Pichu scurried into the battle arena, but upon seeing the massive crowd of spectators, it hesitated, feeling intimidated. Due to its small stature, it couldn't see the battlefield clearly.

  The pink, bubble-blowing feline Pokémon gently exhaled another bubble. Pichu hopped onto it, and the bubble slowly floated upward.

  From midair, Pichu had a perfect view of the entire battlefield.

  "Pichu~~!" it chirped in delight.

  On the battlefield below, Combusken was locked in a standoff against Sandssh. Pichu's eyes widened with excitement.

  "The battle begins!!"

  The referee waved the fg, signaling the start of the match.

  "Sandssh, finish this quickly. Use Drill Run!"

  Bron's face remained expressionless, but inwardly, he was brimming with confidence.

  His Sandssh had undergone rigorous training, even enduring intense waterfall meditation. It had gone through relentless drills, honing its resilience against Water-type Pokémon.

  Though Water-type attacks still dealt significant damage, his Sandssh was far superior to an ordinary one.

  If even Water-types couldn't faze his Sandssh, why should he fear a mere Combusken?

  Bron gnced at his watch.

  Three minutes.

  That should be enough.

  Sandssh sharpened its white cws, its eyes bzing with determination. It lunged forward, powerful legs propelling it toward Combusken.

  As it ran, Ground-type energy surged through its arms. Its cws merged, rapidly spinning like a steel drill as it charged at Combusken.

  Drill Run, a Ground-type move, had a clear advantage against the Fire-type Combusken.

  Sandssh's spinning body kicked up a storm of sand, its momentum overwhelming.

  But Combusken only gave it a casual gnce.

  As Sandssh closed in, Combusken bent its legs and leaped into the air, effortlessly dodging the attack.

  "Fmethrower!"

  "Cha~mo!"

  Fire welled up in Combusken's throat. It puffed out its chest and unleashed a bzing column of fire.

  "Block it with Rock Tomb!"

  Sandssh scraped its white cws against the ground, letting out a fierce roar. Towering rock formations erupted from the ground, shielding it from the fire.

  The sturdy rock barrier successfully absorbed the fmes, though the intense heat melted some of the stones into va.

  Bron smirked, pleased with the perfect defense.

  However…

  The next moment, his smile vanished.

  Combusken had already begun sprinting forward. As it ran, its legs glowed with dazzling white light, intertwined with a crystalline blue energy—an awe-inspiring sight.

  "Sandssh, use Crush Cw!"

  Sandssh growled, its cws gleaming with Normal-type energy, becoming razor-sharp.

  With impressive speed, Sandssh swung its cws just as Combusken came within range—

  But it only struck an afterimage.

  "Cha-mo!"

  In an instant, Combusken appeared at Sandssh's side and delivered two powerful kicks to its body!

  The sheer force sent Sandssh flying across the battlefield.

  Bron gritted his teeth. He hadn't expected Combusken to be so fast—this was troublesome.

  Still, it didn't matter. Victory would be his.

  "Sandssh, get up and use Rollout!"

  Sandssh pushed itself up, curled into a ball, and rapidly rolled toward Combusken.

  "Double Kick!"

  Rollout's initial power was weak. The moment the two Pokémon cshed, Combusken's kick sent Sandssh flying again.

  Sandssh's endurance was impressive—it quickly regained its bance and rolled toward Combusken again.

  "Dodge."

  Though Sandssh's speed had increased, it was still no match for Combusken.

  With a simple sidestep, Combusken effortlessly avoided the attack.

  Bron's lips curled into a sly grin.

  The battlefield, still littered with rock formations from Rock Tomb, worked to his advantage.

  Sandssh, still rolling, used the terrain's natural slopes to propel itself into the air!

  Even mid-air, Sandssh maintained its Rollout momentum, descending straight toward Combusken!

  Seeing how little room Combusken had to dodge, Bron smirked. There was no way it could escape now.

  Nero narrowed his eyes. As Sandssh closed in on Combusken, he gave his command:

  "Feather Dance!"

  Feather Dance—a move that scattered numerous feathers around the opponent, drastically lowering their attack power. It was a move Combusken had inherited!

  "Chamo!"

  Combusken spun in pce, scattering countless orange-red feathers into the air.

  The feathers elegantly surrounded Sandssh, forming a cushion of soft down.

  With its fall cushioned, Combusken extended its arms and effortlessly blocked Sandssh's attack.

  "What…?"

  Bron, who had been certain of victory, was left in disbelief. He hadn't expected Combusken to have such a move hidden up its sleeve.

  "Toss it up, then use Fire Spin!"

  "Chamo!"

  Sandssh struggled, waving its arms, but it was futile. Combusken tensed its muscles and hurled Sandssh into the air.

  As Sandssh soared, the remaining feathers clung to it.

  Then, before everyone's eyes, Combusken unleashed a massive Fire Spin!

  The swirling inferno engulfed the feathers, igniting them instantly!!!

  Spectators gazed at the sky as the burning feathers shimmered like stars, illuminating their faces with a warm glow.

  The dazzling fire contrasted beautifully against the dark winter sky, creating a breathtaking scene. Despite the season's cold, the fmes filled the air with a comforting warmth.

  Trapped within the fiery vortex, Sandssh let out pained cries. While Ground-types resisted Fire-types, they had no inherent defense against Fire-type moves.

  As the fmes dissipated, tiny embers drifted through the air like falling stars. Sandssh plummeted from the sky.

  Its once-brown body was now charred bck, completely incapacitated.

  "Sandssh is unable to battle! Combusken wins!"

  "Beep!"

  Bron's watch chimed. He gnced at it.

  Exactly three minutes.

  But… he had lost.

  "Unbelievable! What an astonishing victory against type disadvantage! In under three minutes, Nero's Combusken has defeated Bron's Sandssh!"

  "What?!"

  "No way! That fast?!"

  From the moment Combusken entered the field to Sandssh's defeat, barely three minutes had passed. The battle had sted only a few exchanges.

  Trainers at this level were usually evenly matched.

  The shortest battle they had ever seen was around five minutes, yet Combusken had won in three—against a type disadvantage, no less.

  It was nothing short of astounding.

  Moreover, the Fire Feather Dance was spectacur, resembling a fireworks dispy, as if celebrating the New Year in advance.

  Meanwhile, in the staff lounge…

  In the dead of winter, the air was biting cold. While Nero stepped forward to challenge Sandssh, one of the staff members had already poured himself a cup of warm water and set it on the table.

  His pn was simple—finish up a few minor tasks, then use the warm drink to fend off the chill.

  After wrapping up his work, the staff member lifted his head to gnce at the television screen. The moment he saw Combusken cim a fwless victory, he couldn't help but repy the events from just minutes ago in his mind.

  Nero's words echoed in his head:

  "I have my mighty general, Combusken—capable of cleaving through Sandssh!"

  And yet, as the staff member absentmindedly reached for the cup on the table, he suddenly froze.

  "Wait… what the hell?! The water's still warm?!"

  —————

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