...
Standing on the final battlefield and facing Steven across from him, Sam felt a rare trace of nervousness.
Steven was easily one of the strongest opponents he had encountered during his journey.
A Regional Champion carried a different kind of pressure. Reputation alone was enough to make most Trainers uneasy.
Steven, on the other hand, appeared completely relaxed.
He smiled warmly and said, "I hope this will be a wonderful match."
Suppressing the tension in his chest, Sam steadied his breathing and replied calmly, "Of course."
With both Trainers ready, the referee raised his hand.
"The final match begins now!"
"Go, Aron!"
"I'm counting on you, Charmeleon!"
As expected, Steven sent out Aron.
But Sam made a surprising choice.
Instead of using Dratini—the Pokémon that had carried him through the tournament—he switched to Charmeleon.
Steven blinked in mild surprise.
He had assumed Sam would choose a Pokémon that directly countered Aron.
Fire-type Charmeleon didn't have a clear advantage here.
Yes, Fire is strong against Steel—
But Rock resists Fire.
Against a Rock/Steel-type like Aron, Charmeleon actually held a slight disadvantage overall.
"You're very confident in your Charmeleon," Steven remarked thoughtfully.
"Very," Sam replied without hesitation. "Let's begin."
"Charmeleon, Flamethrower!"
There was no probing.
No testing.
Against someone like Steven, wasting opportunities was a mistake.
Charmeleon opened its mouth—
A blazing pillar of fire erupted forward with astonishing force.
The flames were dense and focused, forming a concentrated torrent of heat. Even spectators near the battlefield felt the temperature spike instantly.
"What power…!" someone in the crowd gasped.
Even Steven's expression changed slightly.
He had expected Sam to be strong—
But this Flamethrower exceeded expectations.
"Aron, Rock Tomb!"
Aron stomped heavily on the ground, channeling energy into the earth beneath it.
With a rumble, a massive slab of rock surged upward, positioning itself directly in front of Aron.
The Flamethrower crashed into the rock barrier.
Flames roared against stone, unable to break through. Instead, the intense heat rapidly scorched the surface red-hot.
Aron curiously reached out and tapped the glowing rock.
"Saaaar!"
It immediately yelped in pain and jumped back.
Steven sighed helplessly.
Newborn Pokémon were always overly curious.
Hopefully Aron would remember this lesson.
Still—
Charmeleon's strength was undeniable.
Burning a rock structure to that extent in seconds was no small feat.
Steven's gaze sharpened.
He was done underestimating his opponent.
This was no child's match.
"Aron, Rock Slide!"
Aron leapt high into the air, then slammed down with its full weight.
Despite its small size, Aron was incredibly heavy. The impact shook the battlefield.
A massive boulder burst from the ground.
With a powerful shove, Aron launched it toward Charmeleon.
The crowd gasped.
Rock-type attack against a Fire-type—
A direct counter.
Steven's plan was obvious: use type advantage to deal heavy damage.
But Sam didn't look worried.
"Charmeleon, Brick Break."
Charmeleon stepped forward instead of retreating.
Fighting-type energy surged into its right arm, forming a sharp, focused edge.
Timing it perfectly—
Charmeleon dashed forward.
With a single decisive chop—
The massive boulder split cleanly in half.
The two halves crashed harmlessly to either side.
Silence fell over the arena.
Things had just become complicated.
Steven had originally viewed this match as little more than a formality.
Lose?
How could he lose?
He was the Hoenn Champion.
Yet now—
Watching Sam's unwavering focus…
Watching Charmeleon stand firm amid shattered stone—
For the first time in a long while, Steven felt the possibility of defeat.
He exhaled slowly.
"Sam… I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "That stone is very important to me."
Sam frowned slightly.
Sorry?
He didn't understand.
But he soon realized why Steven apologized.
There was a loophole in the tournament rules.
The organizers had limited participation to Pokémon below Gym level.
However—
What if a Pokémon evolved mid-battle?
An Elite-level Pokémon that evolved would experience a dramatic surge in power.
And the rules said nothing about that.
Steven had noticed the loophole from the beginning.
He hadn't planned to use it.
Relying on a technicality to win against a younger Trainer would be embarrassing for a Champion.
But now—
Charmeleon's pressure was real.
And the Mega Stone prize mattered too much.
Steven's eyes hardened with resolve.
Even if it meant sacrificing his pride—
He would not lose.
The battle was about to change.
---------------Author---------------
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