"Skarmory, use Air Cutter against Salamence!"
Naqi's Skarmory swiftly ascended, flapping its metallic wings with force. A sharp Air Cutter tore through the air, slicing toward Aoki's Salamence.
Pokémon Data:
Name: Skarmory
Strength: Gym-level
Potential: Quasi-Elite
Though both were Gym-level, Naqi's Skarmory had undergone rigorous training, making it far superior to Volt's Pokémon. Every attack was razor-sharp, proving her exceptional skill as a Flying-type specialist.
However, at this stage in her journey, Naqi had yet to acquire the Shiny Swellow that would later become her signature Pokémon.
"Salamence, gain altitude quickly and fly skyward!"
But before Salamence could ascend, the other two contestants seized the opportunity.
"Pidgeotto, use Tempest!"
"Dustox, use Psychic!"
The combined attacks created an encirclement, leaving Salamence with little room to maneuver.
"Salamence, counter with Flamethrower!"
The dragon unleashed an intense stream of flames, colliding with the airborne Tempest and Psychic energy. A powerful explosion followed, sending Pidgeotto and Dustox spiraling backward.
Despite the impact, the two Pokémon managed to stabilize themselves.
"Damn it! Pidgeotto, Hyper Beam, now!"
One of the desperate trainers risked it all, commanding their Pidgeotto to unleash its ultimate move.
Hyper Beam?
Aoki raised an eyebrow. This Pidgeotto must have inherited the move through breeding. But despite possessing the rare technique, its power wasn't enough to threaten Salamence.
"Salamence, dodge to the side!"
As the Hyper Beam shot forth, Salamence swiftly dodged, soaring higher into the sky.
However, at that precise moment, Pidgeotto lost control—its unstable flight path caused the beam to veer off-course.
Straight toward Naqi's hot air balloon.
"Oh no!"
The crowd gasped in unison.
Naqi's eyes widened as she realized the danger, but it was already too late.
There was no time to recall Skarmory, no chance to evade.
"Salamence! Rescue her!"
Aoki didn't care about the match anymore—saving Naqi was the priority.
Salamence dove at high speed, its body enveloped in a purple aura.
Dragon Rush!
Aoki winced, worried Salamence might miscalculate and accidentally collide with Naqi instead.
But in a fraction of a second, Salamence executed a flawless maneuver—scooping Naqi into its claws before the Hyper Beam could hit her.
Then, with remarkable precision, Salamence turned its body mid-air and delivered Naqi directly into Aoki's arms.
Aoki instinctively caught her.
Naqi was clad in armor, but despite that, Aoki could still feel the warmth of her body.
A brief silence followed.
Naqi realized the situation—her body pressed against Aoki's, his arms wrapped protectively around her.
Her face turned bright red.
She had never been held by a man like this before.
For a moment, her heart pounded.
Aoki, meanwhile, thanked Salamence internally—this situation was an accidental but perfect assist.
Naqi was someone he found interesting, and now, fate had literally thrown her into his arms.
As she gazed at Aoki's calm yet handsome face, Naqi felt something stir inside her.
Not only was he strong, but he was also willing to abandon the match to save her.
That wasn't something just any trainer would do.
The battle had continued in the background, and due to the unexpected incident, Dustox's trainer had managed to secure victory.
The real winner of the match? That lucky trainer, who could now boast about defeating Aoki.
Meanwhile, in the audience, Elesa (Kamitsure) was furious.
Her sharp, blue eyes burned with jealousy and rage.
How could Aoki hold another girl in his arms—right in front of her?!
Did he not remember that she was his prospective girlfriend?!
Elesa clenched her fists, resisting the urge to electrocute Aoki on the spot.
"I've never even hugged Aoki like that before," she muttered under her breath.
Then, after a pause, she blushed slightly.
"Well… maybe except that one night."
Back in Aoki's arms, Naqi quickly regained her senses, flustered by the close contact.
She struggled free, her cheeks still red, looking away in embarrassment.
The referee, relieved that nothing serious happened, cleared his throat and made an announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thanks to Aoki's heroic rescue, Naqi is unharmed!"
Then, with a mischievous grin, he added:
"But after witnessing such a dramatic moment, perhaps this wasn't just a rescue—perhaps fate is bringing these two together!"
Aoki almost choked on air.
God-tier assist from the referee.
Naqi, now as red as a Tamato Berry, turned to glare at the referee.
"Don't say unnecessary things!" she thought, but the damage was already done.
Meanwhile, Elesa looked ready to kill someone.
"Can this referee shut up?!" she growled internally.
Did he not see that she was Aoki's real partner?!
After the match, Aoki and Naqi received compensation for the disruption—a rare selection of Pokémon-exclusive berries.
However, neither of them particularly cared about the reward.
After all, both of them were already wealthy.
Aoki, especially, had no interest in berries when he was on the verge of revolutionizing the Pokémon world with Power Cubes.
That evening, Naqi invited Aoki and Elesa to dinner as a token of gratitude.
Elesa reluctantly agreed—not wanting to lose face in front of her new romantic rival.
She had to remain graceful, proving that Aoki was hers.
At the dinner table, Naqi smiled.
"Aoki, I really appreciate what you did today. Thank you."
Aoki casually waved it off.
"No need to thank me. I wouldn't just stand by and watch someone get hurt."
But internally, Aoki smirked.
Would he have reacted the same way if Naqi wasn't beautiful?
…Well, maybe.
After all, he was a good person.
Probably.
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