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"Wow! Is the first one a boss? That's very interesting."
"Ahhh! I get to see Mammon in the first match!"
"Good heavens, he's going all out from the start. Who can withstand this? I wonder who will suffer."
"Please, please don't let it be our Champion Serena!"
In the official live stream, as soon as Mammon's avatar appeared, the comments section instantly reacted.
Some were excited and hyped, others were filled with worry.
Although Mammon did not make it into the top eight during the ranking stage, anyone with eyes could see that it wasn't because Mammon lacked strength, but because he simply didn't intend to try.
After all, everyone knows about Mammon's Pokémon.
At this moment, on the big screen in the arena, the second avatar's rotation speed had also begun to slow down.
Finally, it gradually settled, stopping on a woman with a dignified and elegant face.
Paldea Champion Geeta!
"Hiss~ Champion Geeta, you're in big trouble!"
Nemona gasped, looking at Geeta with a sigh of sympathy.
...It seems my luck is bad.
Geeta was also helpless, looking at the two matched avatars on the big screen. How did she end up in the opening battle?
"It's okay, Champion Geeta, you go for it. Paldea's honor is safe with me and Liko," Nemona promised, patting her chest.
"Mhm mhm."
Liko nodded very cooperatively.
Geeta looked at Nemona, both amused and exasperated. What was this girl talking about?
Ten minutes later, inside the arena.
"Alright! Then let's welcome our two contestants with a round of enthusiastic applause!"
The sunglasses host's passionate voice was very loud.
"Mammon!"
"Geeta!"
As the sunglasses host's words fell, two figures gradually emerged from the contestant aisles on both sides.
"Wo~!"
The venue instantly erupted with thunderous cheers.
Although the venue was at Kanto's Indigo Plateau, tickets were actually sold online across the board, so the audience in the arena actually came from various regions.
However, Mammon's supporters are quite numerous now, and as the Paldea Champion, Geeta naturally has many fans too.
Mammon slowly walked to his contestant position, smiling and nodding at Geeta across from him, as a gesture of friendliness.
Geeta naturally returned the smile.
"The first stage of the World Championship main competition now begins. The battling parties are Mammon from Kanto and Geeta from Paldea."
"The battle rules are a full 6-on-6 battle. When all six of one party's Pokémon are no longer able to battle, the other party wins."
"The winner advances, the loser is eliminated. Let the battle begin!"
The referee announced the battle rules, then slowly exited the battle arena.
"Champion Geeta is really unlucky."
Wallace looked at Geeta in the arena and couldn't help but sigh.
"She got matched with Mammon in the opening battle of the first stage. I think her luck is so 'good' she could buy a lottery ticket."
Wallace added, this 'luck value' was simply off the charts.
"Hmm, I wonder what kind of Pokémon Mammon will use this time," Steven nodded.
"Speaking of which, Steven, have you found any clues about Diancie?"
Wallace asked Steven curiously.
It's worth mentioning that Steven had already handed over his Champion title to May, and the Hoenn League was very agreeable.
So Steven is no longer the Hoenn Champion. After abdicating, Steven bought a plane ticket to the Kalos Region that very day.
It wasn't until today that Wallace and May saw Steven again.
"It's not that easy," Steven sighed.
On the field.
"Mammon, it's an honor to battle you."
Geeta was still wearing a fitted women's suit, her posture straight and elegant, smiling at Mammon.
"The feeling is mutual. I hope Champion Geeta, you won't hold back. Just give it your all."
Mammon replied with a smile, glancing at the big screen.
The turn indicator had stopped on his side, meaning it was his first move.
"If I still dared to hold back in a battle with Mammon, I would truly be too arrogant," Geeta sighed softly.
"That would be for the best then. So next..."
Mammon took out a Poké Ball, which enlarged in his hand.
"Champion Geeta, your first opponent will be this one."
"Chien-Pao, prepare for battle!"
The Poké Ball opened in mid-air, a flash of white light, and a pure white snow leopard landed lightly and gracefully, tilting its body slightly as it stared at Geeta.
"Chien-Pao, one of the legendary Treasures of Ruin?"
Geeta's eyes narrowed, looking seriously at the Chien-Pao with its chilling aura.
"That's right, this is a Pokémon I caught in the Paldea Region."
"..."
Geeta was silent. She wondered if Mammon was overestimating her, sending out a legendary Pokémon as his first.
After a moment of thought, Geeta also took out a Poké Ball and threw it.
"Glimmora!"
A flash of white light, and a Glimmora opened its petals, floating in mid-air, looking at the Chien-Pao on the ground.
"Glimmora as the opener? It seems Champion Geeta is really feeling the pressure."
Nemona, in the audience, couldn't help but click her tongue when she saw Geeta's opener.
Because Geeta's Glimmora has the Poison Debris ability, which scatters a layer of Poison Barb whenever it's hit.
Theoretically, a Pokémon with this ability is very suitable for opening, and in practice, it really is.
However, when she challenged Geeta before, Geeta intentionally arranged Glimmora to appear last.
