Reading settings
he knowes pokemon more than i know _Chapter_412_en
Chapter 412
Chapter 408: vs. The Royal Mask: All-Out 6v6 Battle!!
The next day.
The Indigo Plateau Main Stadium was completely packed with spectators, even more so than during the Top 16 matches. Many people were sitting on the steps, their gazes intense and the buzz of discussion filling the air, making the entire stadium feel incredibly lively.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ash was now standing on the field below. His expression was solemn and determined, and he breathed lightly, trying to elevate his mental state to its peak.
He was the first to battle in the Top 16, and now he was first again in today's Top 8 quarterfinals.
Pikachu stood by his leg, its little hands clenched into fists and its tail swaying gently behind it, as if trying to secretly lower the opposing trainer's Defense.
His opponent, of course, was The Royal Mask. He wore the same familiar wrestling attire, his bronze-muscled upper body exposed. His face was concealed by a mask, his specific features hidden, but he had an undeniably imposing presence.
"Looks like we're in for an exciting battle."
Seeing the unprecedented fire in Ash's eyes, a smile touched The Royal Mask's lips as he clenched his own fists.
Feeling the fervent energy from the packed stands, a sensation both grand and surging, The Royal Mask's gaze turned stern as boundless strength welled up within him.
"One day, I will bring a sight like this to the Alola Region!!"
The battle had not yet reached its scheduled start time, so the commentators' voices echoed through the venue, a warm-up before the main event.
"Hello everyone! Starting with the quarterfinals of this Indigo Plateau Conference, the commentary will be brought to you by myself, Announcer Jia, and our specially invited guest for this tournament, the world's number one commentator, Teacher DP."
On a modest High Platform, two men could be seen sitting before a table. Their faces were indistinct, but they were dressed sharply in suits, with two microphones placed on the table.
Announcer Jia hailed from Azalea Town. In his early years, he was a three-stripe rank member of Team Rocket, wreaking havoc on the League with his hometown Slowbro. Later, he encountered a not-yet-famous Champion Lance. Young and reckless, he charged forward without a second thought.
The next second, he was defeated by Lance with a single hand, his eyes closed. And so, he immediately washed his hands of his past and became a glorious official League commentator.
As for Teacher DP next to him, he was also once a powerful professional trainer. However, after years of battling without achieving any sufficiently brilliant results—and in a final, critical match, his Lapras achieved the astonishing battle record of missing Hydro Pump four times in a row—he retired on the spot. He transitioned into a Pokémon commentator who only ran his mouth.
Although he wasn't an official commentator, in recent years his sharp, unique insights and his venomously accurate ability to judge situations had caused his popularity to explode, making him a favorite among the youth.
"Haha, you're too kind, you're too kind. 'World's number one' is too much of an exaggeration. Today, I'm just an impartial observer, and I'll be commentating on this battle from that perspective."
Teacher DP said with a smile, his voice not loud and tinged with a bit of shyness.
"Well then, our impartial Teacher DP~ who do you think has a higher chance of winning today, Contestant Ash or Contestant Masked Man?" Xiaojia started off by digging a big pit for him.
In this kind of competition, the biggest taboo for a commentator is making a pre-match prediction. If the prediction is wrong and the battle's performance doesn't meet the audience's expectations, the contestants themselves might not get flamed, but the commentator definitely will.
But Teacher DP seemed very confident today. He slammed the table and, in a low roar, stated bluntly.
"Don't say I'm not being objective today. It's a 0-6 sweep, hey, a 0-6 sweep."
Xiaojia feigned a shocked expression. Although he felt the same way in his heart, he still asked:
"Oh, Teacher DP is very confident today! So, the question is, who's the '0'?"
"Naturally, it's Contestant Ash. Let me put it this way: if Ash can defeat even one of The Royal Mask's Pokémon today, I'll eat this microphone on the spot."
Teacher DP was very self-assured. The Royal Mask held the answer to the current meta—Incineroar. Moreover, he had commentated on The Royal Mask's other battles a few years ago. This person was no mere one-trick pony who only knew how to use Incineroar; his other Pokémon were just as strong. There was a huge gap between him and a rookie trainer like Ash.
"Oh~ Then let's wait and see. Here's a piece of trivia: this microphone is made of titanium alloy. It's even harder than a Squirtle's shell."
Xiaojia tapped the microphone, which immediately produced two "thud thud" sounds, causing the entire venue to erupt in laughter and considerably livening up the atmosphere.
After his low roar, DP finally felt he had spoken too hastily and hurriedly added a condition.
"Er, let me add a premise: I'll only eat the microphone if he defeats one of them in a 1v1. Ganging up on them doesn't count."
After all, if six Pokémon ganged up on one, even an Elite Four member could suffer an upset.
