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Inside the Stadium, two dragon-like Pokémon, one yellow and one red, hovered in midair, their wings beating as they faced off against each other.
The yellow Pokémon, of course, was Drake's Dragonite.
Dragonite had a large, rounded belly, a stout frame, and a gentle expression. Despite its somewhat bulky appearance, it was a Pokémon revered as a guardian.
Because of its rarity and legendary status, it had remained one of the most beloved Pokémon in the Orange League, admired by fans of all ages.
Opposing it, the red Pokémon, both in appearance and demeanour, was the very definition of a dragon in the minds of many. Yet, ironically, it wasn't actually a Dragon-type Pokémon.
There was no need to guess this was Kai's Charizard!
Unlike Dragonite's rounded build, Charizard was lean, muscular, and fierce-looking. Its sharp fangs and claws, along with the raging flames on its tail, made it look incredibly intimidating.
Their gazes locked.
Sparks of battle ignited in their eyes both Pokémon could sense the intense fighting spirit in each other!
Below them, in the trainers' command zone, both Kai and Drake stood with focused expressions, neither allowing themselves to be distracted for even a second. Their seriousness showed just how much this battle meant to them!
But it wasn't just the trainers and Pokémon feeling the tension—
Even the spectators in the stadium had fallen silent.
Whether they were Drake's devoted supporters or the small number of Kai's fans, everyone was holding their breath, anxiously waiting for the battle to begin!
After all, everyone knew:
If Kai won this match, he would claim the Winner's Cup, remain undefeated, and bring down their Orange League champion, Drake, from his throne!
On the other hand, if Drake won, although he would still need to defeat Kai's five remaining healthy Pokémon, the boost in morale and reputation would be unprecedented.
A victory here would allow him to redeem himself in front of the Indigo League audience a way to prove that the Orange League's champion could still stand above the rest!
Now, it was just a matter of who would have the last laugh.
An Unfavorable Matchup?
As the battle raged on, some knowledgeable Pokémon trainers in the audience quickly realized something—
Charizard was at a disadvantage!
Even the announcer noticed it and spoke up, his voice filled with doubt:
"This is strange. Based on their types, Dragonite is a Dragon/Flying Pokémon, while Charizard is Fire/Flying. Dragon-type moves don't have an advantage over Fire-types, but Fire-type moves are only half as effective against Dragon-types! This is the first time Kai has voluntarily sent out a Pokémon with a type disadvantage! What could his reasoning be?"
Hearing this, the casual viewers finally realized the situation.
"So Charizard is at a disadvantage against Dragonite?!"
Still, just like the announcer, they didn't believe that this was a mistake on Kai's part.
Given how flawless his strategies had been throughout the tournament, there had to be a deeper reason behind his decision!
Yet, what they didn't know was that…
Kai hadn't even considered the type of matchup at all.
At this stage of the battle, he wasn't thinking about strategy anymore.
Everything came down to raw power!
The real reason he chose Charizard was simple:
1. His Pokémon roster was limited, and he didn't want to reuse any of his previous ones.
2. Dragonite could fly, so he needed a flying Pokémon to counter its mobility.
But somehow, people had overanalyzed his decision, turning it into some grand strategy!
Sometimes, even the smallest actions could lead to endless speculation.
Even Drake found himself second-guessing Kai's motives.
"Why would he willingly choose a Pokémon at a type disadvantage?"
Yet, before he could figure out an answer, the referee signalled the start of the match!
Realizing there was no time to overthink, Drake abandoned all unnecessary thoughts and went for an aggressive opening attack!
"Dragonite, use Water Gun!"
Dragonite was known for being a highly versatile Pokémon.
It could use moves from Dragon, Flying, Normal, Water, Fire, Ice, Electric, and even psychic types, making it a nightmare for opponents unfamiliar with its capabilities!
But Kai had come prepared.
"Charizard, dodge it!"
Upon hearing the command, Charizard performed an agile mid-air roll, easily evading the Water Gun.
Dragonite, however, seized the opportunity to close the distance, its claws crackling with electricity as it swung toward Charizard.
"It's Thunder Punch!"
"Is he trying to win through close combat?"
Kai's response was immediate.
"Charizard, don't back down use Dragon Claw!"
A blue aura surged around Charizard's claws as it met Dragonite head-on!
The two Pokémon clashed mid-air, exchanging a rapid flurry of blows.
Fist met claw; wing met tail, their attacks creating sonic booms that echoed across the stadium.
They were so fast that they left afterimages behind!
The audience was on the edge of their seats this was exactly the kind of intense battle they had been waiting for!
Unlike the previous one-sided fights, Dragonite was putting up a real challenge, making this battle far more exhilarating than the ones before it.
For the first time, Drake's supporters felt a glimmer of hope!
Both Pokémon had taken hits, but neither showed any sign of backing down.
Although Thunder Punch dealt double damage to Charizard, Dragon Claw was just as effective against Dragonite!
Then, with one final tail collision, both Pokémon broke apart, panting as they glared at each other.
But Drake wasn't going to stop.
Determined to keep up the pressure, he quickly called for the next attack.
"Dragonite, use Thunderbolt!"
Dragonite's antennae crackled with energy, sending a massive burst of electricity surging toward Charizard!
It was a powerful area attack, expanding in all directions making it impossible to dodge mid-air!
Kai made a split-second decision.
"Charizard, head to the ground!"
Charizard dived at full speed, barely escaping the electrical surge before landing on the grassy battlefield below.
Sparks crackled in the air before gradually fading But Charizard was untouched.
The grass-covered field had dampened the electrical conductivity, drastically reducing the effectiveness of Dragonite's Electric-type moves!
"That's so annoying…!"
Both Drake and Kai exchanged glances each recognizing the strength of the other.
This wasn't going to be an easy fight.
Then, suddenly—
Kai recalled something.
In the anime, this Dragonite had been legendary for its insane move pool, knowing more than ten different types of attacks.
It had been powerful enough to defeat three of Ash's Pokémon in a row, only losing because Pikachu landed a last-minute victory.
If Drake's other Pokémon were at an Indigo League Top 4 level, then this Dragonite was at a Champion-tier level!
Kai's eyes narrowed.
This battle…
Wouldn't be easy.
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