Chapter 314: Dragonite vs. Annihilape
"Wait, what??!"
In the waiting area, Namgung Xi let out a sudden yelp of surprise.
Kenji, who had been watching the other matches, glanced sideways and noticed the digital bracket on the screen had just refreshed.
Namgung Xi's name was right there.
And when he saw the name next to hers, even Kenji froze for a second.
Match 112: Namgung Xi vs. Kenji!!
Kenji turned his head, meeting Namgung Xi's wide-eyed stare.
What kind of crazy luck was this? To be matched against his own traveling companion so early in the main tournament.
Once the shock wore off, Namgung Xi actually looked delighted.
Compared to being knocked out by some random stranger, being eliminated by Kenji was a much better way to go.
Knowing her next opponent was her friend, the tension that had been gripping her all morning vanished. She started chatting and laughing with Kenji, even going as far as to congratulate him on his "future victory" in the rounds to come.
Before long, their names were called. The two of them left the lounge together and walked down the tunnel toward the main field.
"No way, what are the odds? They're matched up already?"
In the stands, the general public didn't know about their friendship, so there was no major reaction.
But Li Heng and the others knew. They leaned over the railing, looking quite surprised to see the two friends facing off.
Kenji and Namgung Xi stepped onto the arena floor, taking their respective positions in the trainer's boxes.
Compared to the suffocating tension of the other matches, the atmosphere here was remarkably relaxed. They both gripped their Poké Balls, waiting for the referee's signal.
"Battle... Begin!!!!"
"Go!! Lulu!!!!"
"I choose you! Annihilape!!!"
"RWOOAAA!!!!! —"
Dragonite let out a resonant cry as it materialized in the air above the battlefield.
"It's a Dragonite!!!"
"And an Annihilape!!!"
The entry of a Pseudo-Legendary instantly electrified the crowd.
Lulu was only Level 57, and even going all out, it could only muster early Gym Leader-level strength. Because of this, Namgung Xi had been forced to use her other Pokémon during the tougher qualifying rounds. This was Lulu's big debut on the main stage.
Annihilape, while not as rare as a Pseudo-Legendary, was still a "once-in-a-lifetime" encounter for most. Not all Primeapes had the sheer willpower—or the sheer rage—required to transcend their physical bodies and evolve.
Two incredibly rare Pokémon facing off, with one of them belonging to a top seed like Kenji. The match became an instant highlight.
[Annihilape] (4-Star)
Gender: Male
Level: 54 (Elite)
Type: Fighting / Ghost
Base Stats Total: 715
(HP: 145, Atk: 155, Def: 110, SpA: 65, SpD: 120, Spe: 120)
Abilities: Defiant, Moxie
Moves: Rage Fist, Outrage, Close Combat, Cross Chop, Seismic Toss, Counter, Brick Break, Bulk Up, Drain Punch, Shadow Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch...
Items: None
Potential: Limit
Annihilape was roughly the same level as Kenji's Serperior (Level 51). At Level 54, it was three levels higher than the snake.
But despite the small level gap, the actual power Annihilape could output was significantly more terrifying.
This was due to its absurdly optimized stat distribution. It was a true "Pentagon Warrior."
Unlike Beedrill, whose stats were polarized toward speed and offense, Annihilape's only dump stat was Special Attack, which it didn't use anyway. The other five stats were all uniformly elite.
Back when it was just an Occupational-level Mankey, it had managed to throw a punch with Champion-level power by burning through its rage. Now that it was an Elite-level Annihilape, the power behind a full-rage Rage Fist was likely high enough to be "catastrophic."
However, Kenji hadn't let Annihilape use that move since the day it evolved.
The recoil was too dangerous—it was more severe than Explosion. For one, the power output exceeded what a Level 54 body could channel without breaking. Secondly, since this Annihilape had discarded its physical form to become an entity of pure rage, Kenji was terrified that a "Full-Burn" punch might literally incinerate Annihilape's existence.
He wasn't going to risk his partner's life unless there was no other choice.
Even without its ultimate move, Annihilape was a monster. To keep the fight with Lulu from ending in two seconds, Kenji had even unequipped all of its items.
"Lulu!!! Use Air Cutter!!!!"
Dragonite's small wings flapped violently, unleashing several razor-sharp blades of wind that sliced through the air toward Annihilape.
Facing the incoming Flying-type move, Annihilape didn't dodge. It simply raised its thick arms to block.
BAM BAM BAM!!!!! —
The wind blades struck Annihilape's forearms, exploding into bursts of energy.
"Chaa..."
Annihilape let out a low growl. The super-effective hit had landed, but it seemed to have done minimal damage.
Instead, the red glow surrounding Annihilape's body began to shimmer with a deeper, more intense hue. The rage was building.
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