Flint: "It’s Not Over Yet!" Alolan Ninetales: "No, It’s Over!"

Johan recalled Dragonite and threw out his third Poké Ball.

"Go, Ninetales!"

"Oowoo~~!"

A graceful, snow-white fox leapt elegantly from its Poké Ball, standing tall as it howled toward the sky. In an instant, a fierce snowstorm enveloped the battlefield.

Alolan Ninetales!

"You're using Alolan Ninetales against Infernape?"

Lucian was puzzled by this choice. Flint and Aaron were outright baffled.

Alolan Ninetales was doubly weak to Fire.

And considering the current state of Flint's Infernape—though battered from its exchange with Dragonite—the intensity of its Blaze-driven flames was fiercer than ever.

Even the snowstorm brought by Alolan Ninetales' Snow Warning ability was melting before it could even touch the scorching heat surrounding Infernape.

"With Infernape in this condition... Alolan Ninetales might get one-shotted," Aaron muttered nervously.

Of all of them, Aaron, as a Bug-type specialist, was the most terrified of facing Flint in such a state.

There was simply no solution in his arsenal that could withstand the overwhelming power of Blaze-boosted flames.

"How are you supposed to stop that?"

He didn't know.

"Oowoo~~"

Alolan Ninetales let out another cry, and shimmering Aurora Veils began falling one after another. Layer after layer of protective barriers blanketed the field.

But neither Flint nor his Infernape seemed fazed by Ninetales' presence.

"So, you've got Alolan Ninetales? Perfect!" Flint's eyes sparkled as he raised an arm and pointed dramatically.

"Infernape, Flare Blitz!"

"Kuu!!"

Infernape opened its arms wide as flames roared up from its body. In the blink of an eye, it shot forward like a blazing meteor.

"Aurora Veil? Break it!!"

CRACK! CRACK CRACK!

Under Infernape's relentless charge, the shimmering veils shattered one after another, each one bursting like fragile mirrors.

And yet, Infernape's momentum didn't falter as it closed in on Alolan Ninetales.

Johan's expression remained calm, his voice steady as he gave the next command.

"Ninetales, Blizzard."

"Oowoo~~!"

A brilliant blue light swirled in Ninetales' eyes, and the snowstorm intensified into a raging blizzard.

Empowered by Ice energy and manipulated by psychic power, the ferocious winds began to pierce through Infernape's fiery aura.

Strangely, Alolan Ninetales didn't direct the Blizzard at Infernape.

Instead, the storm swirled tightly around itself, creating a whirling snow vortex centered on its body.

The howling winds and biting cold made it seem almost impossible to approach.

Even so, Infernape pressed forward, its blazing flames melting the snow and ice in its path.

"Now's your chance, Infernape!!" Flint roared.

BOOM!!

With a deafening burst of fire, Infernape's blazing fist slammed into Alolan Ninetales.

CRACK! CRACK CRACK!

Aurora Veils shattered, one after another, until...

THUD!

Infernape's fist stopped inches from Ninetales' body, striking an invisible barrier.

"What the...?"

Everyone was stunned.

"Ice?"

Lucian was the first to notice it—there was a thick, transparent layer of ice surrounding Alolan Ninetales, acting as a protective shield.

Permafrost Barrier.

Within the barrier, Alolan Ninetales' eyes gleamed mischievously, a sly grin playing across its fox-like face.

Johan smirked.

Training battles weren't just for winning—they were for refining techniques that needed honing.

Dragonite had worked on its Controlled Outrage, and now it was Alolan Ninetales' turn with Permafrost Barrier.

No better way to test it than in a high-stakes match.

"Ice, huh?"

Flint blinked in surprise, but his shock didn't last long. He roared, "It's just ice! Infernape, smash it!!"

"Kuu!!"

Infernape's flames surged again, its red-hot fist pressing against the ice as it pushed forward with full force.

CRACK!

The surface of the barrier began to fracture, tiny spiderweb cracks spreading across its icy surface.

BOOM!

With a resounding explosion, the ice shattered into countless fragments.

"Oowoo!"

