The three figures were Raiji, representing the Cerulean Gym; Hayata, representing the Goldenrod Gym; and Kajiyama, representing the Cinnabar Gym. They, along with Tetsuya, were the four strongest competitors, each representing a gym rather than being official heirs.
It was hard not to feel like the tournament draw had been rigged.
The other three probably had similar thoughts, as their expressions looked a little off. The four of them were perfectly staggered in the semifinals, meaning Tetsuya and Hayata faced off against two gym heirs with elite-level Pokémon, while Raiji and Kajiyama had the fortune of facing opponents whose Pokémon were still at an average level.
But that wasn't entirely unfair.
At least this way, they wouldn't have to eliminate each other too early. Otherwise, the reputation of their gyms would take a hit.
Looking at the enthusiastic crowd, Tetsuya felt that this tournament served another purpose—it was a showcase of Kanto's gym strength. If the top four contenders were weak, it would be an embarrassment. Even having just one weak contender in the semifinals would be enough to bring shame.
As the four trainers stepped onto the stage, the cheers from the audience grew louder. They had witnessed their battles throughout the tournament and knew these four were the best of their generation. The anticipation in the air was palpable.
Among the crowd, most of the cheers were directed at one particular contestant.
"That guy in the black sleeveless shirt is so handsome!"
"Yeah, the others are just okay!"
Even a deep male voice rang out: "Hey, guy in the black sleeveless, wanna hit the gym with me?"
Tetsuya, Raiji, and Kajiyama, all with sharp ears, heard the comments clearly.
Tetsuya shot an envious glance at the trainer in the black sleeveless shirt. But when he heard the last comment, his expression shifted into one of silent amusement.
He decided to ignore it all.
His only wish at that moment was that Raiji wouldn't embarrass him with his usual antics.
"Just let me relax for once..."
His eyes scanned the audience and, sure enough, he spotted Uncle Chinatsu and a group of spectators eyeing him with amused expressions.
Luckily, Raiji behaved himself—for once. He simply stepped forward, drew his lot, and left the stage without any unnecessary theatrics.
Tetsuya sighed in relief.
"Next up, we have Tetsuya from Pewter Gym facing off against Kajiyama from Cinnabar Gym!"
That meant Raiji would be up against Hayata.
Tetsuya climbed onto the command platform, his mind already working through strategies. At the referee's signal, both trainers released their Pokémon.
"Go, Combusken!"
"Go, Poliwhirl!"
Neither trainer hesitated. They both sent out their strongest Pokémon right away.
"Flamethrower."
"Water Gun."
Their commands were calm and measured.
Despite its name, Poliwhirl's Water Gun, powered by an elite-level Pokémon, was far closer in force to a Hydro Pump. The two attacks collided in the center of the field, sending up a thick cloud of steam.
"Dodge," Kajiyama ordered, his expression serious.
He hadn't expected this. Even with the type disadvantage, Combusken's Flamethrower was pushing back Poliwhirl's Water Gun.
Through the steam, a red stream of fire could still be seen advancing toward Poliwhirl.
Reacting swiftly to its trainer's command, Poliwhirl cut off its attack and leaped aside just as the flames engulfed the spot it had occupied moments before.
Kajiyama frowned. This was going to be tricky.
Based on the battle footage, Combusken's fire capabilities weren't supposed to be this strong. It wasn't just a Fighting-type specialist—its firepower was exceptional too.
"Agility, then Flamethrower!"
Tetsuya didn't waste time. Seeing Poliwhirl on the move, he immediately issued the next command.
Combusken's movements became a blur as it used Agility to dart across the field. At the same time, it unleashed streams of fire in Poliwhirl's direction.
Without clear instructions from Kajiyama, Poliwhirl was forced to act defensively. It dodged frantically, occasionally countering with Water Gun to disperse some of the flames.
Even so, a few of Combusken's attacks landed. While the fire damage wasn't severe due to Poliwhirl's Water typing, it was still enough to make the Pokémon visibly uncomfortable.
"Overheat."
Seeing his Pokémon gaining ground, Tetsuya gave another command.
"Take it and use Rain Dance!"
Kajiyama's face darkened. He knew he had made a mistake. Letting Combusken close the distance was dangerous.
Now, Poliwhirl had no chance of dodging. It had to endure the Overheat and set up Rain Dance in response.
He gritted his teeth and went through with the decision. Even if Poliwhirl took damage, the rain would weaken Combusken's fire attacks and give him an edge.
"Thunder Punch."
Tetsuya was ready.
A white light flashed as Combusken activated Quick Attack, further enhancing its already incredible speed from Agility and its Speed Boost ability.
It closed the distance in an instant.
Electricity crackled around its claws as it shot forward, following right behind the Overheat attack.
Kajiyama's stomach dropped.
He had expected Tetsuya to exploit the close-range advantage, but not this fast. Combusken's speed was beyond what he had prepared for.
"Damn it… A Speed Boost ability on top of all that?"