And then Geeta would still say that she didn't go easy in the battle, that she had given her all.
Nemona was dumbfounded!
"Sister, your Poison Debris Glimmora appearing last, and you call that not going easy?"
So seeing Geeta's Glimmora as the opener now, Nemona had a strong sense of déjà vu. Is she really feeling the pressure?
"Glimmora against Chien-Pao should be harder than Chesnaught, right?"
Liko said, frowning delicately. Glimmora's typing is Rock/Poison, so it has an advantage over Chien-Pao.
But Chien-Pao is 4x weak to Fighting, and Chesnaught's Fighting-type is what truly counters Chien-Pao.
"But there's nothing that can be done about it," Nemona pouted.
"Mammon's strength is too great. Champion Geeta probably isn't planning to defeat Mammon; she's using Glimmora to test him out, and it'd be great if she could lay down some Poison Barb."
"But if she can defeat one of Mammon's main Pokémon, that would also be very good."
Liko thought for a moment, and it seemed that was indeed the case.
On the field.
"Chien-Pao."
Mammon called out to Chien-Pao.
Chien-Pao growled at Glimmora, and a circle of bright yellow, ominous aura spread out, instantly sweeping over Glimmora's body.
Chien-Pao's ability, Sword of Ruin!
Using the power of a sword that can summon disaster, it lowers the Defense of all Pokémon except itself.
The power of Sword of Ruin made Glimmora sway uncomfortably, but it couldn't avoid it.
"Glimmora, Power Gem!"
Geeta decisively initiated the attack.
Several beautiful ruby around Glimmora's body glowed, and rays of ruby/sapphire/emerald shot towards Chien-Pao.
The Rock-type Power Gem.
"Sucker Punch."
Mammon's lips curved slightly.
A black light flashed in Chien-Pao's eyes, and its snow-white body instantly vanished from its spot.
The Dark-type priority move, Sucker Punch.
The Power Gem rays came, but they all missed.
When Geeta saw this, her heart sank. This isn't good.
In a flash, Chien-Pao's figure had already appeared behind Glimmora, its sharp claws fiercely tearing at Glimmora.
Sucker Punch!
Sucker Punch directly hit Glimmora's back, making Glimmora let out a low cry of pain.
Glimmora's original Defense was actually quite good, but it couldn't withstand Chien-Pao's high physical Attack, and the Sword of Ruin ability also weakened Glimmora's physical Defense.
This Sucker Punch dealt decent damage.
But because it was hit by a physical attack, Glimmora's Poison Debris ability triggered, scattering a large amount of Poison Barb on the ground.
The ground lit up with a layer of purple poison light, then returned to calm.
"Psychic Fangs!"
Mammon wasn't going to let Glimmora off so easily.
After Sucker Punch's sharp claws pushed Glimmora back, Chien-Pao didn't land but suddenly pounced on Glimmora again.
Its open fangs glowed with a rainbow light, the Psychic-type Psychic Fangs!
"Glimmora! Protect!"
Geeta quickly shouted to Glimmora.
Glimmora endured the pain and tried to use Protect, but it was still a step too late.
Chien-Pao's pounce was too fast, and the powerful Psychic Fangs bit fiercely into Glimmora.
Glimmora cried out in pain.
Psychic-type attacks are super effective against Glimmora, so this hit dealt much more damage than the previous Sucker Punch.
And because it was injured again, Glimmora's Poison Debris once again laid down a layer of Poison Barb.
"Psychic Fangs."
Chien-Pao, still holding onto Glimmora, opened its mouth again, biting Glimmora for a second time, triggering Poison Debris again.
Glimmora finally couldn't hold on, its body fell weakly, crashing heavily to the ground.
As Chien-Pao also landed on the ground, a layer of poisonous light instantly surged from the ground onto Chien-Pao's body, making it lower its head in pain.
Chien-Pao was poisoned, and it was Poison poison.
Fortunately, the initial Poison damage wasn't very high, but as time went on, the Poison damage would become increasingly potent.
"Glimmora is unable to battle, Chien-Pao wins."
The referee announced the battle result.
"This Poison Debris is really potent."
Selene watched the Chien-Pao on the field with interest. Although it cleanly defeated Glimmora.
But the Poison Barb field left behind by Glimmora's Poison Debris also successfully caused Chien-Pao to be badly poisoned.
If nothing unexpected happened, Chien-Pao, continuing to battle on the field, would quickly suffer increasingly severe damage due to the activation of Poison.
Unfortunately, Poison Debris only triggers when hit by a physical attack. Otherwise, Selene would have wanted to train a Glimmora.
It must be said, this Poison Debris is very effective against close-combat Pokémon without flight capabilities.
"However, Mammon should switch Pokémon, and eliminating the Poison Barb field shouldn't be difficult for Mammon."
Lillie blinked. Although she wasn't a Trainer, having watched so many battles, she understood some things.
"Mammon said that in this World Championship, he would try to make all of his Pokémon appear at least once."