"Very well," Aiden said lightly, "since that's the case… I'll try not to use any Legendaries unless I absolutely have to. My aces have been looking forward to fighting you at full strength."
Wallace's eyelid twitched.
What did that even mean?
That he would only bring out a Legendary if he couldn't win otherwise?
So Wallace was the weakest of the three?
For a man known for elegance, Wallace felt his composure cracking.
What karmic debt had he accumulated to end up with Steven and Aiden as friends?
"Enough talk," Wallace said sharply. "Let's settle this in battle. Wailord, I'm counting on you!"
A flash of red light—
A massive Wailord materialized, its colossal body nearly filling the entire battlefield. Its deep, resonant cry shook the stadium.
Master-tier presence.
"Ding! Wailord's current attributes are as follows:"
Pokémon: Wailord
Level: 82
Ability: Water Veil
Type: Water
Potential: Gold
Bond Evolution: Not unlocked
Mega Evolution: Not unlocked
Moves: Water Pulse, Hydro Pump, Rollout, Body Slam, Water Spout, Dive, Bounce, Fissure…
Aiden smiled faintly and tossed a Poké Ball.
"If it's Water-type… then you're up. Sceptile!"
A lean green figure landed gracefully.
Sceptile.
Wallace's lips curved slightly.
"Good. That's how it should be."
"Wailord—Ice Beam!"
Wailord opened its cavernous maw and unleashed a terrifying beam of frost.
Sceptile, a twig clenched casually in its mouth, blurred sideways at the last second.
The Ice Beam brushed past its shoulder.
In an instant, Sceptile dashed forward, twin green blade-arms flashing.
Two massive slashes carved across Wailord's body—
Yet they barely cut through the thick blubber.
Wallace's Wailord was monstrous.
Feeling the sting, Wailord roared, unleashing a tidal surge that blasted Sceptile backward.
"Sceptile, run along the wave! Energy Ball—aim for its mouth!"
If the outer body was too thick—
Then attack internally.
Sceptile sprinted along the rushing water itself, launching a brilliant sphere of green energy straight into Wailord's open mouth.
Wallace realized too late.
Boom.
The explosion detonated inside Wailord's body.
The massive Pokémon bellowed in rage and rolled forward violently, crushing the battlefield beneath its bulk.
But Sceptile's speed was overwhelming.
One was a living fortress.
The other, a lethal assassin.
"Sceptile—Sunny Day!"
A glowing orb shot skyward.
Blazing sunlight flooded the arena.
"Wailord! Water Spout—block the sunlight!"
"Sceptile—Solar Beam, continuous fire!"
Even under interference, Sceptile's back glowed intensely.
A blinding green-white beam erupted point-blank.
It pierced straight through Wailord.
The giant fell.
"Ding! Sceptile has defeated Wailord. Gained 8,735 experience points. Level increased. Current level: Lv83!"
Yes—
In raw levels, Aiden's core seven were slightly behind veterans like Wallace and Steven.
But—
They lacked Mega Evolution.
They lacked Bond Evolution.
Aiden had both.
Victory was never simple mathematics.
Wallace exhaled slowly.
"You're strong. Even without a Legendary."
The crowd roared Aiden's name.
Ash, Tyson, and the others watched in awe.
Aiden was defeating Champion-tier aces now.
They couldn't afford to stagnate.
…
"Gyarados—your turn!"
"Ding! Gyarados's current attributes are as follows:"
Pokémon: Gyarados
Level: 85
Ability: Intimidate
Type: Water / Flying
Potential: Gold
Bond Evolution: Not unlocked
Mega Evolution: Not unlocked
Moves: Dragon Rage, Hydro Pump, Crunch, Ice Fang, Waterfall, Dragon Dance, Hyper Beam…
"Sceptile," Aiden said calmly, "continue."
Sceptile's eyes burned with intensity.
He hadn't forgotten his previous defeat at Wallace's hands.
Back then, he had been too weak.
Now—
He was different.
"Power up!"
"Gyarados—Ice Fang!"
"Sceptile—Bullet Seed, then evade!"
Sceptile's speed was unmatched.
Bullet Seed propelled it even farther with recoil momentum.
Ice Fang missed.
"Gyarados—Ice Beam! Freeze the field!"
Wallace's strategy was clear.
If Sceptile was too fast—
Turn the battlefield into ice.
Even the fastest assassin could slip.
The arena froze over rapidly.
Aiden's eyes narrowed.
The real duel—
Was only just beginning.
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