"You're using that Pokémon for the PokéRinger Tournament?"
The battle was over. Paul neither felt disappointed nor upset—he simply stood there in deep thought.
"Medicham, you've done well. Come back and rest."
Maylene's master, Reggie's old mentor, and a seasoned Fighting-type expert, Master Lucian, recalled his Medicham with a smile. He then turned to Paul and asked, "Did you see what you were looking for?"
For this battle, Lucian had deliberately chosen a Pokémon with a strong tactical advantage against Electabuzz.
Had he chosen a Pokémon like Bronzong, the match would have likely come down to brute strength. However, only Medicham and Gallade could showcase the level of technical precision he intended to demonstrate.
"I did. Thank you very much." Paul said with a slight bow, expressing his gratitude.
At first glance, this battle may have seemed uneventful, but in reality, it revealed a great deal.
For example, in the initial close-quarters exchange of punches, why was Medicham always able to read Electabuzz's movements a step ahead and counter with the same techniques?
It was not simply a matter of superior strength. Instead, Medicham's mastery of Psychic energy and Yoga-based combat techniques, combined with extensive battle experience, allowed it to predict and neutralize attacks before they landed.
Throughout the fight, Medicham had demonstrated a variety of countermeasures and techniques that were beyond Electabuzz's current capabilities.
Even if both Pokémon were at the same level, Paul was certain—Electabuzz would still struggle to defeat this Medicham.
This was not like Aaron's battle, where overwhelming strength had decided the outcome. Instead, it was a suppression based on experience and refined technique—an entirely different level of combat.
In other words, Electabuzz still had a long way to go.
"If that's the case, I'll be on my way. Perhaps we'll meet again."
With a polite farewell, Lucian turned and left, hurrying to catch the last ferry to Iron Island or Canalave City.
Paul, on the other hand, knelt down and tossed a few Berries to his recovering Electabuzz.
"Take your time to reflect on this battle. Return now."
Electabuzz was no ordinary Pokémon. While it might not have noticed certain details in the heat of battle, now that it had been defeated, it would quietly analyze the fight from inside its Poké Ball, reviewing the experience and attempting to absorb what was useful.
The other Pokémon who had watched the battle also seemed to have gained some insight from it.
"All of you, return. Take some time in your Poké Balls to train and reflect."
With the sun beginning to set, Paul recalled all of his Pokémon and made his way toward the Pokémon Center.
Squallville
Squallville was a settlement frequently battered by strong winds, its name derived from the fierce air currents that constantly swept through the area. The town was surrounded by mountains and cliffs, making it an ideal location for the annual PokéRinger Tournament.
The PokéRinger Tournament was a competition where trainers teamed up with their Pokémon in midair battles, fighting to seize rings suspended from balloons and secure them on designated hooks at the goal. The team that successfully placed the most rings would be declared the winner.
By coincidence, Paul arrived just in time for this year's tournament.
He didn't particularly care about PokéRinger Battles, one way or another.
However, since he had nothing urgent to do at the moment, he figured he might as well participate.
Paul was particularly curious about one thing: What would happen if he entered the tournament using a Pokémon that could fly, but had no wings?
"If I use a Pokémon that can't fly traditionally, but I defeat my opponent and manually place the ring on the hook, would that count?"
At the registration desk, Paul posed this serious question to the staff.
"Uh… well… that probably wouldn't be allowed." The staff member responded awkwardly. "The fundamental rule of the PokéRinger Tournament is that Pokémon must compete for the rings while airborne."
"So as long as my Pokémon can remain airborne, it's eligible? There are no restrictions on species, typing, having wings, or how it achieves flight?"
Paul confirmed again.
He did have several Pokémon that could technically fly, but none of them had wings or the Flying-type.
"That's right. As long as the Pokémon can stay in the air without touching the ground, it qualifies. There are no specific requirements beyond that." The staff explained.
Then, recalling Paul's earlier question, they quickly added:
"However, during the match, unless a Pokémon is knocked down by an opponent or wins outright, it is not allowed to voluntarily descend to the ground. Doing so could result in disqualification."
"Can I swap Pokémon between different rounds?"
"Yes, if you have enough eligible Pokémon and keep winning, you can use a different Pokémon in each match."
"Understood. I'll register."
After gathering the information he needed, Paul filled out the registration form.
Tournament Day
The competition day arrived quickly. Following the event organizers' instructions, Paul found himself standing beneath a hot air balloon in the tournament arena. He climbed into the basket, and the balloon ascended into the sky.
"Alright! The competitors have taken their positions. Once they reach the designated altitude, the first round will begin!"
The commentator's voice echoed through the loudspeakers.
Opposite Paul, inside another balloon, stood a blue-haired boy—his first-round opponent.
