Join my p@treon for more chapters

[email protected]/Tempest_29

Beedrill emerged once more onto the battlefield, its compound eyes fixed intently on Charizard as they prepared for their final confrontation.

Under the blazing afternoon sun, Beedrill’s translucent wings beat rapidly, creating a distinctive buzzing sound that echoed across the arena. Its crimson eyes remained locked onto Charizard with unwavering determination, despite the overwhelming odds it faced.

Jonah understood perfectly well that his chances of victory were practically nonexistent. Even so, he was determined to give everything he had, carefully analyzing every possible strategy to counter the mighty Charizard before him. While defeating Jacob seemed impossible, Jonah refused to give up without a fight. If he could just take down one Charizard, he would consider that a victory in itself.

“Beedrill, use Sword Dance!” Jonah commanded.

It was the same familiar strategy he had employed before—opening with Sword Dance to boost Beedrill’s attack power. This time, however, Jacob chose not to counter with Flamethrower. Instead, he opted for a different approach.

“Charizard, Heat Wave!”

Jacob had discovered that Heat Wave was remarkably effective in actual battles. Unlike many other moves, it offered both impressive range and devastating power, making it an excellent choice for area-of-effect attacks that could control the battlefield.

Interestingly, he had found that Flamethrower, the signature Fire-type move that most trainers relied on, often proved less effective in real combat situations. Opponents seemed to find creative ways to dodge the concentrated flame attacks, making the move somewhat predictable.

Charizard drew in a deep breath before exhaling a wave of scorching hot air that spread across a wide area in front of it. The heat distorted the air itself, creating shimmering waves that made the battlefield appear to dance. Any Pokemon attempting to approach Charizard would first have to endure this wall of searing heat.

“Beedrill, Drill Run!” Jonah shouted, refusing to back down.

Once again employing its signature tactic, Beedrill raised both of its needle-like arms, began spinning its entire body like a drill, and launched itself directly toward Charizard with incredible speed and precision.

The Bug-type Pokemon managed to power through the area covered by the intense heat, its determination driving it forward despite the painful temperature. As it broke through the Heat Wave, Beedrill aimed both needles directly at Charizard’s torso.

“Charizard, Dragon Claw!” Jacob responded quickly.

Charizard’s claws became enveloped in draconic energy, glowing with a fierce blue-green light. The Fire-type crossed its arms defensively in front of its chest, successfully blocking Beedrill’s Drill Run attack with its energy-enhanced claws.

“Now, Charizard, use Flamethrower!”

“Beedrill, Poison Jab with your stinger!”

Both trainers issued their commands almost simultaneously as the Pokemon remained locked in close combat.

Flames began building in Charizard’s throat, the intense heat visible as an orange glow deep within its maw. The Fire-type opened its mouth wide and unleashed a torrent of flames that instantly engulfed Beedrill at point-blank range.

At the exact same moment, Beedrill’s tail stinger became wrapped in a sinister purple energy characteristic of Poison-type moves. Despite being caught in the flames, the Bug-type Pokemon fought through the pain and drove its venomous stinger deep into Charizard’s body with every ounce of strength it possessed.

“ROAAAAR!” Charizard bellowed in agony as the poisonous stinger penetrated its hide.

Beedrill endured the excruciating heat of the flames while maintaining its grip, ensuring that its Poison Jab delivered maximum damage. The fire continued to burn Beedrill’s fragile exoskeleton while simultaneously, the Pokemon’s stinger released toxic energy directly into Charizard’s system, causing significant internal damage.

After what felt like an eternity but was only a few seconds, Beedrill’s relatively frail body finally succumbed to the overwhelming heat generated by the flames. Its consciousness faded as it gradually collapsed to the ground, unable to continue fighting.

Charizard, while still standing, had sustained serious injuries from Beedrill’s final desperate attack. The Poison Jab had dealt considerable damage, leaving the Fire-type Pokemon visibly weakened, though it retained just enough strength to remain conscious.

The referee, who had been monitoring the battle closely from the sidelines, quickly approached the center of the arena to make the official call.

“Beedrill is unable to battle! Charizard wins! The victory goes to Jacob!” the referee announced clearly.

As the official verdict rang out across the arena, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the spectators who had witnessed the intense battle.

Jacob recalled Charizard to its Poke Ball and walked toward the center of the battlefield where Jonah was waiting. The two trainers met in the middle of the arena for the traditional post-battle handshake.

“You fought incredibly well,” Jonah said, his voice carrying genuine respect despite his disappointment. “I accept this defeat completely.” Although he felt frustrated that his Beedrill had fallen to Charizard, he offered Jacob his sincere congratulations. “I hope you can claim victory in this afternoon’s match as well.”

Jacob studied Jonah carefully, recognizing the skill behind his opponent’s training methods. While Jonah’s Pokemon might not have possessed overwhelming raw power, he had developed Beedrill’s techniques to an impressive degree. The rotating Sword Dance evasion technique, as well as the coordinated combination attack using both arm needles and tail stinger simultaneously for Drill Run, demonstrated far superior skill compared to most Beedrill trainers Jacob had encountered.

In Jacob’s assessment, Jonah was definitely a trainer with real talent. “Your Pokemon showed incredible strength as well,” Jacob replied honestly. “You were just unfortunate with the type matchup and weather conditions.”

