I let out a deep breath. This feeling of being led by the enemy was so different from my style. It was really unpleasant.
"You are worthy of being the strong opponent I recognize." Thinking solemnly, Raiji threw out his last Poké Ball.
"Go, Staraptor!"
As soon as Staraptor emerged, it was hurt slightly by the invisible Stealth Rock. Raiji, who had been eager for battle, suddenly felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on him. This was outrageous. Just how many traps had been set up on that Forretress?
Tetsuya also tilted his head, looking at his Combusken. Aside from the energy consumption from using its own moves, nothing else had affected it.
Then let it continue.
Still, a Flying-type opponent would be difficult for Combusken to handle.
"Flamethrower!"
A classic opening move.
Tetsuya found himself enjoying these moments when he didn't have to overthink his strategies.
"Aerial Ace!" Raiji commanded, signaling Staraptor to charge at Combusken.
There was no other way. Pokémon like Staraptor were much stronger in close combat, unlike Pidgeot, which had more mid-range and long-range options.
With a white glow, Staraptor used its agile flying maneuvers to dodge Combusken's fire attacks in mid-air.
As it gradually closed in, each Stealth Rock was shattered by the energy radiating from Staraptor's attack.
The energy band formed by Aerial Ace not only provided a strong momentum boost but also, in some sense, shielded Staraptor from weaker moves.
"Take it head-on." Tetsuya's expression was serious. "Counter!"
Raiji's pupils shrank in shock.
Staraptor struck Combusken, causing it to cry out in pain.
But Combusken's warrior instinct kicked in. It gritted its teeth, planted its feet firmly, and braced itself against the impact, refusing to be knocked back.
Then, in a brutal counterattack, it delivered a devastating punch to Staraptor's back, sending the bird crashing to the ground, unable to move.
"Charge forward—Thunder Punch!"
Tetsuya was extremely glad he had taught Combusken Thunder Punch. It was invaluable against Flying- and Water-type Pokémon.
"Close Combat!" Raiji shouted, his determination unwavering.
Staraptor didn't retreat. Instead of dodging, it rushed toward Combusken with a relentless Close Combat assault, forgoing its own defenses.
Combusken landed its Thunder Punch, causing Staraptor to cry out in agony.
But the exchange was brutal. Close Combat was far stronger than Thunder Punch, and Combusken suffered nearly as much damage as Staraptor, despite the latter's screams from the type disadvantage.
The two Pokémon clashed violently—white flashes from Fighting-type energy, yellow sparks from Electric-type attacks, their brown and red feathers intertwining in the chaos.
With a final, violent collision, Staraptor panted heavily and retreated to the sky, its feathers in disarray.
Combusken tumbled backward, creating space, its body covered in fresh wounds.
Tetsuya narrowed his eyes. "Heat Wave!"
"Double Team—spread out!" Raiji countered calmly.
Combusken summoned all its strength and sent a wave of hot air skyward.
Staraptor held its breath and created dozens of clones, scattering in all directions.
The heat wave pursued, dispersing the illusions one by one.
After a round of exchanges, neither Pokémon had a clear advantage.
For a moment, the battle reached a stalemate.
Staraptor hovered above, eyes locked onto Combusken below, while Combusken stood firm, waiting for the next move.
Tetsuya spoke first, breaking the deadlock. "Focus Energy."
If you don't move, I won't either. At worst, I'll just boost my chances for a critical hit.
After all, Staraptor didn't have any status moves, except for Work Up, which Combusken could counter.
"Quick Attack, then Brave Bird!" Raiji saw his opportunity.
Status moves took time, and once started, they couldn't be interrupted.
"Dodge."
Hearing the command, Raiji focused on Combusken's movement.
He knew Tetsuya's Combusken had the Speed Boost ability, so he wasn't completely sure whether Staraptor could land the hit in time.
Staraptor used all its strength, hurtling toward Combusken at full speed.
But Combusken remained steady, gathering its focus, and then leaped at the last moment.
Boom!
The sound wasn't from Combusken being hit—it was from Staraptor crashing into the ground.
"Bounce."
Though the battlefield was covered in dust and smoke, Tetsuya trusted Combusken to locate its fallen target.
