Chapter 107: Punit vs Kade Battle 2

The roar of the Indigo Stadium was deafening, the weight of thousands of eyes pressing against my back. But I felt calm. No, not calm—focused. Cold, calculating. This battle wasn't about fame or glory. It was about power, dominance, survival.

"Round two!" The referee's voice echoed through the stadium, drowning in the crowd's wild cheers. "Punit Shadow versus Kade 'The Edge' Strickland! Both trainers will use one Pokémon. Trainers, send them out!"

I exhaled, steady. My hand hovered over Shadow, who crouched on my shoulder, his jet-black body blending into my jacket. His red eyes glowed with a predatory sharpness. With a flick of my wrist, he leapt forward, silent, landing in the center of the battlefield. His presence was like a cold gust of wind, barely noticeable to the naked eye, but there—always there.

On the opposite end, Kade wasn't waiting. His grey eyes locked onto mine, cold and filled with the kind of intensity that could break lesser trainers. He didn't care about the show. He cared about crushing his opponents.

"Tyranitar, destroy!" His voice was sharp, like a blade cutting through the cheers, and a towering figure emerged from his Pokéball. Ruin. The monstrous Rock/Dark-type slammed onto the battlefield, its sheer size shaking the earth. Each step made the ground tremble, its armored hide gleaming in the sunlight. It was a behemoth—massive, unyielding. And Shadow? A dark phantom in comparison.

But I wasn't worried. I wasn't here for theatrics. I was here to win.

The referee's flag shot up. "Battle, begin!"

Kade's voice cut through the noise with brutal efficiency. "Dragon Dance."

Ruin's eyes flared as its body rippled with power. The air around it crackled with energy, muscles bulging as speed and strength surged through the titan's massive frame. The battlefield seemed to hum under the force.

My hand twitched. "Shadow, Shadow Copy."

Shadow's body shimmered, dark energy crackling along his form as he enveloped himself in an inky black aura. Within moments, he was no longer the small, eerie Pikachu lookalike. No—he was Ruin. A perfect replica, down to the last brutal detail. But while both Tyranitars stood identical in power and presence, Shadow's red eyes glowed with something colder. Something sharper.

Kade's lips curved into a cruel smirk, his eyes never leaving mine. "Ice Fang."

Ruin charged, its enormous maw gleaming with icy energy, moving faster than it had any right to. Those teeth, jagged and frozen, aimed straight for Shadow's neck, looking to end this early.

"Iron Head!" My voice didn't waver.

Shadow reacted instantly, his forehead glowing metallic as he met Ruin's charge head-on. The two titans collided with a crash that shook the very foundations of the stadium. The ground cracked beneath them, shockwaves rippling outwards, but neither Pokémon gave an inch. It was a deadlock of raw force, metal against ice, teeth against steel.

Kade's eyes gleamed. "Earthquake."

Ruin's foot slammed into the ground with terrifying force, seismic waves ripping through the battlefield like a freight train. The earth beneath Shadow split open, jagged cracks spreading like a web of destruction.

"Double Team." My words were sharp, precise.

Shadow blurred, his form splitting into several identical copies. The Earthquake ripped through the clones, but only shattered illusions. The real Shadow reappeared unscathed, eyes locked on Ruin. The tension in the air grew thick, electric.

"Stone Edge!" I didn't hesitate.

From beneath Shadow's feet, razor-sharp stones shot forward, homing in on Ruin with deadly accuracy.

"Iron Defense," Kade barked.

Ruin's body shimmered, armor thickening just in time. The Stone Edge slammed into him, but instead of piercing through, the jagged rocks shattered uselessly against his impenetrable hide.

Kade's jaw tightened, but his gaze remained steady. His patience snapped. "Hyper Beam."

Ruin's jaws parted, a blinding orange beam charging in its maw. The sheer power of the attack warped the air around it, the ground trembling as the energy built. And then, with a deafening roar, it unleashed—a blinding torrent of destruction aimed straight at Shadow.

"Iron Defense!" My voice was ice.

Shadow braced, his body hardening with metallic energy. The Hyper Beam struck, an explosion of light and force that rattled the entire stadium. Dust and debris flew everywhere, blocking the battlefield from view. For a moment, everything was silent.

As the dust cleared, Shadow stood, armor cracked but unbroken. The crowd gasped, but Kade wasn't done. His eyes flared with a dangerous fire.

"Outrage!" His voice was raw, desperate.

Ruin roared, its body flaring with red, chaotic energy as it launched into a reckless charge. Every step it took tore the ground apart, thrashing wildly, swinging with savage, unstoppable power.

"Dodge!" I snapped.

Shadow moved like lightning, darting between the wild attacks with inhuman precision. But Outrage was relentless. A single hit connected, sending Shadow sprawling across the field, his form tumbling from the sheer force. For a moment, my heart stilled.

But Shadow stood again, eyes still glowing, unbroken.

Kade's frustration was visible now, his patience wearing thin. "Finish it!" His voice was almost a growl.

But before Ruin could land the final blow, I spoke, my voice calm, deliberate. "Dark Pulse."

Shadow reacted instantly, unleashing a wave of dark energy at point-blank range. The attack hit Ruin with devastating force, sending the massive titan stumbling backward, its rampage halted in its tracks.

I didn't give Kade a moment to recover. "Dragon Claw."

Shadow dashed forward, claws glowing with fierce draconic energy. He slashed across Ruin's armored chest with precision and power. The impact was thunderous, the sound echoing through the stadium. Ruin staggered, its massive form wavering.

Kade's eyes flickered with desperation. "Ruin, get up!"

But it was too late.

With a final, shuddering groan, Ruin fell to its knees, then collapsed to the ground in a thunderous crash. The silence that followed was deafening.

The referee's hand shot up. "Punit Shadow wins the second round!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, but I didn't care about them. My eyes were locked on Kade. His face was a mask of shock, anger, and... something else. Something deeper.

I didn't smile. This wasn't a victory. Not yet.