It wasn't that Gabriel disliked Rafael, but the young kid's over-the-top "immature" attitude was something Gabriel just couldn't bring himself to like. Seeing Rafael acted as a mirror to his own childhood—he was reminded of how he used to be, and that reflection was hard to look at.
Moreover Pokémon had even defeated Phoebe's Growlithe, so Gabriel had subconsciously placed Rafael as a rival. As a competitor, Gabriel had no intention of showing any mercy to him. Beyond that, Gabriel… still didn't like the kid.
But that was all just irrelevant stuff. With the documents that Elle had prepared for him in hand, Gabriel focused on studying them seriously. The opponents remaining in the Top 16 were formidable, and if he underestimated them, it might very well be his own exit next.
Gabriel stayed up late into the night, poring over the materials. Exhausted, he collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep instantly, leaving the remaining work to Elle.
The next day, Gabriel woke up early and arrived at the tournament site. The Top 16 selection had already been completed, and every remaining competitor was an outstanding trainer. After reviewing the previous day's materials, Gabriel took the upcoming matches more seriously.
The information on paper wasn't entirely accurate. After all, power and strength could only be truly gauged through actual battle. The stats on paper couldn't be fully trusted.
The Top 16 battle arena was completely different from previous matches. The level of excitement was through the roof, and the stands were packed. Every time a competitor entered the arena, the crowd erupted in cheers.
Gabriel had arrived early. As a competitor, he didn't need to buy a ticket and instead took a seat in the designated competitors' section.
His match was scheduled for later in the day. His opponent was a lower-ranked trainer who had made it to the Top 16 by defeating a seeded player.
The opponent was indeed strong, but having already used up all their tricks, they were no match for phoebe's strength. Gabriel didn't think too much about this match.
However, he had come early to observe the strength of other seeded players.
The first match featured Rafael, who entered the arena with an arrogant pose, declaring victory before the match even started. He showed no respect for his opponent. But during the battle, Rafael's Growlithe showed its formidable strength, proving to the audience that his confidence wasn't misplaced.
Growlithe's speed was incredible, darting across the field in a blur, with the opponent's attacks failing to land. Not even Growlithe's shadow could be caught.
The opponent's Pokémon was a Pikachu, a Pokémon that, in Gabriel's experience, had only shown remarkable strength when paired with Ash's Pikachu. For this trainer to make it to the Top 16 with a Pikachu was an impressive feat. However, against Rafael's Growlithe, the Pikachu stood no chance. After a single Flame Charge, it was knocked out.
On the other hand, Rafael's Growlithe seemed as energetic as ever after the battle, showing no signs of fatigue. Although Rafael was often disliked, that Growlithe was undeniably strong!
Gabriel watched the battle while pondering his strategy. Growlithe's speed was so impressive that even kier would be at a disadvantage. He couldn't afford to try and match Growlithe's speed.
The second match featured Pat, and upon seeing him enter, Gabriel couldn't help but stroke his chin. Pat looked strikingly similar to James!
From his appearance to his attire, he resembled a larger version of James. Could they be brothers?
However, Pat, the older of the two, looked more mature. His Pokémon was also a Scyther, but it was much stronger than James's. Pat exuded an aura of battle-hardened experience, and in battle, his Scyther was poised and lethal. It moved with the precision of a predator, striking so quickly that it appeared behind its opponent in an instant. With one swift slash from its scythes, the opponent was left with no chance to react.
Even in the intense atmosphere of the Top 16 battle, Pat's Scyther ended the fight in one move. Pat didn't even need to give commands.
The entire match lasted only 15 seconds—hard to believe this was happening in the Top 16!
Such overwhelming power made Gabriel frown. Was Pat here to bully weaker opponents? Why had someone this strong only just started the process of earning their Pokémon Master license? Was it really fair to allow such a person into the tournament?
Although Gabriel was mentally grumbling, as a competitor, he knew that he had to figure out how to handle someone like Pat if they crossed paths in the tournament.
That Scyther's attack power was off the charts. It must have some kind of technical skill or hidden ability that boosted its damage. Perhaps it had some form of energy build-up or a special move similar to "Night Slash." Was it an inherited move?
Too many questions were left unanswered. It was still too early to learn everything about an opponent from just one match. However, there was no doubt that Pat was one of the strongest competitors in the tournament.
Aside from Pat and Rafael, Gabriel carefully observed the other competitors. Every one of them had something remarkable about them that got them to the Top 16.
Getting the championship wasn't going to be easy—each of these trainers was strong. Especially Pat. If Kier didn't reveal his trump cards, he was no match for that guy.
"Kier, our opponents are tough," Gabriel said, gently patting his Pokémon.
Kier, unfazed, puffed out his chest proudly, confident that they were unstoppable as a team. His enthusiasm even managed to lift Gabriel's spirits, who had been feeling a little down.
"That's right. Who said we can't win the championship? We've got our own trump cards! Once we use them, we'll give Pat a run for his money!" Gabriel hugged Kier, smiling as he nuzzled him affectionately.
"Thank you, Kier. We're definitely going to win this championship."
No matter how strong the opponents were, Gabriel refused to lose faith. If he didn't believe in himself, how could he expect to win?
For the past three months, Gabriel and Kier had been training hard for this moment. They would give it their all in this tournament, not just for themselves, but for the effort they'd put into their training.
Finally, it was time for Kier's match. The audience eagerly awaited the next battle, hoping for a visual feast.
"Ready, Kier? It's time to show them what we can do!"
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