Deadpool was currently wearing a very small, very tight red-and-white trucker hat and was trying to shove a live, extremely confused pigeon into a hollowed-out tennis ball.
"tum, don't mind the bird, he's just a temporary intern!" Deadpool shouted, finally giving up and tossing the pigeon (and the ball) out of the commentary booth window. "We are heading to Ring 12 for the 'Summoner Sensation'! It's the wizard who literally holds the keys to the universe versus the kid who became a legend without saying a single word! It's Lucy Heartfilia against Pokémon Trainer Red! It's Celestial Spirits versus Pocket Monsters! Grab your snacks, because this one is going to be a 2-for-1 special on monsters!"
Ring 12 was a "Summoner's Paradise," a massive circular stadium divided into four rotating quadrants: a forest, a desert, a lake, and a mountain peak. The terrain shifted every few minutes, forcing the combatants to adapt their summons to the environment.
Heimdall was hovering in the center on a golden disc. "Match Number Forty! The stellar sorceress of Fairy Tail, Lucy Heartfilia! Versus the champion of Mt. Silver, Pokémon Trainer Red!"
The Opening Gambit
Red stood on the mountain quadrant, the brim of his hat shadowing his eyes. He didn't speak. He simply reached for a Pokéball on his belt and tossed it forward with a flick of his wrist. With a burst of white light, a Pikachu materialized, sparks dancing on its red cheeks.
Lucy stood in the forest quadrant, her hand already on her golden keys. "A yellow mouse? Cute, but I've got some heavy hitters of my own! Gate of the Golden Bull, I open thee! Taurus!"
With a chime of celestial bells, a massive, muscular humanoid bull carrying a giant labrys appeared. "MOOOOO! Lucy, your body is as breathtaking as ever!" Taurus bellowed, swinging his axe into the ground and shattering the stone.
Red remained silent, merely pointing a finger. Pikachu understood the command instantly. The mouse became a yellow blur, utilizing Quick Attack to zip between Taurus's legs. Before the bull could swing, Pikachu jumped onto his back and unleashed a massive Thunderbolt. Taurus roared as millions of volts surged through him, forcing him back into the Celestial World in a puff of golden stardust.
The Tactical Shift
"Taurus! No!" Lucy grit her teeth, spinning another key. "Gate of the Giant Crab, I open thee! Cancer! And... Star Dress: Taurus Form!"
In a flash of light, Lucy's outfit transformed into a cow-print bikini and leather chaps, granting her Taurus's immense physical strength. Beside her, Cancer appeared, his twin shears clicking rhythmically.
Red didn't flinch. He recalled Pikachu and sent out Blastoise. The massive turtle slammed into the lake quadrant, its cannons Aiming directly at Lucy.
"Cancer, go!" Lucy commanded. The crab-spirit moved with blinding speed, his blades a blur as he attempted to "trim" the turtle's cannons. But Red was one step ahead. "..." (Withdraw). Blastoise retreated into its shell, making Cancer's blades spark harmlessly against the indestructible armor. Then, Red's hand moved again. "..." (Hydro Pump).
A massive torrent of water erupted, blasting Cancer out of the ring. Lucy barely dodged, using her enhanced strength to leap to the desert quadrant.
The Final Exchange
Up in the booth, Deadpool was frantically trading Pokémon cards with a cardboard cutout of himself. "It's a high-stakes game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, tum! Lucy is using her own magic to augment her spirits, but Red is playing 4D chess with a biological arsenal! He's got an answer for everything!"
Lucy realized she was being cornered. She dropped her keys and clasped her hands together. "Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens... I am the ruler of the stars... Urano Metria!"
The sky above Ring 12 darkened as 88 stars began to glow with intense magical power. It was her ultimate spell, a cosmic bombardment designed to end any fight.
Red looked up. For the first time, a small smirk appeared on his face. He tossed his final Pokéball. "..." (Go, Charizard!). The orange dragon roared, its tail flame turning white-hot. As the stars began to fall, Red pointed toward the sky. "..." (Blast Burn).
Charizard unleashed a pillar of absolute inferno. The fire collided with the falling stars in the center of the arena, creating a blinding supernova of light and heat. The shockwave shattered the stadium's glass and sent a cloud of steam and ash into the sky.
When the smoke cleared, Lucy was on her knees, her magic completely depleted and her Star Dress gone. Charizard stood tall, though breathing heavily, protecting a silent Red.
"Match Forty winner... POKÉMON TRAINER RED!" Heimdall shouted, his voice barely audible over the ringing in the crowd's ears.
Up in the booth, Deadpool threw a handful of confetti. "The silent champion takes it! Red proves that being a man of few words (and six very angry monsters) is the way to go! That's 40 winners down, 11 matches to go in Round One, tum! We're almost in the single digits!"
The Speedsters are Warming Up!
We've finished the monsters, now we're breaking the sound barrier!
Match 41 (Ring 2): Sonic the Hedgehog vs. The Flash. (The Blue Blur vs. The Scarlet Speedster! Don't blink, or you'll miss the entire chapter!)
Match 42 (Ring 15): Megumi Fushiguro vs. Aki Hayakawa. (The Shadow Summoner vs. The Fox Contractor. Two moody guys, one winner!)
Match 43 (Ring 9): Yuji Itadori vs. Yusuke Urameshi. (Spirit Gun vs. Divergent Fist!)