The next day.
Indigo Plateau basked in early spring sunlight, its stone steps gilded gold.
The Sacred Flame in the main stadium burned fiercely, awaiting the final four contestants who would compete for the championship.
Meanwhile, at a side arena's last match…
Natsume faced Kyle—a Water-type specialist from Sinnoh's Pastoria City.
The Water Arena
Cheers erupted like tidal waves, applause unending.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
The commentator's voice crescendoed.
"Let's welcome our competitors!"
A Rotom drone camera followed the handsome young man as he strode forward.
When Natsume's "friendly" smile appeared on-screen, the crowd roared louder.
"Oh no. Natsume-sensei's serious this time," a veteran fan groaned.
"He smiled like this right before wrecking Leon too..."
"NATSUME-SENSEI, CRUSH THEM!"
"KYLE, YOU GOT THIS!!"
Kyle—a muscular athlete with sharp features—nodded respectfully.
"Natsume-sensei, Please Guide Me!"
"Same to you." Natsume nodded.
Kyle exhaled, relieved. The legendary Natsume-sensei was surprisingly approachable.
He had no grand ambitions…
Just a full-power battle to measure the gap between them.
The Battlefield
The Water Arena glittered under the lights, its surface dotted with only two buoys for Pokémon to stand on.
Most contestants opted for Pokémon that could swim.
Otherwise, standing awkwardly on a buoy made you an easy target for moves.
For Water-type expert Kyle, this arena was perfect.
"Of all places, they got the Water Arena… Is Natsume-sensei really sending out Blastoise?"
"Whoa! The one as strong as his Sirfetch'd?"
"This isn't the opponent's luck—it's Natsume-sensei's bad luck!"
The audience buzzed until the sharp blow of a whistle silenced them.
"Battle begin!" The referee's flag dropped.
Kyle hurled a Dive Ball toward the water. "Go, Tentacruel!"
The jellyfish-like Pokémon emerged, its sinister eyes glinting as its jewel-like head gleamed. With its Water/Poison typing, Tentacruel was every sailor's nightmare.
A single sting from its toxic tentacles could paralyze—or worse.
This Tentacruel thrashed its limbs, vanishing beneath the waves with a splash.
"Kyle sends out Tentacruel, while Natsume's choice is—" The commentator's eyes bulged. "Natsume is using Arcanine?!"
"Arcanine~~(｀0｀)" The majestic Pokémon balanced precariously on a buoy, its mane gleaming.
The crowd erupted in disbelief.
"Arcanine? On a Water Arena?"
"Does Natsume-sensei even know Pokémon battles?"
"This is brutal! Reverse-type strategies already?!"
Kyle blinked, then seized the opportunity. "Tentacruel, Sludge Wave!"
Hidden beneath the surface, Tentacruel's jewel glowed as corrosive venom shot toward—
"The Sludge Wave missed Arcanine?" The commentator gasped. "No—it hit the buoy! Kyle's forcing a water battle!"
Kyle smirked.
No matter what tricks Natsume had, underwater, Tentacruel's tentacles would crush Arcanine.
The acid hissed, eating through the buoy—
"Arcanine!!" But the Fire-type leaped high, diving straight for Tentacruel's exposed jewel.
"Wait—" Kyle's jaw dropped.
This guy was charging headfirst?!
Natsume snapped his fingers.
"Burn Up."
Opening with a finisher.
"Arcanine!!" Flames erupted around the diving Pokémon, turning it into a meteorite of fire. The Burn Up lit up the entire arena as Arcanine slammed into Tentacruel.
BOOM!
A geyser exploded upward, steam hissing as the arena fogged over.
The crowd gulped.
That Burn Up nearly vaporized the entire field!
Since when was Natsume-sensei's Arcanine this strong?!
Bubbles frothed as steam cleared, revealing Arcanine—now a golden wrecking ball—plunging into the depths. Even Tentacruel couldn't escape.
A cold sweat dripped down Kyle's temple.
Some strategy master…
This guy was a brute. A complete madman!
Who fought like this?!
Then—his pupils shrank.
Tentacruel floated to the surface, unconscious.
"Tentacruel is unable to battle!" The referee's voice cracked. "Arcanine wins!"
Arcanine dog-paddled to another buoy, shaking off water with a cheerful bark.
"Arcanine~~"
The crowd lost it.
"One-shot?! Through type disadvantage?!"
"Double resistance to Fire didn't matter?! Was that a Body Slam combo?!"
Against Tentacruel's pitiful defense, the physical Burn Up had crushed it instantly.
Natsume sighed.
Technically, Burn Up was a special move…
But his Arcanine somehow made it hit like Flare Blitz.
And now, post-Burn Up, water didn't even faze it.
"Arcanine~" The Arcanine into the water, eyes sparkling.
Not scared—just considering a swim.
Kyle's stomach dropped.
That flaming meteor of an Arcanine would haunt his dreams.
But.
He gritted his teeth.
No way it could sweep his whole team!
"Sharpedo, go!"
In the Water Arena, Sharpedo was the apex predator.
Its fin cut through the waves before it lunged, jaws wide—
CRUNCH.
Sharpedo's teeth met something unyielding.
Natsume coughed awkwardly.
His Arcanine's defense had been boosted by Starf Berry Block…
Kyle paled.
That Crunch barely scratched it?!
This was hopeless!
He reached for a Dive Ball—
But Arcanine's maw was already glowing.
A searing beam erupted.
"Solar Beam?!" Misty winced from the stands. "Of course Natsume-sensei would use that."
Brock pitied Kyle.
"Poor guy… He's got one more match."
The blast engulfed Sharpedo before it could scream.
The shark Pokémon belly-upped, floating like a dead fish.
The audience's eyelids twitched.
No textbook taught this.
Not just type disadvantage. Not just one-shots.
Back-to-back sweeps?!
"Are you the Reverse-Type King or what?!"
"Natsume-sensei IS the textbook now!"
The commentator rambled about how reverse-typing could exploit coverage moves.
But everyone knew Kyle wasn't clueless.
Water-types were his specialty—which was why his final ace was…
"Gyarados!!" The atrocious Pokémon loomed, scales glinting as it glared down at Arcanine.
Kyle already guessed Natsume's last move.
But he had to try.
"Aqua Tail!"
The massive tail split a buoy in half—
But Arcanine didn't need footing anymore.
It lunged, grinning like a doofus.
"Arcanine~"
CRACKLE—
Electricity erupted.
Up in the VIP box, Lance facepalmed.
As a Gyarados specialist, he knew:
Water/Flying meant a 4x weakness to Electric.
No Gyarados survived a Wild Charge.
KABOOM!
The sea monster convulsed before crashing into the water, defeated.
The crowd was speechless.
"His ace… one-shot too."
"Three straight KOs… Kyle never stood a chance."
Kyle wanted to cry.
He took it back.
This guy wasn't a brute.
Even reverse-typing was calculated.
Natsume was playing 4D chess.
"Gyarados is unable to battle!" The referee announced. "Winner: Natsume of Touran!"
The stadium erupted.
"Natsume-sensei is unstoppable!!"
"The Reverse-Type Master! I'm a believer!"
"Time to try this at my Gym challenge!"
Arcanine paddled back, shaking off water—soaking Natsume.
Wiping his face, Natsume chuckled.
"Alright, good job." He ruffled Arcanine's fur. "Extra treats tonight."
A reporter captured the moment, uploading it with the headline:
[3 Straight KOs! Natsume-sensei Advances to Semifinals!]
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