Pokemon: Skybound

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Shaking his head, Andrew quickly dismissed the absurd thought.

'Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! How can I let myself feel so defeated? I'm not at the point of no return yet!'

Recalling his Rhyhorn, he grabbed his third Poké Ball with determination.

"Go, Venusaur!"

As his strongest Pokémon, Andrew chose to send Venusaur into battle. He was counting on his most powerful partner to turn the tide and secure at least one victory.

On the opposite side, while Gyarados's Flying type posed a threat to Venusaur's Grass type, its Water-type was at a disadvantage against Grass.

Kai, however, had other plans. He recalled Gyarados, intending to send out a more suitable Pokémon for a decisive finish.

But before he could act, he noticed a flicker of movement in the shadows at his feet.

Haunter emerged halfway from Kai's shadow, grinning mischievously. "That Venusaur looks like his strongest Pokémon. Let me handle this one!"

"You want to battle?" Kai raised an eyebrow, quickly calculating the type of matchups and strategy in his head. He nodded after a moment. "Alright, but be careful. Don't let your guard down, or it might cost us."

"Relax!" Haunter rolled his eyes at Kai, fully emerging from the shadow and floating toward the battlefield. Without looking back, he called, "Just sit back and enjoy the show!"

On the commentator's platform, the announcer lit up with excitement at Venusaur's appearance.

"As expected! Andrew has sent out his Venusaur, his strongest Pokémon! This is a solid strategy. When the chips are down, you can always rely on your ace to turn things around and claim a victory!"

The commentators and spectators shared the same sentiment: though Kai was heavily favoured to win, Andrew's Venusaur could likely take down at least two of Kai's Pokémon.

But Lance, sitting among the spectators, had a different take.

"Maybe," Lance said, smiling cryptically. "But if I'm not mistaken, Haunter is Kai's strongest Pokémon. This battle won't be as straightforward as it seems."

The announcer blinked in surprise. "Haunter? I assumed Kai's Gardevoir or Gyarados would be his ace! If that's true, a showdown between their strongest Pokémon will make this battle even more thrilling!"

However, reality proved far more shocking. From the moment the battle began, it became clear that Venusaur was no match for Haunter.

Venusaur's attempts to use Poison Powder and Sleep Powder were thwarted by Haunter's sudden Gust-like move. Every other attack, from Razor Leaf to Solar Beam, was effortlessly dodged or countered.

A charged Solar Beam, the culmination of Venusaur's power, was neutralized by a single Shadow Ball from Haunter.

Andrew was left speechless, frozen as his Venusaur fell to its knees. 'What kind of monster is this? How can it be so strong?'

The crowd murmured in stunned disbelief. Many had expected a dramatic clash between two aces, but Venusaur's defeat was swift and humiliating.

Adding to the surprise, Kai had stood motionless with his hands in his pockets the entire time, allowing Haunter to battle freely and decisively.

In a final move, Haunter vanished, reappearing behind Venusaur to deliver a devastating Night Shade, sealing the victory and rewriting the score to 3-0 in Kai's favour.

The commentators fumbled for words, their earlier declarations about the duel of aces now embarrassing in retrospect.

Fortunately, the crowd's focus remained on the battlefield, sparing the commentary team from scrutiny.

---

Meanwhile, in the Indigo Stadium's control room, the live broadcast director, John, was nearly euphoric as the ratings climbed to unprecedented heights.

Kai's rising popularity and prowess validated John's decision to invest in him.

Not only did Kai's success boost the league's viewership, but it also strengthened John's influence within the Pokémon League.

Watching Kai's composed, commanding presence on the battlefield, John couldn't help but admire him.

As the door opened behind him, John turned to see President Charles Goodshow entering the room.

"Mr. President!" John and the staff immediately stood, but Goodshow waved them off with his usual friendly demeanour. He approached John with a curious glint in his eyes.

"How are the ratings?" Goodshow asked.

"Not bad," John replied, feigning nonchalance. But his proud tone betrayed him. "We've only broken the historical record, surpassing the previous ratings by several points. Nothing special."

Goodshow rolled his eyes. "You're not the one battling, so why the smug attitude?"

Shaking his head, he turned to the main screen, where the fourth round was underway. Andrew had sent out Scyther, while Kai had chosen Jolteon.

Despite its speed and agility, Scyther struggled against Jolteon's Electric-type moves, barely managing to stay on its feet. Watching the fierce battle, Goodshow sighed wistfully.

"Ah, to be young again. If I were 30 years younger, I'd be out there competing, chasing my dream!"

John chuckled. "President, you're as energetic as ever! You've got at least another 30 years ahead of you."

Then, with a curious glint, he asked, "Were you a trainer in your youth? You must've been amazing!"

Goodshow laughed heartily. "Indeed, I was! Back in the day, I was one of the most respected trainers in Kanto. Seeing Kai out there reminds me of my younger self!"

John froze, his eyes darting between the slender, confident figure of Kai on the screen and the short, weathered man standing before him. The image gap was staggering.

'Charm?' John thought incredulously, glancing again at Goodshow. 'No offence, but this has to be a joke!'

Suppressing the urge to voice his disbelief, John swallowed his critique and forced a polite smile.

"Of course, Mr. President. I'm sure Kai inherited your… charm."

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