Kadabra used Teleport, vanishing in an instant to dodge the incoming Hydro Pump.
Psyduck refused to accept this. With a furious cry, it launched three more Hydro Pumps in succession, but not a single one connected—Kadabra slipped away each time with Teleport.
Very soon, both Pokémon were gasping for breath.
There was no doubt about it—Teleport was a high-level technique. With Kadabra's current strength, it couldn't use the move so casually. After just three uses, it was already drenched in sweat, its stamina nearly spent.
"Psyduck, cover the entire field with your psychic power!" Yozora shouted.
"Psy–duck!"
Blue light erupted from Psyduck's eyes, unleashing a powerful wave of psychic energy that spread across the battlefield like a tide.
"Teleport!" Giselle cried urgently. Kadabra flickered away—only to reappear in the same place it had just tried to escape from!
Psyduck's psychic power had sealed the battlefield. No matter how Kadabra teleported, it could not escape.
Kadabra suddenly felt as though ropes bound its entire body, leaving it unable to move. Cold sweat ran down its face.
Impossible… Psyduck wasn't even a Psychic-type Pokémon, yet its psychic power completely outclassed his own!
"Psy–duck!!"
Psyduck let out a sharp cry as its psychic power flared even stronger. Its eyes burned crimson.
Its aura surged. Its energy spiked.
Senior-level!
In that instant, Psyduck's potential burst forth. It broke through its limit and advanced to Senior-level Pokémon on the spot.
Its psychic power soared to a whole new height.
"Excellent, Psyduck! Throw it out of the field!" Yozora shouted, overjoyed at Psyduck's breakthrough.
Kadabra felt as if a massive truck had slammed into it. Its body was hurled into the air, crashing heavily onto the ground.
With a miserable cry, Kadabra collapsed, fainting on the spot.
"Kadabra is unable to battle. Psyduck is the winner!" the referee, Komiya, declared. But inside, anxiety gnawed at him.
How could this be? Giselle had already suffered four straight defeats?Was that Yozora really this powerful?
Of course.
Even so, Psyduck was completely exhausted. After defeating Flareon, Raichu, and Kadabra in succession, it was panting hard, swaying on its feet.
The breakthrough had only boosted its strength—it hadn't restored its stamina.
Now, Psyduck was barely standing, its energy all but spent.
Giselle clearly noticed this and seized the opportunity. She sent out her fifth Pokémon with a sharp command:
"Go, Rhyhorn! Use Take Down!"
A hulking rhinoceros-like Pokémon with a steel-hard body and a single horn burst onto the field, charging forward like a thunderbolt.
"Hydro Pump!" Yozora's eyes narrowed at the sheer force radiating from Rhyhorn. He gave the order without hesitation.
But Rhyhorn was too fast.
Just as Psyduck released Hydro Pump, Rhyhorn crashed in, its horn gleaming.
The Hydro Pump struck point-blank, slowing Rhyhorn down but not stopping it.
With a bone-rattling impact, Rhyhorn's Take Down sent Psyduck flying.
Psyduck hit the ground hard and didn't get up again.
Rhyhorn, though blasted in the face by Hydro Pump, only staggered, shook its head, and quickly steadied itself.
[Pokémon]: Rhyhorn
[Type]: Ground + Rock
[Level]: Senior Peak
[Potential]: Elite Level
[Notes]: One of Giselle's original Pokémon, raised from the beginning. Experienced in battle and extremely powerful.
…
"No wonder… It's a Senior Peak Pokémon!"
Yozora's eyes flickered as he read Rhyhorn's battle data.
Rhyhorn was four times weak to Water. Normally, Hydro Pump would be devastating.
Yet despite Psyduck's full-force Hydro Pump, Rhyhorn remained unfazed. Its level was simply too high.
Truly worthy of being one of Giselle's earliest and most carefully trained Pokémon.
"Psyduck is unable to battle. Rhyhorn wins!"
As a student from the Pokémon Tech junior class, Komiya naturally sided with his peers.
Though serving as referee, he couldn't help but raise his voice, almost triumphantly, at Yozora's first loss.
His tone carried the intent to lift everyone's spirits.
Sure enough, his words stirred the watching students.
"Incredible! Giselle really is Giselle—she's finally fighting back!"
"Yeah, those earlier Pokémon must have just been tests, gauging Yozora's strength. Rhyhorn, and her final Pokémon, are her real power!"
"Giselle is a master strategist. Those losses were probably part of her plan all along!"
"Miss Giselle, you can do it! Pokémon Tech, let's go! Junior Class, let's go!"
"Hah! And just now, wasn't someone talking about dropping out? Pathetic. Trash will always be trash, no matter where they go…"
"…"
The students' loyalty to their academy was obvious. Seeing Giselle's Rhyhorn not only win but dominate with sheer force reignited their pride in the school.
Giselle's excellence was undeniable. And if she could become so strong here, then maybe they could too.
"Return, Psyduck."
Yozora recalled Psyduck calmly. Against a Senior Peak Pokémon, there was only one suitable choice.
"Kangaskhan, your turn!"
Yozora sent out his third Pokémon.
Of course, though technically the third he'd used, his Charmander was still uninjured and could return at any time.
"Another rare Pokémon… Kangaskhan?" Giselle frowned.
Though not Shiny or variant, Kangaskhan itself was exceedingly rare. Few trainers ever possessed one.
"For a commoner to own a Kangaskhan… This Yozora clearly isn't just some ordinary trainer outside of school."
"Exactly. Whether by careful planning or sheer skill, forcing Giselle into this situation proves his strength!" the students whispered in awe, eyes fixed on Yozora's Kangaskhan.
More and more, they recognized his power—believing that even beyond school grounds, Yozora was no ordinary trainer, but one of real ability.
…
…
(End of Chapter)