Chapter 786 - Entering the Top 4
Sure enough, after Wallace summoned the Walrein, it didn't have much resistance against the overwhelming psychic powers of Slowking.
Slowking's battle strategy was already well-developed. Unless it faced a type disadvantage or an opponent significantly stronger than itself, the battle would usually end in its favor.
It would start by using Trick Room to control the battlefield, turning the opponent into a trapped target. Then, it would rely on its psychic powers to maintain mobility. If faced with a powerful attack, Slowking could use Teleport to evade. If the opponent's attack wasn't strong enough, Slowking would counter with a devastating strike.
If its stamina dropped, it could recover using Heal Pulse. Against Pokémon with particularly troublesome abilities, Slowking could even use Skill Swap to steal their advantages for itself.
Even when facing Dark-type Pokémon that resisted its psychic abilities, Slowking's access to Miracle Eye—a technique unlocked after awakening its latent potential—ensured it wouldn't be left defenseless.
If the opponent attempted a finishing move, Slowking could endure it with Protect, then use Disable to seal the attack.
As it stood, Slowking was the strongest one-on-one battler in Aoki's team and also his highest-level Pokémon, making its strength undeniable.
Wallace lost.
He lost to Aoki's trump card, Slowking, but he wasn't too disheartened.
Facing Aoki, Wallace had already prepared himself for either outcome.
In truth, in terms of raw strength, Wallace wasn't weaker than Aoki—if anything, he was slightly stronger. His team had no glaring weaknesses, whereas Aoki still had gaps, such as his Swampert and Politoed, which weren't yet at their peak.
But Aoki had one overwhelming advantage: information.
As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you shall never be defeated."
Before a battle, Aoki could analyze his opponent's Pokémon—their stats, abilities, moves, and even predict their strategies based on their known techniques.
This was an inherent advantage. Without it, Aoki's chances of defeating Wallace would only be around 40%. But with it, his odds rose to 60%.
That was the power of knowledge.
After the match, the two embraced in the center of the arena, and Wallace whispered in Aoki's ear, "Aoki, do your best! Fight your way to the finals! Face Steven."
Though Wallace had lost, he wasn't upset. His true passion wasn't battling but contests, and reaching the Top 8 in the Sinnoh League was already a great achievement in his eyes.
Aoki didn't take his words seriously.
Reach the finals?
Yeah, right.
Once he saw the competition in the semifinals, Wallace wouldn't be saying that.
The two returned together to the private room where Steven and Phoebe had been waiting.
"That was a fantastic match!" Steven said with a smile.
No matter who won between Aoki and Wallace, one representative from the Hoenn region was guaranteed to advance to the semifinals.
From Steven's perspective, Aoki's victory was ideal. He had met Wallace before the Sinnoh League began, but Aoki was a closer friend. Steven looked forward to battling Aoki himself to gauge his true strength.
Sometimes, watching a match wasn't enough—you had to experience it firsthand.
Wallace simply shook his head with a smile and sat down on the sofa without a word.
Phoebe glanced at him worriedly, unsure how to comfort him—she wasn't the best with emotions.
"Haha, don't worry, Phoebe. I'm not upset, and I'm not faking a smile. Didn't you notice those two didn't even try to console me?" Wallace said, amused.
Hearing this, Phoebe let out a relieved sigh and patted her chest.
That scared me. My heart was pounding.
Aoki and Wallace's match had been the first of the day, and it had been thrilling, with the winner only decided at the very end.
As for Aoki only using five Pokémon, nobody paid it much mind. Everyone knew his sixth was a Politoed, which wasn't yet strong enough to be a deciding factor.
The next match was Steven's, and his opponent was Kazuki from Johto.
"Steven, go get him! Avenge me!" Phoebe cheered, pumping her fist.
Steven waved a hand, flashing a confident smile. "Don't worry!"
Steven versus Kazuki.
This time, Steven had no type disadvantages. Though Kazuki was stronger than Phoebe, the difference in skill was vast.
From the start, Kazuki was on the back foot, relentlessly pressured by Steven's tactics.
Mostly because Steven had promised to avenge Phoebe.
For Kazuki, it was an unfortunate situation, but he had no room to complain—Steven was fighting fairly, just with a little extra intensity.
Besides, Kazuki and Phoebe weren't particularly close, so he had no reason to feel bitter.
Kazuki, who liked wearing flamboyant outfits and a black mask over his eyes, gave off the air of a stage magician.
Steven defeated Kazuki, securing his spot in the semifinals.
With two Hoenn trainers now in the Top 4, the Hoenn League officials were overjoyed. At least one of their representatives would reach the finals, and given Aoki and Steven's performances, neither seemed likely to lose easily.
Mission accomplished.
After Steven's match, it was time for Cynthia versus Caitlin.
As the last remaining hope for their respective regions, the pressure was immense.
But what happened next stunned the audience.
Caitlin, who was usually prone to losing control of her emotions, remained completely composed against Cynthia.
That didn't mean she was fighting normally, though.
Imagine a starstruck fan meeting their idol—that was Caitlin. She had completely transformed into Cynthia's biggest supporter.
The Sinnoh League officials watching could only sigh in resignation. There was nothing they could do.
Caitlin's talent was undeniable. She was the youngest competitor in the Top 16, with incredible psychic potential, making her a treasure of the Johto League.
But if she refused to fight seriously, what could they do?
They had no choice but to accept defeat, making Johto the first region to be completely eliminated.
Cynthia hadn't intended for things to go this way, but Caitlin was simply too fixated on her. The fact that Caitlin didn't lose control in Cynthia's presence only deepened her admiration.
Even Lance, who usually managed to calm her when she was on the verge of snapping, couldn't compete with Cynthia's influence.
The final match of the day was also the most unpredictable—even Aoki couldn't guess the outcome.
Lorelei versus Diantha!
Who would win—the future Ice-type Elite Four from Kanto, or the future Champion of Kalos?