"What a disgusting move."
Aaron clicked his tongue as he eyed the Reflect barrier surrounding Exeggutor.
"Exeggutor—use Wood Hammer!"
Seeing Exeggutor regain its footing, Emma immediately gave another command.
"Exeggutor—!"
Exeggutor let out a low, slobbering growl as dense green energy surged across its body.
Wood Hammer was a high-power Grass-type move.
The ground trembled faintly, as though something were about to erupt from below.
"Greninja—Quick Attack. Circle behind it."
"Then finish it with Rasengan."
Aaron's expression didn't change as he gave the order.
"Nin."
Greninja croaked softly and vanished.
In the blink of an eye, a streak of black lightning had already appeared behind Exeggutor.
Inside Emma's Poké Ball, Slowbro caught sight of Greninja looping behind Exeggutor again. Its plump body trembled involuntarily, fear washing over its face.
In Greninja's palm, a blue spiraling sphere of energy was already forming, spinning at a furious speed.
It drove the Rasengan straight toward Exeggutor's rear—this time, its actual back.
The Rasengan tore through Reflect and struck Exeggutor head-on.
Boom!
Exeggutor was slammed into the ground by the overwhelming force.
"Exeggutor—!"
It wailed in pain, then finally lost the ability to battle.
Even with the damage cut in half, the super-effective Rasengan—boosted by Protean—was still devastating.
"Exeggutor!!!"
Emma's expression tightened as she cried out, but Exeggutor couldn't hear her—its eyes were already spinning.
"Contestant Emma's Pokémon have all lost the ability to battle!"
"Please recall your Pokémon!"
The referee waved his flag as he addressed Emma.
Emma's face darkened slightly. She gave Aaron a long look before recalling Exeggutor in a flash of red light.
Then she turned to Nathan.
"Nathan… I'm sorry."
There was a trace of guilt in her voice.
Nathan's expression didn't change. He simply offered a faint smile.
"It's fine. You did well."
"Leave the rest to me."
Emma nodded, admiration flickering in her eyes.
"Then be careful…"
"There's something unusual about Aaron…"
Unease crept into her expression as she spoke.
Nathan only smiled.
Unusual?
With Blaziken's Attack doubled and its speed pushed to the limit…
Even a pseudo-legendary would struggle against him.
Let alone a mere Greninja?
...
Up in the stands, Richard watched Aaron's Greninja take down yet another Pokémon.
A faint spark flickered in his despair-filled eyes.
He gripped the edge of his seat, a fragile thread of hope rekindling in his chest.
"Hm?"
"Richard… I didn't expect your other guy to have a few tricks."
Rowan looked mildly surprised—but only mildly.
He remained confident. Blaziken was unstoppable now.
Unless it was a Gym-level Pokémon, he didn't believe anyone could keep up with its speed.
"What a pity… what a pity."
"If Blaziken hadn't powered up, you might've still had a sliver of hope."
"But now… hahaha!"
Rowan sneered at Richard.
And Richard's hatred toward Sebastian deepened even further.
...
On the field, only Nathan's Blaziken and Aaron's Greninja remained.
Chicken and frog stood facing each other in silence.
Blaziken's sharp eyes held a trace of arrogance.
Right now, even it felt a little wary of its own power.
Weak frog.
To it, any opponent was just one kick away from defeat.
Greninja's deadpan eyes gleamed with icy intent.
This chicken brat was the one who had bullied its little brother.
If it didn't beat it senseless, then it wouldn't deserve the nickname Boss.
The air between them seemed to crackle with tension as they locked eyes.
"Blaziken…"
"Finish it. High Jump Kick!"
Nathan's faint smile didn't waver as he gave the command.
"Ken—!"
Blaziken's contemptuous gaze flashed coldly as its body blurred into a red streak, shooting straight toward Greninja.
"Greninja—Sage Mode. Activate."
"Sage Art, Rasengan!"
Aaron's expression remained calm as he spoke.
"Grenin…"
Dust around Greninja's feet began to stir despite the still air, whipping into a sudden gale that swept across the ground.
Its pupils shifted into cross-shaped irises, and dark markings spread from the corners of its eyes.
Sage Mode had begun.
Sage Frog Boss.
"Greninja—!"
Greninja let out a low growl.
Cyan-white energy surged into its hands, condensing into a basketball-sized sphere that spun violently in its palm.
Sage Art: Rasengan.
Blaziken was already closing in, its knee wrapped in a reddish-brown aura as it drove the strike forward with brutal force.
The air detonated from the sheer impact, as though the atmosphere itself were being torn apart.
Greninja's Sage Art Rasengan collided head-on with Blaziken's High Jump Kick!
BOOOOOM—!
A thunderous explosion rocked the entire Pokémon Battle Arena.
Wooooom—
Violent shockwaves tore through the air like rolling tides, surging outward in every direction.
The wind howled.
Debris skittered across the ground.
Dust spiraled into chaos.
For a moment, the arena looked as though it had been struck by a missile.
As the smoke gradually cleared, two figures remained standing at the center of the field—black and red.
Greninja and Blaziken.
Scorch marks lined their bodies, but neither had sustained serious damage.
Nathan's pupils narrowed slightly.
This Greninja's offensive power…
It was actually on par with his Blaziken—even after its Attack had doubled?
A faint chill crept down his spine as real surprise flickered in his eyes.
This guy…
Just like Emma said… He might not be simple.
But it was only surprise.
Nathan still believed, without hesitation, that his Blaziken could not lose.