"This next match will be the final match of the day—and also the last match of the Pacific Regional tournament!"
"The winner of this battle will decide who is crowned champion of the Pacific Region!"
"Will it be Nathan Vesper, who single-handedly defeated the national teams of nine countries? Or will it be the formidable Fujiwara Taka?"
"Let's welcome both competitors to the stage!"
As Hana finished speaking, she stepped off the battlefield.
Just as she was leaving, she happened to pass by Nathan.
She discreetly made a cheering gesture toward him.
Nathan responded with a smile and a nod.
Although Hana tried to be subtle, there were too many cameras and people on the battlefield. Many caught that little moment.
"Oh no, no, no… Nathan actually charmed my goddess!"
A certain otaku from Valar, seeing Hana's gesture, was instantly heartbroken.
As someone who wasn't particularly into Pokémon and only came to watch the tournament because Hana was hosting, this was devastating.
Worse yet, a photographer captured that exact moment and it was broadcast live.
Keen-eyed viewers began speculating about what might be going on between Nathan and Hana.
But among all those watching, one person's anger was instantly ignited.
"So, this is what you're doing, Nathan? Flirting with other women the moment you're away from home?"
Lily watched the broadcast and couldn't help but fume.
They were from two different countries, and Nathan was currently in the finals against Valar.
Yet Hana had the nerve to cheer him on? Was she betraying her nation?
Lily grumbled endlessly about both Nathan and Hana in her heart.
But there was nothing she could do—she wasn't at Nathan's side right now.
"…Actually, wait."
She suddenly grinned, then quickly opened her closet and began packing her things.
…
"Nathan, I'll admit—your skill in training Pokémon is impressive. But it's unfortunate…"
As soon as he stepped onto the field, Fujiwara Taka greeted Nathan with a smile, his words brimming with confidence that he could win.
"Unfortunate? I don't think so. My Pokémon still have techniques you haven't seen yet."
Even though Nathan had fought in many battles earlier, his Frosmoth had kept several techniques in reserve.
Because he knew the real threat on the Valar's team was this man—Fujiwara Taka.
The other team members were strong, but compared to Fujiwara, there was still a significant gap.
"Oh? Now I'm curious to see just how many tricks you've been hiding."
Fujiwara said with mock curiosity as he released a Pokémon.
However, Nathan was disappointed—the Pokémon was merely at the Elite level.
"You're already facing me, and you're still holding back? Just send out your strongest."
Nathan said coolly as he looked at the Pokémon Fujiwara had sent out.
Nathan even began to wonder if Fujiwara had been living in Celestia for years.
This habit of keeping a trump card hidden didn't seem like something a Valarian trainer would do.
"Hidden? What are you talking about?"
Fujiwara's eyes briefly flashed with surprise but were quickly concealed.
Nathan caught that brief look of shock and became even more certain—Fujiwara definitely had a Champion-level Pokémon.
"If I'm not mistaken, you're hiding a Champion-tier Pokémon. Bring it out—an Elite-level one won't force Frosmoth to show its true strength."
Nathan shrugged as he spoke.
Fujiwara paused for a moment, then, surprisingly, recalled his Pokémon.
The audience was dumbfounded by their conversation.
Fujiwara… has a Champion-tier Pokémon?
No one had seen Fujiwara use such a Pokémon in previous matches, and there was no mention of it in the data either.
So how on earth did Nathan know about it?
Little did they know—Nathan was purely going off instinct.
"…I don't know how you figured it out, but you're right. I do have a Champion-level Pokémon."
Fujiwara said as he pulled out another Poké Ball.
This one looked different from a standard Poké Ball.
Instead of the typical red and white, this one was black and white—very unusual.
As the crowd heard this announcement through the broadcast, a collective gasp echoed across the stadium.
…
In Celestia, aside from Nathan, no one else had ever brought out a Champion-level Pokémon in battle.
