Chapter 444: The Champion's Challenge! Kenji vs. Zhurong Yun!
Among the four of them standing at the top of the tower, three already possessed
partners who had been blessed by Ho-Oh. The intention behind Elder Lie's
invitation was clear.
Kenji felt a jolt of shock, followed by a surge of gratitude. The Great Phoenix
is really looking out for me, he thought.
He had seen the effects of the blessing first-hand. Xun Zhurong's Houndoom and
the Champion's Blaziken were both monsters whose potential and raw power far
exceeded the standard limits of their species. They fought with a ferocity that
could rival lesser legendaries. This wasn't just a buff; it was a divine
evolution.
Xun Zhurong stood by, his jaw practically hitting the floor. Even the Elders,
Lie and Qi, were internally shaken. It seemed the Lord of the Skies held Kenji
in much higher regard than they had initially estimated.
Kenji only had one Fire-type on his current roster, and she was the perfect
candidate.
"Come forth, Ninetales."
Kenji released the fox. She materialized with a soft shimmer, her nine tails
swaying elegantly in the high-altitude wind.
"Mo…"
She looked up at the golden chimes, then at Kenji. He explained the situation in
a low voice. Ninetales nodded, her eyes reflecting the flickering light of the
Sacred Fire above. She stepped forward, her movements fluid and deliberate, and
gently tapped her paw against the Phoenix Bell.
One second... two seconds...
The antique gold began to pulse with a soft, internal glow.
SHHHH!
Suddenly, the chimes erupted in a violent, brilliant golden flame.
Sacred Fire!
"HOOOO-OHHHHH!"
A resonant, crystalline cry of a phoenix echoed through the hollow 18th floor.
The sound carried a divine weight, a pressure that made the very air vibrate.
The flames from the bell surged forward, leaping onto Ninetales. They didn't
burn her fur; they wrapped around her like a living shroud, spinning faster and
faster until she was encased in a spinning cocoon of pure, solar energy.
The wait was agonizing. Five minutes felt like an hour to Kenji. He watched the
fire-cocoon with bated breath, his curiosity burning as hot as the flames.
Beside him, the three Zhurong clan members looked concerned—usually, a blessing
took less than half this time.
Ten minutes passed. Finally, the Sacred Fire began to recede.
BOOM!
The cocoon shattered. The remaining sparks transformed into shimmering golden
dust that drifted into the wind, vanishing into the clouds.
Kenji shielded his eyes for a moment, then looked through his fingers. He froze.
Ninetales stood in the center of the room, but she had been fundamentally
reborn. Her fur no longer looked like standard cream-colored hair; it radiated a
prismatic, iridescent sheen, as if she were draped in silk woven from rainbows.
Her heterochromatic eyes were deeper and more piercing than before—the red eye
had transformed into a brilliant, molten gold.
[Pokémon Status]
Name: Ninetales (4-Star - Phoenix Blessed) Gender: Female Level: 84 Type: Fire
Base Stats (Total 705):
- HP: 100 / Atk: 105 / Def: 100 / SpA: 130 / SpD: 135 / Speed: 135 Abilities:
Drought, Illusion Items: Radiant Rabadon's Deathcap, Radiant Blue Buff,
Radiant Jeweled Gauntlet. Potential: Limit (Max)
Kenji's heart skipped a beat. Her potential had reached the "Limit," and her
base stats had jumped by 20 points, specifically into her Special Attack. More
importantly, her level had surged to 84.
But these were just the numbers. He knew from the Champion's Blaziken that the
true gift was the mutation of their fire.
"She's... beautiful," Xun whispered, staring in awe.
Under the sunlight, her fur shifted through the entire color spectrum depending
on the angle. She looked like a miniature, four-legged avatar of Ho-Oh itself.
With the blessing complete, the Phoenix Bell went dark, returning to its antique
state. Kenji thanked the Elders profusely before descending the mountain with
Xun to prepare for the final showdown.
Back in his room, Kenji released Ninetales to test her new power.
"Show me," he whispered.
