Salamence crashed first, its Dynamax state failing as it struck the shattered arena floor. The Dragon-type's eyes struggled to focus, consciousness fading despite its legendary willpower.
Latios landed a heartbeat later, but landed on its feet.
The Eon Pokémon swayed, clearly at its absolute limit, but remained standing. Barely. Impossibly. Just enough.
"Salamence is unable to battle!" The referee's voice cracked with emotion. "Winner of the International Friendly Tournament: Sasuke Uchiha!"
The crowd's roar was overwhelming.
Kanaye recalled Salamence with obvious care, his expression a mixture of disappointment and genuine respect. He crossed the destroyed arena with deliberate steps, stopping before Sasuke with his hand extended.
"You're the real deal," Kanaye said simply. "No excuses. No qualifications. You beat me fair."
Sasuke accepted the handshake. "It was close. Another exchange and the outcome might have been different."
"Maybe. But it wasn't different." Kanaye's grip tightened briefly. "I underestimated the bond between you and your Latios. That connection... it made the difference at the end."
"Bond matters more than power."
"Something my grandmother keeps telling me." Kanaye released the handshake but didn't step back. "Speaking of family connections..."
His voice dropped, carrying words meant only for Sasuke.
"You better take care of Miyuki. She cares about you."
Sasuke's composure cracked slightly.
"She thinks you're more than amazing." Kanaye's golden eyes bore into Sasuke's crimson ones. "Her messages don't just mention you frequently, they mention you constantly. What you said, what you cooked, how you handled some challenge. It's obvious to anyone paying attention."
The implication landed with the force of another Max Wyrmwind.
Sasuke's mind raced through every interaction with Miyuki over the past weeks, her quiet support, her analytical observations that somehow always addressed his needs, the moments of physical proximity that had felt natural but perhaps meant something more.
"I... didn't realize..."
"You should have." But Kanaye's tone wasn't accusatory. He chuckled. "She's not the only one either, from what I've observed. You've collected quite the following, Uchiha."
Before Sasuke could respond, the tournament officials intervened for the trophy presentation.
The ceremony was mercifully brief.
Sasuke received a modest trophy and a prize purse that would cover travel expenses for a month. But the real victory, the respect he'd earned from a rival worthy of the name, couldn't be measured in physical rewards.
"Congratulations to our champion!" The announcer's voice had recovered its professional quality. "Sasuke Uchiha claims the International Friendly Tournament title!"
The crowd's applause was genuine and sustained. Trainers from eight different regions acknowledged what they'd witnessed, a battle that would become legend in their respective communities.
Miyuki reached him first after he descended from the podium, her golden eyes bright with pride he now saw in a different light.
"That was incredible," she said. "The way Latios responded at the end... I've never seen anything like it."
"Thank you." The words felt inadequate. Everything felt different now that Kanaye had voiced what Sasuke had been desperately avoiding acknowledging.
"You're okay? You seem... distracted."
"Just tired." A lie, but a necessary one. This wasn't the moment for complicated conversations.
Kasumi and Kiyomi offered their own congratulations, genuine enthusiasm that Sasuke struggled to receive normally. His mind kept cycling through Kanaye's words, the implications, the growing complexity of relationships he'd been content to leave undefined.
"Dinner tonight!" Kasumi announced. "Victory celebration! And Kanaye's joining us, he insisted."
"He did?"
"Said he wants to spend time with Miyuki before we all head different directions." Kasumi's smile was bright and uncomplicated. "He's bringing his girlfriend too. Hana Inuzuka? Apparently I met her at the berry section earlier, she's interested in agricultural applications!"
Of course, Sasuke thought. More people. More relationships. More complexity.
But he nodded agreement, because refusing would require explanations he wasn't prepared to give.
The evening gathering filled a private room at one of Vermillion's better restaurants.
Kanaye had transformed from competitive rival to gracious dinner companion, his intensity replaced by warm family energy as he caught up with Miyuki. Hana Inuzuka proved to be equally engaging, a young woman with wild brown hair and facial markings that spoke of her clan's traditional bond with canine Pokémon.
"So Kasumi," Hana said, leaning forward with genuine interest "tell me more about your Vitaberry development. The cross-breeding techniques sound fascinating from an Inuzuka perspective."
"Really? I didn't think dog-type specialists would care about berries."
"Nutrition affects everything." Hana's enthusiasm was infectious. "Healthier food means healthier Pokémon means stronger partnerships. Your berry could revolutionize training diets."
The conversation flowed easily, Kasumi explaining her research while Hana offered insights from veterinary traditions her clan had maintained for generations. Kiyomi contributed archaeological perspectives on historical berry cultivation. Miyuki discussed medical applications.
Sasuke found himself watching more than participating, his mind still processing the day's revelations while his body recovered from the battle's exertion.
"Four badges so far," Kanaye was telling Miyuki. "Pewter, Cerulean, Vermillion, Celadon. Beat Grandmother already, she was tough, but I knew her style from childhood training."
"You challenged Tsunade before the others?" Sasuke asked, drawn into the conversation despite himself.
"Different route than you. I went Pewter, then Vermillion, then Celadon, then Cerulean." Kanaye's expression carried complicated family pride. "She didn't hold back. Took me two attempts."
"Two attempts?"
"First try, her Venusaur demolished my entire strategy in three minutes. Second try, I'd learned from the failure." Kanaye shrugged. "That's how grandmother teaches. Crush you completely, then watch you rebuild."
"Sounds like Tsunade," Miyuki agreed.
"How many badges now?" Kanaye asked Sasuke directly.
"Three. Pewter, Cerulean, Vermillion."
"Different paths to the same goal." Kanaye raised his glass. "Race to sixteen?"
"Competition accepted."
They clinked glasses, rivals acknowledging shared ambition without losing mutual respect.
"Naruto's ahead of both of you," Hana mentioned casually. "Four badges, same as Kanaye. Different route though, he went Pewter, Cerulean, Celadon, Vermillion."
"And Neji?" Sasuke asked.
"Five badges. He started earlier and took a different approach, focusing on badge collection speed rather than development along the way." Hana's expression suggested she didn't entirely approve. "Quantity over quality, in my opinion."
"All approaches have merit," Kanaye said diplomatically. "We'll see whose method works best at the Silver Conference."
The dinner continued late into the evening, stories exchanged and friendships formed across clan lines and regional boundaries. By the time they parted ways, Sasuke had gained something more valuable than his tournament trophy, connections to fellow travelers who understood the journey because they walked similar paths.
"Safe travels," Kanaye said during the farewell. "I'll see you at the Conference. Try not to lose any more battles before then."
"Same to you."
Kanaye embraced Miyuki one final time, then leaned close to whisper something that made her blush. Whatever he said, she nodded seriously before pulling away.
"Take care," she told her cousin. "Write more often."
"You first."
Kanaye and Hana departed into the festival crowd, their journey continuing in a different direction. Sasuke watched them go, his mind still churning with everything the day had brought.
Miyuki has feelings for me.
The knowledge sat heavily in his chest, demanding attention he wasn't ready to give.
And she's not the only one.
Three companions. Three sets of feelings he'd been avoiding acknowledging. One journey they all shared.
Tomorrow, Kasumi's Contest would demand his support. The complications of the heart could wait.
But not forever.