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This time, the Water Field consisted of a central land platform surrounded by a ring of water.
The central land was large enough for a Rhyhorn to run freely. That was exactly why Dusher had confidently sent it out.
And facing this Ground and Rock-type Pokémon, Kai countered with none other than his Steelix.
Thud.
As Steelix returned to the field and slammed down heavily, the audience erupted in cheers again.
Yet Rhyhorn didn't back down at all. Instead, it pawed the ground eagerly, ready for battle.
And to be fair, it had every right to be confident.
Looking like a cross between a dragon and a rhinoceros, its armored body made it look nearly indestructible. Once it started charging, its destructive power was terrifying.
Seeing Kai send out Steelix, Dusher allowed a small smile to form at the corner of his mouth.
Everything was going just as he had planned.
Truthfully, he'd been studying Kai's team for a while now. Watching the previous battles, he'd realized that every single one of Kai's Pokémon was a powerhouse.
He knew the matchup would be tough, but he also believed he could find an opening.
Especially since Kai, unlike in the Indigo Conference, didn't seem to favor type advantages anymore. Instead, he preferred straight-up head-to-head clashes.
That gave Dusher plenty of room to maneuver.
Choosing Rhyhorn for this match was no coincidence. He had anticipated that Kai might respond with his Steelix and sure enough, that was exactly what happened.
Hmph.
Big as it is, Dusher's Rhyhorn had been specially trained. In terms of sheer power, it feared no one.
The referee glanced left and right, confirmed that both trainers were ready, and raised the flags.
"The first battle of the Silver Conference Final… begins now!"
As soon as the words left the referee's mouth, Rhyhorn began its charge.
No wonder people called it a living tank the moment it moved, the ground vibrated slightly beneath it. Unlike other Pokémon, its momentum was on a different level.
Even Kai had to admit: it was impressive.
But he wasn't backing down.
Kai had no intention of dodging. His Steelix wasn't afraid of anyone in a power clash.
"Block it!"
Hearing his command, Steelix lowered its center of gravity. Since Rhyhorn's charge carried tremendous inertia, the Steel-type serpent coiled and anchored itself firmly to the ground.
In front of thousands of tense spectators, the two Pokémon finally collided.
Boom!
The immense force pushed Steelix's head slightly backward but its tail was driven deep into the battlefield like a steel anchor, holding its ground no matter how much Rhyhorn pushed.
Rhyhorn, on the other hand, slammed into it as if hitting a mountain. Its entire body trembled, unable to advance even a single step.
Their first clash ended in a stalemate. Kai stayed calm, but Dusher raised an eyebrow.
It hadn't even budged. So he had underestimated its strength a little.
But no matter. It wasn't outside his expectations.
"Rhyhorn, use Stomp!"
Rhyhorn raised its heavy front legs, ready to unleash a Ground-type attack — but Kai wasn't about to let that happen.
Ground-type moves were dangerous for Steelix. Even if it couldn't take too many clean hits like that.
"Don't let it! Iron Tail!"
With a crack like a whip, Steelix swung its massive tail, striking Rhyhorn's armored side with a loud snap.
Rhyhorn staggered sideways, but its low stance kept it from toppling over.
Its hide was thick Steelix's hit connected, but it didn't cause significant damage.
The strike did, however, snap Dusher out of his complacency. He grew more cautious, unwilling to let Kai find another opening.
Dusher then pulled Rhyhorn back slightly, this time attacking from a distance.
"Earthquake!"
The battlefield rumbled as Rhyhorn stomped down hard. Tremors rippled across the ground, even sending rings of waves through the surrounding water.
A perfect opening.
Seeing Steelix wobble from the quake, Dusher's eyes gleamed.
"Now! Drive it into the water!"
Rhyhorn charged again and this time, Steelix didn't have time to set its stance. The impact sent it toppling backward off the land and into the surrounding water with a splash.
Water exploded everywhere, and within moments, Steelix had vanished beneath the surface.
Got it!
Dusher cheered inwardly. Outwardly, he tried to stay composed but the grin tugging at his lips gave him away.
Most Steel- and Ground-types were notoriously bad swimmers. Everyone knew that. Once they fell into water, they were done for.