"Oh~ Starting to add conditions so early today?"
While the two commentators were still trading barbs on the stage, the pressure on the field below grew more and more intense…
Soon, the time had come.
"BEEP!!"
The flame-bird in the brazier on the High Platform spread its wings and rose up, letting out a high-pitched cry. It spewed a ring of fire into the sky above the Indigo Plateau arena, wildly building hype for the tournament. In an instant, the atmosphere reached its peak.
A Referee also walked slowly to the center of the field, his expression grave, poised and ready.
"The Indigo Plateau Conference quarterfinals will be a 6v6 all-out battle! Now, will both contestants please send out your first Pokémon!"
Ash nodded. It was his first time experiencing a 6v6 all-out battle, but it only made his blood pump faster. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, his hand already gripping a Poké Ball, which he then threw forcefully.
*I will win!*
"I choose you!!"
A red light flashed, and a four-legged, jade-green toad appeared on the field. It stood firm and steady, the petals and green leaves on its back lush and verdant, almost on the verge of blooming completely. A sweet fragrance instantly filled the field.
The first battle, naturally, had to use the Pokémon with the earliest Pokédex number, symbolizing nobility.
On the other side, The Royal Mask also threw his Poké Ball. As the red light faded, the one that appeared on the field was surprisingly not his signature Incineroar.
This was the first time he had used a second Pokémon in the Indigo Plateau Conference.
"THUD!"
This Pokémon had a heavy build; its landing even caused the ground to tremble.
This was a Pokémon that looked extremely similar to Ivysaur.
Its body was larger and heavier, its eyes held less vitality and more mature weariness, and a splendid, red, plantain-like flower bloomed on its back. Its limbs landed on the ground with a thud, its weight clearly excessive.
Ash and The Royal Mask subconsciously glanced at each other, slightly stunned. They hadn't expected that they had both sent out the Pokémon with the earliest Pokédex number they possessed.
One was Number 002.
The other was Number 003.
Ivysaur, versus Venusaur.
The appearance of two starter Pokémon from their home region sent the Kanto Region's home crowd into an instant uproar.
"The first quarterfinal match of the Indigo Plateau Conference, Contestant Ash versus Contestant Masked Man! Let the battle officially begin!"
As the Referee's arm fell, the expressions on Ash's and The Royal Mask's faces changed simultaneously. The two Pokémon on the field pushed their auras to the absolute peak.
(end of chapter)
The next day.
The Indigo Plateau Main Stadium was completely packed with spectators, even more so than during the Top 16 matches. Many people were sitting on the steps, their gazes intense and the buzz of discussion filling the air, making the entire stadium feel incredibly lively.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ash was now standing on the field below. His expression was solemn and determined, and he breathed lightly, trying to elevate his mental state to its peak.
He was the first to battle in the Top 16, and now he was first again in today's Top 8 quarterfinals.
Pikachu stood by his leg, its little hands clenched into fists and its tail swaying gently behind it, as if trying to secretly lower the opposing trainer's Defense.
His opponent, of course, was The Royal Mask. He wore the same familiar wrestling attire, his bronze-muscled upper body exposed. His face was concealed by a mask, his specific features hidden, but he had an undeniably imposing presence.
"Looks like we're in for an exciting battle."
Seeing the unprecedented fire in Ash's eyes, a smile touched The Royal Mask's lips as he clenched his own fists.
Feeling the fervent energy from the packed stands, a sensation both grand and surging, The Royal Mask's gaze turned stern as boundless strength welled up within him.
"One day, I will bring a sight like this to the Alola Region!!"
The battle had not yet reached its scheduled start time, so the commentators' voices echoed through the venue, a warm-up before the main event.
"Hello everyone! Starting with the quarterfinals of this Indigo Plateau Conference, the commentary will be brought to you by myself, Announcer Jia, and our specially invited guest for this tournament, the world's number one commentator, Teacher DP."
On a modest High Platform, two men could be seen sitting before a table. Their faces were indistinct, but they were dressed sharply in suits, with two microphones placed on the table.
Announcer Jia hailed from Azalea Town. In his early years, he was a three-stripe rank member of Team Rocket, wreaking havoc on the League with his hometown Slowbro. Later, he encountered a not-yet-famous Champion Lance. Young and reckless, he charged forward without a second thought.
The next second, he was defeated by Lance with a single hand, his eyes closed. And so, he immediately washed his hands of his past and became a glorious official League commentator.
As for Teacher DP next to him, he was also once a powerful professional trainer. However, after years of battling without achieving any sufficiently brilliant results—and in a final, critical match, his Lapras achieved the astonishing battle record of missing Hydro Pump four times in a row—he retired on the spot. He transitioned into a Pokémon commentator who only ran his mouth.
