Pokémon: Master of the Rain Team

In Reiji’s view, this was Poliwhirl’s only path to victory. Since the opponent dared to take Ice Burst head-on, there was no reason to switch tactics—nothing else hit harder.

With the type disadvantage, Poliwhirl could only trade blows and see who broke first.

During the clash, he also picked out a weakness in Poliwhirl’s Waterfall burst: every use required a micro-adjustment to the takeoff distance. Only within four meters could Ice Punch’s power be fully maximized. That was why Poliwhirl kept shattering the ground with each launch.

The arena floor wasn’t very solid to begin with, and Kingler had already churned it up earlier; the earth was crumbly now, and it didn’t take much for it to break apart.

Luckily, Taro hadn’t noticed Poliwhirl’s four-meter quirk. He also never switched to Thunderbolt to snipe from range. By the time Electabuzz could have cast another electric move, Poliwhirl had already crowded him—any attempt to charge something else and Poliwhirl’s Ice Punch would crash in instantly.

Electabuzz was indeed faster by a dozen points or so, but Poliwhirl’s Waterfall burst erased that gap.

At this stage Reiji stopped calling tight commands—their speeds were too high and the move choices too narrow. It was down to Poliwhirl’s own fighting sense.

Up to now, the duel was simple:

Poliwhirl: Waterfall (STAB), boosted by Mystic Water, Ice Punch, plus the Ice Burst recoil.

Electabuzz: Thunder Punch (STAB), super-effective on Poliwhirl, boosted by Magnet, while also eating Ice Burst’s damage.

More or less even—so the real decider was fighting will.

Unlike the first match’s speed plan or the second match’s terrain break, this third bout was a test of grit.

”Let’s go, Poliwhirl! Poliwhirl! Poliwhirl!”

”Electabuzz, let’s go! Electabuzz!”

With each bone-rattling collision, the atmosphere peaked. The stands were roaring themselves hoarse for the side they’d bet on.

Even Skinny and Chubbs couldn’t hold back—they scurried to the rail to cheer for Poliwhirl at the top of their lungs.

Reiji gripped the guardrail, eyes locked on Poliwhirl trading punches with Electabuzz, quietly willing his partner on. There wasn’t much room left for tactics. The clean, brutal Ice Burst was Poliwhirl’s best edge—and the only real hope against an Electric-type.

”Poliwhirl, don’t let him breathe—Ice Punch, end it!”

Seeing Electabuzz try to buy a breath, Reiji pushed the attack, determined to finish it in one swell.

”Yobo!” Poliwhirl drew a deep breath, measured the gap, then kicked off—Waterfall detonated underfoot and he drove another Ice Punch in. Electabuzz had to meet it.

Boom—

This time Electabuzz was blasted off his feet, slammed the wall beneath the trainer’s platform, and crumpled to the ground.

”Electabuzz, up! Hold it—up!”

Hearing Taro’s shout, Electabuzz forced himself upright with a ragged ”Eru, eru…” His right fist was a charred, trembling ruin—he could barely lift it.

Poliwhirl wasn’t much better off; after that last Ice Punch, his arm, too, refused to rise.

Reiji wasn’t about to give the opponent time to buff his partner’s morale. ”Poliwhirl—Ice Ball, finish it!”

”Yubo!” Poliwhirl had intended to step in for a final punch, but at Reiji’s call he opened his mouth, condensed a white orb of ice about the size of a fist, caught it in his left hand, and hurled it at Electabuzz.

”Dodge it, Electabuzz!” Taro yelled.

”Eru!” Electabuzz dove forward, the Ice Ball skimming past.

Another Ice Ball spun out. This one struck true, thudding into Electabuzz’s side—but he wasn’t out yet, his left hand bracing the shot.

Then a third came. A fourth. A fifth…

In the end, Poliwhirl pelted Electabuzz into unconsciousness with Ice Ball volleys.

Electabuzz tried several times to stand—each time that left hand pressed the floor, another Ice Ball crashed down and laid him flat again, until he simply couldn’t move.

Whoooa——

”He did it! Poliwhirl won!”

”Hahaha! He won! Poliwhirl won!”

As Electabuzz fell, a tidal cheer rolled across the venue.

Poliwhirl slumped onto his rear, panting. The result was clear: Poliwhirl had won.

Reiji raised a Heal Ball, recalled Poliwhirl, and murmured thanks—rest well. Across the way, Taro likewise recalled Electabuzz.

The crowd quieted in unison. Both trainers had something to say.

”That was a great fight. I had a blast. Your Poliwhirl is strong—I’ve never met a Poliwhirl that would stand and trade with Electabuzz like that.”

Taro had lost, but he’d fought to his heart’s content; the straight, body-on-the-line brawling had lit a fire he hadn’t felt in a long time. If not for this match, he’d forgotten what that trainer’s heat felt like. At first, sure, five million was a factor—but afterwards? He could afford it. What he wanted was this all-in battle.

