Sixteen to eight, eight duels, all wrapped up in just two days, efficient as a Machamp assembly line.
The tournament organizers graciously granted victorious trainers and their Pokemon a single day off to celebrate their triumph. Then it was right back to business with the eight-to-four bracket, another two days of intense competition: one match in the morning, one in the afternoon.
The schedule was brutal, tighter than a Snorlax in a phone booth. Several gym leaders were still nursing injuries from their previous battles, forcing two to withdraw on the spot with expressions that suggested they valued having functioning limbs.
What was supposed to be "eight into four" had practically become "six into three." Just another day in the life of the Gym Leader Ranking Battle under the Wild Fighting rules. It wouldn't surprise anyone if more trainers retired before the quarter and semifinal rounds, treating their exit strategies like carefully planned escape routes.
However, the gym leaders who had clawed their way into the top 16 weren't complaining; they were already enjoying first-rank benefits. Even defeat at this stage couldn't be considered a total loss. Unless, of course, you counted bruised egos and occasional concussions.
After defeating Cameron West from Stormridge Gym, John found himself facing Craig Fuller from Lakeside Gym again in the six-to-three bracket.
These were the same two people Harrison had introduced to John on the first day of the Gym Leader meeting. Harrison had called it "destiny," though "unfortunate coincidence" might have been more accurate given the outcome for his friends.
John's quarter-final battle was scheduled as the opening match on day one, prime time for spectators, terrible timing for anyone hoping to scout his strategies.
In the previous battle, everyone had witnessed the terrifying strength of John's Hariyama, but they remained clueless about what other powerhouses lurked in his roster.
The audience was particularly eager to see how opponents might counter John's heavy rain strategy and that spiral Aura Sphere that had become the talk of the tournament and the subject of several trainers' nightmares.
"Come on, John!" Craig Fuller called out before they took the stage, grinning widely to show off teeth that would make a Sharpedo jealous. "Whoever wins today is treating everyone to hotpot tonight!"
"Deal," John agreed with a nod, though he wasn't fooled for a second by Craig Fuller's seemingly simple and straightforward demeanor.
No Gym Leader got to this level by being a pushover. Most maintained a roster of hundreds of disciples beneath them. John couldn't help but wonder what face Craig showed when instructing those unfortunate students, probably not the jovial one he was sporting now.
The competitors proceeded through the player passage and took their positions on the battle platforms, settling into their seats with the gravity of chess grandmasters if chess pieces occasionally breathed fire.
Today's crowd dwarfed the previous match's attendance, with numerous high-ranking members of the Trainer Association occupying premium seats. They leaned forward with the anticipation of food critics at a five-star restaurant.
The referee announced the rules with practiced monotony, like someone who had repeated the same speech so many times they could do it in their sleep:
"The match that is starting now is the second round of the Gym Leader Ranking Tournament. Craig Fuller from Lakeside Gym will face John from Grassmere Gym. The rules are wild fights. Each trainer may use up to six Pokemon. The battle ends when one party concedes, when all Pokemon lose the ability to fight, or when a trainer becomes incapacitated."
"Both trainers," the referee added with particular emphasis, "remember to use False Swipe!" This wasn't merely a sporting reminder; it was practically a plea to avoid turning the arena into a disaster zone requiring evacuation.
Raising both hands dramatically, the referee declared, "The venue is random. Begin!"
On the battlefield's edge, icons beneath the stands flickered rapidly, a digital roulette wheel of environmental possibilities, before finally landing on a Volcano symbol.
The transformation was immediate and spectacular.
The standard venue receded, replaced by scorched earth spitting angry sparks. Waves of blistering heat radiated outward from the moment of appearance, like opening an oven door the size of a football field.
Simultaneously, a protective barrier rose around the audience seating.
This shield served two purposes: preventing the volcanic enthusiasm from barbecuing the spectators, while containing the battlefield's unique properties within a controlled environment. Safety first, entertainment a close second.
Volcano terrain! The scorched earth underfoot, suffocating high temperatures, and distinctly unpleasant sulfuric odors created an atmosphere that would make even fire Pokemon think twice.