Alolan Ninetales yelped as Infernape's punch finally landed, sending it skidding back across the snow-covered ground, leaving twin furrows in its wake.

Even Johan had to admit, seeing Flint's Infernape in action was something else entirely.

What kind of overpowered madness was this?

"This thing is insane," Johan muttered under his breath.

He sighed. Battles against these "protagonist-like" trainers were always exhausting.

"Infernape, one more Flare Blitz!" Flint bellowed, now fully in the zone.

But even Johan had his limits.

"You're going for a third Flare Blitz?" Johan muttered, slightly exasperated.

Dragonite had already traded heavy blows with Infernape, and the fiery Pokémon had used Flare Blitz twice.

While powerful, Flare Blitz dealt significant recoil damage to the user. The stronger the hit, the more damage it took in return.

At this rate, how was Infernape still standing?

Was Flint running on some kind of protagonist cheat code?

If this weren't real life, Johan would've sworn Flint had a "no fainting" clause written into his script.

"Well then," Johan muttered, adjusting his strategy.

"Ninetales, Blizzard at full power!"

"Oowoo~~!"

The snowstorm around Ninetales intensified, fueled by icy energy and the howling winds of Mt. Coronet itself.

Flint's Infernape surged forward once again, its blazing flames defying the encroaching cold.

Fire clashed against ice.

The two opposing forces tore through the battlefield, creating an awe-inspiring display of elemental power.

And then—

BOOM BOOM BOOM!!

The fiery charge broke through, flames roaring like an unstoppable avalanche.

But the blizzard was relentless, swirling tighter and tighter around Alolan Ninetales, amplifying its strength until it became an impenetrable vortex.

BOOM!

The clash of ice and fire culminated in a massive explosion, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

When the smoke cleared, an enormous ice sculpture stood at the center of the battlefield.

Inside, Infernape was frozen in place, its flames extinguished, its eyes wide with unyielding determination.

And yet...

The ice began to crack.

"No way..." Aaron whispered.

Lucian adjusted his glasses, his voice calm yet tense. "It's still moving."

But Alolan Ninetales wasn't done.

"Oowoo~~!"

A brilliant blue beam shot from Ninetales' mouth, sealing the cracks and reinforcing the ice around Infernape.

The faint flickers of flame on Infernape's body were completely snuffed out.

Flint stood frozen in place.

"...It's over," Aaron said, breaking the silence.

"No! It's not over!" Flint suddenly shouted. "Infernape, break free!"

The ice sculpture trembled.

Lucian's mouth twitched. "You're kidding me."

But before anyone could react, Ninetales fired another Ice Beam at the frozen Infernape, fortifying the barrier even further.

"..."

Flint opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Ninetales looked back at Johan and tilted its head as if asking, "Should I keep going?"

Johan sighed. "That's enough, Ninetales."

"Oowoo?"

The fox hesitated, its gaze shifting to the massive ice block it had created.

"Are you sure? I could add another layer just in case..."

"No need. Trust me, it's done."

Reluctantly, Ninetales stepped back, letting out a small whine of protest.

Flint, meanwhile, stood motionless, his once-blazing spirit thoroughly frozen.

"Well... that's finally over," Aaron muttered with a sigh of relief.

Lucian adjusted his glasses and gave Johan a complicated look.

As expected of Johan, the ultimate "temperature control specialist."

Whether it was a flickering ember of passion or a blazing inferno, he could extinguish it all with unnerving precision.

This final match between Johan and Flint ended decisively in Johan's favor.

Even so, Johan couldn't help but look back at the frozen Infernape with a faint smile.

For a single Pokémon to push both Dragonite and Ninetales to their limits...

Flint's Infernape was truly a monster.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out.

"What's going on here...?"

Johan turned to see Cynthia, freshly returned from her research at the lab.

Her gaze swept across the utterly destroyed battlefield, lingering on the massive block of ice containing Flint's Infernape.

Johan cleared his throat awkwardly and took a step back.

"Uh... Flint did it."

"???"

Flint looked completely dumbfounded.

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Powerstones?

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