"Bruno, there's no need for wild guesses. I received inside information long ago—Feng Che has already broken through to the Elite level."
"Also, a message just came in from Champion Lance. He wants us to keep a close watch on Karen and Will."
"They've already reached the Ilex Forest," Koga said, turning to Bruno. "Should we continue the surveillance?"
"Let's pass this intel to Lance and let him decide. He's the one in charge of the Johto region's affairs now," Bruno replied, glancing at the monitors showing the perimeter of Ilex Forest. Will and Karen were waiting at the edge of the woods, while deep within, the shrine of Celebi pulsed with a soft, rhythmic green light.
Shattering the Gale
Back at the stadium, the Primeape landed heavily on the arena floor after its aerial parrying feat.
"Sigilyph, use Hurricane!"
Sigilyph beat its wings, using its psychic will to conjure four towering tornadoes that converged on Primeape from all sides.
"Primeape, use Slash!"
Primeape slammed its feet into the ground, anchoring itself deep into the soil to resist the suction of the vortexes. Its arms began to glow with a sharp, white light. It unleashed a pressurized wave of energy from its fist, striking the heart of one tornado. With a violent boom, the massive gale was blown apart into nothingness.
"No way! It just punched a tornado out of existence?" "I wish it were a lie, but we're seeing it with our own eyes. That Primeape is a beast!"
The stadium fell into a stunned silence.
"Gym Leader Chuck's Pokémon are truly impressive," Jasmine noted to Erika. "Aside from Pryce and Clair, he is arguably the strongest in Johto."
"Feng Che is also Kanto's strongest Gym Leader," Erika explained. "Word is his main team has already reached Elite status. The Sigilyph he's using now is likely just a substitute he keeps for standard Gym challenges."
"It's my first time seeing a Fighting-type hold its own against a Flying-type like this, even gaining the upper hand," Jasmine said with a smile.
Fatigue and the Sleep Tactic
"Feng Che, your training is top-notch," Chuck shouted over the wind. "But my Fighting-types have undergone hellish conditioning. They won't lose to anyone! Primeape, Aura Sphere!"
Braving the buffeting winds, Primeape clapped its hands together, firing off three consecutive Aura Spheres. The blue orbs of energy detonated against the remaining tornadoes, neutralizing the psychic storm.
However, Feng Che noticed that Primeape's movements were slowing. The continuous high-output attacks were draining its stamina rapidly.
That's the drawback of pure physical combatants, Feng Che thought. If Chuck had a way to rapidly restore stamina, he would be unstoppable.
"Primeape is hitting its limit," Chuck muttered to himself, seeing the muscles in his Pokémon's legs beginning to spasm. "If this keeps up, Sigilyph will chip it away. Primeape, use Rest!"
Knowing the risks, Chuck made a bold call. Primeape flopped onto the ground and instantly fell into a deep slumber.
"What?! He's putting it to sleep right in front of a Flying-type?" "Chuck is either a genius or a madman! I've never seen someone use Rest so casually in a high-stakes match!"
"You must have a lot of confidence in your Pokémon to pull that off," Feng Che said, a slight smile touching his lips.
This Primeape must have trained in 'Sleep-Fighting,' ensuring it has defensive instincts even while unconscious, Feng Che realized. He snapped his fingers, and the Air Slashes Sigilyph had been prepping rained down like a storm of blades.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The arena disappeared behind a cloud of smoke and dust. The spectators felt the ground shake under their feet. When the smoke cleared, the crowd gasped. Primeape was still lying there, snoring loudly, perfectly positioned in the only patch of ground that hadn't been shredded by the blades.
"Haha! Surprised, Feng Che?" Chuck boasted. "That is my Primeape's 'Ultimate Evasion'—a reflex perfected over years of training!"
"Impressive indeed. But it's time to settle this," Feng Che replied. He snapped his fingers again. Suddenly, a massive orb of violet psychic energy manifested above the sleeping Primeape.
"Zen Headbutt? No... when did it charge that much energy?" Chuck's eyes widened.
"It's not Zen Headbutt. It's Future Sight," Feng Che explained. "I had Sigilyph set it up the very moment we used Ally Switch. The 'future' has finally arrived."
The psychic strike descended like a bolt of lightning. It was too fast for even Primeape's subconscious reflexes to dodge. The blow crashed into Primeape's mind, sending it from sleep into an immediate knockout.
"Haha! My Primeape is down. Your strength is the real deal," Chuck laughed, recalling his Pokémon. "I know this Sigilyph isn't your main partner. Once I officially step into the Elite Four ranks, I want a rematch with your full team."