"Eeeverybody! Welcoooome to the P1 Grand Prix Finals!"
"Let me hear how much you love Pokémon battles!"
With the announcer's hyped-up shout, a roaring wave surged through the thirty-thousand-strong crowd in the stadium.
Thanks to Kazuki, both the doctor and Anthony were given seats in a separate VIP viewing room. The two were bouncing with excitement as they watched the match.
"Hey, Anthony, don't get too excited! If you do, I'll have to jab you with a tranquilizer!" warned the doctor playfully, holding up a syringe even as he jumped up and down himself.
"No worries! I won't get too worked up, Doc!" Anthony replied, hopping around like a kid at a carnival.
In the other VIP box, Rebecca and the girls frowned in unison.
"Rebecca… are you sure your dad's okay?" Suzie couldn't help asking.
"Actually, are both Anthony and the doctor okay?" Misty added.
Rebecca gave a sheepish smile. "Let's hope they're fine… The doctor said he brought enough meds, at least."
"These guys… Is battling really that exciting? So much for us being the graceful, elegant ladies in the room," Misty grumbled, arms crossed.
"Alright~! That was an amazing welcome! Now let's bring in the two contenders for the championship!"
"First, give it up for Giant and his King of Kicks—Hitmonlee!"
"Giant! Giant!"
Reaching the finals often meant a huge fan following, and Giant was no exception. His entrance with Hitmonlee drew loud cheers.
Misty puffed out her cheeks watching him walk in. "Is Giant really that strong?"
She might not be into Fighting-types, but when it came to competition, she was all in for Kazuki.
"And now, let's welcome the rising All-Round King of Fighting—Kazuki and his Pokémon... Primeape!!!"
The moment the announcer's voice dropped the name, the crowd erupted into an even louder cheer.
"Kazuki! Kazuki!"
Voices echoed from every corner, drowning out even the previous cheers.
"Kazuki, go! You've got this—take the championship!"
As Kazuki entered, Misty shot up from her seat and pressed herself against the window, screaming at the top of her lungs.
Suzie covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. "Didn't someone just say we were 'graceful and elegant'?"
"She is his girlfriend. A little excitement is understandable," Rebecca said, hurrying over to hold Misty back from potentially falling out of the window.
In the other VIP room, the doctor and Anthony were cheering just as loudly.
"Hey, Anthony, is Kazuki your son-in-law or something?"
"Son-in-law?" Anthony looked toward Rebecca's room. "Ahahaha! Maybe. Possibly! Probably, yeah!"
Putting on airs, Anthony straightened up in front of the doctor.
"You're one lucky guy! Kazuki's talented, good-looking, and an amazing fighter!"
Anthony puffed out his chest proudly, as if he were being complimented. "Well, obviously! All his Fighting skills were taught by my daughter, Rebecca—our family's secret techniques!"
"Wow, really? Congrats, congrats!"
"Look! Kazuki and Primeape are entering the ring!"
Both men turned their attention to the arena.
Kazuki stepped in confidently, Primeape walking beside him, muscles taut and ready.
"The finalists have entered! What kind of explosive showdown will they give us? Let's wait and see!"
Giant strode to his side of the arena, glancing over at Kazuki and Primeape with a smirk of disdain.
"Heh. Kid, I had my eye on you from day one. I figured it'd come down to us."
"Now you'll get to see just how terrifying my Hitmonlee really is!"
Kazuki eyed Giant's Hitmonlee—level 40, a solid Quasi Gym tier.
"Your Primeape's just Elite tier, right?" Giant sneered.
"My Hitmonlee's got the edge in every way. You'd better be ready to surrender."
"Otherwise, when your little monkey gets hurt, don't say I didn't warn you!"
Giant deployed his usual pre-match psychological tactics, but they had no effect on Kazuki. Surrounded by a host of auras, Kazuki wasn't fazed—he simply kept observing Hitmonlee for weaknesses.
"Not bad, kid. You've got some nerve. Let's see how long that lasts. Hitmonlee, go—High Kick!"