”Your Electabuzz is solid too. If he’d held just a little longer… it could’ve gone either way.”

Reiji appreciated that Taro didn’t sulk or posture. No tantrum, no whispered revenge—just clean acceptance. A little mutual praise cost nothing.

”Haha, I know my own partner. His fighting will’s still thin.” Taro grinned at the recognition, but he was honest: Thunder Punch had the advantage, yet Electabuzz fell first. Part of that was not understanding the opponent’s combo technique; part of it was will. Part of it was bond.

Reiji and Poliwhirl had kept their cool all the way through—trainer trusting partner, partner trusting trainer. One thought in both hearts: beat the foe. Simple as that. By comparison, he and Electabuzz had been found wanting.

”This is my card. I’m a senior coach at the Electric-type Club. If you ever want a club, we’ll welcome you—pay and perks to your liking, and any Electric-types you want. I’m looking forward to the rematch.”

Taro flicked a business card to Reiji, then stepped down and left the arena to get Electabuzz treated—and to get stronger together.

Before going, he noticed a girl still on the brothers’ platform and frowned to Ejiro, ”Hey, who’s the girl?”

”Ask Jiro. He brought her,” Ejiro said with a curl of his lip. If big bro lost, at least he and the kid weren’t ”the only scrubs” anymore.

”Tsk… Jiro?” Taro looked over.

”She’s… my classmate,” Jiro muttered.

”A classmate, huh.” Taro caught Jiro’s evasive eyes and clearly got the picture. He gave the kid a long, cold stare and left. So that’s who started this mess. He could guess the rest—and now he’d been dragged in and dropped five million. Dock it from Jiro’s allowance…

…

With the three rich brothers gone, every gaze swung to Reiji. The mystery trainer who’d never shown his face before was the day’s biggest winner—he’d toppled the city’s Electric-type trio and walked off with seven million.

Knowing there was no walking through that crowd, Reiji sent out Pelipper to carry him out over the arena.

”Hey, kid! Where do we find you? We wanna challenge your Poliwhirl!” someone shouted.

”I’m at the Sailor’s Bar. Anyone’s welcome to challenge me—just bring enough money,” Reiji called back, casually naming the old man’s place.

Help the bar’s business, keep the old man busy—no thanks required.

Pelipper seized Skinny and Chubbs and lifted off. They sailed away above the heads and scattered.

Back at the Sailor’s Bar, the old man’s face fell the instant he heard the words ”Sailor’s Bar.” He didn’t even savor the match he’d just watched; he sprinted home and slammed the doors. He kicked out every last patron. Gritting his teeth, he could only think: that brat did this on purpose. With a mob like that incoming, his little shop would burst.

He’d barely latched the door when the banging began—thunk, thunk, thunk—until the panels shook. Peeking from an upstairs window, he saw the street jammed solid with hot-blooded trainers hunting for a fight with that damned kid. His scalp tingled. He wasn’t opening up again until the frenzy died down. As for where Reiji had whisked Skinny off to—who knew…

…

Riding Pelipper, Reiji took Skinny and Chubbs far from the arena. When he was sure no one tailed them, he had Pelipper drop into an alley by the docks. He set Skinny down and tugged off his face covering—no need to stay masked for the Pokémon Center.

”Skinny, I’m heading to the Center to get Poliwhirl treated. Where are you going?”

”The Center too. My Poliwhirl’s still there.” The flight’s cold wind had cooled Skinny’s head. He’d just witnessed how strong Reiji’s Poliwhirl really was—and it only steeled his resolve to learn training under him.

”Cover up before you go. You’ll be recognized. And we split up—don’t go together,” Reiji warned.

”Got it,” Skinny nodded hard. He knew today’s scene was big. Plenty of trainers would be looking for Reiji—and if they couldn’t find him, they’d look for Skinny and Chubbs. The three of them had shared the platform; only Reiji had been masked. If they showed now, they’d be mobbed.

”And remember—don’t get hot-headed like that again. Especially when it means nothing,” Reiji said, clapping Skinny’s shoulder before swinging back onto Pelipper.

”I’ll remember.” Skinny nodded, deeply. Today he’d seen what real battling looked like—Kingler’s tactics, Poliwhirl’s resolve—all crafted with the hand now on his shoulder. Three wins. Seven million earned.

Thinking back to his own earlier ”fighting,” it was laughable—arguing for pride without maximizing returns. That’s the gap between him and Reiji—and a sign he still lacked confidence. His grandpa had told him not to act on impulse, to put benefit first… and he’d forgotten.

Next time—no more of that. Even if he can’t stake a million, he can afford to lose ten thousand, a hundred thousand.

”Don’t get discouraged, Skinny. Believe in yourself—you can get strong too.” With that, Reiji waved and headed for the Center.

”I will, big bro…”

(End of chapter)

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