Chapter 60: Crowned an Elite Four Member
The video continued playing.
Raina recalled Blastoise and looked down at its Poké Ball.
"Thank you for your hard work."
She then raised her head and threw another Poké Ball.
"Lapras, I’m counting on you!"
Lapras landed on the battlefield. It looked back at Raina and released a long, low cry.
Lance nodded slightly.
"Lapras... A good choice. Dragonite, use Dragon Pulse!"
Dragonite opened its mouth and fired a wave of purple energy toward Lapras.
"Lapras, Ice Beam!"
The icy-blue beam collided with the purple wave of energy in midair before exploding violently.
"Freeze-Dry!"
Lapras opened its mouth and released a cloud of bitterly cold frost. The temperature across the entire battlefield plummeted in an instant.
Even Dragonite’s body became covered in a thin layer of frost.
"A good attempt."
Lance’s voice remained calm.
"Dragonite, Thunder Punch!"
Dragonite once again flew into the sky before plummeting vertically from directly above.
"Lapras, Protect!"
A pale green barrier appeared and blocked the attack.
"Ice Beam!"
Lapras opened its mouth as Ice-type energy continuously gathered within it.
Lance raised one hand.
"Dragon Claw."
Dragonite crossed its claws, now enveloped in Dragon-type energy, in front of its body and blocked the Ice Beam.
"Throw it away."
Dragonite suddenly hurled Lapras through the air.
Lapras rolled once in midair before sliding several meters across the ground and barely managing to stop itself.
Raina gritted her teeth.
"Lapras, use Ice Beam again!"
Lapras raised its head and fired an icy-blue beam even thicker than the previous one.
"Hyper Beam."
Dragonite opened its mouth and released a golden beam filled with destructive energy.
Hyper Beam swallowed the Ice Beam head-on and continued forward without losing momentum, striking Lapras directly.
When the smoke from the explosion dispersed, Lapras lay unconscious on the ground.
The referee raised his flag.
"Lapras is unable to battle!"
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"Lance is way too powerful!"
"Lapras: I tried! I really tried!"
"Raina has already lost two Pokémon... What is she going to do now?"
[VIP Chat Group]
[Ash]: Raina... Can she still turn this around...?
[Brock]: Her opponent is Lance. This situation is far too difficult.
Raina recalled Lapras and stood silently for several seconds.
"Dragonite, I’m counting on you!"
She forcefully threw the Poké Ball.
Dragonite landed on the battlefield. It exchanged glances with Lance’s Dragonite before curling one corner of its mouth into a crooked smirk.
Lance’s Dragonite frowned slightly.
Raina’s Dragonite raised one claw and gave it a thumbs-up.
Then it slowly turned the thumb downward.
Lance’s Dragonite’s eyes widened slightly, and it released a heavy snort through its nostrils.
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"Hahahaha! Dragonite gave it a thumbs-down!"
"Lance’s Dragonite: Is this brat asking for a beating?!"
"Dragonite: Come at me!"
"I’m dying! Why is this Dragonite so arrogant?! Who taught it that?!"
[VIP Chat Group]
[Steven]: @Asher, you taught it that gesture, didn’t you?
[Asher]: It wasn’t me. I didn’t do it. Stop making things up.
[Wallace]: You denied it faster than your Dragonite using Extreme Speed.
[Asher]: Don’t start spreading nonsense. Even if that were true, it was the parallel-world version of me who taught it. It has nothing to do with me, okay?
The video continued.
Lance looked at the round young Dragonite, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly.
"Interesting. Dragonite, use Dragon Pulse!"
A wave of purple energy surged toward Raina’s Dragonite.
"Dragonite, dodge it!"
Raina’s Dragonite shifted sideways, avoiding the attack with a swift and decisive movement.
"Thunder Punch!"
Golden electricity enveloped Raina’s Dragonite’s right claw as it punched Lance’s Dragonite directly in the stomach.
The blow forced Lance’s Dragonite half a step backward.
It lowered its head and looked at the youngster before it, who was still immature compared with itself. A hint of seriousness entered its gaze.
"Impressive strength."
Lance nodded.
"Dragonite, Dragon Tail!"
"We’ll use Dragon Tail too!"
The two Dragonite’s tails collided head-on.
Raina’s Dragonite was knocked backward several steps, but it quickly regained its footing. It shook its tail as though the impact hadn’t bothered it at all.
"Ice Punch!"
Frost gathered around Raina’s Dragonite’s left claw as it prepared to charge at Lance’s Dragonite again.
Lance’s voice remained steady.
"Dragonite, Hurricane!"
A violent gale swept across the battlefield, disrupting Raina’s Dragonite and preventing its attack from connecting.
