Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 285: Hoenn–Kanto Exchange Meeting (Part 6) – Two-in-One

"You’re saying that the Hoenn League not only agreed to let the young trainers from both sides have another battle, but also proposed that I have a match against Hoenn’s Champion, Steven?"

After hearing the senior official’s words, Rio was a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected that the Hoenn League would not only agree to the request for a rematch, but also suggest that he and Steven battle each other.

What did that mean? Had today’s matches made them overconfident? Did they think Steven could also crush Rio like those young trainers had?

"Yes, Mr. Rio, so I wanted to ask you—shall we accept their proposal?" the official said.

"Accept. Since they want to see who is stronger between me and Steven, let’s satisfy them." Rio smiled. "I believe the public is also looking forward to this Pokémon battle."

"Very well, Mr. Rio. I’ll go tell them right away and then inform the public."

The official turned and left. After he was gone, Rio took out his phone and called Blue, who had already left his Lavender Gym.

The call was picked up within seconds. Before Rio could speak, Blue’s voice came through, tinged with anger:

"Mr. Rio, why wasn’t I invited to this Hoenn–Kanto exchange meeting? In your eyes, am I not strong enough?" He was clearly following the event and had been irritated by it. "If I had been on the stage, I guarantee the Hoenn trainers wouldn’t have been so arrogant."

Hearing that anger, Rio knew he had called the right person.

"I know, which is why I’m contacting you now—I want you to bring glory to our Kanto League."

"Glory? What glory is there left? Isn’t it all over?" Blue was still upset.

"Just because it’s over, does that mean we can’t have another match? Or are you not interested in winning glory for Kanto?"

There was a brief silence on the other end. Then an excited voice came through:

"You mean there’s another chance to battle, and you’re inviting me, Blue, to participate?"

"That’s right. The rematch is the day after tomorrow. If you want to come, you’ll have to head to Indigo Plateau immediately. Miss this chance and it’s gone." Rio chuckled.

"Mr. Rio, wait for me! I’ll make it there tonight! Pidgeot, to Indigo Plateau!"

The line went dead with a series of beeps. Rio looked at the hung-up phone and smiled.

With Blue around, the young Hoenn trainers would have a tough time the day after tomorrow. They were about to face the second-strongest man in the Kanto League—after Rio himself, of course.

Two days later.

After a day of rest, the Kanto–Hoenn trainer exchange meeting resumed. Indigo Plateau welcomed even more spectators than the previous day—all of them knowing that today’s event would not only feature a rematch between the young trainers of both regions, but also a one-on-one Pokémon battle between Kanto’s Champion, Rio, and Hoenn’s Champion, Steven.

A battle between two regional Champions—that was a rare opportunity. How many times in a lifetime could one see such a match? So no matter what, people had to come and see it in person. As a result, there were also many Hoenn residents present today. Some had paid scalpers exorbitant prices just to get a ticket. Those who couldn’t secure a seat watched the big screens outside the venue.

This day became not only a carnival for Pokémon battle enthusiasts, but also a goldmine for scalpers and street vendors.

"Mr. Rio, is this guy really okay? Isn’t he being too arrogant?"

Before the exchange meeting began, a high-ranking Kanto League official approached Rio, expressing doubt about Blue’s strength. Because Blue had just told him that he wanted to take on ten opponents by himself—using only six Pokémon—and he would win. That kind of boast had stunned the official.

Wasn’t that far too arrogant? He wanted to refuse, but since Blue had been brought in by Rio, he decided to ask Rio first.

"No problem, let him do it. If a young man isn’t spirited, is he even young? Before I became Champion, I was even more arrogant than him. And I know Blue’s strength—he’s not only my disciple but also Professor Oak’s grandson. He has real skill." Rio said calmly.

Although Blue hadn’t received much direct guidance from him, he was still a student at Rio’s Lavender Gym, so it was fine to consider him Rio’s student. And Rio was the League Champion—being his disciple wasn’t a shameful thing.

