!"
The stadium erupted into thunderous applause.
Kenji didn't recall Gyarados immediately. He let the serpent stand tall in the arena for a moment, letting it soak in the cheers of a hundred thousand people. It was a well-deserved moment of glory.
In contrast to Kenji's triumph, Tanya Tang looked devastated. To be knocked out in the third round of the main tournament was a bitter pill to swallow. She had come here aiming for the Top 6, yet she hadn't even made the Top 100.
She silently recalled her Infernape and left the field without a word.
Kenji didn't linger long either. He had more matches to prepare for. He recalled Gyarados and followed her out of the stadium.
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