A water-type trainer who specializes in dragon-type water.

"Chirp~ Lil~~~!!!"

The clear cry of the flamingo echoed through the sky, and the sacred golden-red flames dispelled the gloom, illuminating the battlefield in a glorious light.

Zhang Leiyuan looked up at the divine bird bathed in eternal flames, his eyes blazing with intense excitement: "It really is a fire bird with fire and flight attributes!"

A sudden realization dawned on him; his previous guess had been perfectly confirmed. "No wonder... no wonder Old Li's Charizard Y could one-shot my Charizard X, which had 4 times the fire resistance! It turns out it was the 'Legendary Blessing' of a similar legendary Pokémon that was providing the boost!"

Zhang Leiyuan's mind raced. "Moreover, the first-level divine beast of fire and flight, Phoenix King, cannot be subdued, so that leaves only—Molotov!"

He instantly understood the underlying reason why the last Central China Championship Challenge ended in a draw.

The league's top brass clearly foresaw that if the two champions were to reveal all their trump cards, it would inevitably turn into an epic showdown between the legendary Pokémon Raikou and Moltres.

Rather than revealing the strategic trump card of China's top champion in the public eye, it would be better to let these two equally matched trainers maintain a superficial balance and each play a more important role.

However, when Zhang Leiyuan's gaze fell upon the golden-red divine flames around the firebird, which were so condensed as to be almost tangible and seemed capable of distorting space, his pupils involuntarily trembled slightly.

"This pressure... it actually reached the master level!" he exclaimed in a low voice, his tone filled with disbelief and solemnity.

In this world's power system, the threshold for becoming a champion is to have at least one Pokémon with "near-master" power, and the other main members of the team must also reach "champion-level power".

In other words, although Zhang Heng's current skill level is at the master level, he has only reached the champion level in terms of combat power. He still has a long way to go before he can become someone like his father.

"Master-level" power is the absolute standard for measuring top champions, representing the ultimate form of a Pokémon's power, speed, and energy control. It can be said to be the strongest Pokémon below legendary Pokémon with divine authority.

Although Li Xingeng was stationed in Central China and did not directly guard the border or manage internal affairs, his personal top combat strength had quietly reached the level of a top champion!

Zhang Leiyuan felt a chill run down his spine: "It seems that my decision to challenge Old Li was ill-considered..."

Although his Thunder Drum has immense potential and his aptitude has reached the master level, his actual combat strength is currently at the peak of the near-master level, still one step away from the true master level.

Even though Thunder Drum has a type advantage (Electric beats Flying), the outcome against a true Master-level Moltres is still uncertain!

Just as Zhang Leiyuan was shocked by the power of the firebird, Kameda and Park Chang also seized the moment when the firebird appeared and everyone's attention was drawn!

"Venusaur, now's your chance! Solar Beam!"

Kameda roared hoarsely, his finger pointing directly at the fiery cage that trapped Zarud.

Under the clear sky, the huge flower on Venusaur's back suddenly burst out with dazzling white light. A thick, blazing white beam of light, requiring no charging, shot fiercely towards the three intertwined jets of fire!

"Skunko, Air Blade! Cover!"

Park Chang also gave a stern order. His strongest Garchomp had been captured alive by Zhang Leiyuan, greatly weakening it. At this moment, he could only rely on two Champion-level Skarmory for flanking support.

The two armored birds emitted a sharp metallic scraping sound, their wings flapping angrily. Countless transparent wind blades, condensed as if they were solid and with edges gleaming with cold light, tore through the air, following closely behind the blazing sunlight, their target also being the flames that bound Zarud!

"Dream on! Alolan Reichu, Electric Ball!"

Zhang Leiyuan's eyes were sharp as lightning, instantly discerning their intentions, and he issued the order without hesitation.

Alola Raichu, which had been poised to unleash its power on the Electric Terrain, now perfectly combined its Surf Tail ability with the lingering acceleration effect from Alpha's Max Airstream!

It seemed to transform into the top surfer in the ocean of electricity, its huge tail slamming into the ground amidst leaping arcs of electricity!

“Sizzle——!!!”

Three golden orbs of electric light instantly coalesced and took shape, as if accelerated to the extreme by an electromagnetic cannon, trailing long electric tails, shooting out at a terrifying speed that was almost impossible to detect with the naked eye!

Electric Ball – This altered Electric-type move's power is not fixed, but rather closely related to the user's speed!

The faster the speed, the more violent the condensed electrical energy, and the more astonishing the destructive power it unleashes!

