"Infernape—Mach Punch!"
The moment the referee signaled the start, Flint barked his command.
"Haa-cha!"
Infernape burst forward, fist wrapped in dense Fighting-type energy as it shot straight for Metagross.
Steven lifted a brow.
Not Flare Blitz, not Close Combat, not even Flamethrower.
Mach Punch.
In the real world, Mach Punch wasn't guaranteed priority—it was simply extremely fast.
This wasn't Flint trying to strike first.
He wanted to force close combat—and Steven immediately guessed Infernape's Ability:
Iron Fist.
Steven made his decision instantly.
"Metagross—Zen Headbutt. Meet him head-on."
"Metaaa!"
Metagross' eyes gleamed with psychic light as it lunged forward.
BOOM!!
Fist and iron skull collided.
Metagross shook once—but held firm.
Infernape staggered backward, wincing from the heavy impact.
Flint's expression tightened.
He had expected Metagross to dodge, reposition, or switch tactics—
not to tank a super-effective strike from a Fighting-type head-on.
His plan worked—Infernape did close the distance—
But taking a clean Zen Headbutt in the process was devastating.
"Infernape, are you alright?! Flame Charge—now!"
"Haa-cha!"
Infernape clenched its teeth, igniting its entire body as it dashed forward again.
Point-blank range. Flame Charge.
If it connected first…
At least, in theory.
Steven's lips curled.
"So naïve."
"Metagross—take off. Then Psychic."
"Meta!"
With perfect control, Metagross rose sharply, narrowly avoiding the burning charge.
Flint's eyes widened.
"Impossible!"
How could a steel giant react that fast at close range?!
He didn't know—
A Metagross was four brains in one body—
A biological supercomputer.
Calculations others needed seconds for…
Metagross completed in microseconds.
Infernape shot past, missing its mark—
And Metagross's Psychic slammed violently into its exposed back.
Infernape hit the ground hard, crashing into a crater.
Breathing became agony.
A mid-Elite-tier Metagross.
Double type advantage.
Flint felt his stomach twist.
The Will to Stand
"Metagross, again—Psychic!"
"Meta!"
Psychic waves gathered—
"Infernape!! MOVE!"
"Haa… cha!!"
Against instinct—
Against the pain—
Against reason—
Infernape stood.
Wobbling, trembling—
But it stood, and leapt out just as Psychic detonated behind it.
The stadium exploded.
The host roared:
"UNBELIEVABLE!! Infernape actually stood back up—and dodged Metagross's second Psychic!"
Even Steven blinked in surprise.
That wasn't strategy.
It wasn't technique.
It was pure, unbreakable will.
"A worthy opponent…" he murmured.
"But—this is the end."
"Metagross—Psyshock."
"Meta!"
Psychic force compressed into razor-sharp blades.
Flint clenched his jaw.
"Infernape—show them who we are. We don't go down quietly!"
"All-out Heat Wave!"
"HAA—CHAA!!!"
Flames surged.
Not just an attack—
A furnace erupted across the battlefield, swallowing everything in sight.
The temperature spiked.
Even Steven took a step back, startled.
In the Lounge
Chen Shi whistled.
"That's insane. I don't know how Flint even trained that."
Cynthia nodded.
"It's powerful… but once it ends, Infernape will collapse. Steven has already won."
A pause.
"But Steven won't walk away unscathed. That Heat Wave was monstrous."
Chen Shi snorted.
"Serves him right. He strutted around like he had everything planned—go on, eat some flames, you show-off."
When the firestorm finally faded—
The battlefield reappeared.
Infernape lay unconscious—
burnt, exhausted—
but still wearing the expression of a warrior who refused to break.
Metagross stood—
barely.
Shaking, dented, trembling—
But still standing.
Steven exhaled softly.
"Amazing willpower… and an amazing Heat Wave."
Flint gave a tired smile as he recalled Infernape.
"You did incredible. This loss is mine, not yours."
The referee raised his flag.
"Infernape is unable to battle. Flint—send out your next Pokémon."
Flint inhaled deeply, then threw another Poké Ball.
Rapidash landed with a sharp cry, flames burning fiercely.
Chen Shi blinked.
Flint's other Elite-tier Pokémon was also Fire-type?
With this kind of talent…
If Flint hadn't run into Steven—
He could've reached Top 16 easily.
Flint straightened.
"Rapidash—this is our last stand. Give it everything."
A Shocking Finish
What followed shocked even Chen Shi.
Rapidash fought with wild determination—
launching master-level Fire Blasts in rapid succession.
And in the end—
Rapidash dragged Metagross into a double knockout.
Both collapsed simultaneously.
But Flint had no Pokémon left.
Steven had five.
The referee lifted his flag.
"Rapidash is unable to battle!
Steven Stone wins the match!"
The stadium erupted.
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