Unlike the "mild" forest field, the Volcano terrain tortured trainers before the battle even began! Standing there was like taking a sauna while wearing a winter coat, an experience even masochists would avoid.
After confirming both trainers were in position and still conscious despite the heat, the referee raised both arms and sliced downward to commence the battle!
On command, John and Craig Fuller launched their Pokeballs simultaneously, each with the precision of pitchers throwing perfect strikes.
John started with Gardevoir and Hariyama.
This time, Garchomp wouldn't be diving into any mud; the scorched earth beneath would likely saddle the dragon with a "burn" condition faster than a tourist forgetting sunscreen at the beach.
"Spiral Aura Sphere!" John directed with an upraised hand.
Hariyama immediately extended its right palm, invisible light-blue energy gathering in its massive hand like water swirling down a drain.
"Tailwind! Quick Attack!" Craig Fuller bellowed in response.
He too had released two Pokemon at once, Weavile and Honchkrow. The latter appeared to be a Totem Pokemon, extraordinarily huge, like a regular Honchkrow that had discovered an all-you-can-eat buffet.
It's worth noting that Craig specialized in Dark-type Pokemon, though "specialized" might be putting it generously. Like most Gym Trainers, he maintained a diverse roster to avoid type disadvantages. Being predictable in this league was about as smart as challenging a Machamp to arm wrestling.
Honchkrow spread his wings like he was performing Dual Wingbeat against the darkened sky. With powerful flaps that could have powered a wind farm, he generated a gust that carried a heat wave directly toward John.
The scorching blast would have been concerning if Gardevoir hadn't already erected a Confusion barrier around John the moment she appeared. The heat wave dissipated harmlessly, causing about as much damage as a sneeze against a brick wall.
Craig hadn't actually intended the Tailwind to cause damage; it wasn't an attack move at all, but rather a strategic BUFF that would accelerate his Pokemon throughout the battle. The tactical equivalent of chugging an energy drink before a marathon.
Weavile, already blessed with speed that would make Olympic sprinters weep, executed a Quick Attack with the added boost from Tailwind.
In the blink of an eye, literally less time than it takes to blink, Weavile closed in on Hariyama!
Craig's counter-strategy for John's weird Aura Sphere was brilliantly simple: don't let Hariyama use it in the first place! Prevention over cure, particularly when the "cure" involved reconstructive surgery.
From his observations in the stands earlier, Craig had noticed that John's Hariyama required a Stockpile movement when using the "Spiral Aura Sphere."
His logic was impeccable: if you want to stop this devastating attack, interrupt it during the Stockpile phase! Like unplugging a computer before it downloads system updates.
"Double Kick!" John, having detected Craig's strategy, quickly launched another Pokeball.
Blaziken materialized on the battlefield, facing the incoming Weavile like a bouncer dealing with an unruly nightclub patron.
But Weavile, confronted with Blaziken's incoming Double Kick, suddenly cloaked itself in a layer of shadowy energy, accelerating yet again. It dodged Blaziken's kicks with the grace of a dancer avoiding rain droplets, then lunged forward with razor-sharp claws poised to tear through Hariyama's defenses!
"Feint Attack? What impressively quick thinking!" John acknowledged with genuine admiration.
Yet Weavile's attack proved futile. At the critical moment when most trainers would be having minor heart attacks, Gardevoir calmly Teleported Hariyama a few feet to the right, making Weavile's attack miss by inches.
"Parting Shot!" Craig commanded urgently.
Weavile, having whiffed its attack completely, spun around and delivered a taunting "Wea-Weavile!" cry at Hariyama. Its face contorted into an expression that clearly challenged Hariyama to a one-on-one duel, right before Parting Shot activated and Weavile returned to Craig's Pokeball in a flash of red light.
In the next second, the Spiral Aura Sphere in Hariyama's hand finally condensed to completion.
Without hesitation, Hariyama aimed directly at Craig himself!
This version of the Spiral Aura Sphere appeared smaller than the one Hariyama had unleashed when John faced Cameron West. Perhaps Hariyama was considering the arena's repair budget this time around.