This move is practically tailor-made for Alolan Raichu, which has a "surf tail" and can reach its maximum speed in electric terrain!

They started later, but arrived first!

"boom!!!"

The first electric ball precisely intercepted the path that the blazing sun would inevitably take!

The blinding electric light and the incandescent beam of light collided and annihilated each other, unleashing a deafening roar and a chaotic flow of energy that scattered across the sky, both canceling each other out!

"Whizzing!"

The other two electric balls, like golden meteors, hurtled towards the two armored birds that were following closely behind. Their speed was far inferior to that of the electric balls, and faced with such a terrifying attack, they dared not continue to attack.

Amidst terrified screams, they frantically flapped their steel wings, performing extreme evasive maneuvers in the air, barely managing to dodge the fatal blow in a desperate attempt to escape.

The attack of the air blades naturally crumbled.

Kameda and Park Chang's faces instantly turned ashen, looking extremely grim.

Watching his prized attack being so easily neutralized, a strong sense of powerlessness and humiliation of being marginalized welled up inside him.

Without legendary Pokémon, they appear so passive and superfluous on this battlefield dominated by legendary Pokémon and top champions.

"Zhang Leiyuan! Your opponent is us!"

Kim Jae-hoon's cold voice rang out, carrying an unquestionable authority.

He and Kim Hyun-woo exchanged a glance and instantly reached a consensus—their two countries' "divine clouds" must hold back this Chinese champion who possesses the Thunder Drum!

"Tornado, storm!"

"Land cloud, rockfall!"

Kim Jae-hoon and Kim Hyun-woo gave the orders almost simultaneously.

The tornado cloud summoned a massive storm, and the raging hurricane swept towards Zhang Leiyuan with the force to tear everything apart.

Land Cloud rode the waves, and with a wave of his arms, countless huge rocks crashed down like meteors!

"Hmph! Annoying!" Zhang Leiyuan snorted coldly, showing no interest in fighting, and suddenly slapped Da Dian Haiyan on the back. "Let's go! Take me away from here!"

"Wow—!"

With a clear cry, the giant electric sea swallow unleashed astonishing power from its wings, carrying Zhang Leiyuan and Alola Raichu, transforming into a streak of azure light that tore through the storm, and sped away in a direction far from the main battlefield!

Their goal was clear—to divide the battlefield and prevent the two divine clouds of the Kim brothers from supporting Zarud!

"Roar--!!!"

How could the thunderous drum in the sky allow the enemy to pursue it? Its huge head, covered with thick fur, turned towards the pursuing twin clouds, and lightning flashed in its thunder-ball-like eyes!

The jagged, giant horns unleashed a thunderous roar from the heavens!

"Crack! Crack—!!!" Two terrifying bolts of lightning, thicker than before and wreathed in golden-red electric serpents, struck! Like the wrathful whips of a god, they fiercely cleaved towards the tornado cloud and the earth cloud!

"Wow!"

The tornado cloud, with the speed of a storm, narrowly avoided the edge of the lightning. The violent air currents were torn apart by the lightning, and tiny sparks of electricity flew up from its feathers.

"Woo!"

The Earth Cloud, on the other hand, displayed the steadfastness of the earth's foundation. Its massive body instantly shifted sideways, unhesitatingly blocking the tornado cloud! A bolt of lightning, imbued with destructive power, struck its dark brown rocky form with devastating force!

"Sizzle—BOOM!!!"

The thunderous energy, powerful enough to vaporize steel, was instantly absorbed, diverted, and neutralized by the vast "earth" beneath Earth Cloud's feet the moment it touched Earth Cloud's body, like a clay ox sinking into the sea!

Immunity! The absolute dominance of Electric-type moves against Ground-type moves is on full display at this moment!

However—BOOM!!! Although immune to energy damage, the terrifying physical impact of the lightning could not be completely negated!

The massive body of the Earth Cloud, large enough to support mountains, was actually forced backward by the immense kinetic energy contained in these two world-destroying lightning bolts!

Its two hooves (feet) plowed two bottomless boiling furrows in the sea, and steam mixed with electric sparks shot into the sky!

Finally! "Bang—!!!"

A deafening roar, so deep it was almost muffled! The earth cloud, propelled by the thunder, was struck as if by an invisible giant hammer, crashing into the surging sea behind it and creating towering waves!

As the fighting continued, as planned, Zhang Leiyuan and the Kim brothers from South Korea began to move away from the area.