The steel-bodied Empoleon gazed coldly, crossing its metal-bladed arms. With a sharp ‘clang,’ it spread its arms wide, the metallic blades gleaming with a chilling light!

It stared down the fierce and intimidating Arcanine.

Empoleon’s eyes looked down arrogantly;

its aura did not diminish but instead surged, a faint red glow swirling around its body!

“Stubborn trait…” Lu Ye raised an eyebrow, “Is this your trump card?”

The ‘Stubborn’ trait, when faced with an Intimidate move, actually doubles damage and aggression. For the physically offensive Empoleon, it was like adding wings to a tiger!

“No one would dare intimidate Empoleon, right!”

Yuto regained confidence, solemnly commanding, “Use Water Jet!”

‘Water Jet’ has extremely high priority, cloaking Empoleon’s twin blades in a thin watery veil.

The blades dragged ripples on the ground as Empoleon suddenly leapt up, slashing down both arms simultaneously!

Clang!!

Empoleon’s expression stiffened;

it seemed as if it had struck a body of steel and iron!

Its gaze sharpened again, and the blades fiercely cut open a dripping wound!

“Awooo!!” Arcanine’s eyes gradually turned crimson, its fighting spirit erupting into blazing flames that surged suddenly from its mane!

Charge! Charge!

Arcanine, engulfed in flames, looked like a heavily armored tank crashing forward, shaking the earth thunderously!

Boom—boom—boom—

Empoleon just landed after the strike, adjusting its posture when it abruptly turned around, attempting to cross its arms to block.

“Awooo!” Arcanine transformed into a roaring golden fireball, crashing forward with a thunderous boom!

Bang!!

The block only lasted a moment before Empoleon’s eyes widened in horror as it was slammed half-airborne.

Yuto’s expression faltered.

Even with the ‘Stubborn’ trait, Empoleon could not withstand Arcanine’s charge!

Bang!!

Empoleon in midair looked as if hit by a train’s side, falling helplessly to the ground.

Arcanine arrogantly stomped its paw on Empoleon’s steel blade, eyes filled with dominance.

“Awooo!”

“Ugh…” Empoleon tried to get up but finally collapsed to the ground with a thud!

The arena fell into silence.

“Trump card…”

Lu Ye murmured thoughtfully, “Is that it?”

A low chuckle echoed from the front rows of the audience.

Yuto’s body trembled violently, “Arcanine’s stamina is also on the brink!”

Lu Ye raised an eyebrow, hesitating to speak.

“Go, Weavile!” Yuto threw out a Poké Ball.

Weavile’s eyes radiated ferocity, its long claws shining coldly.

In contrast, Arcanine, after two consecutive Flare Blitz attacks, was a bit disordered in breath.

Yet its fighting spirit still burned fiercely, anger simmering in its eyes from its earlier wounds!

“Weavile,” Yuto said, “Use Night Slash!”

Weavile’s clawed blades swept down like a sudden storm, leaving only faint scratches behind.

‘Night Slash’ increases in power with each consecutive strike, which is why Yuto chose Weavile against an intimidate user.

Just as Weavile’s momentum steadily rose and Yuto revealed a smile, he suddenly froze.

A surge of crisis rose in his heart.

“Arcanine,” Lu Ye said calmly, “Use Outrage!”

“Awooo!!”

Arcanine lowered its limbs, baring its teeth like an enraged lion.

‘Outrage’ is a Dragon-type move fueled by anger.

In a berserk state, Arcanine’s strength and aggression greatly increase, but after ‘Outrage,’ it will enter confusion.

However, during a push-team strategy, ‘Outrage’ is undoubtedly the best move!

Arcanine suddenly exploded forward, knocking Weavile to the ground, headbutting it fiercely!

Bang!!

In just one turn, Weavile lay unconscious in a cracked crater!

Yuto’s pupils contracted, still in disbelief.

How was this possible?

He was already one against three!?

The crowd erupted, cheers ringing from all sides.

“Outrage already?!?”

“This is a full-on push!”

“An instant kill, another instant kill!”

‘Outrage’ represents the violent aesthetics of battle, and this pushing method was very similar to a certain champion’s style.

Flint’s mind pictured the crimson-eyed Garchomp, his expression growing strange.

Lu Ye and Cynthia truly were becoming more and more alike!

In berserk mode, Arcanine’s mane flowed wildly, its gaze arrogantly fierce like a savage lion.

Yuto’s expression grew grave as he sent out his fourth Pokémon, Magmortar.

The timid Magmortar trembled in fear facing Arcanine, getting slammed away fiercely by the charging beast!

Boom!!

“The battle ends in one turn!” The commentator’s voice trembled. “In under a minute… Arcanine has set a new record for the fastest battle conclusion!”

Whispers spread through the arena.

This crushing battle style made it hard not to recall the push-team Darkrai.

But even Darkrai did not show the invincibility that Arcanine displayed in Outrage!

Ash and Paul exchanged glances, both surprised in their eyes.

