Chapter 455: Confidence and Grace
Unlike the drawn-out, tactical dance of a stadium match, real-world combat was always a split-second, razor's-edge affair. This was especially true for Old Flame and Salamence, two Pokémon whose builds were extremely specialized for speed and offense. Neither had boosted their defenses at all; they were playing for the thrill.
In the next moment, Old Flame, still grappling Salamence, slammed into the stadium floor with a devastating Dragon Rush. The resulting explosion was so powerful it nearly deafened the spectators in the front rows.
A violent shockwave erupted from the point of impact, instantly sweeping across the entire battlefield. The pristine turf, decorative shrubs, and scattered rock formations were all obliterated in an instant, turned to dust. It was as if someone had hit a "reset" button on the field, completely leveling the surface.
The shockwave crashed into the energy barrier at the edge of the arena, causing it to scream with the sharp crackle of overloading energy. It was hard to believe that the mere aftershock of a single move could push the barrier to such an extent, especially when the impact point was dozens of meters away in the center of the field.
As for the epicenter of the blast, all that could be seen was a cloud of dust and debris rising into the air, resembling a small mushroom cloud.
"That's just insane!" a spectator in the front row exclaimed, clutching their chest, their heart pounding. The terrifying power, even seen from a distance, was enough to send anyone's pulse racing. It was impossible to imagine what the trainers and Pokémon on the field must have been feeling.
As for the trainers, Arthur was relatively calm, but Forrest was simply stunned into silence.
The gale from the shockwave reached the trainer's platform, whipping his bangs away from his face. In the rushing wind, his normally half-closed eyes were wide open, his pupils filled with utter shock. It was the first time he had witnessed his Dragon senior fighting at full power. The destructive force was breathtaking, and the speed was so immense that he could barely keep up with his commands.
And yet, the young man across from him had kept up perfectly. He was even able to make reads and predictions in a battle where the combatants were accelerating to highway speeds in under two seconds and moving at nearly 200 miles per hour.
Forrest found it completely unbelievable. Are that boy's reflexes even human?
When the dust settled, a massive crater was revealed in the center of the field.
"Whoa, what level of destructive power does it take to blast a hole that big? Was that Dragon Rush? You could've told me it was Explosion and I would've believed you."
As the shockwave subsided, more spectators began to voice their astonishment. I've seen it all! Scratch that—I've never seen anything like this!
The commentator was also shouting with excitement, "What incredible destructive power! This single blow must have set a new record for the highest single-attack damage in the history of the professional league!"
Only the maintenance crew, waiting at the sidelines to repair the field, looked on the verge of tears.
"Damn it all, the workload for this one match is equal to the last ten combined!" The workers were having a collective mental breakdown.
Then, the referee raised his flag.
"Salamence is unable to battle!"
Though many had guessed that this single strike would be the end, the official announcement still drew a storm of gasps and thunderous applause.
The commentator offered his thoughts with deep emotion: "A battle like this will likely never be seen again in the professional league. Though it was brief, the shock it delivered will be difficult to forget. This might have been our only chance in this lifetime to witness, up close, a sliver of the magnificent power wielded by the Champions of the past!"
Though the dance on the razor's edge was over quickly, the audience was left completely mesmerized. The battle, lasting less than a minute, didn't offer much in terms of complex competitive strategy to analyze. More importantly, it allowed everyone to travel back in time and experience the awe-inspiring presence of a Champion from a bygone era.
It wasn't just the audience; many professional trainers watching the broadcast were also stunned.
"I used to think those history books exaggerated everything. I always thought the old Champions were, at most, a little stronger than today's top team captains. I never imagined their true power was this insane! And the records say that Champions back then had a full team of at least six main Pokémon! I can't even imagine how they raised them."
"Perhaps that's what they mean by 'hard times create heroes'."
The fact that even these normally proud and arrogant professional trainers were admitting their own inferiority showed just how much of an impact the clash between Old Flame and Salamence had on the spectators.
Of course, there were a few sour grapes.
"Hmph! In the end, it's all because he has a Champion's Pokémon. How did that Arthur kid get so lucky that a Champion's Pokémon would choose him? Just because his name is also Arthur? I can change my name too, you know."
This time, however, the majority of people defended Arthur.
"Give me a break! How can you even compare yourself to Arthur? Could you keep up and give commands in a battle with that kind of pace? You'd probably just be standing on the sidelines shouting 'Nice shot!'"
"..."
If Old Flame's identity had been revealed at the beginning of the season, Arthur might have faced significant criticism and doubt. But the timing was different now. He had fought his way to the finals. Along the way, he had defeated countless veteran aces, including all of the top three finishers from last year's League Cup Singles Tournament. That wasn't something a person could achieve with just one Champion-level Pokémon.
More importantly, before today, Arthur had never once demanded that a match be fought under these "practical combat drill" rules, which so perfectly suited his veteran Pokémon.
This was a major reason why, despite the overwhelming power he had just displayed, most people still supported and admired him. He held an absolute, peak-level advantage in another style of combat, yet he had never once flaunted it or used it to force his opponents to change the rules.
Before Forrest brought out his own veteran Pokémon, Arthur's Charizard had always abided by the same stadium rules as everyone else, never leveraging its past fame or status to intimidate others. This was a level of humility many admitted they could not match.
Not to mention, even without relying on his Pokémon's legendary status and holding back its full power to play by the rules, Arthur had still fought his way to the finals with an undefeated record for the season.
So, the revelation of Old Flame's identity only added to his legendary status. The jealousy of a few was quickly drowned out by a tidal wave of cheers and praise.
After a full hour of intermission for field repairs, the match continued. Both trainers returned to their platforms.
True to his word, Arthur made the first move.
"I will not be using that Charizard for the remainder of this match," he announced. This was what they had agreed upon before the first round. Old Flame was still fully buffed. Even though he was heavily injured from the battle with Salamence, he was still more than capable of sweeping the rest of Forrest's team.
Arthur's decision to voluntarily give up this advantage once again earned him the unanimous respect and admiration of the audience.
Forrest nodded. "Understood. If it's alright with you, I'd like to talk more with you after the match."
"Of course. You're welcome anytime."
"Then you'd best be careful. You're down one ace, but the Pokémon I've raised myself are not to be underestimated!"
"What a coincidence," Arthur replied with a smile. "I was thinking the exact same thing."
Their exchange was polite, their rivalry sharp but never losing its sense of sportsmanship. Even the neutral members of the audience couldn't help but feel a growing fondness for both of them.
This was the confidence and grace that true competition should embody.
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