Chapter 456: A Mirrored Style, A Formidable Challenge
Arthur had taken the first step in demonstrating sportsmanship, and Forrest followed suit, conducting himself as a true gentleman in the subsequent match.
In the second round, Arthur sent out his Pokémon first: Greninja.
Forrest didn't choose a counter-pick. Instead, he met the challenge head-on, sending out one of his own aces: Lucario.
Arthur had effectively banned one of his own aces. And the Dragon "senior" was only a temporary addition to Forrest's team; it wasn't part of his original lineup. By that logic, he already had an advantage over Arthur. To then resort to tactical counters and specific targeting… Forrest's pride wouldn't allow it.
Fundamentally, he, like Arthur, was not a product of the modern competitive scene. He was a self-made professional who had previously served in the military, eventually rising to become the head instructor for Pokémon training in the southeastern military district. He only left the service later due to personal reasons.
He had always dreamed of writing a book chronicling the legendary life of his ancestor, the Champion Forrest Sr. Unfortunately, openly writing a biography of a historical pro-war Champion while serving in the military would attract unwanted attention, so he resigned his commission. It wasn't until the Blaze Team's manager approached him last year that Forrest first stepped into the world of competitive Pokémon battling.
Thus, he wasn't particularly fond of the tactical maneuvering and counter-picking common on the professional stage.
Even knowing that Arthur's Greninja specialized in close-quarters combat, he still chose to face it directly.
Lucario: a bipedal, canine-like Pokémon. Like Greninja, it had a humanoid form, a slender build, and agile movements. It even specialized in close combat. After all, Lucario itself was a Fighting-type, with a Fighting/Steel typing. Even their primary color schemes were both blue.
Seeing the two Pokémon standing on the field at the same time, the sense of a mirror match was uncanny.
Commentators lived for matchups with this kind of narrative. Their enthusiasm was instantly sparked.
"Following the stunning clash of Champion-level Pokémon in the last round, it seems our two trainers are about to treat us to another spectacular battle! As we all know, since his debut last year, Trainer Arthur has been hailed as an authority in close-quarters combat! His Greninja has repeatedly proven its unrivaled dominance in its weight class! Nowadays, very few trainers dare to challenge Arthur's Greninja with a humanoid Pokémon. But this time is different! Forrest has brought out his renowned ace, the one that made him famous as a captain: Lucario! In its previous appearances, this Lucario has demonstrated incredibly solid fundamentals in hand-to-hand combat! So, will Arthur continue his reign of authority, or will Forrest's Lucario overpower him with sheer strength? Let's find out!"
Excluding the Dragon "senior," Forrest's three main aces were his own slightly goofy Salamence, his Absol—known as the White Disaster—and this Lucario, his former sparring partner and drill sergeant from his military days.
This Lucario was a true captain-level ace. And just like Greninja, it excelled at close combat, with formidable martial arts skills.
Greninja looked at its opponent with a grave expression. Before the battle, Arthur had already warned it: this could very well be the strongest opponent of its type it had ever faced. It was like facing an enhanced "Pro Max" version of itself.
This battle might be Greninja's most difficult challenge since its debut. But with great risk came great reward. Overcoming an opponent with a similar style would undoubtedly lead to tremendous growth for Greninja.
"You can do this, Greninja! Don't be afraid. I believe in you!" Arthur sent a wave of encouragement through their telepathic link.
Greninja responded with a cry full of fighting spirit. As the self-proclaimed "big brother" to Little Eevee and Little Lapras, Greninja would not allow itself to back down. It was a frog destined to be an ace! What did a captain-level opponent matter? The only way to know who was stronger was to fight!
With a blow of the whistle, the match began!
Arthur started with a standard command: "Use Water Shuriken! Keep three kunai in reserve and charge in!"
Since developing the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, Greninja had started using its signature move much more frequently. Supplemented by constant practice, its proficiency was skyrocketing. The Water Shuriken formed faster and faster, and the shape of the water kunai grew more and more stable. Through tireless training, Greninja had even managed to reduce the move's cooldown to about four seconds, making the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist combo cycle smoother than ever. The improvement was immense. Hard work never betrayed you, and this was the fruit of Greninja's countless hours of relentless training.
Now, it was time to present those results for its opponent to inspect.
A captain-level, humanoid, fighting Pokémon—I am ready for your lesson!
Forrest did not shy away from the challenge. "Lucario, dodge the shuriken and close in with Brick Break!"
With a series of deft, minimal head movements, Lucario gracefully dodged the four Water Shuriken, showcasing its astonishing dynamic vision and body control right from the start. It then leaned forward, and just as its body reached a forty-degree angle, its legs exploded with power, launching it forward like a catapult. It shot straight toward Greninja!
No feints, no maneuvering! From the very beginning, it was an all-out, head-on assault! Both Pokémon were supremely confident in their skills, disdaining any other tactical approach.
They charged at each other, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. Lucario formed a hand-chop, Fighting-type energy concentrating at the edge of its palm, turning it almost black. The move Brick Break, a powerful hand-chop meant to shatter anything in its path.
Greninja met it with its own water blade.
The instant the hand-chop met the water kunai, the energies clashed violently. A moment later, they exploded under the immense pressure. One of Greninja's water kunai was shattered into a spray of droplets, while the dark energy coating Lucario's hand was mostly dissipated.
On the surface, the exchange was a draw. But Greninja's advantage was that it had more than one blade!
"Switch hands and thrust!" Arthur's command was instantaneous. Greninja immediately switched hands, driving the kunai in its other hand forward.
But Forrest was just as fast! He wasn't as practiced as Arthur in Champion-level combat, but he had raised this Lucario since it was a Riolu. He wouldn't fall behind at this level of command speed!
"Side-step, Shoulder Bash!"
Lucario executed a quick pivot, dodging Greninja's thrust. Using the momentum, it slammed its now forward-facing shoulder into Greninja. This wasn't a move; it was pure martial arts technique. With Brick Break neutralized, Lucario was temporarily without a skill, but just like Greninja, it possessed an extremely powerful ability to pressure opponents even without moves.
This time, Greninja was truly facing a formidable challenge.
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