Combusken immediately struck, landing a powerful attack right where Staraptor had fallen.
"Go all out!" Raiji shouted, a fierce determination flashing in his eyes.
Tetsuya frowned. Why push this far?
Combusken's attack landed cleanly, leaving Staraptor barely conscious. With the last of its strength, Staraptor retaliated with a reckless move, bringing Combusken to its very limit.
Both Pokémon collapsed to the ground, unable to move, their eyes locked onto each other.
Tetsuya sighed and withdrew Combusken.
"Go, Pidgeot."
Pidgeot soared into the air, its gaze cold and focused on the fallen Staraptor.
"Whirlwind."
At the final command, Pidgeot flapped its wings, summoning a powerful gust that engulfed Staraptor.
Staraptor could only let out a final cry before losing consciousness.
The referee raised his hand immediately.
"Staraptor is unable to battle. Pidgeot wins!
All three of Raiji's Pokémon have been defeated. The winner of this match is Tetsuya Tamaki from Pewter Gym!"
"That was a great battle. I hope we can face each other again in the Quartz Conference's unlimited division," Raiji said as he stepped onto the field, shaking Tetsuya's hand with a forced smile before turning to take his Pokémon for treatment.
Tetsuya watched Raiji walk away without saying anything. He had to admit—despite his occasional recklessness, Raiji was a strong opponent, reminding him a little of his younger brother, Paul.
After handing his Pokémon over to a nearby attendant to be taken to Nurse Joy, Tetsuya walked onto the podium as the announcer called his name.
"And now, it's time for the championship awards!
The prize for this tournament is an Evolution Stone of any type the winner chooses, sponsored by the Three Eevee Brothers of Stone Town, along with a Charcoal that boosts Fire-type moves by 10%!"
Even though Tetsuya had already known about the prizes, he couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement.
The audience, who had been cheering moments ago, fell into murmurs of envy. Even among wealthy trainers, this was an incredible prize.
Those knowledgeable in the field started explaining that normally, only the Evolution Stone would be awarded.
After all, for the Three Eevee Brothers, Evolution Stones were abundant and easy to provide.
But as it turned out, the additional Charcoal had been a lucky coincidence—making this victory even sweeter for Tetsuya.
You should know that it has been more than a year or two since all the official gyms in Kanto started holding this competition on the
S.S Anne.
But this year is a special case, and it's the first time we've encountered such a situation—because all the gym heirs happen to be in a transitional period.
The older ones are over 20, while the younger ones are just 16.
Because of this, the competition might not be as intense, since most of the participants are relatively inexperienced.
While age plays a factor, many people refuse to accept this as an excuse.
To prevent others from assuming that Kanto's overall strength has declined, the three Eevee brothers simply decided to sponsor the tournament with a high-value Pokémon item reward.
After all, economic power is also a form of strength—and it helps silence the critics.
Even if the reasoning seemed flimsy, it had little to do with Tetsuya.
At the very least, he made a fortune by winning the championship reward this time.
He chose a Leaf Stone—something he had already planned on acquiring—and was told to pick it up at the Pokémon Center in Vermilion City after disembarking.
Tetsuya held the charcoal in his hand and walked off the stage with his certificate.
His expression was a little strange. It was just a certificate—just a piece of paper. No trophy, not even a frame to put it in.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy." He approached the treatment station and retrieved his three Poké Balls from the tray handed to him by Chansey.
"It's my job, there's no need to thank me," Nurse Joy replied with a smile before returning to her duties.
For her, being invited to provide logistical support for this competition was almost like a break. She had secured this assignment with great difficulty.
Tetsuya selected Combusken's Luxury Ball without hesitation and released him.
He handed the charcoal to his Pokémon and instructed, "Absorb it."
"Combusken!" The Fire-type Pokémon nodded. It understood what this item was—it could effectively enhance the power of its Fire-type moves.
Carefully, Combusken took the charcoal from its trainer.
Tetsuya watched closely. To be honest, this was the first time he had seen a Pokémon use a held item. He had no idea how the absorption process actually worked.
The charcoal lay quietly in Combusken's claws. As Combusken channeled his energy into it, the item slowly dissolved into his body.
