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"Huh? The field is on fire?!"
The announcer froze in shock, still unable to grasp Kai's true intentions. At first, he assumed that the raging flames spreading across the battlefield were nothing more than an accident.
But Kai knew exactly what he was doing.
He pointed forward and commanded, "Charizard, fly to that rock formation!"
Whoosh!
Charizard flapped its powerful wings and soared into the air, landing atop a cluster of large boulders in the middle of the battlefield. This spot was not only the highest point in the entire arena but also the only place untouched by the spreading fire.
Crackle! Snap!
The fire intensified, spreading wider and faster by the second.
The heat waves rolling off the flames became so intense that even some spectators had to lean back, shielding their faces from the scorching air.
"It's so hot! I feel like my face is getting roasted!"
"Yeah, and the flames are making the air ripple! I can't even see what's happening on the battlefield anymore!"
The audience murmured anxiously, fanning themselves in an attempt to cool down.
Dragonite's Struggle
Dragonite was also suffering from the heat.
It instinctively tried to fly higher to escape the scorching battlefield, but the thick smoke blinded it, making it difficult to navigate.
To make matters worse, the air became hotter the higher it flew, stinging its eyes and choking its lungs.
With no other choice, Dragonite was forced to land.
Drake's brows furrowed deeply.
"This fire is too large… even if I have Dragonite use Water Gun, there's no way it'll be enough to put it out!"
At first, even he thought the flames were unintentional.
But when he saw how calm and collected Kai remained, he finally realized—
This was a trap!
"So that's it…"
Kai had intentionally set fire to the battlefield forcing me into a showdown!
"Even if Dragonite resists Fire-type moves, there's no way it can endure this environment for long. If we stay here, we'll be burned alive!"
"CHARRRRRRR!!!!"
From above, Charizard let out a thunderous roar, looking down on Dragonite with fiery determination.
But Dragonite was too distracted to respond. Instead, it kept trying to find a safe place but no matter where it moved, flames surrounded it from all sides.
Environmental Advantage
This was the difference in habitat adaptability between the two Pokémon.
Charizard, having lived near volcanoes since it was a Charmander, was already accustomed to high temperatures and flames, so the fire barely affected it at all.
On the other hand, Dragonite, a Pokémon that thrived in humid lakes and coastal islands, was struggling in the intense heat.
"Dragonite doesn't have a single safe place to stand!" the announcer exclaimed, scanning the battlefield. "Even if Charizard doesn't attack, Dragonite will eventually take damage from the fire and high temperatures!"
Drake gritted his teeth.
He understood the urgency of the situation.
"I have to finish this battle before Dragonite takes any more damage!"
There was only one option left.
An all-out attack!
The Final Clash
Drake clenched his fists and made his decision.
"Dragonite! We can't run anymore! This is our last stand use Hyper Beam!!"
Hearing the command, Dragonite opened its mouth, gathering immense energy in preparation for its strongest attack.
Seeing this, Kai smirked he knew his plan had worked perfectly.
"Charizard, use Inferno!"
The battlefield glowed red as the raging fire reflected in both Pokémon's eyes, making it look as if their very souls were burning with fighting spirit.
This was it.
A winner would be decided in the next few seconds.
The announcer nearly jumped out of his seat, shouting, "This is it! This is the final clash! Dragonite is unleashing the devastating Normal-type move Hyper Beam, while Charizard is countering with the powerful Fire-type move Inferno!"
In his excitement, he accidentally spit into his microphone, knocking over his water cup but he didn't even notice!
And then—
BOOM!
Two colossal energy blasts erupted from the battlefield.
A massive blue beam from Dragonite's Hyper Beam. A roaring crimson firestorm from Charizard's Inferno.
Both attacks soared across the battlefield, but—
They didn't collide.
Instead, they narrowly passed each other, each hitting its intended target!
BOOM! BOOM!
Twin explosions erupted on both sides of the battlefield.
Dragonite was thrown backwards by Inferno's raging flames.
At the same time, Charizard was blasted off the rocky hill by the sheer force of Hyper Beam.
The Aftermath
Thud!
Both Pokémon crashed to the ground, unmoving.
The entire stadium fell silent.
The announcer's eyes widened in shock, his voice trembling as he shouted—
"Both attacks landed! Both Pokémon took direct hits! These are two of the most powerful moves in their respective categories! Who… who will be the one to rise victorious?!"
Everyone in the audience held their breath, their eyes locked onto the battlefield.
Seconds passed.
Then—
Movement.
The referee took a cautious step forward, shielding himself from the remaining flames, prepared to declare a draw—
But then—
Charizard slowly, shakily, rose to its feet!
"It's Charizard!" the announcer screamed, his voice breaking from excitement. "Like all Fire-type Pokémon, Charizard has an unbreakable fighting spirit and that determination has allowed it to be the first to stand up!"
The Deciding Factor
Kai let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Just as he had expected—
Hyper Beam was powerful, but Charizard had been in excellent condition before taking the hit. Even after absorbing the attack, it still had a tiny bit of stamina left.
But the same couldn't be said for Dragonite. Everyone quickly turned their eyes toward Dragonite, watching it on the stadium's giant screen.
Dragonite's eyes fluttered open But its body refused to move.
The side effect of Hyper Beam had completely paralyzed it!
Drake's face went pale.
No matter how desperately he shouted, Dragonite couldn't get up.
And then—
Charizard took its final step forward.
Standing above Dragonite, it looked down at its fallen opponent its gaze filled with respect for the warrior that had fought so fiercely against it.
Kai clenched his fist and called out—
"It's time to end this! Charizard finish it with Dragon Claw!"
Without hesitation, Charizard raised both glowing claws and slashed down with all its strength!
BAM!
Dragonite let out a final groan before its eyes rolled back and it collapsed, unconscious.
"Dragonite is down!!!"
The announcer's voice rang through the entire stadium, trembling with emotion.
Drake had lost.
The pride of the Orange League had been defeated by the Indigo League Champion!
Meanwhile, back in Kanto, inside Professor Cerise's lab and a certain biker gang's clubhouse—
Cheers erupted.
"YEAH! HE WON!!!"
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