Chapter 201: Successfully Advancing

Several deep wounds appeared on Machamp's muscular body, with blood dripping onto the battlefield.

Despite the searing pain coursing through its nerves, Machamp's gaze remained unwavering as it locked onto Bellossom.

Flicking the blood off its Leaf Blade, Bellossom stood poised, awaiting Ron's command.

"Bellossom, Finger Pistol: Hexagram!"

After allowing Bellossom a brief moment to catch its breath, Ron immediately launched another attack.

"Machamp, use Earthquake! Prepare Fire Blitz!"

With a powerful stomp, the entire battlefield began to tremble, while scorching flames ignited along Machamp's arms.

The moment it pinpointed Bellossom's location, Machamp would unleash a ferocious assault.

"Bellossom, use Magical Leaf to dodge! Two-Sword Style: Toro!"

At Ron's command, Bellossom utilized its Magical Leaf mid-charge, using the airborne leaves as stepping stones to evade the Earthquake completely.

Tracking the trajectory of the swirling leaves, Machamp surged forward, its body engulfed in flames, resembling a blazing warrior.

As Toro was executed, Bellossom's twin blades slashed down forcefully, dispersing the flames surrounding Machamp.

"Finger Pistol: Hexagram!"

"Machamp, Dynamic Fury Barrage!"

Machamp combined its move with Karate Chop, its four arms striking at a rapid pace in all directions.

Fists and blades clashed, yet Machamp's punches failed to land on Bellossom. In contrast, Bellossom's sword strikes left fresh wounds on Machamp's fists with each encounter.

Thanks to its nimble frame, Bellossom was able to exploit the gaps in Machamp's offense, carving additional wounds onto its opponent.

"Bellossom, unleash Finger Pistol: Hexagram Barrage!"

"Machamp, use Earthquake to disrupt Bellossom's balance!"

After another heated exchange, both sides issued their commands simultaneously.

Using Magical Leaf as cover, Bellossom successfully avoided the Earthquake and widened the distance.

At this point, Machamp was already drenched in blood. Ron could easily have Bellossom whittle away at its stamina until victory was assured, but he preferred to deliver a spectacular finale.

"This will be the final strike! Bellossom, execute One-Blade Style: Finger Pistol—Venomous Bloom!"

Bellossom's Leaf Blade glowed, swiftly coated in a dark purple venom.

Since discovering Bellossom's potential in swordsmanship, Ron had been considering ways to integrate its moves into its swordplay.

Though Bellossom's standalone moves weren't overwhelmingly powerful, by fusing them together with its mastery of sword arts and Finger Pistol techniques, the results could be devastating.

Like now—Bellossom was manipulating the combined energy of Sludge Bomb, Toxic, and Venoshock into a controlled, lethal strike.

"Machamp, Mountain-Sundering Force!"

Lily immediately understood Ron's intent and commanded Machamp to unleash its strongest technique.

Empowered by Superpower, Machamp's four arms swelled with newfound muscle mass.

Fueled by immense strength, Machamp felt as though it could lift anything in existence.

With a thunderous stomp, it propelled itself forward at breakneck speed. Even the audience, who had been cheering loudly moments ago, instinctively fell silent, not wanting to disrupt the intense clash between Machamp and Bellossom.

No deafening explosion followed—only a blinding flash of a sword.

In the next instant, Bellossom appeared behind Machamp.

Machamp, on the other hand, had expended its overwhelming power, leaving four deep scars imprinted onto the Grass-type battlefield.

A purple-black gash marred Machamp's chest, and as Bellossom's Leaf Blade dissipated, the accumulated venom erupted like a blooming flower, spreading across Machamp's wound.

Before Machamp could collapse, Lily swiftly recalled it into its Poké Ball, preventing the poison from further corroding its body.

With Machamp withdrawn, Ron successfully secured his fourth-round victory.

"That was an incredible battle. Thank you for the match."

Ron had a great deal of respect for Lily's performance. The only unfortunate factor was that she had encountered him as an opponent.

First, her Infernape had been dominated by Psychic-type moves. Then, when facing Bellossom, which had mastered Shave, Machamp found itself at a speed disadvantage—a severe handicap for a Fighting-type Pokémon reliant on close combat.

Even under such circumstances, she had managed to hold out for so long, proving her exceptional skill.

Lily hesitated, unsure of what to say. Instead, she simply nodded, as if taking his words to heart.

Ron returned the gesture before turning to leave the battlefield, completely unaware of the faint blush now coloring Lily's cheeks.

After defeating Lily, Ron inevitably attracted criticism from some of her fans.

He initially paid no mind to the negativity, but he remained cautious in case the League tried to exploit the situation against him.

To his surprise, Lily personally stepped forward to defend him, stating that Ron's unwavering dedication to battle was exactly the kind of challenge she sought.

Ron could only sigh. He hadn't even commanded Gardevoir or Bellossom to fight at full strength—but since Lily had publicly declared otherwise, he had no reason to argue.

Shutting down his computer, Ron made his way toward the training room.

Meanwhile, Lily, having finished tending to her Pokémon, quietly created a secondary account online. She began searching for information about Ron, particularly regarding whether or not he had a girlfriend…

"It seems like this Lily is a good person, someone worth befriending," Flint commented confidently while browsing the online discussions.

Volkner glanced at Flint helplessly. He was convinced that unless the heavens intervened, this friend of his was destined to be single forever. A hopelessly dense and straightforward guy like him couldn't even entertain a romantic notion.

Yet, as Volkner mocked Flint, he failed to realize that he, too, remained a proud member of the single trainers' club.

Since their last encounter in Vermilion City, both Flint and Volkner had been keeping an eye on Ron.

As individuals who would one day rise to prominent positions within the Sinnoh League, they had the ability to see through the core of the issue. And Ron single-handedly taking down a high elite-level poaching organization only confirmed their suspicions—some figures within the Kanto League were indeed plotting against him.

That was precisely why Flint and Volkner had come here—to offer Ron their assistance.

If Ron ever fell into a trap set by these unseen forces, Flint and Volkner would extend an invitation for him to relocate to the Sinnoh region.

On the surface, the various regional leagues were undoubtedly allies. But beneath the facade, there was an undeniable undercurrent of competition.

It wasn't as brutal as dealing with criminal organizations or the Pokémon Rangers' operations, but it was far from simple.

One of the key metrics used to evaluate a league's strength was the number and quality of trainers under its jurisdiction.

Among all the leagues, Kanto currently held the dominant position. Naturally, the other leagues were eager to one day surpass Kanto. They were constantly on the lookout for promising trainers—especially someone like Ron, who had demonstrated extraordinary talent after just a year of traveling.

That was why Flint and Volkner were here—to ensure Ron had an alternative path when the time came.

They were confident that with their backing, Ron would never face the same struggles he encountered within the Kanto League.

For Ron, at that moment, this was undoubtedly the best option.

—

"Kid, you're lucky. Giovanni himself is giving you a chance," a raspy voice muttered in a dimly lit room. "You'd better make the most of it. Because if you miss this opportunity, getting this far again won't be easy."

Meanwhile, Bruno had also begun paying close attention to Ron. At the very least, he needed to ensure that even if Ron faltered, the League's reputation in Ron's eyes could still be salvaged.

Unaware that three separate factions were now watching over him, Ron continued his training session, completely focused.

Even if he lost, there would still be a way out.

There were always other paths to take.

-----

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