"Frost is good. His Pokémon are strong, and he knows exactly how to use them."
Aaron watched the battle from the stands before glancing at Braveon.
"Is he from one of Crown City's major families too?"
"Not quite. The Frost family is somewhere between minor and mid-tier."
Braveon kept his attention on the arena as he explained.
"They did produce a Champion once, but that was many years ago. After he passed away, no one in the family ever reached that level again, and their influence gradually faded."
"Frost is the most talented Trainer of their current generation. As far as the family is concerned, he's their best chance of making a comeback."
"That explains a lot."
Aaron nodded thoughtfully.
Frost was not only fighting for himself. He carried the expectations of his entire family with him.
...
In the arena, the battle continued.
"Chien-Pao, close the distance! Ice Fang!"
Chien-Pao answered with a savage snarl.
"Grrrraow!"
Bone-chilling energy spread across the ancient blade fragments forming its fangs. It kicked off the snowy ground and launched itself toward Hydreigon, jaws opening wide.
"Fivey, take it head-on! Fire Fang!"
A deep growl rumbled from Hydreigon's central throat.
Flames erupted around its jaws, forming a pair of blazing fangs as it lunged down to meet Chien-Pao's attack.
The other four heads remained still.
Hydreigon could already launch certain moves from multiple heads at once, but it had not yet reached the point where all five could freely use any attack independently.
That level of coordination would take time—and a great deal of training.
Fire Fang and Ice Fang collided in midair.
BOOM!
Fire and frost exploded together, filling the arena with a cloud of scalding steam.
The impact hurled both Pokémon apart. Hydreigon was knocked backward through the air, while Chien-Pao crashed onto the snowy ground and skidded several meters before digging in its claws.
"GRAAAH!"
Hydreigon's five heads bellowed down from the sky.
Chien-Pao responded with a low, furious snarl, its back arched and its fangs bared.
One ruled the air.
The other refused to yield the ground.
Frost looked across the arena at Liora.
"Come on, Liora. Enough with the warm-up."
His eyes sharpened.
"I know Hydreigon has an Apotheosis-level move."
A confident smile tugged at his lips.
"Let's end this properly. Your strongest move against mine."
Liora studied Chien-Pao for a moment, then looked up at Fivey.
Hydreigon had already lost half of its remaining HP to Ruination, and the battle had drained a considerable amount of its stamina. Dragging things out would only favor Frost.
A decisive clash was her best chance.
"Fine."
Her expression hardened.
"If that's what you want, we'll give it to you."
Frost's smile widened.
"That's more like it."
He thrust one hand toward the battlefield.
"Chien-Pao, no holding back!"
"Bring it down with Icicle Crash!"
"GRAAOW!"
Chien-Pao threw back its head and released a piercing feline roar.
Brilliant ice-blue light erupted from its body.
RUMBLE!
Snow and frost rushed toward it from across the battlefield. The wind howled as the gathering cold condensed into a colossal icicle suspended above the arena.
A bitter chill spread through the stands.
Even from where he sat, Aaron could feel the cold biting into his skin.
An Apotheosis-level Icicle Crash.
"Fivey!"
Liora raised her voice over the storm.
"We're not backing down!"
Hydreigon's five heads turned toward her.
"Put everything you have into Dragon Pulse!"
A chorus of deep growls rolled across the arena.
"GRAAAAAH!"
Crimson Dragon-type energy erupted from Hydreigon's body and converged inside the jaws of its central head.
The power compressed further and further until the air around it began to distort.
Then Hydreigon fired.
A massive crimson beam tore across the sky.
As it descended, the energy took the shape of a gigantic dragon, its jaws spread wide and its claws reaching toward the enormous icicle below.
The two Apotheosis-level attacks collided above the battlefield.
BOOOOM!
The explosion shook the entire Hidden Dragon Square.
A violent shock wave swept through the arena, rattling the stands and sending loose snow spiraling into the air.
Thick white smoke surged upward and swallowed the battlefield whole.
The blast immediately caught the attention of everyone nearby.
"What the hell was that?"
"It came from the battle arena!"
"Come on! Someone's having a serious fight over there!"
"Was that really caused by Gym-level Pokémon?"
"Who cares? Hurry up before it's over!"
...
People in Hualis had never needed much encouragement to gather around a spectacle.
Within moments, a crowd began forming around the arena.
Then someone recognized the Trainers in the stands.
"Wait... aren't those the top five from the Hidden Dragon Rankings?"
"You're right! What are all of them doing here?"
"Liora and Frost are battling!"
"Who won that exchange?"
"How should I know? I can't see anything through all that smoke!"
...
Aaron watched the crowd grow larger by the second, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
Fame really did make it impossible to do anything quietly.
"Who do you think came out ahead?"
Braveon stared into the dense smoke hanging over the battlefield.
Aaron folded his arms.
"Their moves are both at the Apotheosis level, but Chien-Pao has the better matchup."
"Icicle Crash is super effective against Hydreigon. Dragon Pulse only deals neutral damage to Chien-Pao."
He kept his eyes fixed on the arena.
"So unless Hydreigon's raw power was enough to overcome that difference, Frost should have won the clash."
Braveon nodded.
He had reached the same conclusion.
A moment later, the smoke began to thin.
The battlefield slowly came back into view.
Hydreigon hovered only a short distance above the ground.
Frost covered its body, and all five heads were breathing heavily. Its six wings beat unevenly as it struggled to remain airborne.
The overwhelming pressure it had radiated earlier had weakened considerably.
Chien-Pao still stood on the snowy field below.
Its breathing was slightly heavier, but its stance remained firm. A sharp, predatory aura continued to radiate from its body as it stared up at Hydreigon.
The result was obvious.
Chien-Pao had won the exchange.