This was the truth of the matter. If the battle had taken place during a rainstorm, Charizard would never have been able to defeat three opponents in succession. Even taking down two Pokemon consecutively would have been extremely difficult under those conditions. However, sometimes luck played a crucial role in determining the outcome of battles.

Jacob lowered his voice and leaned in slightly. “Would you be interested in working at a gym in Starlight City, Frosthollow Province? I could write a letter of recommendation to my father to help you secure a position at a Bug-type gym. It wouldn’t interfere with your video creation work either. Here’s my contact information… If you’re interested, please feel free to call me.”

When Jonah heard Jacob’s unexpected offer, his eyes immediately brightened with excitement, and he nodded eagerly. “Absolutely! Thank you so much for this opportunity. I’ll contact you after your tournament concludes. And I want you to know—I’ll challenge you again in the future. This time, my ace Pokemon hasn’t fully matured yet, so I won’t lose to you so easily next time we battle.”

Jonah did indeed possess an ace Pokemon, but the creature had only recently hatched from its egg. Although it demonstrated exceptional potential and natural talent, its current strength remained at basic levels. Once that Pokemon reached full maturity, it would certainly be capable of matching Jacob’s Charizard in battle.

“I’ll always welcome your challenge,” Jacob responded without hesitation. He felt no fear about future confrontations because he knew that by the time they met again, even if Jonah had grown stronger, his own abilities would have advanced significantly as well.

Currently, among Jacob’s team of six Pokemon, only Charizard and Septile had reached full maturity. His other four Dragon-type Pokemon had not yet evolved into their final evolutionary forms.

This represented a common challenge that Dragon-type specialists faced—they typically struggled during the early stages of their careers, but as time progressed, Dragon-type Pokemon became increasingly formidable opponents.

Of course, whether a trainer could survive those difficult early stages remained a significant question.

Once his four Pokemon—including his Dreepy, Bagon, and others—evolved into their final forms, each one would become a powerhouse in its own right. None of them would be considered weak, and every single one possessed the potential to become truly exceptional.

After the morning competition rounds concluded, the exhibition matches and rest period began. Jacob spent his time backstage, making thorough preparations for his afternoon battle.

His upcoming opponent was named Nathaniel, a member of the Drakehold Dragon Secret Realm Training Class and Richard’s most favored student.

Richard harbored a personal grudge against Jacob stemming from their previous conflict over the Pseudo-legendary Pokemon. While Jacob had largely moved past the incident, Richard’s resentment had only grown stronger, especially after receiving disturbing news from the Dawn Society just a few days earlier.

The Dreepy that Jacob had obtained was revealed to be a Shiny Dreepy!

When Richard learned this information, his anger reached new heights. He had even entertained thoughts of eliminating Jacob entirely and claiming all of his Pokemon for himself. However, the capital city was not Drakehold—Drakehold was Richard’s domain, his territory where he held absolute power!

Richard was a native son of Drakehold. He had been born there, raised there, and built his entire career there over many decades.

For years, Richard had served as the guardian of the Drakehold Dragon Secret Realm. His personal strength had long ago reached the peak of King-level trainer status, placing him just one step away from joining the ranks of the Heavenly Kings. Additionally, the Yu family was one of the largest and most influential families in all of Drakehold, wielding tremendous power throughout the region.

With his formidable personal abilities and deep-rooted family connections, Richard operated like a local emperor within Drakehold’s borders. Anything that caught his attention would inevitably fall into his grasp, one way or another.

Under Richard’s leadership, the Yu family had expanded their operations dramatically. What had begun as legitimate businesses in construction and tourism had gradually evolved into much darker enterprises: Pokemon trafficking, energy cube manufacturing, underground black market operations, Pokemon poaching, and even human trafficking.

If there was profit to be made, no business was too unsavory for Richard to pursue. Naturally, this expansion brought him into conflict with various competitors over the years. Those rivals who possessed some political backing or family connections might lose some money and be forced to leave Drakehold alive. However, those without any significant protection invariably met with mysterious disappearances or unexplained deaths.

As for the victims who attempted to report these crimes to the Pokemon Association, they were typically intercepted and dealt with before they could even leave the building. After all, the president of the Drakehold Pokemon Association happened to be Richard’s father-in-law.

Richard’s ruthless business practices had made him a feared and well-known figure throughout Drakehold. However, he was careful to limit his operations to Drakehold and the surrounding Sanqin Province, never attempting to expand beyond those boundaries. He understood that even the strongest dragon could not easily suppress a local snake in its own territory—this wisdom had been key to the Yu family’s long-term success and survival.

When Jacob had previously visited Drakehold, he had arrived like a fierce dragon crossing into foreign waters. Not only had he successfully claimed the Pseudo-legendary Pokemon, but he had also publicly humiliated Richard in the process. This time, Richard was determined to settle the score. More importantly, ever since learning about the Shiny Dreepy, his desire to possess that particular Pokemon had become an obsession. He was actively seeking the perfect opportunity to claim the Dreepy for himself!

Taking someone’s rightful prize was equivalent to destroying their future prospects. A shiny Pseudo-legendary Pokemon represented the difference between reaching champion status or remaining forever limited—and Richard refused to let such an opportunity slip away from his grasp!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep