"The two Pokémon are moving! We can see that both of them are incredibly fast. In just a few seconds, they've already covered two to three hundred meters, and their speed keeps climbing!
"But it seems that Blaziken is only slightly ahead of Rapidash. Is this the limit of Blaziken's speed?
"Yet, as we know, Li An's Rapidash achieved third place in Changsha City's Summer Horse Races!"
"And anyone who's watched those races knows that most racehorses conserve energy for a final burst at the end. So, at first glance, it seems Lin Feng may have made a questionable decision by agreeing to this race…"
Li Bing, riding steadily on his Aegislash, skillfully built tension, using the line "Lin Feng's decision might be wrong" to spark curiosity, confusion, and amusement among the audience.
With this, many spectators immediately assumed that Lin Feng had made a foolish choice. A match that should have been easily in his grasp was now reduced to a race against an opponent's strength. In other words, he had deliberately played into the opponent's advantage.
Sure enough, as the commentary continued and Blaziken occasionally risked being overtaken, the crowd grew increasingly concerned.
"Lin Feng's too proud… or maybe too young. He's gotten a little cocky after raising so many strong Pokémon."
"This looks risky."
"No… I've seen Blaziken jogging every morning. It shouldn't be like this…"
In reality, Li Bing was closest to the action. Observing both Pokémon, he noticed that Rapidash's stride was powerful, but its steps were slightly hurried. Five minutes was too short a distance for a Pokémon built for endurance.
Blaziken, on the other hand, maintained a lead of just a meter or two never more, never less and yet its movements were calm and effortless. It was obvious that Blaziken wasn't even exerting its full strength.
Li Bing knew exactly what was happening. In this race, the likely victor would still be Lin Feng's Blaziken. His commentary was purely for dramatic effect. As a professional, stirring the audience's emotions was part of the job.
Sure enough, halfway through the race, Rapidash's trainer grew impatient.
"Rapidash, use Agility!"
The Pokémon's flames flared violently, and its speed surged dramatically. In the arena, it became a whirlwind of fire, capable of crossing the field in mere moments.
Yet, the rapid commands of its trainer echoed in its ears.
"Faster! Faster! Push harder!"
Rapidash's eyes widened. When it glanced ahead, Blaziken was still slightly in front. That tiny gap so deliberate was infuriating.
I'm a top-three racehorse! How could a single Blaziken possibly surpass my endurance?
Fueled by determination, Rapidash pushed harder. Its speed climbed further, yet Blaziken still maintained its lead, hopping along as if enjoying the thrill.
"Raaah!"
Rapidash roared in frustration, energy flaring to a new peak. Finally, it thought, this time I'll overtake the bird!
But then, Lin Feng's calm voice rang out.
"Blaziken, no more playing around. Use Quick Attack!"
Lin Feng didn't want to risk overexerting Rapidash. Blaziken paused briefly, then lightly tapped Rapidash on the rear, as if acknowledging its rival. Then, noticing the vast arena stretching before it, it decided to truly test its limits.
In the next moments, Rapidash's expressions of shock and frustration turned to helplessness as Blaziken surged forward. Its first move, Quick Attack, transformed its body into a streak of blazing orange lightning, covering over a hundred meters in seconds and leaving thick trails of heat in the arena.
Li Bing's eyes widened with excitement.
"A comeback! Originally, it seemed that Lin Feng's agreement to race was unwise, but it was merely Blaziken hiding its strength. Its speed is still increasing! Incredible! I can barely follow it with my eyes!"
He didn't even need to hype it. The audience's astonishment was immediate and universal.
"No way… is this real?"
"That speed… four laps in a minute? And it's still accelerating?"
"Can someone tell me if this is really an elite Pokémon?"
Blaziken, however, paid no attention to the spectators. It was lost in its own world, relishing the pure joy of running.
When the town's roads were under construction, the narrow cobblestone paths made for short runs, often obstructed by townspeople or tourists. Even when Blaziken was still a Combusken, it had to be careful. Now, fully evolved, it felt confined by those tiny streets.
Here, in the arena, it felt freedom. One Quick Attack wasn't enough. It seamlessly layered Quick Attack with Agility, then the fiery Blaze Kick, each move building on the last. The boosts from Speed Boost were unleashed fully, lap after lap.
Soon, the entire arena contained only a streak of blazing orange, racing tirelessly around the track.
"Unbelievable… this kid…"
At the trainer's station, Lin Feng pressed a hand to his forehead. He had hoped to finish the race quickly, keeping Blaziken from overextending and protecting Rapidash. But now, both Rapidash and its trainer were frozen in astonishment, staring at the blaze-colored lightning that was Blaziken.
This speed… it's not a joke. Challenging it to a race was a treat for Blaziken alone.
Meanwhile, another observer was even more shocked.
Sitting in the judge's seat, Ji Yan, the newly appointed Fire-type League Champion of Donghua, had risen to his feet, eyes wide. While casual spectators watched for entertainment, Ji Yan knew what he was witnessing.
Blaziken had two abilities: the obvious Blaze, and the hidden Speed Boost. Blaze is well-known, but Speed Boost is different. The name might mislead people into thinking it directly increases speed. In reality, each time Blaziken uses a move, Speed Boost heightens its energy efficiency, making subsequent moves smoother and faster.
Latest research suggested that a Blaziken with Speed Boost is slightly faster than average, but… this display was extraordinary. Even Ji Yan's own Speed Boost Blaziken hadn't performed like this when he first became a champion.
He thought: I must… ask this young trainer how he raised Blaziken.