237. Battle on the Deck -1

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At the sound of the voice, the entire crowd turned in unison, eyes shifting toward the source of the interruption.

As people stepped aside, creating a clear path, a handsome young man walked forward, accompanied by a tall, coldly elegant woman with long hair.

Countless eyes focused on the man, yet he remained completely calm, walking with a steady, unshaken stride, his gaze fixed forward.

There was no need for introductions this man was Kai.

Kai approached the victorious Trainer and repeated his challenge.

"If no one else dares to battle you, let me be your opponent."

The Trainer briefly glanced at Sabrina, clearly taken aback by her beauty.

However, he quickly shifted his gaze away, regaining his focus without lingering for even a second.

'Hmph! No matter how beautiful a woman is, nothing is more exciting than Pokémon battles! Nothing will stop my winning streak!'

Kai had no idea what was running through the Trainer's mind, but he was mildly impressed by his self-control.

After all, it was human nature to be momentarily distracted by beauty. It was a reflex, an instinct.

Yet this Trainer had complete mental discipline a sharp contrast to the Orange Islands Gym Leaders, such as Rudy and Danny, who were notoriously weak to a pretty face.

In fact, Kai had to admit that this man had better focus than he did. If it were him, he'd at least sneak a glance or two.

As Kai sized up his opponent, the Trainer was doing the same.

With narrowed eyes, he studied Kai carefully.

Through the brief exchange of gazes, he could feel the overwhelming confidence and composure radiating from Kai.

Anyone bold enough to step forward now isn't an ordinary opponent…

He must be absolutely confident in his own strength.

Out of respect, the Trainer introduced himself.

"I'm Tad What's your name?"

"Kai," he replied casually. "Judging by your accent, you're not from the Orange Islands, are you?"

"That's right," Tad said proudly. "I came from Johto to challenge the Orange League!"

He lifted his chin slightly. "But to be honest, the Gym Leaders here aren't impressive at all. I've only been here four or five days, and I've already earned two Gym Badges. The Orange League? Hah, I thought it would be something special, but it's nothing remarkable."

At his words, many of the spectators frowned.

Most of them were locals. Hearing someone openly criticize their region's Gym Leaders naturally rubbed them the wrong way.

However, Tad's skill was undeniable. He had just won multiple battles in a row. Even though they disliked his words, no one could argue with him outright not unless they had the strength to back it up.

Kai smirked. "For once, we actually agree on something."

Then, without hesitation, he poured more salt on the wound.

"Compared to Kanto and Johto, the Orange Island Gym system is a joke. They waste time with non-battle challenges instead of focusing on real combat. Honestly, it's frustrating."

Several spectators winced at his words.

Tad, however, seemed pleased by Kai's directness.

Kai then turned his gaze toward Tad's Pokémon a Slowking.

It looked calm and slightly goofy, but just a moment ago, it had defeated five opponents in a row, securing Tad's five-win streak.

"Alright," Kai said. "Let's get to it. Are you planning to keep using Slowking?"

"Hmm, I think I'll switch," Tad replied, folding his arms. "You don't look like an easy opponent, and Slowking's already a little tired. I'll use a different Pokémon."

Kai had no objections.

Since they were both switching, he made a suggestion.

"In that case, let's keep it fair. Let's send out our Pokémon at the same time—no pre-selection."

"A blind battle?" Tad grinned. "Sounds fun!"

He recalled Slowking and reached for another Poké Ball.

Kai also took a moment to think.

Since they were battling on a ship, the deck wasn't very sturdy. If he sent out a heavyweight Pokémon, there was a chance it could damage the ship.

That meant he had to choose a lighter, more agile Pokémon.

After a few seconds of consideration, Kai made his decision.

He and Tad exchanged one final look before simultaneously throwing their Poké Balls.

"Go, Jolteon!"

"Go, Poliwrath!"

Two flashes of blue light revealed the combatants Kai had sent out Jolteon, while Tad had sent out Poliwrath!

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Electric against Water? Looks like I got lucky, even in a blind match."

"You're not wrong," Tad admitted, laughing. "Didn't expect you to send out a Jolteon. Looks like I got the short end of the stick!"

Despite his words, Tad wasn't nervous at all.

He seemed completely unbothered by the type disadvantage.

Kai noticed this and asked, "Do you want to switch Pokémon?"

"Of course not," Tad said without hesitation. "Don't underestimate me. Poliwrath is my ace! Besides, I like battling at a disadvantage."

That was when Kai noticed something Poliwrath was wearing a golden championship belt.

His eyes narrowed. "That belt…?"

Tad smirked proudly. "This is a Championship Belt from the Pokémon Fighting Tournament in Johto. Poliwrath and I fought through countless battles, defeated some of the strongest Pokémon, and won first place!"

'A Fighting Tournament…' Kai eyed the belt with interest.

He had always admired those competitions, but unfortunately, he didn't have any Fighting-type Pokémon, meaning he had never been able to participate.

As the two Trainers conversed, their Pokémon had already taken battle stances.

The tension on the deck grew palpable.

Meanwhile, the watching crowd murmured among themselves, debating who would win.

Despite Tad's arrogant attitude, his five-win streak had earned him respect.

Many believed he would continue his winning streak.

However, a few sharp-eyed spectators sensed that Kai was different.

His calm demeanour, confidence, and unshakable presence—

Perhaps, this time…

Tad's streak would finally come to an end.

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