Cynthia watched closely as Hitmonchan charged in, its fist gleaming with icy frost as it swung forward.
"Milotic—counter it!"
With elegance befitting a goddess, Milotic's long, flower-like tail coiled in flowing water and lashed outward.
It wasn't that Garchomp couldn't have stopped the Ice Punch, but for Cynthia, there was no need to risk her dragon when Milotic could easily intercept.
The water-wrapped tail clashed with Hitmonchan's frozen fist—ice and water energy colliding in a sharp burst. Frost quickly spread across Milotic's tail, freezing the flowing water into shards of ice. But Milotic remained calm. With a powerful whip of its tail, the ice shattered into glittering fragments that rained down onto the battlefield.
"Pikachu, let's help too!"
Yellow's eyes were wide with awe. The ferocity of this battle was unlike anything she had ever seen on TV—it wasn't simply a Pokémon match. This was a war fought in the snowfields, where Trainers and Pokémon battled side by side, sharing the dangers of the battlefield. One wrong step, and no one—neither Trainer nor Pokémon—would be spared.
The force of the moves shook the earth, splitting the ground and shaking mountain peaks—so far beyond what a young girl could imagine battle to be.
And yet, despite her fear, Yellow clenched her teeth and stood her ground. She would not run. She would fight.
"Pikachu!"
Pikachu obeyed her command, releasing a dazzling Thunder Wave. The paralyzing electricity shot straight for Hitmonchan's head. At the last moment, Hitmonchan crossed its fists over its face, blocking the worst of the attack.
On the other side of the battlefield, Bruno's Onix clashed against Logan's Dragonair. Two titanic serpentine figures, one of stone and one of dragon, writhed and struck like ancient beasts of legend—earth against sky, serpent against dragon.
Logan and Bruno had trained together for a year and a half. They knew each other's tactics inside and out. After a few exchanges, it was clear that a direct fight would yield nothing. Both recalled their Pokémon for the moment.
Bruno regrouped with Lorelei, while Logan returned to Cynthia's side. For now, the field shifted into a two-on-two standoff.
"Bruno, you're finally here! Let's take down that kid together!"
Lorelei's face brightened as relief washed over her. Her condition was terrible—her clothes tattered, hair a mess, her body marked with bloody cuts and patches of frozen snow. On this mountain battlefield, she looked more like a wounded survivor than the proud Elite Four she was.
Her pride was in tatters. A member of the Elite Four, reduced to such a humiliating state—it was unbearable. She snarled, rage boiling over, and drew another Poké Ball to throw herself into the fight.
But before she could act, Bruno raised a hand, blocking her path.
"What are you doing?!" Lorelei snapped, furious, her pride wounded further.
"Calm down, Lorelei." Bruno's voice was steady, like iron. "Don't fall into their trap. Without Lance or Agatha here, we must admit something—the two of us together are not enough to defeat that Champion."
Lorelei's lips trembled with rage.
"If we rush in blindly, we'll die here. Do you think the Champion of Kanto has shown his true power yet? What you've seen is nothing compared to the cards he hasn't revealed."
Bruno's arm didn't waver. His composure, his unyielding tone, gradually cooled Lorelei's temper.
"…Then what do we do?" she asked tightly.
"Follow my lead. Recall your Pokémon and get on Onix's back."
The Elite Four might be divided in spirit, but at this moment, Lorelei had no choice but to trust Bruno. Gritting her teeth, she obeyed—recalling her Pokémon and leaping onto Onix's massive body.
"They're trying to run—Cynthia, stop them!"
Logan's eyes narrowed as he caught on to Bruno's plan.
"Too late, Champion!" Bruno roared with laughter. "Onix—Dig!"
The colossal serpent burrowed into the mountain ground, vanishing from sight. Logan was about to order Dragonair to tear the earth apart—when suddenly the mountain itself trembled.
"Earthquake!"
Cynthia's eyes widened.
"Everyone—take to the skies!" Logan shouted. He seized Yellow by the waist, leaping onto Dragonair's back as it soared upward. Cynthia returned Milotic to its Poké Ball and climbed onto Garchomp.
The mountains shuddered violently. Snow that had been piled high for years began to shift, then collapsed all at once.
An avalanche.
The sound was deafening—like the roar of the ocean itself. A massive wall of snow, tens of meters tall, surged down the mountainside like a tidal wave. In mere seconds, the place where they had stood was buried beneath a deadly white flood.
Anyone caught without a flying Pokémon would have been crushed, buried alive beneath the snow.
"They got away," Logan muttered grimly. "The snow's too thick—it'd take forever to dig through. And Onix moves underground at nearly eighty kilometers per hour. It's like a bullet train underground. We'll never catch them."
Dragonair and Garchomp descended on a flat slope, the blizzard calming around them.
Logan clicked his tongue, his expression dark. "…Tch. I had planned to taunt them into fighting us out of pride. But Bruno… he truly lives up to his reputation as a master. Always calm. Always making the right call. Lorelei, on the other hand—too young, too arrogant. Just a few words were enough to throw her off."
"Don't be upset, Logan."
Cynthia walked to his side, her delicate hand gently wrapping around his arm. Her voice softened, comforting, so unlike the warrior goddess she had been moments before.
Logan gave a low laugh. "I'm not angry. Just… frustrated. Fighting this hard, and gaining nothing in return."
Beside him, Sylveon trotted forward, its ribbon-like feelers curling gently around his arm. It nuzzled his leg, cooing softly—as if to reassure him.
Logan crouched down, stroking Sylveon's head. "…Don't worry. I won't lose my composure so easily."
Sylveon purred, rubbing its face against his palm. It was said Sylveon could use its ribbon-like feelers to wrap around its beloved Trainer's hand, walking alongside them while sensing their emotions.
"Wow! Eevee became even cuter!" Yellow gasped, running up in delight. Though Sylveon was larger than Eevee, its elegant, maiden-like form easily captured the heart of anyone who saw it. Even Logan himself couldn't deny—it was hard not to feel his softer side stirred by Sylveon's beauty.
"At least we've confirmed something," Cynthia said thoughtfully. "This incident truly involves the Elite Four—it isn't some impostor. And your friend's life isn't in immediate danger. If we can find the Elite Four's base of operations, we'll find your friend."
Logan nodded. "…Then our next stop is Vermilion City. I want to learn exactly what happened to Blue. And after that…"
He hesitated.
"…After that, we head to Celadon. Our intelligence is too limited. To track the Elite Four, I need the support of the entire Kanto region."
And indeed, Logan was perhaps the most fitting Champion across all regions. Unlike others who might struggle for authority, in Kanto, even if it was for personal matters, a single word from him could mobilize the entire region's Gym Leaders.
Not even the League itself carried as much weight as his voice.
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