Among the remaining participants, Shinji Oda's expression was the most hideous,
looking as if he had just swallowed a swarm of Combee.
Despite his loud-mouthed posturing in the lounge over the last few
days—repeatedly hurling insults at "Mainlanders" and "Huaxian trash"—the
reality of facing Kenji head-on felt like a bolt of lightning to the spine.
He rembered Rio. He rembered Gange.
Shinji knew with terrifying clarity that his own strength, while perhaps
marginally better than Rio's, was leagues below Gange's. And Gange had been
treated like a training dummy. He knew that a 6-0 sweep was his most likely
destination.
His first instinct, much like the trainers from the smaller Leagues, was to
forfeit and save his Pokémon the trauma. But that thought was crushed as soon as
it arrived.
The rivalry between the Huaxia and Neon Leagues was too deep, too bitter. If a
Neon Elite Four mber surrendered before the match even started, the public
backlash back ho wouldn't just end his career—they'd demand he commit seppuku.
He would be branded a coward for eternity.
But if he didn't surrender... his face was going to be ground into the dirt on a
global broadcast. There was no winning path.
Finally, Shinji swallowed his fear and approached Shigesuke Matsumoto. In the
Neon League hierarchy, the two were rivals with opposing ideologies, and they
rarely spoke outside of official business.
"Matsumoto-kun," Shinji said, forcing a subservient, oily smile.
Matsumoto looked up, surprised. "Oda-san? To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Shinji cleared his throat, trying to sound noble. "This round is a matter of
national dignity. For the sake of the Neon League's face, I urge you to go all
out in your match against that Huaxian woman. Use your ace, Scizor, from the
very first second. Show the world that what Kenji can do, a Neon Champion can do
better."
Oda's plan was transparent. If Matsumoto managed a 6-0 sweep against Yuna Su, it
would provide a much-needed morale boost for their fans. More importantly, it
would draw the "heat" away from Shinji's inevitable failure. If both sides were
throwing out 6-0 sweeps, Shinji's loss would look like a minor casualty in a war
of giants.
Matsumoto didn't answer imdiately. He simply stared at Shinji with a faint,
knowing smile. He saw through the "patriotism" right into the cowardice beneath.
Oda felt a prickle of irritation under the gaze. "Matsumoto! As Champion, it is
your duty to protect our reputation! The thod is right in front of you. Will
you stand by and watch us be humiliated?"
Matsumoto offered a calm, effortless smile. "Rest assured, Oda-san. I will
approach my match with the utmost seriousness. I will not bring sha to the
Neon League."
Shinji fud silently. He knew that ant a "No." Matsumoto intended to fight a
proper, respectful match, which ant he likely wouldn't get a 6-0 sweep,
leaving Shinji alone in the spotlight of Kenji's wrath.
The schedule moved forward. Matsumoto took the field first. As a Champion facing
an Elite Four mber, the gap was significant, and he secured a solid 3-0
victory over Yuna Su. In any other year, it would have been a celebrated
performance, but today, it was rely the opening act.
Then, the main event arrived.
Kenji stepped onto the field to a literal wall of sound. The cheers were all for
him; Oda was rely the background noise. Kenji looked at his opponent with a
playful, predatory squint. The arrogant man who had insulted his country was now
standing across from him, looking pale and small.
"The match... Begin!"
"Go! Electrode!" Oda scread, his voice reaching a frantic pitch.
"I'm counting on you! Electivire!"
Two Poké Balls hit the field.
Shinji Oda was an Electric specialist, but facing Kenji's Electivire was a death
sentence for standard Electric moves. The Motor Drive (Electric Engine) ability
ant any lightning hit would only make the golden brute faster.
Oda knew this. His expression didn't change as he gave his first order.
"Electrode! Zippy Zap!"
Electrode ignited, turning into a blurred ball of high-voltage energy as it
rocketed toward Electivire.
Kenji's brow furrowed. Even Oda isn't this stupid. He knows Electric moves are
useless.
A realization flashed in his mind.
"Electivire! Protect!"
The command was barely out of Kenji's mouth when Oda's follow-up roar echoed
through the stadium.
"NOW! Electrode! EXPLOSION!"
"SHHHH-BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"
Oda wasn't trying to win a tactical battle. He was trying to trade. He had
ordered a suicide bomb the second the match started.
Electrode erupted in a blinding pillar of white light. Because it had closed the
distance with a priority move, it was re inches from Electivire when it
detonated. A Level 99 Explosion at point-blank range was enough to threaten even
a Master Tier.
A massive mushroom cloud of dust and debris rose into the air, the shockwave
rattling the ears of the spectators.
As the smoke began to thin, the world leaned in.
Electrode lay in a charred heap, fainted and smoking.
Electivire was standing in the center of a shimring, pale-gold hexagonal
barrier. Its fur was dusted with soot, but its eyes were bright. The Protect had
held.
"Electrode is unable to battle! Electivire wins!"
Shinji Oda didn't flinch. He imdiately recalled the heap of tal and threw
his second ball.
"Go! Golem!"
"LONGGG!"
Out stepped the Alolan Golem. Unlike the standard version, this one was
Rock/Electric type, featuring a massive, railgun-like rock structure on its
back.
Kenji narrowed his eyes. "Keep your distance, Electivire!"
"Golem! Rollout!"
The stone titan tucked its limbs and began to spin, accelerating toward
Electivire.
Having been warned, Electivire didn't wait to be hit. It used Quick Attack to
blur to the edge of the arena. Once it had space, it slamd its fists into the
ground.
Earthquake!
The floor buckled and heaved. For a 4x weak Rock/Electric type, a Ground-type
Earthquake was a one-hit kill.
But Oda was ready. "Now! Magnet Rise!"
Just as the seismic waves reached it, Golem emitted a powerful magnetic pulse.
The multi-ton boulder defied gravity, levitating several feet off the ground.
The Earthquake passed harmlessly beneath it.
Golem didn't land. It used the magnetic field to "fly," chasing Electivire
across the arena like a homing boulder.
Oda's strategy was clear: he was going to force Electivire into a corner and
unleash a second Explosion. He was willing to burn his entire team just to take
down one of Kenji's Pokémon. If he could break the "One-Pokémon-Sweep" streak,
he would consider it a victory.
Kenji looked at the floating rock and smirked. "You want to play with magnets?
Fine. Let's see who the real Master of the Storm is."
User Comments
0 comments from readers