"This looks bad!" the commentator shouted. "Steelix has fallen into the pool! Could Kai actually lose the very first round of the finals?!"
The crowd gasped. Kai was the clear fan favorite the most popular trainer of the tournament. No one expected him to stumble so early.
The referee glanced at the water. Bubbles rose. The surface calmed.
He was just about to call the match when—
His eyes widened.
A huge shadow was moving underwater.
The audience, watching through the big screens, fell silent. All eyes were fixed on the dark shape.
Dusher frowned, sensing something wrong. He stared at the water.
No way… right?
A split second later, the pool erupted. Steelix's massive head broke the surface, and with a powerful coil, it climbed right back onto the battlefield.
Dusher froze.
'What the hell!? It can swim?!'
The sudden twist stunned not only Dusher but also most of the crowd. Even Professor Elm and the Kimono Sisters in the VIP room were speechless.
Only Ash and a few others who knew Steelix well weren't surprised.
"Unbelievable…" Professor Elm adjusted his glasses. "Steelix has adapted to the water. Remarkable…"
Back in the arena, Steelix wasted no time. It lunged forward, coiling around Rhyhorn's body in a crushing grip.
"Rhyhorn, break free!" Dusher snapped back to his senses.
But Rhyhorn, unable to build momentum, was like a lamb in a predator's coils. There was nowhere to go.
Creak… creak…
Steelix's grip tightened. Rhyhorn's tough hide could handle fire or heavy impacts but under crushing constriction, it began to give way.
It's struggling and weakened. With one last squeeze, its eyes rolled back and it went limp.
The referee raised the red flag.
"Rhyhorn is unable to battle! Steelix wins!"
From confident to shaken, Dusher only needed one battle.
As the referee reminded him to send out his next Pokémon, the reality of the loss hit him.
He wasn't unfamiliar with losing. He'd suffered two straight defeats in an earlier round. But this time felt different.
He finally understood what other trainers had said online:
"You can't truly understand Kai's strength until you battle him yourself."
At the time, Dusher had scoffed at that. Now, facing Kai directly, he felt the pressure firsthand.
The moment he thought he had an opening, he lost it again.
Shaking his head, Dusher recalled Rhyhorn and drew his next Poké Ball.
"Go, Golduck!"
The blue Pokémon appeared on the field with a splash. Though Dusher's movements were still sharp, his confidence had visibly dipped.
The announcer's voice boomed:
"After losing the first round, Dusher is now playing it smart he's sending out a Water-type to take advantage of the battlefield! This is a shift from his earlier strategy!"
Dusher wasn't a lucky finalist. He had real skill and pride. Normally, he'd never rely on simple type advantages.
But now, he had no choice.
Golduck is sleek, intelligent, and fast. Unlike Psyduck, its Psychic abilities were sharp and well-controlled.
Kai considered his options. His hand brushed past Jolteon's and Dragonite's Poké Balls, but after a moment, he made his choice.
"Go, Blastoise!"
A flash of light and soon, two Water-types stood face-to-face.
"Oh? Kai's using a Water-type too!" the host said cheerfully. "This is going to come down to pure experience, strength, and who can control the battlefield better!"
The battle began with both Pokémon attacking from range.
But while Blastoise unleashed Hydro Pump, Golduck opted for something different Psychic.
Kai chuckled. 'I'm using water, and you're trying tricks? Fine by me.'
The Hydro Pump blasted Golduck, but being a Water-type, it tanked the hit. Meanwhile, Golduck's Psychic energy wrapped around Blastoise, lifting it into the air.
Its red forehead gem glowed brighter. With a powerful downward thrust, Golduck slammed Blastoise toward the ground.
A classic Psychic combo: Lift. Damage. Slam.
Most Pokémon wouldn't escape that. But Blastoise wasn't most Pokémon.
It tucked itself into its shell, letting its thick armor absorb the impact as it crashed into the ground.
Boom!
The earth cracked, but Blastoise reemerged, a little dizzy but still standing.
"Blastoise, into the water!" Kai commanded.
Once submerged, the flowing water and light refraction would make Psychic grabs far harder.
Dusher sighed when his sneak attack failed, but he didn't despair. With a sharp gesture, he had Golduck dive into the water as well.
Two Water-types. One Water Field.
The real battle had just begun.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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