The match began with Hitmonlee lunging forward at blinding speed, its leg sweeping through the air like a whirlwind.
Primeape dodged skillfully, bouncing and weaving.
Although Giant's Hitmonlee had a clear level advantage, Kazuki's Lightning Speed Aura allowed Primeape to match its pace.
Even so, Hitmonlee's relentless kicks gave Primeape no chance to counter.
Knowing Hitmonlee was all offense with weak defense, Kazuki waited for an opening, ready to use a mutually destructive strategy to bring it down.
"Now! Primeape, tank that kick and use Seismic Toss!"
Growling in rage, Primeape took the hit, clenched its fists, and rushed forward—grabbing Hitmonlee and slamming it hard into the ground.
"You think you can take us both out? You're forgetting my Hitmonlee's higher level!"
Before Giant could finish, Primeape's Seismic Toss was already complete, slamming Hitmonlee into the mat with force.
"Primeape, use Pursuit!"
"Who said anything about a double knockout?!"
Using the window of vulnerability, Primeape's Pursuit slammed into Hitmonlee again—merciless and swift.
Other speedy Pokémon might have dodged the follow-up, but in a mono-type Fighting match, there was no escape.
Low-defense Hitmonlee, already winded from Seismic Toss, now staggered visibly.
"Hahaha! Now this is getting interesting!" Giant's laugh took on the tone of a classic villain. He was about to pull out his trump card.
"I thought I wouldn't need this move in a P1-level tourney, but I guess you've forced my hand!"
"Let's go, Hitmonlee! Last Stand!"
Hitmonlee staggered back up, suddenly roaring with power. A burst of energy exploded around it as it launched a devastating kick at Primeape.
Primeape, already drained from the previous exchange, could only brace as it absorbed multiple rapid kicks.
"Focus Energy, Hitmonlee! Break through its defenses!"
With a spin and a blinding kick, Hitmonlee struck Primeape square in the chest, shattering its guard.
But that activated Primeape's Defiant ability—its Attack stat shot through the roof.
"Primeape!" Kazuki's Aura Power surged as he sensed Primeape's anger boiling to the limit.
"Could it be...?"
"Alright then, Primeape. Let them see your ultimate move!"
Most trainers would surrender at this point, seeing their Pokémon so weak and worn down.
But surrendering now would mean missing out on Primeape's ultimate desperation move.
Thanks to Aura, Kazuki could sense the last spark of energy burning in Primeape's heart.
"Hmph! Still won't give up? You don't care about your Pokémon's safety, do you?!"
"Fine! Hitmonlee, finish this with Mega Kick! Let's take the title!"
With the last of its strength, Hitmonlee soared toward Primeape.
Everyone thought it was over.
But in a flash, Primeape sidestepped and caught Hitmonlee's leg in mid-air.
Then—with black aura surging from its fist—it smashed a brutal punch right into Hitmonlee's face.
BOOM! One hit. Knocked out cold.
Not only did the punch KO Hitmonlee, it also seemed to hit the stadium's mute button.
Silence.
Only the announcer reacted fast enough.
"He's done it! He's done it! Primeape stands victorious!"
"This year's P1 Grand Prix Champion is... Kazuuuuuki and his Primeape!!!"
The roar of the crowd nearly blew the roof off the entire arena.
"He won! He won! Kazuki's the champ—CHAMPION!!" Misty jumped up and darted toward the window, then leapt over the railing without hesitation.
Suzie and Rebecca screamed and rushed to check on her.
But Misty, of course, landed flawlessly from the four-meter-high platform, becoming the first to sprint toward Kazuki.
In the VIP room, Anthony was jumping so much he nearly hit the ceiling.
"Anthony! You're too excited!" The doctor quickly pulled out a syringe and gave him another tranquilizer jab.
Onstage, Kazuki bumped fists with Primeape. "We did it, buddy."
The cheering didn't stop until after the awards ceremony had wrapped up.
Rebecca and Suzie congratulated Kazuki warmly. Soon after, Anthony and the doctor joined them.
