The roaring stadium echoed with the cheers of an eager crowd, the atmosphere electrified by the anticipation of the P1 Grand Prix. A commentator stood in the center of a boxing-style ring, his mic amplifying his excited voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The moment you've all been waiting for is here—the P1 Grand Prix is about to begin!"
The audience erupted into applause and cheers, waving banners and signs for their favorite participants. Among the crowd, Dawn, May, Serena, and Rebecca sat together. Rebecca's nervous expression contrasted with the excitement around her.
"Do you really think Ace's plan will work?" Rebecca asked, her tone filled with doubt as she glanced nervously at the ring.
Dawn leaned back in her seat, giving her a reassuring smile. "Trust Ace. He's never backed down or lost when he's set his mind to something."
May nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, if anyone can pull this off, it's Ace!"
Serena chimed in. "Rebecca, he wouldn't have entered this without a solid plan. Let's just trust him."
Rebecca sighed but managed a small smile. "I hope you're right. My father…he's so stubborn."
Meanwhile, the scene shifted to the locker room—a stark contrast to the lively stadium outside. Men of varying builds sat on benches, each participant sizing up their potential opponents. The air was thick with tension as they prepared for the tournament. Among them was Anthony, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his face set with determination.
In the corner, however, sat Ace. His presence drew a mix of reactions from the others.
"Who's the kid?" one burly man muttered, his tone dismissive.
"Probably some rookie trying his luck," another sneered. "He'll be out in the first round."
Ace heard the remarks but paid them no mind. Instead, he calmly polished Primape's Pokéball, a confident smile on his face.
'Let them talk,' Ace thought. 'They'll know soon enough what me and Primeape are capable of.'
Anthony's gaze flicked over to Ace, narrowing slightly in curiosity. 'That kid…what's he doing here?'
The tension in the room grew thicker as the final announcements boomed over the intercom.
"Participants, please make your way to the stage!"
The crowd's roars grew louder as the participants emerged, each one stepping onto the stage to the commentator's introductions. Ace stood tall amidst the seasoned fighters, with the girls cheering him on.
The commentator stepped into the center of the ring once again, holding a card with the tournament bracket details. The screen above the stadium lit up, showing the match-ups for the P1 Grand Prix.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the commentator boomed. "Here are the brackets for today's tournament!"
The crowd leaned forward in anticipation, cheering as names and Pokémon flashed across the screen. The announcer began listing off the first-round matchups, and Ace's eyes locked onto the screen as he scanned for his name.
"Ace Drago versus Marcus Hall in Match 3!" the commentator declared, eliciting murmurs of surprise from some of the audience.
Rebecca leaned forward, pointing at the screen. "Ace's match is after two others. That gives him some time."
May grinned. "Marcus Hall, huh? He's in for a surprise if he thinks Ace is just a kid."
Ace glanced at the brackets again, and his focus shifted to the other side of the lineup. His gaze stopped at one name: Anthony.
'So he's in the 8th match,' Ace thought, his expression calm but serious. He glanced over at Anthony, who stood across the staging area.
The commentator continued, "To win this tournament, participants must battle through four rounds: the qualifiers, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the finals of the championship! Only the strongest fighting Pokémon and their Trainers from these 16 people will prevail!"
Ace reviewed the bracket in his mind. '3 matches to get through before I face Anthony in the finals. From what I remember, Anthony's Hitmonchan is no pushover. He's got what it takes to reach the finals. I don't have to worry about him losing in the first three rounds and messing up my plan.'
The stadium buzzed with anticipation as the commentator hyped the crowd.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, let's begin the third round of the qualifiers! On one side, we have Marcus Hall, a two-time semifinalist and one-time finalist of this prestigious tournament!"
The audience erupted into cheers as Marcus strode into the ring, his karate outfit pristine and his head held high. His Machoke followed, flexing its powerful muscles and roaring to excite the crowd.
"And on the other side, making his P1 Grand Prix debut, we have a rookie trainer, Ace Drago! Can this young challenger upset the odds?"
