*Note: Like I said in Patreon that time... I owe you an apology. For some reason I lost the chapter 125, I don't know what happened or when, I only know that when I was about to translate it, I realized I don't have the chapter. I search on my back-up copy but it was the same, I didn't found the chapter and I can't recover it, sorry. Unfortunately I don't remember exactly content of the chapter so I can't rewrite it. Luckily I remember certain things and I assure you there were things not very important in that chapter, so forgive me for that. I assure you that the next chapters are saved in the PC and I have a back-up copy of them, so this won't happen again.
Again I apology with you again and I hope you forgive me for this error, thanks.
...
The murmur in the stadium was constant, but contained. It wasn't the chaotic noise of previous battles, but something denser, heavier — as if even the audience understood that this was no longer just a regular Pokémon League match, but a semifinal between two trainers who had proven they were above the rest. The air was thick with anticipation, and the battlefield itself seemed to be holding its breath before everything began.
Ash and Gary were already in position. Neither spoke. There was no need. They knew each other well enough to understand that this wasn't about pride or words, but about proving who was better right now.
Bob was the first to break the silence.
"WE ARE ABOUT TO WITNESS ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED SEMIFINALS OF THIS POKÉMON LEAGUE!" Bob said with a firm voice.
"PARTICIPANT ASH VERSUS PARTICIPANT GARY! TWO TRAINERS WHO HAVE SHOWN THEY CAN ADAPT TO ANY SITUATION!" Carl added with clear excitement.
"AND TWO VERY DIFFERENT STYLES! PARTICIPANT ASH STANDS OUT FOR HIS REACTION SPEED, WHILE PARTICIPANT GARY IS CONSTANT PRESSURE!" Bob continued without taking his eyes off the field.
The referee stepped forward, raising his hand. The stadium fell completely silent.
"Trainers!" he began with authority. "This will be a six-on-six battle! The trainer who manages to defeat all of their opponent's Pokémon will be declared the winner and advance to the final of the Pokémon League!"
He paused briefly, making sure both were ready.
"Prepare… and begin!" the referee said firmly.
Ash adjusted the brim of his cap slightly, exhaling calmly.
Gary flashed a small, confident smile.
Both threw their Poké Balls at the same time.
Two flashes of light crossed the field.
Venusaur appeared with a solid impact, planting its feet firmly on the ground as its flower slowly opened, releasing a faint aroma that contrasted with the tension in the air. Facing it, Blastoise emerged with an imposing presence, its cannons spinning slightly as it fixed its gaze on its rival.
For a moment, neither trainer gave any orders. They simply observed.
"INTERESTING OPENING! VENUSAUR VERSUS BLASTOISE!" Bob commented quickly.
"PARTICIPANT ASH STARTS WITH A CERTAIN ADVANTAGE IN THIS MATCHUP, BUT PARTICIPANT GARY IS NOT ONE TO STAY STILL IF SOMETHING DOESN'T SUIT HIM!" Carl added.
Ash was the first to act.
"Venusaur, use Leech Seed!" he said decisively.
Gary reacted instantly.
"Blastoise, Ice Beam!" he ordered without hesitation.
The seeds shot forward, but the freezing beam intercepted them mid-flight, freezing them before they could reach their target. Ice fragments fell onto the field as the ground began to be covered in a thin layer of frost.
Ash narrowed his eyes.
Gary wasn't trying to win the exchange. He was testing.
Ash wasn't going to fall behind.
"Now, Energy Ball!" he ordered.
Venusaur's flower glowed intensely and a green sphere shot forward with power toward Blastoise.
Gary didn't move.
"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!" he responded calmly.
The jet of water collided with the Energy Ball mid-flight, creating an explosion of steam that momentarily covered the field. The air became humid and cold in seconds.
Ash didn't look away.
That exchange had been enough.
Gary had seen what he needed to see.
Venusaur was solid, quick to execute, and obedient. Keeping Blastoise in this matchup any longer made no sense.
Gary raised his Poké Ball.
"Blastoise, return!" he said with complete calm.
"THERE'S THE SWITCH! PARTICIPANT GARY DOESN'T WANT TO CONTINUE THIS MATCHUP!" Carl exclaimed.
"SMART DECISION! BLASTOISE HAS FULFILLED ITS ROLE AND NOW PARTICIPANT GARY IS LOOKING FOR A MORE FAVORABLE POSITION!" Bob added.
Gary stored Blastoise's Poké Ball with a relaxed gesture.
"You did well. Rest," he murmured as he reached for his next Poké Ball.
Ash didn't look away. He already knew what was coming.
Gary threw the next Poké Ball with determination.
"Arcanine, go!" he ordered.