"Now, Dragon Tail!"
Raina shouted:
"Dragonite, use Protect—"
Before Raina’s Dragonite could form a barrier, Lance’s Dragonite had already appeared behind it.
Its tail swept horizontally, launching Raina’s Dragonite through the air. It struck the ground and rolled several times.
Raina’s Dragonite lay on the ground, bracing itself with all four limbs as it tried to rise.
It stood up.
Raina’s Dragonite shook the dust from its head, looked back at Raina, and nodded once.
Raina clenched her fist.
"All right... Draco Meteor!"
Raina’s Dragonite raised its head and spat an orange sphere of light into the air.
The sphere exploded beneath the stadium’s roof, transforming into countless meteors that trailed fiery tails as they rained across the entire battlefield.
Lance’s Dragonite looked up at the sky full of meteors without attempting to dodge.
"Protect!"
A pale green barrier surrounded Lance’s Dragonite, allowing it to endure Draco Meteor’s bombardment.
The entire battlefield disappeared beneath the light of countless explosions.
When the radiance gradually faded, Raina’s Dragonite stood in the center of the field, breathing heavily.
Lance’s Dragonite was also panting, but there were few visible injuries on its body.
Lance looked at the opposing Dragonite, whose fighting spirit remained undiminished, and couldn’t help nodding approvingly.
"Dragonite, end this with Dragon Rush."
Lance’s Dragonite once again flew into the sky. Purple Dragon-type energy enveloped its entire body as it charged toward Raina’s Dragonite with unstoppable force.
Boom——!
The smoke dispersed.
Lance’s Dragonite remained standing in its original position.
Raina’s Dragonite lay fallen at the edge of the battlefield.
The referee raised his flag.
"Raina’s Dragonite is unable to battle! The winner is—Elite Four member Lance!"
The entire stadium erupted into applause louder than at any previous moment.
It wasn’t because of who had won.
It was because the battle had been spectacular.
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"Dragonite! Raina’s Dragonite! Waaaaah..."
"It could barely stand, but it still insisted on fighting! This is the pride of a Dragon type!"
[VIP Chat Group]
[Bruno]: An honorable defeat! That was a true battle between warriors!
[Lorelei]: Indeed. With Lance as its opponent, there is nothing to regret.
[Cynthia]: Raina’s rate of growth truly is astonishing.
[Dawn]: Raina was already incredible!
[Iris]: Exactly! That battle made me cry!
The scene changed again.
Indigo Plateau, Hall of the Elite Four.
Raina stood at the center of the hall wearing a brand-new cape.
Sunlight streamed down from the domed ceiling, illuminating the seat reserved for an Elite Four member at the center of the hall.
Agatha stood before Raina with a letter of appointment in her hands.
"These old bones of mine should have retired long ago."
Agatha extended the letter toward her.
"After discussing it among ourselves, we decided that you were the most suitable person for this position."
Raina accepted the letter of appointment and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Senior Agatha!"
Lorelei leaned against a nearby pillar, displaying a rare smile.
"Welcome to the Elite Four, Raina."
Bruno crossed his arms over his chest.
"We’re colleagues from now on! The next time we battle, you’d better use your full strength!"
Lance stood atop the highest step in the hall, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Congratulations, our newest Elite Four member."
[Regular-Seat Chat Group]
"A Water-type Elite Four member! She’s only ten years old!"
"Agatha has retired... An era has ended."
"But a new era has begun."
[VIP Chat Group]
[Professor Oak]: A ten-year-old Water-type Elite Four member... What an extraordinary child.
[Ash]: I’ve decided! I’m going to train! I’m going to become stronger too!
[Pikachu]: Pika, pika!
[Brock]: Ash, that burst of enthusiasm came rather suddenly.
[Ash]: I don’t care whether it was sudden! If Raina can do it, then so can I!
The video continued.
Cerulean Gym, Raina’s bedroom.
Raina leaned against the headboard while Eevee curled up beside her legs.
The dark-blue Elite Four coat hung from a clothes rack in the corner. The emblem on its chest glimmered faintly beneath the moonlight.
Raina leafed through the ancient book, running her fingers over the line of ancient writing on its cover.
People of the Sea God—the sea route shall open once more.
She turned to the final page.
The navigational chart on the page emitted a faint glow beneath the moonlight. The route ended in a stretch of ocean enveloped in silver radiance, where a Pokémon had been drawn with its wings spread wide.
Lugia.
Eevee raised its head when it noticed the glow coming from the ancient book.
"Eevee~"
Its tail brushed gently across Raina’s fingers.
Raina stroked Eevee’s head before returning her gaze to the ancient book.
The line of text continued glowing faintly, almost as though it were inviting her onward.