Pokemon: Ghostbound

"Charizard, Flamethrower!"

The intense flames engulfed Ursaring, who staggered but retaliated with a Slash attack on its trainer's command. Despite Ursaring's Guts ability being activated, the gap in strength was too large to overcome.

Under Charizard's relentless fiery onslaught, Ursaring collapsed, unable to continue the battle.

Compared to Sloan's one-sided defeat in the earlier match, Maeshima's performance was commendable. Perhaps someone from Silph Co. would reach out to him for recruitment.

Back in the waiting room, Tyson watched the remaining matches.

With fewer matches today—only 25 being held simultaneously—Tyson could better focus on observing the other elite players.

The competition had ramped up significantly. While a few lucky trainers with Excellent-level Pokémon had advanced, most opponents now had well-trained Pokémon with Advanced -level strength, each showcasing unique strategies.

Although elite trainers like Tyson still held a significant advantage, some had already been forced to reveal their trump cards. Tyson, however, was determined to keep his Charizard's full potential hidden for as long as possible.

After watching the matches through the morning, Tyson took a break during lunch. Though Silph Co. provided food for trainers and their Pokémon, he preferred to eat alone.

In the afternoon, Tyson returned to the waiting room, observing until it was his turn to battle.

This time, his opponent was Otsuka, a Advanced trainer whose Pokémon was a Pidgeot.

"Pidgeot, Tailwind, then use Quick Attack!

Otsuka wasted no time, boosting Pidgeot's speed with Tailwind before commanding it to rush forward in a blur of white light.

"Charizard, Heat Wave! Follow up with Flare Blitz!

Charizard unleashed a scorching Heat Wave, dispersing Pidgeot's offensive momentum. Without hesitation, Charizard cloaked itself in flames and closed the distance in an instant.

Catching Pidgeot by its wings, Charizard prevented its escape.

"Break free!"

Otsuka's command was met with a futile struggle. Charizard unleashed a point-blank Flamethrower, enveloping Pidgeot in intense heat. The flames were followed by two precise Air Slashes that struck Pidgeot's wings.

With a pained screech, Pidgeot plummeted from the sky. A final Heat Wave sealed its defeat, leaving it unable to battle.

If Otsuka had started cautiously, the battle might have lasted longer. However, he underestimated the strength gap, resulting in Pidgeot's swift loss.

Back in the training room, Tyson turned his focus to preparation.

Charizard continued refining its mastery of Fire Blast, while Tyson's Mankey approached a significant milestone.

After completing its training regimen, Mankey's strength officially rose to the Excellent level. As the surge of power coursed through its body, Mankey clenched its fists and grinned.

"Congratulations, Mankey. Your next step is to master this newfound strength."

Tyson smiled and stroked Mankey's head.

"Once we leave Saffron City, I'll find plenty of wild Pokémon for you to battle. Don't complain about being tired later!"

Mankey, eager for the challenge, nodded enthusiastically and began practicing with added weights, honing its fighting skills.

The knockout rounds continued the next day, and Tyson's opponents grew stronger. However, all remained at the Advanced level.

By the fourth day, only 200 trainers remained. Advancing to the top 100, Tyson finally faced an Elite-level opponent: Quinn.

Quinn exuded confidence, Believing Tyson to be one of the weakest Elite-level trainers based on Pokémon Navigator.

The referee announced the start of the battle, and both trainers released their Pokémon. Quinn's choice was Ampharos, a purely Electric-type Pokémon with the Plus ability.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!"

Charizard opened with its signature move, while Tyson's system scanned Ampharos's stats. Its Plus ability was advantageous in team battles but irrelevant in this one-on-one matchup.

"Ampharos, counter with Thunderbolt!"

The two moves collided mid-air, resulting in a dazzling explosion of fire and electricity. The stalemate prompted Quinn to grow cautious, realizing Tyson might have been concealing Charizard's full strength.

Unwilling to drag the match on, Tyson decided to end the battle swiftly.

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