The Fire-type Pokémon appeared with an imposing roar, its body wrapped in an aura of heat that contrasted with the cold air left by the previous exchange. The ground beneath its paws seemed to vibrate slightly from the intensity of its presence.
The battle had just changed, and anyone could see it…
Arcanine's roar echoed powerfully throughout the stadium. Its presence was immediate and dominant. The heat it emitted contrasted with the accumulated tension in the air, and for a moment, even the terrain seemed to respond. Small loose rock fragments vibrated under its paws as it took its first step forward.
Facing it, Venusaur stood firm, but this time the difference was evident. It no longer had control of the matchup.
Ash knew it instantly.
Gary did too.
"PARTICIPANT GARY HAS CHANGED THE PACE OF THE BATTLE WITH THIS MOVE!" Carl exclaimed with intensity.
"ARCANINE ENTERS TO APPLY PRESSURE! AND NOW IT'S PARTICIPANT ASH WHO HAS TO RESPOND!" Bob added.
Gary left no room for doubt.
"Arcanine, Flamethrower!" he ordered firmly.
The jet of fire shot out violently, illuminating the field as it headed straight toward Venusaur.
Ash reacted immediately.
"Venusaur, use Energy Ball!" he responded without hesitation.
The green sphere formed in Venusaur's flower and shot forward, colliding with the Flamethrower mid-flight. The collision created an explosion of heat and energy that scattered nearby stones, forcing both Pokémon to hold their ground to avoid losing balance.
Ash narrowed his eyes.
That exchange changed nothing.
Gary still held the initiative.
"Arcanine, Extreme Speed!" he ordered immediately.
Arcanine practically vanished from sight. Its body became a blur of motion that crossed the field in an instant, even using the uneven terrain to propel itself with greater force.
"Venusaur, hold on!" Ash shouted.
The impact was direct. Arcanine struck with brutal force, pushing Venusaur back several meters. Its feet dragged across the rocky ground, leaving visible marks before it managed to stabilize itself.
The damage was evident.
Ash gritted his teeth.
He couldn't keep this up.
Gary wasn't attacking randomly. He was forcing a switch.
"Venusaur, return! You did a great job!" Ash said firmly.
The red beam enveloped Venusaur and it disappeared from the field.
"QUICK DECISION FROM PARTICIPANT ASH!" Bob commented.
"AND A NECESSARY ONE! VENUSAUR NO LONGER HAD A FAVORABLE MATCHUP!" Carl added.
Ash didn't hesitate for even a second longer.
"Blastoise, go!" he shouted as he threw the Poké Ball.
Blastoise appeared with a solid impact on the terrain, its feet quickly adapting to the irregular surface of the Rock Field. Its weight gave it stability, even on the most fragmented areas of the ground.
Gary looked at Ash's Blastoise and narrowed his eyes. Should he withdraw Arcanine? No, he knew better than anyone that although its attacks were powerful, Blastoise was very slow. So even though it was Fire-type, he had no intention of withdrawing Arcanine, because he knew Blastoise wouldn't even be able to touch it.
"Arcanine, Extreme Speed again!" he ordered without losing rhythm.
Arcanine launched forward once more, its speed almost impossible to follow with the naked eye.
"Blastoise, hold on and use Hydro Pump!" Ash responded.
The impact came first. Arcanine struck with precision, but this time Blastoise didn't retreat as much. Its body absorbed the blow firmly.
A moment later, the cannon lit up.
The Hydro Pump shot out at close range, forcing Arcanine to break its offense and jump back to avoid the direct hit. The jet struck the rocky ground, sending stone fragments flying and leaving a shallow crack in the terrain, but Gary smiled slightly.
"WELL RESPONDED BY PARTICIPANT ASH!" Carl exclaimed.
"BLASTOISE HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED THE DYNAMICS OF THE BATTLE!" Bob added.
Ash took a small step forward and Gary did the same, neither willing to yield to the other.
The terrain was still marked by the previous impacts. Displaced rock fragments, shallow cracks, and irregular areas turned the field into something much more than a simple battle surface. Every step, every thrust, every foothold mattered.
"Arcanine, use Extreme Speed!" Gary said.
Ash was ready to counterattack, but Gary's Arcanine kept moving instead, its body crossing the field with agility, looking for the perfect angle to strike again. Ash was analyzing Arcanine while Gary analyzed the strength of Ash's Blastoise, which was why Arcanine didn't attack Blastoise directly.
"IT LOOKS LIKE BOTH ARE TESTING EACH OTHER. NEITHER DARES TO ATTACK FULLY!" Bob said with intensity.
"WHO WILL MAKE THE FIRST MOVE?" Carl added.
Gary was the first.
"Arcanine, use Flamethrower!" he ordered decisively.
The jet of fire shot out again, this time more concentrated and direct, trying to force Blastoise to move.