Arms crossed, Anthony was still trembling with excitement, but when he spoke, his voice was calm—almost solemn.
"Kazuki, congratulations on winning the P1 Grand Prix."
"It proves I wasn't wrong—your Primeape is truly…"
"No. You and your Primeape are truly remarkable."
"Talent alone means nothing without a trainer's effort. Both matter equally."
Kazuki glanced at the newly philosophical Anthony. "Didn't expect you to come to your senses like this."
The girls stared at him, confused.
"Is this really Rebecca's dad?"
"He's so composed at the championship finale?"
The doctor held up two fingers. "Two tranquilizer shots. Helps turn a madman into a master."
"Ahem!" Anthony raised his chin, indulging in the fantasy of being a grandmaster—if only for a moment.
But soon after, he turned to Rebecca with earnest eyes.
"Rebecca, I've been too stubborn all these years."
"I'll get proper treatment from now on and stop burdening you."
"Kazuki's right—I don't have a knack for training Pokémon. I just didn't want to admit it before."
"I'm entrusting you with Hitmonchan now."
"Find your own path."
He passed Hitmonchan's Poké Ball to her.
Rebecca held it with both hands, a heavy weight finally lifted from her heart.
"Okay, Dad. Get better soon. I'll take care of Mom and the house."
Anthony nodded and followed the doctor back to the hospital.
"Rebecca, what are your plans next? Want to come travel with us?" Misty invited cheerfully.
Rebecca glanced at Kazuki and smiled shyly. "Thanks, Misty."
"But if I leave, Mom will be all alone."
"She's taken care of me all these years and suffered a lot."
"If I leave now, it'll only make her life harder."
"So I'm going to stay and look after her."
"I'll also train Hitmonchan and reapply for gym certification with the League."
"Maybe when Kazuki wins the Indigo League… I'll be the new Queen of Fighting! Haha!"
She said it jokingly, but with conviction.
"You'll definitely become the Queen of Fighting," Kazuki stepped forward and smiled at her.
Though Rebecca was still miles from the current Elite Four's Bruno, who's to say she won't one day meet a high tier Pokémon and shake up the entire Kanto roster?
"Your talent for Fighting-types far exceeds your father's."
"You taught me Fighting moves, so I'll return the favor with some training advice."
"Really? Thank you!"
Knowing how much potential Kazuki had, Rebecca grabbed pen and paper eagerly.
"Please teach me, Kazuki!" she said playfully, bowing with sincerity.
Kazuki chuckled and began his lecture.
"Rebecca, your understanding of the manuals is already solid."
"If you incorporate those techniques into Pokémon training, you'll get amazing results."
"Your Hitmonchan already has refined skills thanks to your dad's obsession, so it doesn't need more training in basic combat."
"I noticed it should've already learned the elemental punches—Thunder, Ice, and Fire—but it hasn't."
"That's likely due to your dad's one-track mindset."
"Try exposing it to environments related to those three elements to unlock its potential."
"And if you're applying for gym status—you'll need more than one Pokémon."
"There are plenty of wild Fighting-types nearby. Try catching and raising a few."
"Mankey's temperament is less fiery than Primeape's. Start with a low-level one."
"Same goes for other types too."
Rebecca scribbled down every word with focus.
"That's all I can teach you for now."
"I hope to one day see a red-haired Fighting Queen reigning over Kanto."
Rebecca looked up from her notes, her gaze soft and brimming with emotion. Her breath quickened, chest rising and falling.
Suddenly, she lunged forward and hugged Kazuki tightly.
"Thank you, Kazuki. You'll always be the person I'm most grateful to in my life."
"I'm so happy we met. You're amazing. Absolutely amazing!"
"When you compete at the Indigo League—I'll be there to cheer you on!"
Her soft body pressed against Kazuki's chest, her breath brushing his ears. The sound of her heartbeat and the rhythm of her breathing—
Wait, why does this feel so familiar?
And those over-the-top compliments… something seems off!
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