Ninetales focused. Her golden eye flared, and with a soft whoosh, a small
cluster of flames manifested in the air.
Kenji's eyes widened. The fire wasn't orange or red. It was Seven-Colored Flame,
swirling with the same iridescent beauty as her fur.
As Kenji stared at the flame, his mind began to grow sluggish. His eyes glazed
over, his entire world narrowing down until there was nothing but the hypnotic
dance of the rainbow fire.
He didn't even realize it, but he began to reach out his hand, his fingers
inching toward the heat as if he were trying to touch a dream.
Snuff!
Ninetales extinguished the flame. Kenji jerked back, gasping as if he had just
woken from a nightmare. He looked at his fingertips; he had been inches away
from a severe burn.
"Hypnosis... through fire?" Kenji breathed, his heart hammering.
It was a terrifying ability. In a battle, an opponent wouldn't just be fighting
the heat; they would be fighting the urge to stop defending entirely. If she
could master this Phoenix Fireline, she would be a tactical nightmare.
Kenji grinned. If Ho-Oh could do this for Ninetales, what could Lugia do for
Gyarados? He made a mental note to look for the Storm God once this was over.
The Day of the Championship.
Kenji dressed in his official League challenger gear, checked his Poké Balls,
and made his way to the summit. The battle wouldn't be held in a stadium, but in
a massive, ancient stone arena situated just below the Bell Tower.
"Right on time," Xun said, walking up beside him. "The whole clan is gathered.
If you win this, you're not just a Champion—you're a legend."
"If I win," Kenji teased, "your loss in the finals won't look so bad."
Xun rolled his eyes. "Just don't get embarrassed out there. Uncle Yun is on
another level."
They reached the arena. Champion Zhurong Yun was already there, conversing with
Elders Qi and Lie. Several other high-ranking clan members sat in the
"spectator" section—a row of ancient stone benches.
"My apologies for the wait, Champion Yun," Kenji said respectfully.
Zhurong Yun smiled warmly. "Nonsense. I was just catching up with the family.
Are you ready?"
Kenji nodded. Both trainers took their positions.
Elder Lie stepped forward and patted his Master-Tier Ninetales. The fox's eyes
glowed with a deep blue light, and a massive Extrasensory barrier expanded to
encase the arena. A standard shield wouldn't hold up against the fallout of this
fight; it required a Level 100 God to act as the containment unit.
Elder Qi acted as the referee, raising two flags.
"The match for the Huaxia League Throne... Begin!"
"I'm counting on you! Annihilape!"
"Show them your strength! Kleavor!"
"ANN-HIIII!"
The Rage Phantom landed in the arena, letting out a world-shaking roar.
"KLEAAAAA!"
Kleavor materialized on the opposite side. It was a terrifying sight—a Bug/Rock
type evolved from Scyther using ancient Black Augurite. Its body was covered in
jagged, obsidian-like stone, and its twin scythes had been replaced by massive,
brutal stone axes.
[Pokémon Status]
Target: Kleavor (Champion Tier) Gender: Male Level: 99 Type: Rock / Bug Ability:
Sharpness (Boosts the power of slicing moves) Potential: S
Level 99. The absolute ceiling of the Champion Tier.
The two Pokémon stared each other down. Both were known for their volatile,
aggressive temperaments. The air between them was already thick with bloodlust
before a single command was given.
"Kleavor! Aerial Ace!"
"KLEAAAAA!"
Kleavor launched forward with shocking speed for a creature made of stone. Its
stone axes began to glow with a sharp, white light. Enhanced by the Sharpness
ability, even a simple Aerial Ace carried the lethality of a Guillotine.
"Stone Edge!"
Annihilape slammed its foot into the ground. Jagged pillars of rock erupted from
the floor, forming a defensive thicket to intercept the charge.
CRUNCH! SHATTER!
Kleavor didn't slow down. It danced through the pillars, its axes blurring in a
rhythmic display of martial perfection. The reinforced stone columns were
sheared through like soft butter.
The axe-wielder reached Annihilape in a heartbeat, its twin blades coming down
in a devastating Cross Chop!
♧♧♧
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you