Tetsuya blinked, puzzled. That was it? No glowing lights? No dramatic power surge? No fiery aura bursting forth like some legendary transformation?
He sighed. Maybe he had been expecting too much.
After all, this was just a standard Pokémon item, not some mystical elemental plate. It wasn't going to be anything flashy.
When asked how he felt, Combusken said the charcoal's power had entered his body instantly, and now he didn't feel any different.
Tetsuya immediately turned on Zero to check Combusken's status.
Satisfied with what he saw, he nodded. Technology never disappointed.
According to Zero's diagnostic report, the energy intensity within Combusken had indeed increased, and the temperature of his flames had risen accordingly.
Not only that, but based on Zero's predictions, if the effect of held items could be further enhanced, there might be additional benefits for Combusken.
However, due to limited data, the exact nature of those benefits remained unclear.
Tetsuya put the matter aside for now, letting Combusken get used to the upgrade on his own. Then, he headed back to his room to change.
This time, Brock had specially prepared a suit for him to wear to the evening banquet and even coached him on proper etiquette.
After all, they were representing their respective gyms, so they had to maintain a dignified and professional appearance.
Since Tetsuya had been single his whole life—both in this one and his previous one—he had never put much thought into formalwear. Most of his clothes were either for outdoor training or quick-drying sportswear.
He definitely couldn't show up to a banquet in casual clothes. That would be disrespectful.
After changing into the tailored outfit, he retrieved his three Poké Balls, ensured his Pokémon had finished dinner, and clipped the minimized Poké Balls securely to his belt.
Then, he headed up to the banquet hall on the sixth floor.
By the time he arrived, many competitors were already there, chatting and exchanging ideas.
At the sound of the door opening, the room briefly quieted as many people turned toward the entrance.
What a handsome young man.
His perfectly proportioned frame carried the royal blue suit effortlessly, the swallowtail hem adding an elegant touch.
Tetsuya smiled and nodded in greeting to those who glanced his way, and they returned the gesture.
A few female trainers sat up a little straighter, subconsciously adjusting their posture to appear more refined, greeting him with reserved politeness.
Scanning the room, Tetsuya's eyes lit up slightly as he spotted someone familiar and made his way in that direction.
Seeing where he was headed, some people abandoned their attempts to engage him in conversation.
"Good evening, Kajiyama." Tetsuya greeted the trainer simply.
"Good evening. Well, if it isn't our champion," Kajiyama replied with a hint of sarcasm.
Chuckling, Tetsuya picked up a drink, took a sip, and said, "You didn't seem this lively earlier. Huh?"
Kajiyama rolled his eyes but didn't bother replying. Instead, he changed the subject. "Why'd you come over here?"
Leaning lazily on the sofa, Tetsuya shrugged. "I'm bored. I don't know many people, and we got along well these past few days on the ship."
Tetsuya's early morning observations hadn't been in vain. Thanks to them, he had gotten to know quite a few people—including Kajiyama. Surprisingly, they had clicked.
Otherwise, the two of them wouldn't have been chatting so casually during the previous battle. If it had been Raiji instead, Tetsuya would have just stayed silent.
"Don't you know Raiji?" Kajiyama teased.
Of course, he was well aware that Tetsuya didn't think highly of Raiji. Even Kajiyama himself found it difficult to like the guy.
Raiji's behavior at the restaurant on the first night of the voyage had left a bad impression on many people. Apparently, he had only been stopped after being reprimanded by the Cerulean Gym trainers.
"Please, don't lump me in with him," Tetsuya said, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter—we were just opponents. There's no point in chatting."
"Fair enough." Kajiyama tilted his head slightly, gesturing toward a corner of the room.
A man in a black suit sat alone, seemingly disconnected from the lively atmosphere around him. He ate quietly, avoiding interaction.
It was Raiji.
"Tsk. Feels like he's been completely isolated," Tetsuya muttered.
Kajiyama smirked. "He brought it on himself. Not many people support his attitude, and at an event like this, nobody really wants to associate with him."
Raiji left shortly after finishing his meal, and no one paid much attention to his departure.
A while later, Tetsuya and Kajiyama tacitly shifted the conversation to more interesting topics—ones that truly mattered to trainers like them.