The stadium lights had long since taken over from the setting sun, turning the Indigo Plateau arena into a blazing coliseum under artificial stars. The crowd noise had reached a fever pitch tens of thousands of voices blending into a constant, living roar that vibrated through the seats, the concrete, and even the bones of everyone present.
Banners waved in every color: "KETCHUM #1", "PIKA POWER", "SHINY GYARADOS LEGEND". Vendors had stopped hawking snacks; most people were too riveted to eat. The air was thick with anticipation, the scent of ozone from earlier electric clashes, and the rising heat radiating from the field.
Ash stood on the green side, Pikachu back on his shoulder after the mirror match victory. Ritchie recalled Sparky with a gentle smile and a whispered "You were awesome, buddy." He looked up at Ash respect clear in his eyes, but fire still burning bright.
Ritchie: "That was one for the books. But I've still got two more. Let's keep going."
Ash nodded once, calm but ready. His heart beat steady, but there was a quiet thrill running through him the knowledge that this match was no longer just a prelim. It was a statement.
Referee: "First round to Ash Ketchum! Second Pokémon, please!"
Ritchie (grinning): "Kingy go!"
The Poké Ball burst open with a heavy thud that echoed across the arena.
Nidoking landed massive, purple hide scarred from countless battles, horn gleaming wickedly under the stadium lights. It roared, fists pounding the ground hard enough to send cracks racing outward in spiderweb patterns. The crowd cheered for the raw, primal power.
Ash's eyes narrowed slightly. He reached for his belt without hesitation.
"Alright. Let's match him. Nidoking I choose you."
His own Poké Ball opened.
A deeper, more guttural roar answered low, menacing, vibrating through the stands like distant thunder.
Ash's Nidoking emerged shiny, its hide a darker, almost obsidian purple with metallic indigo highlights that caught and refracted the stadium lights like oil on water. It was taller, broader, muscles rippling under armored skin that looked forged from midnight steel. Its eyes glowed a fierce crimson, and when it stomped once to announce its presence, the entire arena trembled. Dust fell from the rafters. Several spectators gasped audibly.
Commentator 1 (voice rising in awe): "Hold everything another shiny! Ash's Nidoking is a darker variant look at that obsidian sheen! It's built like a tank taller, thicker, more menacing than any standard Nidoking I've ever seen!"
Commentator 2: "Both Nidokings staring each other down! This is a mirror match of pure brute force Ritchie vs. Ash, Ground/Poison showdown! The crowd is on its feet already!"
Announcer: "Nidoking vs. Nidoking! Let's see who's the king of the mountain!"
Both Nidokings locked eyes Ritchie's roaring in open challenge, tail lashing, fists clenched; Ash's giving a low, menacing rumble that vibrated through the stands and made the air feel heavier. The tension was palpable two apex predators sizing each other up.
Ritchie: "Kingy Horn Attack! Full power!"
Kingy lowered his head and charged ground quaking under his feet, horn spinning like a drill aimed straight at Ash's Nidoking's core. Each step cracked stone; dust billowed behind him like a wake.
Ash's voice cut through the chaos calmly.
"Nidoking Horn Drill. Meet him head-on."
Ash's Nidoking roared, horn igniting with spinning energy faster, sharper, the rotation so intense it created a low whine that set teeth on edge. The two titans collided in the center of the field horns clashing with a sound like two freight trains smashing together at full speed. Sparks flew in blinding white arcs. The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, cracking nearby boulders and making the nearest platforms shudder.
Neither backed down.
They pushed muscles straining, veins bulging, feet digging deep trenches into the dirt. The crowd leaned forward, breathless, some standing on their seats.
Commentator 1: "Look at that strength! Neither is giving an inch this is raw, primal power! The ground is literally breaking under them!"
Commentator 2: "The field's cracking apart! These two Nidokings are monsters look at the trenches they're carving!"
Ritchie grinned, sweat beading on his forehead from the intensity.
"Kingy push him back! Don't let up!"
Kingy roared louder, forcing forward with every ounce of strength. His feet sank deeper into the earth as he leaned into the lock, muscles quivering with effort. The crowd's cheers grew louder, sensing the deadlock could break at any second.
Ash's Nidoking's crimson eyes flashed.
Ash: "Thunderbolt point-blank!"
Electricity surged from Ash's Nidoking's horn arcing straight into Kingy's face in a blinding white-blue burst. Kingy convulsed, body jerking violently from the shock, but he held the lock. His muscles twitched uncontrollably, sparks dancing across his purple hide, smoke rising from where the electricity met flesh. The smell of ozone filled the air.
