As both Pokémon collided, Ursaring roared, swinging its powerful claws in wild fury, while Gloom lunged forward to wrap around it using Bind. The moment felt like time itself had frozen. Every spectator in the arena held their breath—trainers and onlookers alike—eyes wide and fixated on the clash at the center of the battlefield.
This was it. The deciding blow.
Everyone knew that whoever landed their move first would emerge victorious.
Then, just before Ursaring's claws could make contact, Gloom subtly shifted back—a slight motion, almost imperceptible—and that tiny hesitation created the perfect opening. With remarkable speed, Gloom's vines shot out and coiled tightly around Ursaring, wrapping around its body several times in an instant.
"Ursaring!" Feng Tian's voice broke the tension as he shouted, "Break free! Use your strength!"
Ursaring growled and strained against the vines, its entire frame bulging with muscle. Its fur, already tinged with a faint purple hue from earlier poisoning, now flushed red with exertion. But the more it struggled, the tighter the vines constricted, draining its stamina and increasing the pain with every movement.
From the sidelines, Ryo shook his head slowly. "It's no use. Gloom's Bind is designed to punish resistance. The harder you struggle, the more damage you take."
Feng Tian clenched his jaw, unwilling to give in. "You're acting like this is over already! Ursaring doesn't go down that easily."
Even as he spoke, he watched Ursaring with a mixture of desperation and hope. But reality was already setting in. The bear-like Pokémon's muscles trembled under the pressure, and its fierce eyes began to dim. The purple flush deepened. And then, with a final growl, Ursaring collapsed forward, the last of its strength spent. It lay on the ground, breathing heavily, unable to rise again.
"We… lost?" Feng Tian murmured to himself, disappointment washing over him like cold water.
He knew Ryo had been right. The moment Gloom landed that Bind, the match was sealed. Still, he had hoped for a miracle—just one last moment of brilliance from Ursaring. But miracles didn't come today.
He exhaled a long breath and turned toward the referee. "I forfeit."
Then, looking toward Ryo, he added with a wry smile, "You can release him. It's your win."
Ryo nodded and gave Gloom the signal. The vines loosened and slid off of Ursaring, who groaned softly but didn't move. "You fought well," Ryo said genuinely. "You're the toughest opponent I've had so far. This win was luck more than anything. Next time, I'll earn it without relying on chance."
Feng Tian chuckled. "I'll be waiting for that. And don't expect me to lose again."
The two smiled at each other in mutual respect, their rivalry now sealed in camaraderie.
"Match over!" the referee's voice rang out across the arena. "The winner: Ryo!"
The crowd, which had been holding back for so long, erupted.
"Feng Tian!"
"Ryo!"
Cheers for both competitors filled the stadium, a chorus of admiration for a battle well-fought. Neither trainer felt like a loser, and in the crowd's eyes, they were both champions.
Meanwhile, in one of the VIP viewing boxes, Eliza glanced toward Ryo with a small smile on her face. "That really was an amazing match," she said softly. "But it's a shame that Feng Tian lost in the end."
Ryo, standing next to her, shook his head thoughtfully. "This wasn't about winning or losing. Not really."
Konan, who had been quietly observing, turned toward the two, her brow furrowed. "What do you mean? The match is over. Isn't that the end?"
Ryo's eyes didn't leave the field. "Not for me. In my heart, the battle's still going."
Eliza looked at him for a moment, then nodded in understanding. "You're right. What happened today wasn't the end. It was only the beginning."
Konan and Nagato exchanged confused glances, neither fully grasping the deeper meaning of Ryo and Eliza's words. To them, the outcome seemed final and clear-cut.
But Ryo wasn't thinking just about the scoreboard. He was thinking about what came next—for all of them.
Eliza spoke again. "So what do you think of them? Ryo and Feng Tian?"
Ryo turned his gaze to the battlefield, where the two trainers were still being celebrated by the crowd. "They're promising. They still have a long way to go if they want to stand among true elite trainers, but for where they are now? They're exceptional. Even I would struggle to replicate what they just accomplished."
Eliza smiled again, softer this time. "And they learned all of this on their own. No formal education in Pokémon. No decades of breeding or battle academies. They're just people who love their partners and fight with everything they have."
It was humbling. In her world, trainers spent years, even lifetimes, studying and training. Here, with only fragments of knowledge and raw passion, Ryo and Feng Tian had managed to battle on a near-professional level.
"That's why we need to spread Pokémon knowledge here," Ryo said. "If even they can get this far with limited resources, imagine what they could do if they were properly trained."
Eliza agreed silently.
Up in the viewing box on the second floor, Mabui sat beside Tsunade, her expression unreadable. After a long pause, she finally turned to the Fifth Hokage and said, "Your Konoha citizens are quite something. Some of them might even surpass your own ninja. Don't you think that could become… problematic?"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed instantly. "Thank you for your concern," she said with a sharp edge, "but Konoha doesn't need lectures from the likes of you. We're not like the Cloud Village, constantly scheming behind closed doors."
Mabui gave a sheepish shrug. "I meant no offense. If I touched a nerve, forgive me. But if these 'ordinary' citizens continue to grow in power and develop ambitions… well, things could get dangerous. Just a thought."
Tsunade's fists clenched slightly on the armrest.
Mabui continued, her tone almost mocking, "Of course, if it ever becomes too much for you to handle, don't hesitate to call for help. We at the Cloud Village will be happy to lend our support. After all, we're all part of the Five Great Nations, aren't we?"
Now visibly seething, Tsunade's gaze locked onto Mabui's. Her golden eyes radiated fury.
But Mabui didn't flinch. She simply met the Hokage's glare with a calm, composed look. Inside, however, she was far less at ease.
This whole approach—these taunts, this political maneuvering—wasn't her style. But she had her orders. The Raikage had instructed her clearly: if possible, irritate Konoha's leadership, throw them off balance. She didn't understand the full strategy behind it, but it wasn't her job to question the Raikage's plans.
Even so, confronting someone like Tsunade like this… it wasn't a comfortable task.
If it weren't for her loyalty to the Cloud Village, Mabui would've never dared to provoke someone with Tsunade's status—or power.
Not unless she had no choice.
>>>>><<<<<>>>>><<<<<
[If you like this story, please don't shy away from adding to the collection, giving a power stone, and leaving a review. You can even follow my patreon.com/Yueru1 for 50+ advanced chapters]