"Ash, you bastard! Today, I'm gonna end your winning streak!!"
Okazaki, though initially reluctant, had been goaded into the match by his fellow campers and physically dragged up by his teammate. Now, as if resigning himself to fate, he no longer looked like someone being forced into battle. Instead, his eyes blazed with fiery determination as he called out to Ash from across the field.
"Okazaki, my man! That's what I like to see! Today we're putting an end to Ash and Serena's four-win streak!" his teammate, Keisuke, added with a grin, slamming a beefy hand on Okazaki's shoulder. The slap was so forceful it made Okazaki grimace in pain.
Seeing this ridiculous scene, Ash and Serena glanced at each other and smiled knowingly, silently enjoying the moment.
On the sidelines, Professor Oak watched the friendly exchange between Ash, Okazaki, and Keisuke with a warm smile. The atmosphere was cheerful and lively. Over the past two weeks of camp, the once-strangers from different regions and cities had grown into close friends who could joke around like this.
This was exactly the kind of bond Oak had hoped to foster when organizing this Pokémon Summer Camp.
After all, a Trainer's journey wasn't just about building strong bonds with their Pokémon—connecting with fellow Trainers was just as important for their growth.
But Oak didn't forget the task at hand. Seeing that Okazaki and Keisuke were ready, he raised his hand from the referee's spot and called out, "Challengers, send out your Pokémon!"
Okazaki shouted, "Let's go, Squirtle! Headbutt that Ash right into orbit!"
Keisuke followed with a roar, "Charmander, show them your fire!"
Bam! Bam!
With synchronized motions, they hurled their Poké Balls forward.
Twin flashes burst across the battlefield. A blue turtle and an orange lizard—both bald-headed baby Pokémon—emerged.
Although Okazaki had played the role of the reluctant goofball, Ash knew better. After two weeks of battling and bonding, he'd figured out Okazaki's act. In truth, Okazaki and Keisuke had always planned to challenge Ash before the camp ended. He'd been marked as a "must-defeat" opponent.
[Pokémon: Squirtle]
Level: 8
Type: Water
Nature: Bold
Ability: Torrent
Potential: [Red – Elite]
Moves (Copyable):
Skilled: Tackle, Water Gun, Withdraw
Novice: Tail Whip, Rapid Spin
[Pokémon: Charmander]
Level: 9
Type: Fire
Nature: Naughty
Ability: Blaze
Potential: [Red – Elite]
Moves (Copyable):
Skilled: Scratch, Ember
Novice: Growl, Smokescreen
Compared to when the camp first started, these two starters had improved immensely. Their level and move pools had grown—no doubt from dedicated training.
"Bring it on, Ash! I'm taking you down!" Okazaki grinned with confidence.
"That's right! This is your final match in the closing ceremony. Okazaki and I are going to break your streak today!" Keisuke declared with his fist raised high.
"Haha, I'll be counting on your performance then~" Ash said with a chuckle.
"Hey! Don't you two ignore me!" Serena huffed, standing beside Ash with a fierce glint in her eyes. "I am ranked number two on the camp leaderboard! If you keep brushing me off, don't come crying when you lose badly!"
Okazaki blinked. "Oh—wait, she's right."
Keisuke smacked his forehead. "We've been so focused on Ash we forgot Serena's even scarier… Okazaki, we're not gonna lose, right?"
Before they could exchange more words, Professor Oak saw both sides had released their Pokémon and raised his hand.
"Battle, begin!"
…
"Froakie, use Aqua Ring!" Ash shouted, taking the initiative as soon as the battle started.
Froakie had already battled four times today. In the earlier matches, Ash had relied heavily on Froakie to carry the fight while letting Serena's Clefairy rest. Even though Froakie was stronger than most of its opponents, a string of consecutive battles had drained its stamina.
Unlike the opening day's single battles, this final challenge was a double battle. And that meant Froakie needed to preserve energy smartly this time.
"Keisuke, back me up!" Okazaki called out as he locked onto Serena's Clefairy.
"Squirtle, use Water Gun on Clefairy!"
"Charmander, hit Froakie with Smokescreen!"
The moment they saw Ash go for support rather than offense, they didn't hesitate to counter. Their tactics were clear: cut off Froakie's recovery and eliminate the weaker Clefairy first.
"Squiiirtle… BLAST!!"
"Charrrr… FWOOOSH!!"
Squirtle's Water Gun roared forward like a bullet, while Charmander's thick smoke rolled toward Froakie's half of the field.
Both Pokémon acted swiftly and decisively. Though their attention had seemed glued to Ash before, the moment the battle began, their focus instantly shifted to Serena.
It was a bait.
Their goofy banter and "reluctance" earlier had been a ruse—these two had planned their moves in advance. Their real strategy? Take out Serena first.
But—
"Trying to take me out first? I warned you not to underestimate the girl in second place," Serena thought with a faint sigh and a smirk.
Her response was lightning-fast.
"Clefairy, Jump! Dodge it!!" she commanded.
"Pii~!!"
Clefairy leapt into the air with practiced ease, dodging Squirtle's Water Gun with the precision of a seasoned fighter. Serena wasn't the least bit surprised.
"Now, Mimic! Copy that Water Gun and fire it at Charmander!"
On the smoke-covered half of the field, Froakie had already absorbed energy through Aqua Ring. Ash didn't miss a beat.
"Froakie, Quick Attack on Squirtle!"
While Serena's Clefairy unleashed a Water Gun of its own, Froakie surged through the mist, a blur of motion aimed straight for its mark.
The boy and the girl.
Ash and Serena.
They moved like two parts of the same soul.
Their battle rhythm was in perfect sync—every move fluid, every reaction precise.
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T/N:
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