And now, in the country of Valar, someone else had emerged with such a powerhouse.
Champion-tier Pokémon battles were extremely rare—only elites who regularly ventured into uncharted lands had likely ever seen one.
Let alone in a formal match.
"I don't know how you trained your Pokémon, but one thing's for sure—you're too arrogant."
Fujiwara said as he tossed the Poké Ball in his hand up and down.
"Arrogant? I wouldn't say that."
Nathan replied calmly.
As he spoke, he sent out his Frosmoth.
The moment it appeared, the stadium erupted in cheers.
Many of Frosmoth's fans in the audience began screaming excitedly.
"If you'd sent out your Volcarona instead, I might've been a little concerned. But Frosmoth? Hmph."
Fujiwara scoffed as he threw his Poké Ball.
With a flash of white light, a massive silhouette appeared.
Nathan's eyes widened at the sheer size of the Pokémon materializing.
As the light faded, Fujiwara's Champion-tier Pokémon was revealed—
A giant Coalossal!
Frosmoth was an Ice/Bug-type Pokémon, while Coalossal was Fire/Rock.
Fujiwara's Coalossal wasn't just level 64—it had also undergone Dynamax.
A regular Coalossal was around three meters tall,
but this one stood nearly five meters.
Its body was stacked with flaming coal, continuously burning and radiating intense heat.
Its furnace-like mouth glowed red-hot, and even its chest had glowing slits—looking ready to erupt at any moment.
Compared to this giant, Frosmoth seemed minuscule—barely over a meter tall, and that was with the help of Dynamax candies and equipment.
Without them, Frosmoth might not even reach a meter.
Two Champion-tier Pokémon: one enormous, the other tiny; one fire, the other ice—an absolute clash of extremes.
"I'm suddenly worried for Nathan…"
"Nathan, you've got this!"
Many spectators, seeing Fujiwara's Coalossal, started shouting words of encouragement for Frosmoth.
This opponent was too strong—if Nathan weren't one of their own, they might have rooted for Coalossal.
Just from appearances alone, Frosmoth looked completely outmatched.
And the opposing types made the matchup look even worse.
"You can still surrender, Nathan. There's time."
Fujiwara grinned, his voice brimming with confidence after hearing the crowd's reaction.
Nathan smiled.
Judging from his previous matches, if Frosmoth had only shown what it had so far, it would be no match for Coalossal.
But this Frosmoth had been holding back.
No mere Elite-tier Pokémon could force Frosmoth to show its true capabilities.
"Surrender? That's not happening. Frosmoth—use Frozen Tundra!"
Nathan smirked, pointing at Coalossal.
Frosmoth dropped lower, nearly skimming the ground.
A surge of icy energy burst from its body, spreading rapidly outward.
A thick sheet of ice expanded from Frosmoth as the center, quickly covering the battlefield.
"It's so cold…"
"Darling, can I borrow your coat?"
Within just a few seconds, the entire field was enveloped in ice.
Even spectators at a distance could feel the freezing temperature.
It was autumn, and people weren't dressed too warmly. Many started shivering in their seats.
"Coalossal, use Incinerate!"
Fujiwara immediately countered with a command.
Coalossal opened its massive mouth and unleashed a jet of flame,
striking the ground and clashing with the spreading ice.
The two forces collided—ice versus flame.
Around Coalossal, the icy surface began to melt rapidly, evaporating into steam.
Soon, the Murakami Arena became a battleground of two extremes.
On Nathan's side, the spectators were freezing, scrambling for warmth.
On Fujiwara's side, people were fanning themselves from the heat.
Some even began stripping off layers.
Such an awe-inspiring battle hadn't been seen in years.
This was what a true Champion-tier Pokémon battle looked like.
And the battle had only just begun—
yet the audience was already overwhelmed.
"If this is the strength your Frosmoth was hiding… then honestly, it's nothing special!"
(End of Chapter)