"Roarrrr!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Arena No. 7 of the Viridian City Battle Arena!"
"After an intense series of matches, the singles bracket has officially concluded. We now move on to the exciting 2v2 doubles format!"
"Unlike singles battles, which primarily test an individual trainer's strength, doubles battles not only require powerful Pokémon but also demand flawless teamwork and coordination between partners."
"And because of that, doubles matches are often even more thrilling!"
"Anyone who just watched the match between the Gary-Green Duo and Team XX has already witnessed the incredible synergy displayed by Wartortle and Dedenne, whose Water-and-Electric offensive combination dominated the battlefield."
"But the duo about to enter the stage now will undoubtedly bring us an even more spectacular battle!"
"And I'm sure everyone here is familiar with them!"
"Because they are famous not only within the Viridian City Battle Arena, but throughout the entire Kanto region!"
"After traveling to Cerulean City to participate in the Water-Type Pokémon Beauty Contest, they've been absent from the arena for nearly a week."
"The star duo I'm talking about is none other than—"
"Ash and Miss Joy!"
"Let's give them the loudest applause and cheers possible as we welcome the Ash–Clarissa Team!"
"And of course, let's also welcome their opponents for tonight's battle—"
"The Fighting-Turtle Duo!"
As Ash and Clarissa stepped out of the competitors' waiting room and entered the player tunnel, the commentator's passionate voice echoed throughout the arena.
"Clarissa!! Clarissa!!"
"Ash!! Ash!!"
"Ash!! Ash!!"
"Ash!! Ash!!"
"..."
"..."
Before the pair had even appeared on the battlefield, waves of cheers were already rolling through the stands.
Most of them were directed toward Ash.
But quite a few were cheering for Clarissa as well.
In the Pokémon world, "Joy" wasn't merely a surname.
It represented an entire profession.
A symbol of kindness, trust, and respect.
As the beloved granddaughter of Joy Rong, future heir to the Kanto Joy Family, Clarissa Joy had already been a well-known young lady from a prestigious family.
Combined with her sweet appearance, gentle personality, and status as Ash's girlfriend, she had attracted increasing attention.
Especially after accompanying Ash to Cerulean City and helping secure second place in the Water-Type Beauty Contest.
Her popularity had steadily risen ever since.
Naturally, she now had quite a few devoted fans of her own.
Compared to the overwhelming support for Ash and Clarissa, however, their opponents—the Fighting-Turtle Duo—received considerably less attention.
Still, the two brothers standing on the opposite side weren't upset by it.
Years ago, when Ash had first started competing in the City Arena, many trainers had resented him.
They thought:
Why does a kid this young deserve such fame?
Many had dreamed of defeating him.
Using him as a stepping stone.
Becoming famous overnight.
Unfortunately, every single one of them had ended up becoming stepping stones themselves.
As time passed, however, people gradually came to recognize both Ash's strength and his character.
The jealousy faded.
The hostility disappeared.
And even losing to him no longer felt frustrating.
In fact, people eventually discovered something interesting.
Because countless battle analysts, strategy experts, breeders, and self-media content creators loved breaking down Ash's matches, any trainer who faced him would inevitably be analyzed and discussed as well.
So nowadays, getting matched against Ash had become a good thing.
Even if they lost.
As long as they performed well and delivered an exciting battle, they could gain tremendous exposure.
Several trainers had already become famous after standout performances against Ash.
Some had even been signed by professional battle clubs or recruited by the arena itself.
Their popularity—and market value—had skyrocketed.
What once felt like bad luck had become an opportunity.
A chance.
A blessing.
Life really was full of surprises.
"Mr. Ash, Miss Clarissa Joy."
"My name is Daizumi, and this is my younger brother, Hideo."
"We look forward to battling both of you."
The brothers politely introduced themselves.
"No need to be so formal."
"Let's just give it everything we've got and have a battle with no regrets."
Ash replied with his usual easygoing smile.
"Yes, sir!"
Both brothers nodded immediately.
At that moment, the referee stepped forward.
"The upcoming match is between the Fighting-Turtle Duo and the Ash–Clarissa Team!"
"Battle format: Two-versus-two doubles!"
"The match ends when all Pokémon on one side lose the ability to battle or when a team forfeits."
"Now then—"
"Please send out your Pokémon!"
"Go, Blastoise!"
"Machamp, this battle is yours!"
Without hesitation, the brothers released their Pokémon.
Ash and Clarissa responded immediately.
"Gyarados, I choose you!"
"Chansey, get ready for battle!"
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
Four Poké Balls burst open almost simultaneously.
The participating Pokémon appeared on the battlefield together.
The Fighting-Turtle Duo had chosen:
Blastoise—the fully evolved Water-type starter.
And Machamp—the powerhouse Fighting-type Pokémon.
Both were massive, muscular Pokémon that radiated strength and intimidation.
But when it came to sheer presence...
Neither of them could compare to Ash's Shiny Gyarados.
"ROOOOAAARRRRR!!"
The moment the Poké Ball opened, the Shiny Gyarados that had evolved beside the Cerulean coastline only days earlier emerged onto the battlefield.
Its gigantic body towered nearly four meters high.
Golden scales covered every inch of its serpentine form.
They gleamed like molten gold and polished jade beneath the stadium lights.
Majestic.
Noble.
Terrifying.
Combined with its Intimidate Ability, the effect was overwhelming.
The instant Gyarados appeared, the entire arena seemed to freeze.
Its enormous body.
Its dazzling golden scales.
Its monstrous aura.
Everything about it dominated the battlefield.
Every spectator's gaze locked onto it.
Even Blastoise and Machamp instinctively broke into cold sweats.
Both Pokémon took several involuntary steps backward.
The pressure was simply too immense.
A Shiny Gyarados...
Truly terrifying.
The arena fell silent for a brief moment.
Then the entire venue erupted.
The debut of Ash's newly evolved ace had finally arrived.