Ch 30: Rookie Tournament Quarterfinal (2)

In the stands of the stadium, where the battle was taking place:

"Hey! Did you notice? Brother Mike looks a bit more serious now than ever. He usually has that nonchalant look throughout the tournament!" Martina said to Lopez, who was standing beside her.

"Yeah, you're right. Brother Mike never seems overly excited or nervous when he battles. If I didn't know his age and hadn't seen all his Pokémon, I'd think he was an Elite Rank Trainer or something," Lopez replied as the two continued watching.

Both Martina and Lopez were here to support Mike after being eliminated earlier in the tournament. They both believed Mike and his Pokémon had a strong chance of winning, and they were eager to cheer him on and witness him claim victory in the competition.

"So, which Pokémon do you think Brother Mike will send out first today?" Martina asked Lopez, who was sitting beside her.

Lopez took a moment, his expression thoughtful, before replying. "I think Sylveon. Now that the tournament is nearing its end, every trainer is going to use their strongest Pokémon to leave a lasting impression on the judges and secure a Junior Rank Trainer license. Sylveon is Brother Mike's strongest Pokémon, so I think he'll lead with it."

Martina shook her head, countering his guess. "No, I think Brother Mike will save Sylveon for the second round. He'll probably start with either Poliwhirl or Nidorino. Considering the opponent specializes in Fire-types, I bet he'll use Poliwhirl." She glanced toward the battlefield and added, "Look, the referee just signaled the start of the battle!"

Back in the battlefield where Mike and Kai both take out a shrink PokeBall to click on to make it normal size. They are ready as the referee shouted to "Go". Both of them send out there Pokémon at the same time.

Kai wasted no time. "Go, Charizard!" he called, releasing his fiery companion. The Fire-type Pokémon landed on the field, flames flickering around its body, ready to fight.

"Let's go, Poliwhirl!" Mike exclaimed, sending out his Water-type partner. Poliwhirl appeared, its round body and big eyes exuding a playful yet determined spirit.

This was the first time Kai had used Charizard in this competition. The Peak Rare Rank Pokémon radiated power, making it clear that this was his ace. Previously, he had relied on a Mid Rare Rank Camerupt, but the stakes were higher now.

The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement palpable as they recognized the formidable opponents facing off. Mike could feel the energy surging around him for the anticipation of the battle.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Kai commanded confidently.

Charizard opened its mouth, and a torrent of flames shot toward Poliwhirl. The fiery blast illuminated the battlefield as it raced towards Mike's Pokémon.

"Poliwhirl, use Water Gun!" Mike shouted, determination in his voice.

Poliwhirl quickly unleashed a stream of water, colliding with the Flamethrower in a spectacular display of opposing forces. The two attacks met in a fierce explosion, sending steam billowing into the air.

"Now, Poliwhirl! Use Hypnosis!" Mike called, hoping to put Charizard to sleep.

Poliwhirl spun around, creating a whirl of energy that sent out hypnotic waves. The crowd watched in awe as the waves pulsed toward Charizard, who was momentarily distracted.

"Charizard, dodge it!" Kai shouted, but it was too late. The hypnotic waves reached Charizard, and its eyes began to droop.

"Now, Poliwhirl, follow up with Bubble Beam!" Mike commanded, sensing an opening.

Poliwhirl unleashed a barrage of bubbles that rapidly moved toward the now drowsy Charizard. The bubbles popped against its body, causing moderate damage. It also increasing the pressure on Kai.

"Charizard, shake it off!" Kai urged, his voice rising with urgency. Charizard struggled to regain its focus, shaking its head to fight off the effects of the Hypnosis.

"Poliwhirl, use Water Gun again!" Mike called, maintaining the pressure.

With renewed energy, Poliwhirl unleashed another powerful stream of water, hitting Charizard and pushing it back slightly. The crowd roared in response to the back-and-forth action.

"Charizard, use Wing Attack!" Kai shouted, determination back in his voice.

Charizard spread its wings and shot forward, using its speed to gain momentum. It swooped down toward Poliwhirl with incredible force.

"Poliwhirl, use Protect!" Mike called out calmly. Poliwhirl surrounded itself with a shimmering white barrier, bracing against Charizard's swift Wing Attack. The shield managed to hold, but faint cracks began to form as the powerful strike pushed it to its limit.

"Now, Charizard! Use Fire Spin!" Kai commanded, his voice echoing through the stadium.

Charizard roared fiercely, conjuring a whirlwind of flames that encircled Poliwhirl in a blazing trap. The fiery spiral burned brightly, its heat searing the air and limiting Poliwhirl's movements.

"Poliwhirl, use Surf to break free!" Mike called out, his tone steady despite the rising tension.

Poliwhirl summoned a massive wave of water, crashing it against the fiery vortex. Steam hissed and billowed into the air as the flames clashed with the torrent, slowly weakening under the relentless pressure of the water.

With a determined push, Poliwhirl broke free from the fiery prison, its body slightly singed but its resolve unshaken. Mike knew the time to strike had come.

"Let's turn this around, Poliwhirl! Use Whirlpool!"