"Alright, I understand."

Since Rio had said so, the official didn’t say more. He turned and went to negotiate with the Hoenn side. After all, Blue wasn’t his pick—if they lost again and the public got angry, he couldn’t be blamed; he was just following orders.

Not long after the official left, Steven arrived with his entourage.

"Mr. Rio, I’m really looking forward to battling your Pokémon today. I’ve heard that your Charizard is incredibly strong and can even evolve further—I can’t wait to see it for myself." Steven spoke first, bringing up the upcoming match between them.

"I’m also very much looking forward to battling you, Mr. Steven. I’ve heard your Metagross is extremely powerful." Rio smiled.

Their eyes met, and a spark of competition did flash between them—but it didn’t last long, as a Hoenn official interrupted, whispering something into Steven’s ear. Steven’s expression turned surprised. After the official left, he looked at Rio with a strange expression and said:

"At the exchange later, the trainer you’re sending from Kanto is going to fight ten opponents in a row, with only six Pokémon at his disposal?"

"That’s right. That trainer is my disciple, and it was his request. I agreed." Rio smiled.

Steven’s expression grew even more peculiar. He stared at Rio for a long moment without saying a word. He didn’t know whether to call Rio arrogant or his disciple arrogant.

One against ten? Did they think they were the League Champion or an Elite Four member? Weren’t they afraid of losing and making an even bigger joke of themselves, stirring up even more public outrage?

And as Steven had predicted, not long after the exchange started, when the host announced that the Kanto League would have one trainer take on ten—if he won, Kanto won; if he lost, Kanto lost—the entire arena erupted.

Kanto fans furiously cursed the Kanto League for being insane, for such arrogance. Hoenn fans, on the other hand, burst into laughter, mocking Kanto for still being so self-righteous and high-and-mighty.

These voices continued until Blue stepped onto the stage. Facing all the jeers, Blue remained unfazed—as if to say, "Go ahead and curse all you want."

"Come out, Alakazam!"

When the referee announced the start, Blue sent out his first Pokémon.

"As expected of Blue—he’s grown this much already."

Rio sat in the guest seat, looking at Alakazam’s level information on the big screen, and smiled. Blue’s Alakazam was showing as level 62. And Alakazam wasn’t even Blue’s strongest Pokémon. This meant that Blue’s current strength, while not yet at the League Champion level, had already reached the level of an Elite Four member through his own efforts. It probably wouldn’t be long before he reached Champion level.

"Mr. Rio, who do you favour in today’s match? You must be rooting for your disciple, right?" Steven asked then.

"Of course. I firmly believe he will complete the challenge of one versus ten today." Rio said with conviction.

If he had said that before seeing Alakazam, he might have hesitated. But now, seeing that level 62 Alakazam, he knew it was in the bag. The Hoenn trainers wouldn’t stand a chance.

He clearly remembered that two days ago, although not all of the Hoenn trainers had participated, the strongest among them—Sapphire’s Blaziken—was only level 48. A level 48 against a level 62 Alakazam—if that could win, then Rio would write his name backwards.

"So confident?" Steven frowned slightly at Rio’s confidence. He turned to look at the battlefield. By then, the Hoenn contestant had also sent out his Pokémon—a level 42 Mightyena.

"Mightyena."

On the battlefield, Blue saw his opponent send out a Dark-type Pokémon to counter him, and a hint of mockery appeared on his face.

"Mightyena, use Thunder Fang and bite this arrogant fool!" the Hoenn trainer gave the first command.

Mightyena howled, its fangs crackling with electricity, and charged at Alakazam.

"Alakazam, use Miracle Eye, then follow up with Confusion." Blue commanded calmly.

"Alak~"

Alakazam, holding its spoons, floated in the air, its eyes glowing with a soft light. Then, just as Mightyena was about to close in, something miraculous happened—the Psychic-type move Confusion, which normally had no effect on Dark-types, successfully worked on Mightyena, lifting it into the air. Mightyena struggled, but Alakazam’s power was unlike anything it had ever faced.