Although he wasn't an official commentator, in recent years his sharp, unique insights and his venomously accurate ability to judge situations had caused his popularity to explode, making him a favorite among the youth.
"Haha, you're too kind, you're too kind. 'World's number one' is too much of an exaggeration. Today, I'm just an impartial observer, and I'll be commentating on this battle from that perspective."
Teacher DP said with a smile, his voice not loud and tinged with a bit of shyness.
"Well then, our impartial Teacher DP~ who do you think has a higher chance of winning today, Contestant Ash or Contestant Masked Man?" Xiaojia started off by digging a big pit for him.
In this kind of competition, the biggest taboo for a commentator is making a pre-match prediction. If the prediction is wrong and the battle's performance doesn't meet the audience's expectations, the contestants themselves might not get flamed, but the commentator definitely will.
But Teacher DP seemed very confident today. He slammed the table and, in a low roar, stated bluntly.
"Don't say I'm not being objective today. It's a 0-6 sweep, hey, a 0-6 sweep."
Xiaojia feigned a shocked expression. Although he felt the same way in his heart, he still asked:
"Oh, Teacher DP is very confident today! So, the question is, who's the '0'?"
"Naturally, it's Contestant Ash. Let me put it this way: if Ash can defeat even one of The Royal Mask's Pokémon today, I'll eat this microphone on the spot."
Teacher DP was very self-assured. The Royal Mask held the answer to the current meta—Incineroar. Moreover, he had commentated on The Royal Mask's other battles a few years ago. This person was no mere one-trick pony who only knew how to use Incineroar; his other Pokémon were just as strong. There was a huge gap between him and a rookie trainer like Ash.
"Oh~ Then let's wait and see. Here's a piece of trivia: this microphone is made of titanium alloy. It's even harder than a Squirtle's shell."
Xiaojia tapped the microphone, which immediately produced two "thud thud" sounds, causing the entire venue to erupt in laughter and considerably livening up the atmosphere.
After his low roar, DP finally felt he had spoken too hastily and hurriedly added a condition.
"Er, let me add a premise: I'll only eat the microphone if he defeats one of them in a 1v1. Ganging up on them doesn't count."
After all, if six Pokémon ganged up on one, even an Elite Four member could suffer an upset.
"Oh~ Starting to add conditions so early today?"
While the two commentators were still trading barbs on the stage, the pressure on the field below grew more and more intense…
Soon, the time had come.
"BEEP!!"
The flame-bird in the brazier on the High Platform spread its wings and rose up, letting out a high-pitched cry. It spewed a ring of fire into the sky above the Indigo Plateau arena, wildly building hype for the tournament. In an instant, the atmosphere reached its peak.
A Referee also walked slowly to the center of the field, his expression grave, poised and ready.
"The Indigo Plateau Conference quarterfinals will be a 6v6 all-out battle! Now, will both contestants please send out your first Pokémon!"
Ash nodded. It was his first time experiencing a 6v6 all-out battle, but it only made his blood pump faster. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, his hand already gripping a Poké Ball, which he then threw forcefully.
*I will win!*
"I choose you!!"
A red light flashed, and a four-legged, jade-green toad appeared on the field. It stood firm and steady, the petals and green leaves on its back lush and verdant, almost on the verge of blooming completely. A sweet fragrance instantly filled the field.
The first battle, naturally, had to use the Pokémon with the earliest Pokédex number, symbolizing nobility.
On the other side, The Royal Mask also threw his Poké Ball. As the red light faded, the one that appeared on the field was surprisingly not his signature Incineroar.
This was the first time he had used a second Pokémon in the Indigo Plateau Conference.
"THUD!"
This Pokémon had a heavy build; its landing even caused the ground to tremble.
This was a Pokémon that looked extremely similar to Ivysaur.
Its body was larger and heavier, its eyes held less vitality and more mature weariness, and a splendid, red, plantain-like flower bloomed on its back. Its limbs landed on the ground with a thud, its weight clearly excessive.
Ash and The Royal Mask subconsciously glanced at each other, slightly stunned. They hadn't expected that they had both sent out the Pokémon with the earliest Pokédex number they possessed.
One was Number 002.
The other was Number 003.
Ivysaur, versus Venusaur.
The appearance of two starter Pokémon from their home region sent the Kanto Region's home crowd into an instant uproar.
"The first quarterfinal match of the Indigo Plateau Conference, Contestant Ash versus Contestant Masked Man! Let the battle officially begin!"
As the Referee's arm fell, the expressions on Ash's and The Royal Mask's faces changed simultaneously. The two Pokémon on the field pushed their auras to the absolute peak.
(end of chapter)