Both trainers threw out their Poké Balls simultaneously.
"Go! Wingull!"
A small, agile Wingull fluttered into the sky, ready to seize the rings as soon as the match officially began.
"Dewott, prepare for battle!"
"Cha-cha!"
The moment Dewott emerged from its Poké Ball, it activated Aqua Jet, using the force of the water propulsion to counteract gravity and remain suspended in midair.
"What?!"
Both the blue-haired boy and his Wingull were momentarily stunned. The spectators and other participants in the tournament erupted into chaos.
"Wait, how is that Pokémon allowed in a PokéRinger match?!"
"Is that even legal?!"
"I've never seen anything like this before!"
"This is ridiculous!"
"Surely that's against the rules… right?"
The PokéRinger Tournament had seen its fair share of unconventional Pokémon choices in the past—some trainers had entered with Pokémon like Gengar or Gardevoir, which could float using Psychic abilities.
However, most competitors still defaulted to Flying-types, believing them to be the most advantageous.
Paul's decision to enter with a Dewott—an ordinarily non-flying Pokémon—was entirely unprecedented.
Even the referee holding the starting pistol hesitated for a moment, clearly baffled.
Then, shaking off his confusion, he fired the signal flare.
Bang!
"The match begins! Competitors may now fight for the rings!"
As soon as the announcement was made, the blue-haired boy refocused, locking his eyes onto Dewott.
"Wingull, use Air Slash!"
From his perspective, Dewott maintaining its flight through Aqua Jet had to be extremely difficult. As long as he disrupted that balance with an attack, this match would be over without a fight!
"Guuul~!"
Wingull, perfectly in sync with its trainer, flapped its wings, generating a barrage of wind blades that sliced through the air toward Dewott.
The razor-sharp air currents tore through the sky, aiming straight for Dewott—who had just clenched the ring between its blades.
"Air Cutter!"
Still propelled by Aqua Jet, Dewott swiftly swung its scalchops, unleashing countless razor-sharp slashes that collided with the incoming wind blades. Without sparing a glance back, it then dived toward the hook at high speed.
"Not good! Use Agility and catch up!"
Seeing his Air Slash completely neutralized by Air Cutter, the blue-haired boy urgently shouted out his command.
"Guuul~!"
As soon as Agility activated, Wingull shot forward like a bullet, accelerating toward Dewott.
But Dewott's Aqua Jet technique wasn't for show—it was an explosively fast maneuver. Now in a full dive, even with Agility-enhanced speed, Wingull struggled to keep up.
"Damn it! Am I really going to lose?"
The thought flashed through the boy's mind, but then—he suddenly noticed a subtle shift in the surrounding air currents. A special powerful wind was beginning to rise.
The wind direction… was upward!
Realizing this, the boy quickly shouted:
"Wingull, now! Use Tailwind!"
The moment his command fell, a powerful gust surged from below. Wingull immediately countered by generating an opposing wind beneath itself, stabilizing its flight and preventing it from being blown off course.
Dewott, however, was not so fortunate. The sudden burst of strong wind disrupted its balance, and the ring in its grasp slipped from its scalchops, tumbling downward.
"Now! Grab the ring!"
Seizing the opportunity, the blue-haired boy ordered Wingull to intercept.
In an instant, Wingull vanished from its previous position, reappearing in a flash. It opened its beak, swiftly snatching the ring, then activated Agility once more, bolting toward the hook at top speed.
High above Wingull, Dewott—who had just appeared flustered—now bore a cold, calculating gaze devoid of hesitation.
"This ends now."
Paul's voice was calm and resolute.
—Slash!
The moment Dewott had been secretly charging with full force. It exploded forward, the Aqua Jet transforming its entire form into a streak of blue light as it shot past Wingull.
"Cha-cha~!"
The next moment, Dewott ceased its water propulsion, gracefully dispersing the residual water into the air. Its scalchops, now glistening, seamlessly sheathed themselves at its sides.
At that same moment, Wingull's eyes slowly closed, its consciousness slipping away. The ring fell from its beak, tumbling helplessly through the air.
Dewott extended one blade, calmly catching the ring. Then, with a steady stream of Aqua Jet, it flew toward the hook and hung the ring in place—marking the end of the match.
"Not bad. Keep training and refine it further."
Paul gave a small nod of approval.
Previously, Dewott had only used Aqua Jet for bursts of speed. But now—it had gained another function: sustained flight.
By continuously maintaining flight through Aqua Jet, Dewott not only improved its water control but also strengthened its balance and aerial maneuverability.
"Cha~"
Yet, there was no sign of joy or pride in Dewott's voice.
It knew its shortcomings.
If its Aqua Jet mastery were just a bit more refined, it could have either taken out Wingull instantly or swiftly secured the ring without any delay.
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