"Alakazam, Psycho Cut." Blue gave his second order.

"Alak~"

Alakazam, spoons in hand, conjured several white blades in front of it, aimed precisely at Mightyena’s vital points. A few seconds later, after Mightyena’s cry of pain faded, the first match was over. Blue had cleanly defeated the opponent’s first Pokémon with just three moves.

The audience erupted in shock. The Kanto fans who had been cursing Blue were left speechless by such a display. The Hoenn fans also turned solemn—they had thought Kanto was just being arrogant, but now it seemed not so simple.

"That Alakazam..." Even Steven, in the guest seat, was shocked by Blue’s performance. He hadn’t expected it to end so quickly. Although it was three moves, Miracle Eye was just to bypass the Dark-type immunity to Psychic moves, and Confusion was just to control Mightyena—the only damaging move was Psycho Cut, and that one had one-shotted Mightyena. Just how big was the gap in power?

"Mr. Steven, do you still think I was blindly confident in my student?" Rio smiled.

Finally, my time to shine! Steven, faced with Rio’s smiling question, didn’t know how to answer.

On the battlefield, Blue’s opponent sent out his second Pokémon—a level 43 Shiftry, which was Grass/Dark.

"Shiftry, Leaf Blade!"

As soon as it appeared, the Hoenn trainer gave the command, afraid that if he delayed, he’d lose his chance.

"Shif~"

Shiftry flicked its hands, sending several blade-sharp leaves flying toward Alakazam.

"Alakazam, Teleport, then Miracle Eye."

"Alak~"

Just as the leaves were about to hit it, Alakazam vanished into thin air. It reappeared above Shiftry, looking down, its eyes glowing again.

"Shiftry, Hurricane!" the Hoenn trainer urged.

"Shif~"

Shiftry spun in place, quickly forming a powerful tornado. Blue smirked contemptuously and said calmly: "Alakazam, Psychic to shield."

"Alak~"

Alakazam raised its spoons, and a strong psychic force spread out from them. The tornado, approaching Alakazam, hit an invisible wall and could not advance any further, until the move’s energy gave out.

"Alakazam, Psychic—crush it!"

The moment Shiftry’s move ended, Blue countered. The powerful psychic energy that had been used as a shield now pressed down on Shiftry, pulling at its body and causing it to cry out in pain. Shiftry tried to fight back under its trainer’s orders, but like Mightyena before it, it was helpless. Eventually, after being tormented by Psychic, it was slammed to the ground and knocked out.

"Who is this guy? How can he be so strong?"

After this round, the Hoenn trainer grew discouraged. How could this opponent be so completely different from the Kanto trainers he had faced two days ago? His strength was overwhelming; he couldn’t fight back at all. Shiftry was his strongest Pokémon, and it even had a type advantage, yet it was still crushed just like Mightyena. There was no way his remaining Pokémon could win.

"Damn it—am I going to be the first trainer here to get swept three-to-zero?"

Gritting his teeth, the Hoenn trainer sent out his third Pokémon—a level 39 Manectric. The result was as he expected: Manectric fell even faster than Mightyena and Shiftry, being one-shot by Alakazam’s Psychic the moment it appeared.

As soon as Manectric went down, the stands exploded.

"Ahhh! This is the style our Kanto young trainers should have!"

"That’s right! Go Blue! One against ten—show those Hoenn bumpkins what Kanto’s real strength is!"

"Blue is so handsome! I love you, Blue!"

The Kanto fans cheered passionately, venting the frustration they had bottled up for two days.

Hearing those cheers, Blue struggled to suppress the grin threatening to spread across his face. These fans were making too big a deal—this was just the beginning; he hadn’t even used twenty percent of his power yet. Still, keep talking—he loved hearing it.