Commentator: "Dear viewers, the battle between Kazuko and Ariana has reached its final stage — each side has only one Pokémon left! Who will take the win?"
It was just past nine in the morning when Ash and his friends arrived at the players' lounge to watch the ongoing match. Today's battle featured a girl named Kazuko against her opponent Ariana, a familiar face from the earlier rounds.
"This girl Kazuko's Beedrill is incredible," remarked Kyle, sitting beside Ash. "It's already at a near–Ace level! And the ones she used before were only at the elite stage."
Ash nodded slightly. "Yeah. As for Ariana, his Pokémon have plenty of battle experience, but none of them seem to have evolved. Kind of reminds me of… my earlier self," he said with a wry smile. "Even his team is almost identical to mine."
The outcome soon became clear — Kazuko emerged victorious, marking the end of the Round of 16. Next up were the quarterfinals.
The eight advancing trainers were:
Ash Ketchum, Makoto Ito, Jessica, Tsubasa Musugi, Ferb Ignatius, Kyle Verenza, Tatsuya Akiyama, and Kazuko Giovanni.
The first quarterfinal match would be Ash vs. Kyle.
Commentator: "Up next — representing Pallet Town, we have Ash Ketchum! His opponent: from the Sinnoh Region, of the prestigious Varenza Family, Kyle Verenza! Both are outstanding Trainers who have battled their way fiercely to the top eight!"
As the referee signaled for the match to begin, Kyle and Ash stepped into position across the stadium.
"Let's go! Torkoal!" shouted Kyle as he threw his Poké Ball. A cloud of steam erupted as a Torkoal, native to the Hoenn region, appeared on the field.
Commentator: "Don't be surprised, folks — this is Torkoal, a Fire-type Pokémon native to the Hoenn region!"
The crowd buzzed with excitement, and the commentator quickly explained for the audience — many of whom were visitors from other regions attending this major league tournament.
"Alright then, come on out — Arcanine!" Ash called, sending out his fiery partner. The massive, majestic Pokémon stood proudly on the field, flames flaring from its mane.
Commentator: "Ash has chosen Arcanine! Two Fire-types facing off — this promises to be an explosive match!"
As soon as the referee gave the signal, the battle began.
"Torkoal, Flamethrower!"
"Arcanine, dodge it!"
A stream of blazing fire erupted from Torkoal's mouth, cutting through the air toward Arcanine. But the swift canine leapt aside with grace, evading the attack easily.
"Arcanine!" barked the Pokémon as it began circling its opponent at blinding speed. Torkoal, known for converting the coal within its shell into fiery energy, burned brightly — but its heavy shell also made it sluggish, even slower than a Golem in motion.
Realizing it couldn't keep up, Torkoal released thick black smoke from its shell, cloaking the battlefield in darkness to obscure Arcanine's movements.
Ash smirked. "Heh. You think that'll stop us? Arcanine's nose works better than any eyes!"
"Go! Flame Wheel!"
A roar of fire and motion followed. "WOOOARRR!!!"
Through the haze, a fiery blur crashed into Torkoal with a thunderous boom. The impact made Torkoal cry out in pain — though its tough shell had absorbed most of the blow.
Commentator: "What a hit! Arcanine lands a Flame Wheel, but Torkoal's defense holds firm! Both Trainers are still in this fight!"
The crowd erupted with cheers as the flames danced across the battlefield, the intensity of the match only just beginning to rise.
Torkoal, being a pure Fire-type Pokémon, naturally had a strong resistance to flames. Its thick shell granted it extraordinary defense — so much so that even Ash's champion-level Arcanine found it difficult to deal significant damage through close combat.
"Just as I thought," Ash murmured, observing the battlefield with narrowed eyes.
"I knew Torkoal's defenses were solid, but this is even tougher than I expected. Looks like Kyle isn't as reckless as I thought — he definitely knows his Fire-types."
Ash smirked slightly. The battle was far from over. His Arcanine hadn't even begun to show its full power — and the match had only just begun.
"Woooarr!"
Torkoal slid back a few meters from Arcanine's last charge, then bellowed deeply. Two streams of thick black smoke burst from its nostrils, swirling around it like dark clouds — its confidence evident.
"Hah! Useless," Kyle called across the field proudly. "My Torkoal's defense is top-tier! I trained it relentlessly to reach this level — your attacks won't break through that shell!"
In the Observation Room
Samuel Oak: "Your grandson's doing well, Kazuya. That Torkoal's defense is impressive — but its Fire-type attacks seem rather underwhelming."
Kazuya Verenza: "Heh. That boy's always been fond of unconventional tactics. Still, I can't deny — the effort he's put into Torkoal's defense is paying off."
Nate Mugino: "As I said before, Ash's Arcanine is a monster in both speed and striking power. Even among Champion-class Trainers, it's easily top-tier."
Inside the viewing room, several heads of the major families gathered — observing the battle closely. Despite Kyle's performance, their real focus was on Ash Ketchum.
It couldn't be helped. He was simply too young. A Trainer of his age, already at the Champion level, was unprecedented across all regions.
Moreover, his mastery of both offensive aggression and data-driven precision made him a phenomenon — someone who had already stepped into a realm most Trainers could never reach, even in a lifetime.
Naturally, the various powerful families and leagues couldn't take their eyes off him.
...
TN:
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