Commentator 1: "Thunderbolt at zero range! Kingy's taking massive damage, but he's not letting go! That grip is iron!"
Kingy staggered horn smoking, eyes watering from the pain but refused to fall. A low growl rumbled from his throat as he shook off the paralysis threatening to take hold.
Ritchie: "Earthquake!"
Kingy stomped ground heaving violently. Waves of seismic energy rolled out, cracking the field further, boulders tumbling like dominoes. The stands shook; spectators gripped railings as the tremor rolled through.
Ash's Nidoking braced, legs spread wide, then countered with his own Earthquake.
The arena bucked like a ship in a storm. Platforms cracked. Spectators screamed in delight and fear. Both Nidokings stumbled, but neither went down. Dust clouds billowed, obscuring the view for a moment, the crowd holding their breath as the tremors subsided.
Commentator 2: "Earthquake clash! The field's being torn apart! These two are evenly matched in raw force neither yielding!"
Ash's Nidoking recovered first dark hide gleaming under the lights, shaking off debris like it was nothing.
Ash: "Poison Jab!"
His Nidoking lunged, claws dripping venom, striking Kingy's chest with a series of rapid, brutal jabs. Each hit landed with a wet thud, poison seeping into the wounds. Kingy roared in pain poison spreading, his movements slowing as the toxin took hold, muscles twitching involuntarily.
Ritchie: "Kingy Thrash! Shake it off!"
Kingy went berserk arms flailing wildly, slamming into Ash's Nidoking with uncontrolled fury. Blows landed on shoulders, chest, arms each one echoing like thunderclaps across the arena. Ash's Nidoking grunted, staggering back from the onslaught, bruises forming under his obsidian skin, small cracks appearing in his armored hide.
Commentator 1: "Thrash connects! Kingy's turning the poison into rage Ash's Nidoking is on the defensive for the first time!"
Ash's Nidoking endured the barrage taking hit after hit then countered with a point-blank Sludge Bomb. Poison exploded from his mouth directly into Kingy's face. Kingy reeled, eyes watering, coughing as the toxin burned his throat, but he kept swinging, fists blurring.
Ash: "Focus Energy!"
Ash's Nidoking centered himself amid the chaos body glowing faintly red, critical hit ratio spiking. His movements sharpened, eyes focusing.
Ritchie saw the opening.
Ritchie: "Hyper Beam give it everything!"
Kingy's mouth opened golden energy gathering in a blinding sphere, brighter than before, the air around it warping from the raw power.
Ash: "Hyper Beam meet it!"
Ash's Nidoking mirrored golden sphere forming in his own maw, equally bright, equally intense.
Two beams fired simultaneously colliding dead-center in a blinding explosion of light and force.
The shockwave knocked both Nidokings backward. Dust billowed outward in a massive cloud, obscuring the view for several long seconds. Spectators held their breath. The stadium lights flickered from the energy surge.
When it cleared
Both Nidokings lay in craters fainted, chests heaving, horns smoking, bodies scorched and bruised.
Commentator 1 (shouting): "Double knockout! Both Nidokings are down! What a clash of titans!"
Commentator 2: "They took each other out! Mirror match perfection neither gave an inch! The crowd is losing its mind!"
The stadium erupted deafening, endless cheers mixed with stunned gasps and wild applause.
Ritchie recalled Kingy, breathing hard but smiling genuine, tired, proud.
"Amazing… you really are something else, Ash."
Ash returned his Nidoking, nodding respectfully.
"You too, Ritchie. Kingy's a beast."
Referee: "Both Nidokings are unable to battle! Trainers, send your final Pokémon!"
Ritchie took a deep breath, then smiled wider eyes shining with determination.
"Last one. Zippo go!"
The Poké Ball opened.
Charizard emerged wings spread wide, tail flame burning bright orange. It roared, eyes locked on Ash, scales glinting with battle hunger.
Ash's eyes widened slightly.
Butterfly effect again… In canon, Ritchie's Zippo was still a Charmander at this point. But here stronger, evolved early. Because of me. Because the world changed around me.
He reached for his last ball.
"Charizard I choose you."
His own Charizard burst forth with a roar that shook the stands deep, primal, commanding.
Wings spread wide tail flame burning not orange, but a pure, holy blue-white, so intense it lit the entire arena like a second sun. The flames danced with an almost divine radiance, casting long shadows and making the air shimmer with heat. The temperature in the stadium rose noticeably sweat beading on spectators' foreheads, the scent of ozone mixing with the sudden warmth.
