"Huo Yan, it's up to you now. Let's win this together!"
Ye Yue sent out his trump card—his strongest Pokémon.
The battlefield was instantly bathed in flickering flames as a majestic Blaziken emerged. Its burning wrists flared as it let out a sharp cry, exuding powerful battle aura.
Pokémon: Blaziken
Strength: Gym Leader level
Qualification: Quasi-Elite
A Pokémon far superior to Chansey in raw physical strength. While it lacked Elite-level potential, being quasi-Elite was already impressive. After all, among fully evolved starter Pokémon, only a rare few reach Elite or Champion-tier qualifications without heavy training or bloodline enhancements.
"Blaziken, use Sky Uppercut!"
Ye Yue wasted no time. The Blaziken blurred into motion, its long legs propelling it forward. A fiery uppercut arced toward Chansey's face, burning with intense force.
But to Chansey—whose Defense and Special Defense had already been boosted several times through Calm Mind and Defense Curl—this blow was far from threatening.
Aoki calmly observed the situation. "Chansey, learned any new moves lately? Show me."
He didn't issue a specific command, choosing instead to trust Chansey's judgment.
Chansey's currently mastered Special Attacks included Solar Beam and Psybeam, neither particularly effective against Blaziken, a Fire/Fighting type resistant to Grass and Psychic.
However, during their recent stay in the Pokémon Center, Chansey had spent time studying move discs and practicing under the guidance of Boss Lairon and Greninja. Aoki wasn't sure what she'd picked up, but hoped for the best.
Chansey nodded, turned to face her opponent, and placed her hands in front of her. A radiant golden orb formed between her palms.
Aoki's eyes widened. "That's… Hyper Beam?"
No—he looked closer. This wasn't the smooth yellow-white light of Hyper Beam. It was a harsh, crackling sphere, denser and more focused.
"That's Dazzling Gleam! No… wait—it's [Destructive Beam]—you learned [Hyper Beam]?!"
A Normal-type move that used Special Attack as its base. After stacking Calm Mind multiple times, this was a finishing blow.
"Blaziken, Quick Attack—interrupt it!" Ye Yue shouted in a panic.
The Blaziken darted in again with explosive legwork, slamming a flaming fist into Chansey's body. Despite the attack landing, Chansey gritted her teeth and powered through.
At point-blank range, the Destructive Beam exploded from Chansey's hands.
A massive beam of light erupted and engulfed Blaziken in full force. The Fire-type Pokémon let out a sharp cry as it was blown backward by the energy wave, its body crashing against a boulder.
A cloud of smoke rose slowly.
The beam's power was overwhelming—stacked Calm Mind, Chansey's high Special Attack, and her deep affection for Aoki all fused in that one hit.
"Blaziken, are you alright?!" Ye Yue called anxiously.
To his relief, Blaziken pushed itself up, panting. Its flames still burned, though dimmer now.
"Good! Encore Sky Uppercut!"
Ye Yue's voice turned fierce again, unwilling to accept defeat. Blaziken forced itself forward again, channeling a second Sky Uppercut.
"Chansey, dodge!"
Chansey's body flickered. With Minimize having raised her evasion, she sidestepped gracefully. The attack whiffed.
Aoki raised a hand, fingers spread. "Encore Destructive Beam."
Chansey spun lightly, hands charging again. This time, the golden light shot forward faster—clean, precise, merciless.
The beam landed directly on Blaziken's chest.
BOOM!
Blaziken was blown back again, this time skidding across the battlefield and collapsing, eyes spinning.
Blaziken is unable to battle! The winner is Chansey!
The League official raised his flag, marking Aoki as the winner.
Ye Yue stood frozen, then sighed and returned Blaziken to its Poké Ball. "That Chansey is… way too strong. I can't believe my Blaziken lost."
He rubbed the back of his neck, a smile of disbelief on his face. "My Blaziken specializes in hand-to-hand combat. And yet… she couldn't break through."
Aoki nodded solemnly. "Honestly, if you'd landed a second Sky Uppercut, Chansey probably wouldn't have endured. That was close."
He returned Chansey to her Poké Ball with pride. "You did great."
Even unevolved, she had proven herself worthy of being called the "pink devil." When the time came for evolution into Blissey, and she learned more versatile support and offensive moves, she'd be an even greater force.
Ye Yue looked determined despite the loss. "I won't forget this. Next time, I'll win. I'll definitely surpass you."
"Good," Aoki smiled. "I'll be at the Ever Grande Conference too. Let's battle again there."
The two trainers nodded, mutual respect exchanged between them.
Kamizlei approached, arms crossed, shaking her head. "Aoki, your Chansey is broken. That was bullying. Poor kid didn't stand a chance."
"Hey," Aoki smirked. "She's going to be even stronger when she evolves."
He fell into thought. Boss Lairon, Greninja, Tyranitar, Beldum… Four Pokémon with Champion-level potential. His team was slowly shaping into a force that could rival even Cynthia's.
And in the future, he might even be able to awaken the sleeping Jirachi—though that would be for another day. For now, he focused on training his core team.
"Let's get moving. If we hurry, we can reach Verdanturf Town tomorrow," Aoki said.
Kamizlei raised an eyebrow. "Hoping to catch a glimpse of Winona?"
Aoki paused.
That tone… she was clearly jealous.
He pulled Kamizlei into a sudden embrace, his eyes glinting with warmth.
"Kamizlei," he said, voice low and teasing, "If I don't see you for even one day, I miss you like crazy. I want to be with you always."
Kamizlei blushed fiercely, her heartbeat spiking. That soft, teasing tone—it melted her resolve.
But she quickly pushed him away, turning her head. "Hmph! You don't get to say that until you win the Ever Grande Conference. Until then, I'm not officially yours."
Her tsundere attitude was adorable.
Aoki stared at her, struck once again by her beauty.
After the Conference, he thought, I'll win her and Winona. May's a bit young for now, but… wait—
Aoki caught himself mid-thought, shaking his head.
What am I thinking? Beast instincts?
"Alright, Kamizlei. It's getting late. Let's camp here tonight."
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