In the center of the battlefield, Eliza unfolded the two slips of paper she had drawn from the box and announced with a calm smile, "For the first match, let's welcome two contestants from the Beginner Group—Imu and Chuxing."
The crowd immediately stirred. All eyes shifted toward the beginner group's seating area, trying to identify the first two competitors. From their seats, two figures stood up and locked eyes for a brief moment before making their way toward the battlefield. The air was filled with curiosity.
"Who are they?" someone in the crowd whispered.
"Never seen either of them before."
"I've heard of Imu," another replied. "He's a chunin from Grass Village, apparently pretty talented. They say he might become a jonin soon."
"Chuxing sounds familiar too. Isn't he that rich kid who moved to the Leaf Village a while back?"
"No way—this is a match between a ninja and a spoiled noble?" someone chuckled. "Now this is gonna be fun."
Despite the chatter, neither Imu nor Chuxing paid it any mind. Their focus was already locked onto each other as they reached the arena and took their positions. One wore a plain flak vest, his expression composed and eyes steely. The other was draped in elegant robes, his features delicate and smug.
Chuxing broke the silence first, a smirk tugging at his lips. "A ninja, huh? Let's see what you've got. Just don't cry when my Pokémon finishes you in one hit."
Imu didn't respond. His stoic demeanor remained unshaken, drawing an irritated scoff from Chuxing.
"Hmph. I hope you won't beg for mercy once the battle starts."
A voice rang out from the sidelines, cutting through the tension. "Both trainers, release your Pokémon."
Without hesitation, Imu reached into his pouch and tossed out a Poké Ball. A flash of purple light revealed a tanky, muscular Pokémon with white and violet fur—Skuntank. Its eyes narrowed immediately, muscles tense, ready for battle.
Chuxing snorted and followed suit, hurling a gray-and-gold Poké Ball into the air. With a sharp metallic shimmer, his Scizor emerged—its red armored body glinting under the lights, pincers raised high.
"Chaa!" the Scizor chirped, glancing at its trainer before scanning the battlefield casually.
Chuxing looked proud. "Beautiful, isn't it? My Scizor is on a different level. You may as well surrender now."
Still, Imu remained silent. It wasn't necessary to respond. Skuntank stood its ground, eyes burning with quiet defiance.
From the sidelines, the crowd buzzed with excitement and analysis.
"Whoa, he actually has a Scizor? That's no joke."
"It's even fully evolved! You need a special item for that, right?"
"I mean... isn't Scyther already strong enough? Does the evolution really make a difference?"
"Doesn't matter—Scizor still looks cooler and stronger than that... skunk."
"I don't know," someone else mused. "Didn't Ryo mention that strength isn't just about looks? A good trainer makes all the difference."
Meanwhile, up on the second floor, Ryo, Konan, and Nagato had a perfect view of the battlefield.
Nagato leaned over slightly and asked, "Ryo, who do you think will win this match?"
Ryo blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Nagato, who usually showed little interest in Pokémon battles, to ask such a question. But he smiled inwardly—bringing him along really had sparked some curiosity.
"What's up?" Nagato asked again when Ryo didn't answer immediately.
Ryo shook his head, chuckling. "No, no. It's a good question. Honestly, I can't say for sure. In Pokémon battles, sometimes miracles happen. But if I had to bet… I'd say Imu has the better chance."
Konan frowned slightly. "Really? Scizor looks much stronger than that Skuntank."
"That's true—if we're going by base stats," Ryo nodded. "But that's not everything. Look at Skuntank's stance. The moment it came out, it was alert and ready to fight. That tells me Imu has been through real missions with it."
Konan and Nagato both looked thoughtful and nodded. It was hard to argue. Skuntank's posture spoke of discipline, alertness... experience.
"And look at Chuxing's Scizor," Ryo continued. "When it came out, it casually glanced around the arena. It didn't even glance at its opponent. That kind of complacency usually comes from overconfidence—or lack of real combat exposure."
"So you're saying…" Nagato began.
"That Chuxing and his Scizor both underestimate their opponent," Ryo finished. "Which could cost them the match."
Konan nodded in agreement. "Makes sense. If they're this cocky now, they might not adapt quickly when things get serious."
"Exactly," Ryo said. "Imu might not have the flashiest Pokémon, but battle experience is invaluable. He's been in the field, probably had to rely on his Skuntank to survive more than once. That bond, that instinct, can make all the difference."
Konan and Nagato both leaned back slightly, absorbing the analysis.
Back on the field, the crowd had calmed somewhat, now deeply focused on the pending battle. While some still whispered about appearances and evolution items, others began to pick up on what Ryo had noticed too.
After all, this wasn't just a battle of Pokémon—it was a clash between backgrounds, ideologies, and experience.
And from what everyone could see... the quiet ninja might just have the edge.
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