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Soon, it was the next day.
As always, Liam was the first to fight. His opponent in the first match was Lorelei. Liam had prepared extensively for this moment.
For example, based on the matches so far, it was known that Lorelei had used Lapras, Cloyster, Dewgong, Slowbro, and a Jynx.
There was likely one or two more Pokémon she hadn't revealed yet, so he needed to be extra cautious.
Most of Lorelei's Pokémon had the Ice type, and aside from Slowbro, many also had the Water type. So, Liam used the little time before the match to teach his Pokémon Sunny Day.
With continuous Sunny Day, it could significantly reduce the power of Water-type moves and weaken the freezing effect of Ice-type attacks—a win-win.
They arrived at the battlefield for the second day.
This time, the battlefield had once again changed. Liam and Lorelei stood on opposite sides. Liam's side was crisscrossed with narrow streams, with rapid currents dividing his half of the battlefield into several sections.
Lorelei's side, on the other hand, was a smooth sheet of ice, with only a few ice pillars jutting from the surface. She glanced at her own battlefield, then looked over at Liam's side and couldn't help but chuckle.
"I object! This battlefield is clearly made specifically targeting me! I want to file a written complaint! I have my rights! What's the point of this battlefield?! Who the hell made this?!"
Liam's face was already dark, and Lorelei's gloating laughter didn't help. He couldn't hold it in anymore and yelled at the referee by the side of the field, his neck stiff with fury.
"Ahem, please calm down, contestant Liam. The battlefield is selected randomly—we assure you there is no targeting or favoritism. Please trust us."
The referee looked a little awkward, but it was what it was. The battlefield had already been decided, and no one could change it.
"..."
Liam fell silent again.
"Hahaha!! Looks like luck isn't on your side today~ How about this? Why don't you just surrender now? Forfeit and lose with dignity—I promise I won't laugh at you."
Lorelei clutched her stomach, laughing as she spoke.
"Cut the nonsense and show me what you've got! I'm really pissed off this time, just so you know! I'll have you begging for mercy soon!"
Liam's face was flushed—whether from anger or embarrassment was unclear. He grabbed a PokéBall with a determined motion, clearly ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
"Hmph! Teach me a lesson? We'll see who teaches who! Don't you cry when you lose!"
Lorelei quickly dropped her teasing tone and pouted defiantly.
"Tension is high! Sparks are flying before the match even begins! Liam and Lorelei are both on edge, clearly eager to throw down in what promises to be an electrifying battle! The audience is buzzing with anticipation! And so, without further ado, let's begin this critical match that will decide who advances to the finals!"
"Both challengers, please calm yourselves! Send out your first Pokémon and begin the match!"
The referee sighed softly, helpless in the face of the bickering duo, and had no choice but to start the match.
"Go, Arcanine—let's win this!"
"Pfft! You sure are jumping to conclusions! Don't you think it's a bit too early to decide the outcome? The result will only be clear after the battle begins! Time to show your strength and teach them a lesson—go, Dewgong!"
As soon as the referee gave the signal, both Liam and Lorelei quickly threw their PokéBalls. Despite the tension, both wore faint smiles.
The truth was, the two of them were under a lot of pressure. As friends who had fought side by side, being forced to face each other in a knockout match was emotionally exhausting. So they used this bickering as a way to vent that stress. This way, they could both give it their all without regrets.
"Tut-tut… You're not holding back, huh… starting with that Dewgong…"
Liam gave a bitter smile as he looked at the calm Dewgong on the icy field.
This Dewgong was the same one Lorelei had caught during the expedition to the glacier—it was one of the leaders of the wild Dewgong pod, and its strength was undeniable.
Liam had reviewed its information: it had the Thick Fat ability, which reduced the damage from Ice- and Fire-type moves. As a Water/Ice-type Pokémon, it already resisted Fire pretty well.
Now with Thick Fat, Fire moves were halved again... How was he supposed to deal with that?
"Hmph, I knew you'd start with Arcanine," Lorelei said with a sly smile.
"I've been watching your battles over the past few days, and I know your lineup. Of all your Pokémon, the only one that poses a real threat to my Ice-types is Arcanine. But my Dewgong doesn't fear fire. If you're holding back this time… I will defeat you! Dewgong, use Water Pulse!"
"Dewgong!"
As former comrades, Dewgong and Arcanine both froze for a moment upon seeing each other. They nodded in mutual acknowledgment, but wasted no time—both knew this was a serious fight.
Upon hearing Lorelei's command, Dewgong's eyes turned cold. It opened its mouth and formed a swirling ball of water, which it launched toward Arcanine at high speed. There was no holding back today.
"Arcanine, Agility! Then Sunny Day!"
"Roooaarr!"
Seeing Lorelei strike first, Liam smiled and issued his commands.
With a fierce growl, Arcanine dashed forward, leaping skillfully over the streams on Liam's side of the field, narrowly dodging the Water Pulse that splashed upon hitting the ground.
"Roooaarr!"
After dodging the attack, Arcanine stopped and raised its head, letting out a long roar. A red, translucent energy surged into the sky, transforming into intense sunlight that bathed the entire battlefield.
As the temperature rose, the rushing rivers and icy surfaces began to evaporate, sending clouds of steam into the air.
"Arcanine, it's time to fight back! Charge in—use Fire Fang!"
"Woof!"
Responding to Liam's order, Arcanine sprang into action. Its flaming body bounded over the now-dwindling waterways and landed on the icy floor, racing toward Dewgong.
As it approached, its jaws opened wide, and four thick, elongated fangs of fire flared from its mouth, aiming for a vicious bite.
"Dewgong, Skate to dodge! Then use Aurora Beam!"
"Dew..!"
Though Dewgong looked bulky and slow, this was deceptive. While it wasn't agile on land, it was a completely different story on ice or in water.
Seeing Arcanine rush in, Dewgong let out a low growl and twisted away, gliding smoothly across the ice.
Its chubby white body moved with surprising speed and grace—almost like a figure skater—as it effortlessly dodged Arcanine's attack, whose footing was compromised by the slick ice.
"Gong!"
As soon as it avoided the hit, Dewgong spun around. The horn on its forehead glowed brilliantly and released a dazzling multicolored beam like a polar aurora.
"Arcanine, Flamethrower!"
Seeing Dewgong's speed and counterattack, Liam frowned slightly, then quickly gave his command.
"Grrraw!!"
With a low growl, Arcanine launched a stream of blazing fire from its mouth. The flames collided with Dewgong's Aurora Beam, resulting in a loud explosion that filled the field with thick black smoke.
"Dewgong, Aqua Jet! Go!"
Not wasting a second, Lorelei issued another command.
"Awooo!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, the smoke rippled—and then, a deep blue stream of water burst forth. Dewgong, shrouded in water, shot out of the smoke like a torpedo, rushing straight at Arcanine. Startled, Arcanine jumped aside to evade.
But it wasn't over. The Aqua Jet Dewgong had launched—after being dodged—suddenly curved in midair. It circled gracefully and landed back near Lorelei, where the water dispersed.
Dewgong stood firm, locking eyes with Arcanine across the field and growling lowly, ready for round two.