Very soon, as the matches continued, the list of the top eight was officially determined.
And without a doubt, the most eye-catching of all was that Cacturne that had broken the record for the longest average match duration.
At this stage of the tournament, almost no one would have imagined that a Cacturne could make it to the quarterfinals—let alone after defeating a champion dojo!
After the battle between Cacturne and Hariyama, Cacturne experienced a true rise, officially becoming one of the top contenders for the championship.
After all, Hariyama had already been a champion in the past, and in theory, Cacturne could follow the same path to glory.
At the same time, something no one had expected was that among the top eight there were two Pokémon that were not Fighting-type, something extremely rare in previous editions.
"You did very well, Ethan. In the quarterfinals, you'll have to give it your all as well."
"Hehe! So what if they're not Fighting-type? They can still win the championship!"
Maya Harper was clearly excited. If either of them managed to claim the title, then those who advocated stripping non-Fighting-type Pokémon of their right to compete would have to shut up once and for all.
"Don't worry, big sister Maya," Ethan replied with a smile. "My Cacturne still has plenty of hidden cards it hasn't used yet."
Seen this way, Cacturne truly had a great chance of winning the championship.
Without making the audience wait too long, the quarterfinals of the Martial Arts Tournament officially began early the next day.
This time, Ethan's opponent was a Hitmonchan.
"Ethan's opponent has been decided!"
"It's a Hitmonchan from the Boxing Dojo, specializing in close-quarters combat techniques!"
News of the match spread rapidly throughout the stadium, and all the spectators interested in Cacturne began flocking en masse toward the battlefield.
On the combat field, Hitmonchan and Cacturne stood facing each other.
Hitmonchan wore samurai-style armor resembling a skirt, extremely hard and with a defensive function. In addition, it wore boxing gloves, just like a true professional boxer.
By comparison, Cacturne, fighting bare-handed, seemed much more fragile. However, no one dared to underestimate it anymore.
"This Cacturne managed to defeat Hariyama by completely exhausting it. In this match, it seems Hitmonchan will have to rely on its fighting techniques and fearsome boxing to defeat it quickly."
Hitmonchan's trainer took a deep breath, already having a clearly defined battle plan.
Very soon, after confirming that both sides were ready, the referee officially announced the start of the match.
The instant the fight began, Hitmonchan moved first. Its fists lit up with a white glow as it unleashed the move Mach Punch, turning its strikes into a rain of fist afterimages.
Cacturne reacted quickly, crossing its arms in front of its body and wrapping them in Fighting-type energy, blocking the attack head-on.
But just as Cacturne managed to withstand the blow and prepared to counterattack, Hitmonchan's figure suddenly vanished.
In the next instant, it appeared at Cacturne's side. Its arm twisted in a strange way and it threw a punch from an extremely tricky angle, landing squarely on Cacturne's abdomen and sending it flying backward.
"There it is—the Boxing Dojo's combat technique!"
Seeing this, the crowd erupted in exclamations.
Every famous dojo had its own distinctive techniques.
The Hariyama Dojo was known for its toughness and ability to take hits.
The Machamp Dojo stood out for its special strength-training methods.
Meanwhile, the Multitype Martial Dojo was famous for exploiting the unique body structures of each Pokémon; under its teachings, Pokémon like Feraligatr could use claws, tail, and even their head as weapons.
As for the Boxing Dojo, its fame came from its fists and combat techniques. If one compared only physical skills without using moves, the students of this dojo were practically invincible.
"This is getting a bit tricky..." Ethan frowned. It was obvious that Hitmonchan was aiming for a quick victory.
In such a situation, the strategy of boosting attack with Power-Up Punch or trading endurance with Drain Punch seemed impossible to execute.
"Cacturne, use Power-Up Punch with Spikes!"
Seeing how Hitmonchan was constantly applying pressure with its boxing, Ethan gave the order.
Cacturne nodded immediately. Suddenly, sharp spines covered both of its arms, and right after that, it executed the move Power-Up Punch.
This time, facing Hitmonchan's Mach Punch, Cacturne chose to attack head-on.
Boom!
With a deafening crash, Hitmonchan's fist collided directly with Cacturne's descending arm.
"What the hell?! Is that a spiked mace?"
"Incredible! Cacturne turned its arms into a real weapon using its spines."
"Hitmonchan has gloves and Cacturne has a mace! This is brutal!"
The crowd exploded with excitement.
The Multitype Martial Dojo was famous precisely for exploiting special body structures, and at that moment, Cacturne was clearly demonstrating that heritage.
In the blink of an eye, the battle turned into a clash between two dojo traditions.
However, Cacturne's "mace" only increased its offensive power. Noticing this, Hitmonchan suddenly changed its strategy, adopting a guerrilla style and avoiding direct clashes.
On the field, Hitmonchan held nothing back, pushing the Boxing Dojo's heritage to its limits. With its refined technique and mastery of combat, Cacturne was momentarily left without room to react.
"The heritage of a dojo...?"
Ethan slowly closed his eyes, then snapped them open.
"Cacturne, show it our own inheritance!"
Upon hearing the order, Cacturne's gaze became extremely serious. It forced its body to stabilize.
Then, it stomped heavily on the ground, slightly bent its body, and assumed a firm stance...
A horse stance!
"Huh? What is Cacturne doing?"
"Did Ethan say our inheritance?"
A spectator frowned, completely confused.
Did Ethan have another dojo inheritance?
Or... was this an inheritance created by himself?
(End of chapter)