Ace walked into the ring with calm composure. Primeape followed him, bouncing lightly on its feet, fists clenched and ready.
From the stands, May, Dawn, Serena, and Rebecca watched with a mix of excitement and concern.
"Do you think Ace can really take on someone like Marcus?" Rebecca asked nervously.
Serena smiled softly. "Ace has a way of surprising everyone. Just watch."
Dawn added. "Marcus might have experience, but Ace isn't your typical rookie."
May grinned. "He's going to show them all why you should never underestimate him!"
Back in the ring, Marcus looked Ace up and down before letting out a dismissive chuckle. "Kid, you don't belong here. This isn't a playground."
Ace met his gaze, unfazed. "We'll see who belongs here soon enough."
The referee raised his flag. "Trainers, release your Pokémon to the ring!"
Marcus's Machoke confidently jumped in the ring while flexing its muscles.
Ace calmly sent Primeape in the ring. The pig monkey Pokémon hopped in place, fists raised in a professional boxer's stance.
The referee stepped back. "Begin!"
Marcus wasted no time. "Machoke, use Dynamic Punch!"
Machoke charged forward, its fists glowing with intense energy. The crowd cheered as it aimed a devastating blow at Primeape.
Ace remained calm. "Dodge."
Primeape moved like a trained martial artist, sidestepping the punch effortlessly. It bobbed and weaved, its movements fluid and precise, as Machoke's fists hit nothing but air.
Ace's mind raced as he watched the battle. 'All those years of training in my past life... Muay Thai, boxing, karate, judo, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing... I combined them all into my own unique fighting style to use against criminals in my future police work. Now, in this world, I've passed that knowledge to Primeape. He's not just a Pokémon; he's a fighter who moves like a true martial artist.'
Marcus growled in frustration. "Machoke, don't let it get away! Use Cross Chop!"
Machoke leaped forward, crossing its glowing arms as it aimed a powerful chop at Primeape.
"Counter with Mega Punch!" Ace commanded.
Primeape sidestepped the Cross Chop, pivoting on its foot like a Muay Thai expert, and delivered a crushing Mega Punch to Machoke's jaw. The impact echoed through the arena, and Machoke stumbled back, dazed.
The crowd gasped, and Marcus's face turned red with anger.
"Machoke, hit it with Karate Chop!" Marcus yelled.
Ace smirked. "Primeape, show them our style. Low Kick!"
Primeape ducked under Machoke's arm and delivered a precise kick to its shin. Machoke lost its balance and crashed to the ground.
"Now finish it with Brick Break!"
Primeape leaped high into the air, its fist glowing with power, and brought it down with a devastating punch. The ring trembled from the impact, and Machoke let out a groan before falling unconscious.
The stadium went silent for a moment, the crowd stunned by the display of skill.
Marcus stared at his defeated Machoke in disbelief. "H-How… How did I lose?!"
Ace returned Primeape to its Pokéball with a small smile. "Good work, Primeape. Take a rest." Without another word, he walked out of the ring, his expression calm and composed.
The referee raised his flag. "Machoke is unable to battle! The winner is Ace Drago!"
The silence broke as the crowd erupted into cheers and applause.
The commentator's voice boomed. "Unbelievable! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a dark Ponyta in this tournament! Ace Drago, a rookie trainer, has just defeated the seasoned Marcus Hall with an incredible display of skill and strategy!"
In the stands, May, Dawn, and Serena were cheering loudly.
"That's our Ace!" May shouted, clapping enthusiastically.
Dawn smirked as she looked at the defeated Marcus who was humiliated like this. "Marcus underestimated him, and now look at him."
Serena smiled warmly. "Ace's training always pays off."
Rebecca watched the scene with wide eyes, her lips curling into a hopeful smile. "Maybe... maybe he really can help."
As Ace disappeared into the prep room, he clenched his fists slightly. 'One step closer. Anthony, you're turn will come soon.'
(Pls give me some power stones!)
(Find out next time on Pokemon:Ace's Adventures!)