"Aerodactyl is unable to battle! Pidgeot is the winner!" the referee announced.
"Pidgeoooot!"
High above, Pidgeot spread its massive wings to their fullest, releasing a triumphant cry. Having just defeated an aerial rival of equal might, its emotions burned with exhilaration.
If only it could evolve further… but alas, it was already in its final form. Otherwise, it might have evolved on the spot!
"Senior Commander-tier!" From Yozora's side, he could clearly sense Pidgeot's aura surging higher.
Back when Aerodactyl had launched that deadly Stone Edge, its speed had been so overwhelming that Pidgeot had been forced to push its potential to the limit— and in doing so, its level had risen mid-battle!
"Whoa, this is insane! This level of battle could easily stand on the Indigo Plateau Conference stage!"
"Yeah! Their strength is incredible. What's even rarer is that both of them only debuted this year. The future is limitless for them!"
"So jealous… I've been a trainer for three years, and even my strongest Pokémon could never fight like that…"
The intense clash between Pidgeot and Aerodactyl had whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
Meanwhile, Ryūnan calmly recalled Aerodactyl, then sent out his third Pokémon.
"ROOOOAR!"
A deafening bellow shook the battlefield. A colossal blue sea dragon emerged, its serpentine body coiling in fury.
Ryūnan's third Pokémon— Gyarados.
[Gyarados] (Water/Flying): Senior Commander-tier, with Elite Four-level potential.
Like Aerodactyl, Gyarados wasn't a true Dragon—at best, it was a half-dragon, or perhaps a false one.
It lacked a dragon's bloodline, and its resistances were far from ideal.
And yet—
Both Aerodactyl and Gyarados harbored formidable draconic energy within.
If their trainer could properly guide them, they could unleash devastating Dragon-type moves: Dragon Breath, Dragon Pulse, Dragon Tail, and more.
"What power… that's the Intimidate ability." Feeling the oppressive aura radiating from Gyarados, Yozora's heart stirred.
Intimidate weakened an opponent's strength through sheer presence—the greater the gap in level, the stronger the effect.
Unfortunately for Ryūnan—
In terms of level, Gyarados wasn't in any position to suppress Pidgeot.
And Pidgeot, still riding the high of its hard-fought victory, was burning with momentum. Its spirit remained unshaken by Gyarados' presence.
That was the truth.
In the games, Intimidate was godlike— even a Level 1 Growlithe could intimidate a Level 100 Moltres, cutting its strength.
But here, in reality? Impossible.
Aura and presence were tied directly to level. Only when one stood higher would their intimidation truly carry weight!
Ryūnan, however, was unfazed.
To him, Yozora's Pidgeot was already running on fumes. There was no need to rely on Intimidate—his Gyarados could crush it with ease.
"Gyarados, use Hydro Pump!"
"BOOM!"
A terrifying torrent exploded from Gyarados' jaws, surging straight for Pidgeot.
"Dodge, then use Double Team!"
At Yozora's command, Pidgeot spun sharply out of the way, leaving behind a trail of illusory clones. In a blink, a dozen identical Pidgeot circled Gyarados, leaving it confused and unable to decide which target was real.
"Hold that formation! Now— Lightning Blade!" Yozora shouted.
The illusions lacked substance, but they were perfect for misdirection.
Ten Pidgeot, in unison, conjured blazing blades of electricity, striking from every angle at once.
The sight was breathtaking, the atmosphere electric with tension.
But Ryūnan's expression remained calm, almost bored, as though he'd seen this countless times before."Parlor tricks. Gyarados— Hurricane! Wipe them all out!"
"ROOOOAR!"
Gyarados bellowed, whipping up a monstrous storm. Wind and rain howled across the field, slamming into every illusion.
Bang! Bang! Bang! One by one, the clones shattered like glass, vanishing into smoke.
Even the real Pidgeot was caught in the gale, blasted aside with a pained cry before it crashed heavily to the ground, unable to rise again.
"Pidgeot is unable to battle! Gyarados wins!"
That was Ryūnan for you—after a single loss, he had instantly turned the tide.
Yozora recalled his fallen partner and calmly released his next Pokémon.
"Go— Graveler!"
This Graveler, however, was only at Senior Elite-level—far too low when compared to Ryūnan's Gyarados.
And yet, Yozora knew… if he didn't send it out now, it might never get its chance to battle at all.
Ryūnan's remaining three Pokémon could only be stronger.
While Yozora still had powerhouse Pokémon in reserve, he couldn't simply ignore Machoke and Graveler.
Both had great potential. But if he never tested them in real battles, they would only stagnate and fall behind.
"Whoa—!!"
The moment Graveler appeared, the crowd erupted again.
Though its level wasn't high, its unusual golden body had always drawn gasps of amazement.
"A Shiny Pokémon? Impressive… though it doesn't look very strong." Ryūnan was surprised at first, then smiled dismissively.
To be fair, a Senior Elite-level Graveler was no weakling.
Among the hundred-plus spectators here, fewer than half had Pokémon at that level.
But to Ryūnan, it was nothing more than an appetizer.
And under the crushing aura of Gyarados' Intimidate, Graveler's expression grew tense and wary. Its Attack and Defense were both visibly suppressed.
Indeed, Intimidate was brutal when bullying weaker opponents—turning small fry into complete pushovers.
"Don't mind it, Graveler! Show your true spirit! Defense Curl, then use Rollout!" Yozora called, his voice steady and encouraging.
The bond between them flared, and against all odds, Graveler steadied itself. The fear in its eyes vanished, replaced by its usual feral grin.
In that instant, the effect of Intimidate all but melted away. What had been a crippling 30% drop in power now felt no worse than a 10% dip!
"RUMMMMBLE!"
Graveler tucked into a sphere, its golden body gleaming, and barreled forward like a living boulder straight at Gyarados.
Ryūnan only smirked, giving a casual wave."Crush it, Gyarados. Hydro Pump."
"BOOM!"
Another torrent burst forth, as thick as a barrel, slamming into the oncoming boulder.
Water sprayed violently across the field—yet Graveler did not stop.
With sheer force and momentum, it powered through the deluge and slammed hard into Gyarados' body.
"GYAAAAH!"
Gyarados let out a sharp cry of pain. Despite the level gap, Graveler's immense strength, combined with the boosted power of Defense Curl into Rollout, had left its mark.
The mighty sea dragon reeled, clearly hurt.
(End of Chapter)