Chapter 110
The steam swirled thick in the bath, mist curling like clouds in a heavenly realm.
Ripples pulsed across the surface of the water, growing faster, colliding in places like the scattered notes of a secret melody.
Rebecca carefully wiped Kazuki down with a towel, her movements delicate and focused. Then, without a word, she bolted out of the bathhouse.
Kazuki let out a long, relaxed breath.
"Misty, something feels a little different today."
"Is it because you had some wine?"
"But it actually felt really nice!"
"Maybe we should try this kind of drunken-style bath again sometime."
"But since you drank, you couldn't use your mou—"
"Hm? Misty? Misty?"
Kazuki's Aura sense picked up that the person beside him had already left the private bath.
He lifted the cloth covering his eyes and glanced toward the open door. "Huh, running off after just using your hands? Feeling shy today?"
"Is that the magic of tipsy Misty?"
"Heh… interesting. Ah, and she didn't even shut the door on the way out."
"Oh well, guess I've soaked enough anyway. Time to get up and rest—tomorrow's the semifinals against Anthony."
---
By early morning, Kazuki had already left for the fighting arena. Misty, meanwhile, was still fast asleep in her room.
"Misty, Misty, today's Kazuki's semifinal! Aren't you going to the arena to cheer him on as his girlfriend?" Suzie nudged Misty's arm.
"Semifinal! Semifinal!" Misty jolted upright. "Of course I'm going! Last night… Oh no!"
She pressed her lips together as memories of her wine-fueled night came rushing back.
Oh no oh no oh no! I promised Kazuki I'd help him out last night!
And I just passed out?!
If he doesn't do well today and loses… how am I going to face Rebecca or Kazuki?!
"It's not that bad! There's still thirty minutes before the match. We're only ten minutes away from the arena," Suzie reassured her while helping brush her hair.
"Oh, I—um, I…" Misty glanced at Suzie and panicked inwardly. I can't tell her about this! Ugh!
"Let's go! Let's get to the arena!"
She scrambled to pull on her socks—one ended up inside out, but she didn't care and shoved her foot into her shoe anyway.
Misty's mind raced: Is there any way I can still help Kazuki relax before the match?
Clearly not. The backstage area was closed to visitors. And even if she could sneak in, last-minute "relief" wasn't going to help performance anyway.
So Misty and Suzie hurried to the spectator stands, searching for Rebecca.
"Miss Misty and Miss Suzie, correct?" a tournament staff member recognized them.
"You're listed as Mr. Kazuki's guests. Please follow me to the VIP viewing area."
He gestured toward the premium front-row sofa section where Rebecca was seated.
Misty thanked him and grabbed Suzie's hand, hurrying over.
"Rebecca, has Kazuki gone up yet?"
Rebecca nodded and pointed toward Kazuki's position in the arena.
But when Rebecca turned back to face them, both Misty and Suzie froze for a second.
"Rebecca… did you have wine this morning?" Misty asked, staring at Rebecca's unusually flushed face.
"Huh? Did I…?" Rebecca quickly touched her burning cheeks. Ugh, the after-effect of last night's wine!
Kazuki… he was so… too much… I can't get that image out of my head!
All night I tossed and turned thinking about it… now I see him again and it all comes rushing back!
"I—It's nothing! The air in this VIP box wasn't ventilated properly. Just a little stuffy, I'll be fine in a bit!"
"Let's focus on Kazuki's match!"
Rebecca started fanning herself with her hands, trying to dispel her flustered state.
"Oh right, Kazuki!"
With that reminder, both Misty and Rebecca turned their full attention to the arena.
---
[Welcome to the P1 Grand Prix Semifinals!]
[Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable!]
[Our old friend Anthony has returned to the semifinals after a three-year absence!]
[And on the other side, it's even more incredible—]
[A new Trainer who's won three matches every single day—Kazuki!!!]
"Kazuki! Kazuki!"
The crowd erupted the moment Kazuki stepped onto the stage.
[Let's look forward to a fierce match between Primeape and Hitmonchan!]
Ding!
The bell rang, and both Pokémon leapt onto the battlefield.
"Young man, I didn't expect we'd meet in the semifinals like this!" Anthony called out.
"Who would've thought—the martial arts manual I've studied for over a decade…"
"You've grasped most of it in just a few days!"
"But alas, you haven't mastered all of it."
"You're still a little short compared to me!"
He hadn't even started battling, and he was already lecturing.
"Let's talk after we've fought," Kazuki said flatly, giving Primeape the signal to strike.
"You're too hasty, boy! Hitmonchan, block and weave!"
Hitmonchan began dodging left and right, spinning and circling.
But no punch ever came.
Instead, the dodging made Hitmonchan dizzy.
"That's—!" Anthony finally realized something was wrong.
"He's faking aggression!"
"Now's the real attack! Primeape, use Seismic Toss!"
Kazuki's apparent impatience had been a ruse.
Through his journey and battles with all kinds of Trainers, Kazuki's tactics had grown flexible and diverse.
Anthony's single-minded martial style could no longer keep up.
"Hitmonchan, escape!"
After taking a hit from Seismic Toss, Hitmonchan barely managed to break free and retreat.
"Well done! Now, use Mach Punch!"
Use strength to win—that's my way!
It was the same method Anthony had used to make it this far: exploiting his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses.
When faced with stronger foes, he'd wear them down with speed.
When outpaced, he'd trap them against the corner for a knockout.
By normal standards, Primeape's speed stat was slightly lower than Hitmonchan's, and winning with Mach Punch could've worked.
Unfortunately for him—Kazuki had the Beginner Lightning Speed Aura, which increased his Pokémon's speed by 10%.
With that boost, Primeape was now faster than Hitmonchan.
Anthony watched in disbelief as Hitmonchan's punches whiffed past Primeape again and again.
"Impossible! That's Primeape's speed?! How is he this fast?!"
"This must be a one-in-a-million exceptional individual!"
"Primeape, sidestep and counter it! Build momentum—Cross Chop!"
Kazuki seized on Hitmonchan's misstep, chaining a combo for a flawless finisher.
"Hitmonchan! Hitmonchan!"
Anthony clung to the ring ropes in shock, unable to believe he'd lost to a newcomer.
[And the winner of today's semifinal match is once again our prodigy—Kazuki!!!]
"Kazuki! Kazuki!"
The entire stadium chanted his name in thunderous unison.
----
Join my Patreon for early access to chapters and to support my work: Patreon.com/rivyura