Chapter 112: Steven: My Brother Asher Is Invincible!
[VIP Chat Group]
[Bianca]: It’s happening! It’s finally happening! Daughter against mother! I’ve been waiting this entire episode for this moment!
[Wallace]: Tiana issued a formal challenge in her capacity as the winner of the League Conference. Under League regulations, Cynthia cannot refuse.
[Cheryl]: That was so moving! She was completely sincere when she said all of that!
[Juan]: This child genuinely wants to fight alongside her parents.
[Bruno]: Proving your resolve through battle—that is how a true Trainer should do it!
[Diantha]: Cynthia must have complicated feelings right now. Her daughter has grown up, but she’s demonstrating that growth by challenging her to a battle.
[Dawn]: Were my mother standing across from me, I probably wouldn’t even be able to hold my Poké Ball steady. Tiana is amazing for remaining so calm!
[Alder]: Sigh... I wish I had such an accomplished daughter. Then I wouldn’t have to keep shouldering this burden by myself.
The video continued playing.
Sinnoh League headquarters, Champion’s conference room.
Four chairs stood in a row.
Lucian, Flint, Bertha, and Aaron sat upon them, each wearing a different expression as they studied Tiana, who stood in the doorway.
"So," Lucian began, adjusting his glasses, "are you certain you want to issue your challenge at a time like this?"
"Yes."
Tiana nodded.
Aaron pressed a hand against his forehead.
"Then we’ll follow the official procedure. The winner of the League Conference has the right to challenge the Elite Four. Those are the rules."
"I’ll go first."
Flint rose and rolled his wrist, his joints cracking audibly.
"Tiana, I still remember when you put horseradish sauce in Infernape’s lunch. I won’t be holding back today."
Tiana tilted her head.
"Uncle Flint, that happened several years ago."
"To me, it feels like yesterday!"
Flint spoke through gritted teeth, though there was an unmistakable smile on his face.
The battles were held in the main stadium at League headquarters, surrounded by tiered spectator seating.
The first match was Flint against Tiana.
Flint sent out his ace, Infernape.
Tiana chose Garchomp.
The referee swung down his flag.
Infernape’s Flamethrower was scattered in every direction by Garchomp’s Sandstorm. Its Flare Blitz proved equally incapable of overcoming Garchomp’s Dragon Rush.
The brilliant explosion of fire engulfed the entire battlefield.
When the smoke finally cleared, Infernape lay unconscious at the edge of the field, its eyes replaced by spirals.
The referee raised his flag.
"Infernape is unable to battle! The winner is the challenger, Tiana!"
The second match was Aaron against Tiana.
Aaron sent out Drapion, its enormous purple body occupying one side of the battlefield.
Tiana sent out Tyranitar.
The two massive Pokémon faced each other from opposite ends of the field.
Drapion’s attacks poured down upon Tyranitar like a torrential rain, yet they struggled to inflict any meaningful damage.
Stone Edge erupted from directly beneath Drapion and struck it in the abdomen, launching its entire body into the air before it crashed heavily back to the ground.
The referee raised his flag.
"Drapion is unable to battle! The winner is the challenger, Tiana!"
Aaron recalled Drapion and released a melancholy sigh.
"As expected, I still couldn’t win."
"Thank you, Uncle Aaron."
Tiana bowed.
"I’ll treat you to a meal another day."
The third match was Bertha against Tiana.
Bertha sent out Rhyperior, while Tiana chose Dragonite.
"My dear."
Bertha smiled warmly at her.
"Grandma may adore you, but I won’t be holding back in today’s battle."
"I’ll give it everything I have," Tiana replied seriously.
In the end, Dragonite’s Ice Punch struck Rhyperior directly in the chest.
Frost spread violently outward from the point of impact, freezing Rhyperior’s enormous body into an ice sculpture.
The referee raised his flag.
"Rhyperior is unable to battle! The winner is the challenger, Tiana!"
Bertha recalled Rhyperior and nodded approvingly toward Tiana.
"You fought well, child."
"Thank you, Grandma Bertha."
Tiana bowed deeply.
The final match was against Lucian.
Lucian sent out Bronzong, while Tiana once again chose Garchomp.
The referee swung down his flag.
Before Bronzong could fully unleash Psychic, Garchomp had already completed three Dragon Dances.
A dark-blue afterimage flashed across the battlefield.
Bronzong’s psychic barrier was torn apart like paper by Dragon Claw, before Brick Break smashed its entire body into the protective wall at the edge of the field.
The referee raised his flag.
"Bronzong is unable to battle! The winner is the challenger, Tiana!"
Lucian recalled Bronzong and adjusted his glasses, appearing considerably calmer than expected.
"This outcome wasn’t particularly surprising."
"Thank you, Uncle Lucian."
Tiana bowed.
"There’s no need to thank me."
Lucian waved one hand.
"You have already surpassed all four members of the Elite Four. Your mother is the only opponent remaining."
[VIP Chat Group]
[Roark]: The entire Elite Four was defeated! In less than two hours! Isn’t that a little too ridiculous?!
[Volkner]: @Flint, you’ve grown weak, old man!
[Flint]: ...
[Aaron]: Every Pokémon on Tiana’s team is a pseudo-Legendary. Is that really reasonable?
[Wallace]: It would be unreasonable under ordinary circumstances. But her father is Asher, so it makes perfect sense.
[Gary]: Hahaha! Somehow, I can’t argue with that logic!
[Steven]: My Brother Asher is invincible!
[Asher]: Just you wait, Steven!
[Steven]: Oh no! Wallace, save me!
[Wallace]: Get lost!
The video continued playing.
On the battlefield—
Tiana stood on the challenger’s side, her short black hair gently stirred by the stadium’s circulating air.
Across from her, Cynthia slowly emerged from the Champion’s entrance, the hem of her dark-gray coat lifting slightly behind her.
Mother and daughter stared at each other across the field.
"Mommy," Tiana said first.
Cynthia looked at her, the corner of her mouth curving upward.
"You’ve grown up."
She then reached out, removed a Poké Ball, and held it in her palm.
"Tiana, you are my daughter. Whether or not you ever reached the point where you could stand before me, that would never change."
She paused.
"But now that you stand across from me as a challenger and have formally challenged me, I will not hold back. Doing so would be disrespectful to you."
Tiana tightened her grip around her own Poké Ball.
"Mommy, I’ll give it everything I have too."
At the referee’s stand, the referee looked down and confirmed that both participants were in position before raising his flag.
"The Sinnoh League Champion challenge will now begin! Challenger Tiana versus Champion Cynthia!"
"This will be a three-on-three battle, and both Trainers may freely switch their Pokémon!"
"Battle—begin!"