The crowd lost its collective mind.
Commentator 1 (voice breaking): "Look at that flame! That is NOT a normal Charizard! Holy blue fire look at the intensity! The temperature just jumped ten degrees in the arena!"
Commentator 2: "I've never seen anything like it! Ash's Charizard has a mutated blaze look how the air is distorting around it! This is god-tier fire power!"
Ritchie's Charizard (Zippo) stared across the field eyes narrowing, tail flame flaring hungrily. It wanted this fight badly.
Ash's Charizard answered with a single, earth-shaking roar.
Zippo actually flinched sweat beading on its scales. For the first time, it looked… uncertain. Its wings twitched, tail flame flickering as though intimidated by the sheer presence.
Commentator 1: "Did you see that?! Ritchie's Charizard just backed down a step! That roar carried weight pure dominance!"
Commentator 2: "Ash's Charizard is radiating majesty! This isn't just a battle it's a coronation! The crowd is on its feet!"
Ritchie (voice steady but tense): "Zippo Flamethrower! Show him what you've got!"
Zippo inhaled deeply, unleashing a thick, roaring stream of orange fire hot, fierce, aimed straight at Ash's Charizard.
Ash (quietly): "Charizard Flamethrower. Overpower it."
Ash's Charizard opened its maw.
Blue-white flames erupted hotter, purer, brighter than anything the stadium had ever seen. The two streams met mid-air in a violent clash.
Ash's fire pushed through swallowing Zippo's stream like a tidal wave swallowing a stream. The blue-white blaze continued forward, engulfing the opposing Charizard.
Zippo roared in pain scales smoking, wings charring but held its ground, claws digging into the earth.
Commentator 1: "Flamethrower clash! Ash's holy blaze is dominating! Zippo's burning look at the smoke!"
Commentator 2: "The heat is unreal! The air is distorting this is god-tier fire power! The temperature in the stadium just spiked again!"
Zippo staggered but refused to fall. Its eyes burned with defiance.
Ritchie: "Zippo Dragon Claw! Close the distance!"
Zippo charged claws glowing green, wings beating hard despite the burns.
Ash: "Charizard Dragon Claw counter!"
Ash's Charizard met it mid-air claws clashing in a shower of azure sparks. The impact rang out like metal on metal.
They grappled wings beating furiously, tails lashing, roars shaking the stadium. Claws raked scales. Sparks flew. Both Charizards pushed with everything they had.
Commentator 1: "Dragon Claw lock! Both Charizards are evenly matched in strength claws sparking, wings battering!"
Zippo pushed harder trying to overpower, tail flame flaring brighter in desperation.
Ash's Charizard's blue flames surged holy blaze intensifying. The air around it warped with heat. It shoved Zippo back wings forcing it down, claws digging into shoulders.
Zippo roared in pain scales cracking under the pressure.
Ash: "Seismic Toss!"
Ash's Charizard grabbed Zippo mid-air talons clamping tight around wings and neck. It spun once slow, deliberate then twice, building momentum. The crowd held its breath.
With a final, thunderous roar, Ash's Charizard hurled Zippo downward.
Zippo crashed into the field cratering the ground, dust and debris exploding outward in a massive cloud.
It struggled… wings twitching… tried to rise…
Then collapsed.
Fainted.
Commentator 2 (screaming): "Seismic Toss! Zippo is down! Ash Ketchum wins the match!"
Commentator 1: "Three-on-three Ash defeats Ritchie with overwhelming power! The stadium is on its feet! What a finale!"
The crowd erupted deafening, endless cheers that seemed to shake the very foundations of the plateau.
Ritchie recalled Zippo, looking at the ball for a long moment. Then he smiled genuine, tired, but happy.
He walked across the field.
Ash met him halfway.
Ritchie extended a hand.
"That was the best battle I've ever had, Ash. You're incredible."
Ash shook it firmly. "You too, Ritchie. Sparky, Kingy, Zippo they're amazing. You've got heart."
Ritchie laughed softly. "I'll train harder. Watch me I'll be there when you lift that trophy."
Ash grinned. "I'll save you a seat."
They shared a quick bro hug then parted.
As Ritchie walked off, head high despite the loss, the system chimed.
[Ding! Mission Completed: Win Against Your Own "Temu" Version]Reward: Lugia's Egg (from an alternate universe) Stored in system inventory.
Ash looked up at the roaring stands, Charizard still roaring triumphantly behind him.
Top 8.
The real tournament was here.