Yuto, as a seed player of the Lily of the Valley Conference,

couldn’t even solve Lu Ye’s first Pokémon in a full 6v6 battle?!

Amidst the boiling arena,

Yuto’s expression stiffened, looking at Arcanine’s paused steps, slightly relieved.

Outrage ended;

Arcanine fell into confusion!

This was an opportunity!

Yuto shouted, “Go, Magmortar!!”

Magmortar’s fur looked like it was burning, its patterns resembling swirling flames. It raised its high-temperature cannon, aiming at the confused Arcanine.

The next moment, Yuto’s pupils shrank.

The critically injured Arcanine’s pendant on its chest shimmered with crystalline light. A ray of sunlight fell onto its mane, scattering sparkling particles into the wounds, healing at a visibly rapid pace!

“Arcanine used Morning Sun!!” Even the commentator felt despair for the challenger.

Finally worn down, yet one Morning Sun fully restored it!?

“Can fight, can endure, and even self-heal!”

“Such quality, I like it!”

“Morning Sun can even remove Outrage’s confusion… Lu Ye, that move is illegal!”

That was the Flame of Life originating from the Rainbow Wing, curing Arcanine’s confusion.

Besides, Lu Ye also had ways to remove confusion using Aura and Power of Transcendence—

Ash’s loud roar could wake from sleep, so it was reasonable for Lu Ye to clear confusion!

The sunlight gradually faded;

Arcanine’s wounds were as good as new, a crooked smile on its face.

“Awooo! ᕦ(･ㅂ･)ᕤ”

Yuto: “…”

Yuto: “Aba aba aba! (◐▽◑)”

His mindset collapsed.

He was dealing less damage than Arcanine was healing… How to win?

The only real damage this round came from Arcanine’s recoil from Flare Blitz!

“Awooo!” Arcanine, like a blazing war machine, charged at Magmortar.

Magmortar’s cannon fire had no chance to withstand Arcanine’s charge.

Yuto made up his mind, looking at Magmortar flying out of the arena, gripping his last Poké Ball tightly.

At least, he wanted to force Lu Ye to switch out this Pokémon!

Yuto threw the Poké Ball, shouting, “Mismagius, use Perish Song!”

“Your last trump card… is Perish Song?”

Lu Ye smiled, “That’s one I’m quite good at.”

Yuto’s expression changed;

his strategy seemed like child’s play in this man’s eyes.

“Arcanine,” Lu Ye said, “Use Howl!”

“Awooo! (｀0´)” Arcanine’s howl formed a wave of Dark-type energy that washed over Mismagius in the air, causing its singing to falter instantly.

The next moment, Arcanine surged with flames and leapt forward to slam into Mismagius!

Boom!!

The explosion sounded as Arcanine’s four limbs landed, not forgetting to cast a final Morning Sun on itself to finish.

Crystalline particles flowed into Arcanine’s body.

It shook its fluffy tail and grinned.

Battle finished~ Time to call it a day!

The arena erupted in cheers instantly.

“One against six!!”

“Lu Ye is amazing!!”

Looking at Arcanine, who had just finished six battles without a scratch,

Yuto was left tearless and speechless.

A stall-type means one against six with full health left, right!?

Too difficult, too difficult!

Amidst the cheers, Lu Ye extended his hand to Yuto, smiling,

“Narrow victory.”

Yuto: ?

You call a full-health one against six a narrow victory?!

You’re heartless, Lu Ye!

The boastful trainer left the arena in a sulk.

Lu Ye looked at Arcanine, smiling, “Let’s go for a walk~”

No dog could resist a walk!

Arcanine grinned and stuck out its tongue, “Awooo!”

Infernape stood beside Ash, watching the “majestic” Arcanine on the field, eyes filled with admiration for the senior, “Uu…”

It quietly clenched its fist. Ash said seriously to Infernape,

“Fight hard to win the next match, then meet Lu Ye in the finals!”

Infernape paused briefly, then nodded seriously, “Uu!”

Elsewhere, Dakduo swept back his long hair and looked at the battle chart on the big screen.

“The next match… is against Lu Ye?”

Dakduo’s gaze was sharp as he murmured, “I must win!”

…

The battle ended. Lu Ye successfully advanced to the top four.

This one-against-six match caused a huge stir after the game.

“The highlight of this Lily of the Valley Conference has shifted from who will win the championship to who will score first…”

“Lu Ye is aiming to join the Champion League, challenging Flint, the Fire-type Elite Four member!”

“Challenging Grandma Kukuno is also possible since she’s close to retirement.”

Reading the online comments,

Lu Ye was utterly confused.

Champion League? What are you all talking about?

But… the Champion League was indeed a suitable opportunity for a confession.

After defeating one of the Elite Four, he could take the chance to officially challenge Cynthia!

Before that—

Lu Ye glanced at the top four players list;

Dakduo’s photo stood out clearly. The source of this content ɪs novel⟡fire.net

“Next match is against Dakduo—”

The vision of sanctioning the Mythical Pokémon man was now within reach.

Lu Ye said, “Waited so long, finally today has come!”

…