Now it all made sense. Combusken's acceleration wasn't just the result of Agility—it had a naturally stacking Speed Boost. That crucial detail hadn't been obvious in previous battles.
Kajiyama had been outplayed.
And now it was too late.
Poliwhirl, still recovering from Rain Dance's brief lag, was unable to dodge as Combusken's Thunder Punch struck it squarely.
Lightning surged through its body, and Poliwhirl let out a sharp cry of pain.
Under the attack of Thunder Punch, a move that directly counters its type, and the overwhelming strength of Combusken, Poliwhirl was repeatedly forced back despite the rain pouring down.
"Hold on, Poliwhirl! Fight back with Mega Punch!" Kajiyama shouted urgently.
"Sweep the legs, take out its balance completely," Tetsuya commanded coolly.
Since Kajiyama had been caught off guard by not knowing Combusken's Speed Boost ability, allowing it to get close, Tetsuya already knew he had the upper hand in this match.
The two Pokémon reacted instantly to their trainers' orders.
Poliwhirl, still reeling from Combusken's Thunder Punch, tilted slightly backward from the impact. White energy gathered in its fist as it prepared to unleash a devastating Mega Punch.
But before it could strike, Combusken crouched low and delivered a quick, precise kick to Poliwhirl's legs, sweeping them out from under it.
Normally, a simple low kick wouldn't be enough to trip up a Poliwhirl, a Pokémon known for its strength and balance. But in this moment, with its center of gravity already off due to the Thunder Punch, the attack was enough to send Poliwhirl sprawling onto its back.
A loud "THUD" echoed through the battlefield as Poliwhirl hit the ground, the white light in its fist fading as its attack was interrupted.
"Finish it—Thunder Punch!" Tetsuya ordered without hesitation.
Taking advantage of the opening, Combusken wasted no time. Sparks crackled around its fist as it slammed another Thunder Punch directly into Poliwhirl's chest.
Poliwhirl's eyes turned into spirals—the universal sign of a Pokémon that could no longer battle.
"Return, Poliwhirl..." Kajiyama sighed as he recalled his fallen Pokémon. He knew the loss was on him. Had he not underestimated Combusken's ability and made that early mistake, the match might have played out differently. At the very least, he wouldn't have lost this round so easily.
But there was no time to dwell on the past. The battle wasn't over yet.
Kajiyama refocused and selected his next Pokémon. "Go, Pelipper!"
Tetsuya raised an eyebrow as the large seabird emerged onto the field. He had already known this was coming, but it still felt odd.
"Why exactly did Blaine take an interest in a trainer who mainly specializes in Water-types?" he called out across the battlefield, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Kajiyama shrugged. "I asked him the same thing, but he never gave me a straight answer."
"Hah. Figures. Blaine does love his riddles."
"Tell me about it. Every. Single. Day."
The two of them exchanged a smirk, momentarily easing the tension. But the referee quickly put an end to their banter.
"Trainers, please resume the battle."
Tetsuya frowned slightly as the rain continued to fall. "So, it has Drizzle and not Keen Eye. Tch, what a waste."
Pelipper's ability had finally been confirmed, and that meant trouble for Combusken. The prolonged downpour was already taking its toll, dampening Combusken's fighting spirit and weakening its Fire-type attacks.
Kajiyama smirked. "Water Pulse!"
The rain-empowered wave of water surged toward Combusken, its roar echoing across the battlefield.
But Tetsuya remained unfazed. "Come back, Combusken."
Just before the Water Pulse could land, Combusken was safely returned to its Poké Ball. In its place, Tetsuya sent out his next fighter.
"Pidgeot, you're up!"
The enormous bird Pokémon burst onto the field, letting out a piercing cry as the rain pattered against its sleek feathers.
Kajiyama's smirk faded slightly. "Tch. Should've seen that coming."
The moment Pidgeot appeared, Pelipper hesitated. Something about this Pidgeot felt... off. It was bigger—way bigger—than any Pidgeot it had ever seen.
"Water Gun! Fire in rapid bursts!" Kajiyama ordered.
Even if Water Pulse wouldn't hit, he could at least chip away at Pidgeot with a barrage of quick attacks.
"Dodge with Agility, then attack with Aerial Ace and Double Team," Tetsuya commanded smoothly.
The moment Pelipper fired its first jet of water, Pidgeot was already gone. Its body became a blur of motion, effortlessly weaving through the oncoming attacks with blinding speed.
As it closed in, multiple shadowy copies of Pidgeot materialized in the air, surrounding Pelipper from all angles.
Kajiyama gritted his teeth. "Protect!"
Pelipper had no time to react otherwise. With a burst of energy, a transparent barrier formed around it just as Pidgeot and its clones dove in with glowing wings.
A series of sharp impacts echoed as the clones shattered upon impact, but the real Pidgeot remained unharmed, pulling back just in time.
"Not bad," Tetsuya admitted. "But how long can you keep it up?"