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The first day of battles had concluded.
After shaking hands with his opponent and leaving the arena, Steven Stone decided to watch the remaining battles on all four fields from his room.
He hadn't yet encountered a strong competitor.
It wasn't until evening, when Steven Stone went to participate in the lottery draw, that his next opponent's name appeared on the screen behind Nurse Joy.
"Kota..."
Steven Stone silently committed the name to memory before returning to his room to research his opponent.
Unfortunately, he found no useful information.
Only the two Pokémon Kota had used in today's battle were known: Ariados and Crobat.
Both were Poison-type Pokémon.
Additionally, Kota was a Trainer from the Johto Region.
Since the Johto and Kanto Regions shared a border, their League Conferences were both held at Indigo Plateau.
The Johto Region's Silver Conference took place half a year after the Kanto Region's Indigo Conference concluded.
Coupled with Kanto's current no-rules battle format, it was understandable for a Trainer from Johto to travel to Hoenn and participate in the Ever Grande Conference.
Steven felt that Piplup alone would be more than enough to handle this match.
The second day of the Ever Grande Conference arrived.
The battles to determine who would advance from the top 32 to the top 16 were currently underway.
On Field 2, during the second match:
"Appearing on the green side is Kota, a competitor from Azalea Town in the Johto Region!"
"Appearing on the red side is Steven Stone, a competitor from Mossdeep City in our own Hoenn Region!"
"Speaking of Steven Stone, everyone must have formed quite an impression of him."
"Whether from the news coverage or his overwhelming performance in yesterday's opening match, he's certainly left his mark!"
Under the announcer's enthusiastic introduction, Steven Stone and Kota took their positions on the battlefield.
Listening to the roaring cheers from the crowd, Steven Stone nodded slightly with satisfaction.
Today's announcer was certainly more diplomatic—at least his commentary was more subtle than yesterday's.
"For this match, please go easy on me," Kota said politely.
Steven Stone and Kota stood at the center of the field, shaking hands amicably.
"Hmm..."
Steven thought that request should probably be directed at Piplup instead.
"Piplup! (ˉ▽￣～)"
No problem, no problem. I won't even unsheathe my blade, Piplup seemed to communicate.
Standing by Steven Stone's feet with arms crossed, Piplup nodded slightly in agreement.
"Both competitors, please take your positions!"
At the referee's signal, Steven Stone and Kota moved to opposite sides of the field.
"Go! Ariados!"
As the green side competitor, Kota sent out his Pokémon first.
Ariados was a large spider Pokémon, standing one point one meters tall, with vivid coloration across its body.
"Piplup, you're up," Steven Stone said calmly.
"Piplup!"
Piplup walked forward slowly, his small flipper resting on the end of his sword hilt.
He certainly possessed the bearing of a great hero.
Steven couldn't help but think that "Hero Piplup" didn't sound quite as fitting as "Piplup the Great Hero."
He made a mental note to discuss it with Piplup after the match.
"Battle begin!"
As the referee's flags dropped, Kota launched the first attack.
"Ariados! Pin Missile!"
Ariados immediately fired several energy-condensed, needle-like projectiles from the sharp point on its head!
"Whirlpool!"
Steven Stone decided that since today's referee was quite professional, he might as well let him have more opportunities to commentate.
A torrent of water surrounded Piplup and spiraled upward, intercepting all of the Pin Missiles before they could reach their target.
"Piplup uses Whirlpool! Like a water tornado, it's blocking every single one of Ariados's Pin Missiles!" the announcer exclaimed.
Setting everything else aside, Piplup's execution of Whirlpool was genuinely spectacular to behold.
"Sticky Web! Then follow up with Pin Missile!"
Kota understood that approaching Piplup recklessly would be foolish—yesterday's Swellow had demonstrated that clearly.
Unless your strength surpassed Piplup's, or your speed was fast enough to impress the Water-type, charging in blindly would only result in throwing away a quick defeat.
Ariados leaped into the air, scattering sticky webbing around Piplup's position. The moment Piplup attempted to move, the Sticky Web would reduce his speed.
However—
Piplup had absolutely no intention of moving!
After Ariados landed, it fired Pin Missile toward Piplup once again!
"Water Pulse."
Piplup raised a single flipper, and a sphere of water rapidly condensed at his fingertip.
Bang!
Piplup slammed the water sphere into the ground!
Instantly, a small wave surged outward, spreading in a complete 360-degree radius.
Not only did it shatter all the incoming Pin Missiles, but it also completely cleared the Sticky Web from the battlefield.
"Jump, Ariados!"
Ariados leaped upward abruptly, barely dodging the expanding Water Pulse.
"Surf!"
Piplup waved his flipper, and suddenly a massive wave materialized from pure energy behind him, crashing down fiercely upon the airborne Ariados!
Compared to Wallace's Milotic's Surf, this move might have been considered a small ripple.
But for Ariados, it was an overwhelming tsunami!
Boom!
The enormous wave engulfed Ariados completely, slamming the Bug-type Pokémon hard into the ground!
"Ariados is unable to battle! Piplup wins!"
"What devastating power in that Surf! Just how much energy does this Piplup contain!" the announcer marveled.
Piplup's casual Surf had astonished both the announcer and the spectators in the stands.
"You really did go easy on me," Kota said with a wry smile, recalling Ariados to its Poké Ball.
Steven could have finished the battle in a single move, but he'd deliberately extended it.
Wasn't that merciful enough?
Steven Stone smiled helplessly, observing the completely unperturbed Piplup on the field.
Piplup probably thought he was having the time of his life, getting to show off his abilities so thoroughly.
"Go, Crobat!"
Kota then released his second Poké Ball, sending out Crobat!
Crobat's body was entirely purple, with two pairs of wings forming an "X" pattern.
"With Crobat's speed, I should be able to close the distance, right...?" Kota's gaze sharpened as he immediately called out:
"Crobat, Acrobatics!"
Crobat flapped its wings powerfully, its form shooting forward!
The speed was indeed impressive!
However, it wasn't as fast as Riolu's Quick Attack!
Which meant...
It was still too slow!
Piplup's gaze suddenly sharpened, and the Whirlpool spun violently around his body!
Crobat crashed into the swirling water barrier, immediately repelled by the rapidly flowing currents!
"Water Pulse."
Piplup raised his small flipper, and the Whirlpool's water rapidly contracted, gradually forming a spinning sphere of water at Piplup's fingertip!
"Piplup!"
Take this Water Pulse!
Piplup hurled the water sphere forcefully toward Crobat!
"Crobat, dodge quickly!"
Having just collided with the Whirlpool, the disoriented Crobat shook its head, only then noticing the rapidly spinning water sphere flying directly at it!
Bang!
The evasion attempt failed, and Water Pulse struck Crobat directly.
Crobat's body was sent flying backward, sailing past Kota and crashing into the wall behind him.
"Crobat is unable to battle! Piplup wins!"
"Come back, Crobat..." Kota recalled his Pokémon to its Poké Ball.
The moment he'd drawn Steven Stone as his opponent, Kota had known he would be eliminated in the top 32.
"Go! Gligar! This is our final battle in the Ever Grande Conference!"
Kota's last Pokémon was a purple, scorpion-like creature with pincers nearly as large as its head!
Gligar—a Ground and Flying-type!
"Gligar! Acrobatics!"
Gligar's tail struck the ground forcefully, launching its entire body into the air as it spread its appendages to reveal blue wings!
It dove toward Piplup with impressive speed!
Meanwhile, Piplup silently raised his small flipper.
A blue sphere of water formed and was thrown toward Gligar.
Bang!
Gligar and the Water Pulse collided head-on...