Poliwhirl began to spin rapidly, summoning a swirling vortex of water that surged toward Charizard. The powerful current formed a maelstrom, trapping Charizard within its grasp and disorienting the Fire-type.

"Charizard, fight back! Break free!" Kai yelled desperately, but the strength of the whirlpool held firm, pulling Charizard closer to its center.

The crowd erupted into cheers as Mike's strategy began to take hold. The whirlpool intensified, forcing Charizard to struggle with all its might against the raging water.

"Now, Poliwhirl! End it with Hydro Pump!" Mike commanded, seizing the moment.

Poliwhirl unleashed a devastating jet of water from its mouth, the high-pressure stream slamming into Charizard. The force of the attack combined with the whirlpool's pull proved too much, sending Charizard crashing to the ground.

The stadium roared with applause as Poliwhirl stood victorious, ready for the next challenge.

The referee looked closely, assessing Charizard's condition. "Charizard is unable to battle!" he announced.

Kai recalled his Charizard, holding up its Poké Ball. "You did well, Charizard. Now, take a good rest." He clipped the ball to his belt and turned back to the battlefield with a determined expression. "Go, Camerupt!"

The arena erupted into murmurs as Camerupt emerged in a burst of light, its massive frame and volcanic humps radiating heat.

Mike immediately recognized Kai's strategy. So, he's going with Camerupt. That means Charizard was his biggest trump card. Camerupt's strong, but he's been using it throughout the competition—it's a Mid Rare Rank Pokémon. Poliwhirl is still in good condition, and with its Peak Rare Rank strength, we can handle this.

"Poliwhirl, use Rain Dance!" Mike called out, preparing to turn the battlefield to his advantage.

Poliwhirl raised its arms, summoning dark clouds overhead. Rain began to pour, extinguishing the residual heat left by Charizard's earlier Fire Spin. The weather shift would weaken Camerupt's Fire-type moves and boost Poliwhirl's Water-type attacks.

"Camerupt, let's give it our all! Use Eruption!" Kai shouted, his voice filled with resolve.

Camerupt roared, spewing a torrent of molten lava toward Poliwhirl. The Eruption attack surged forward, its power maximized since Camerupt had just entered the battle at full health.

"Poliwhirl, Protect!" Mike commanded quickly.

Poliwhirl braced itself, summoning a glowing white barrier just as the wave of lava crashed down. The shield held firm but cracked under the intensity of the attack. As the remnants of the lava rolled away, Poliwhirl staggered slightly but remained standing.

Mike took stock of the situation. Eruption is most dangerous at full health.

"Poliwhirl, use Bubble Beam!" Mike commanded, his voice sharp and confident.

Taking advantage of the rain-enhanced Swift Swim ability, Poliwhirl darted across the battlefield with incredible speed, effortlessly evading Camerupt's follow-up Flamethrower. The flames dissipated harmlessly into the downpour, leaving Camerupt open for a counterattack.

Poliwhirl unleashed a rapid stream of glowing bubbles, each packed with explosive energy, striking Camerupt head-on. The attack hit with precision, chipping away at Camerupt's defenses as the rain continued to fall.

"Camerupt, use Heat Wave!" Kai commanded, seizing the opportunity as Poliwhirl moved in closer.

Camerupt let out a deep roar, releasing a scorching wave of heat that spread across the battlefield. The intense air distorted with fiery energy as the attack engulfed Poliwhirl.

Poliwhirl staggered slightly, unable to dodge in time due to its proximity. However, the falling rain from Rain Dance dulled the intensity of the flames, significantly reducing the damage dealt. Despite the attack landing, Poliwhirl shook it off with determination, ready to continue the battle.

"Now, Poliwhirl let's finish it! use Hydro Pump!" Mike commanded, seizing the opportunity.

Poliwhirl unleashed a powerful blast of water, the torrential stream cutting through the rain and slamming directly into Camerupt. The attack hit with devastating force—Camerupt, being four times weak to Water-type moves and naturally slow, had no chance to avoid it.

The crowd erupted into cheers as Camerupt wobbled and then collapsed, fainted. The referee raised his flag.

"Camerupt is unable to battle! The winner is Poliwhirl!"

With the announcement of Mike's victory, the crowd erupted into loud cheers, their excitement filling the stadium. Mike allowed himself a small smile, pleased with his win that secured him a place in the semifinals.

He retrieved Poliwhirl's Poké Ball, recalling his Pokémon and told. "You did great, Poliwhirl. Take a good rest now," he murmured before clipping the ball to his belt.

Stepping forward to the center of the battlefield, Mike met his opponent, Kai, who was already approaching him. The two exchanged a firm handshake, a gesture of mutual respect after their intense battle.

"You gave me a good fight," Mike said with a nod, his tone sincere.

Kai smiled, though there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes. "So as you. Your Poliwhirl is really amazing. It was very strong. Good luck in the semifinals."

"Thanks," Mike replied, his smile growing a little wider. "And lets battle again some other time."

As they parted ways, the crowd continued cheering, and Mike raised a hand in acknowledgment before heading back to the preparation area.

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