Less than fifteen minutes later...
Joffrey, covered in soot, collapsed weakly to the ground.
[TL/n: soot = a black powder formed when something is burned.]
Nearby, Nidoking, looking bewildered, glanced at Pikachu in its bonded evolution state, then at itself, having reverted back from its own bonded evolution...
After recognizing the vast difference in their levels and understanding that Pikachu had relied solely on physical collisions to send it flying, Nidoking realized the situation. With its trainer unconscious, it chose to concede the match.
And with that, Nami officially became the new champion of the competition.
As Nami ascended the champion's podium and waved playfully to the crowd below, Leo, who had been observing in secret, couldn't help but sigh for Joffrey, now on his way to the medical bay.
There's no use denying it—there's a massive difference between Nami, the world's favored child, and Joffrey, a minor king with no background to speak of.
Indeed, with the half-price perks from the Revolutionary Army, Nami had acquired a large amount of resources and moves for Pikachu, greatly enhancing its tactical capabilities.
It's an undeniable fact that ground-type Pokémon have an advantage over electric-type Pokémon.
However...
No matter how much Joffrey and Nidoking tried to counter Nami, Pikachu's agility always allowed it to arrive in time and intercept every attack.
Although Pikachu's electric moves couldn't harm Nidoking, Nidoking's attacks were scattered by the sheer power of Pikachu's lightning.
Even the few attacks that slipped through were narrowly avoided by Nami, thanks to her incredible reflexes.
Who knows why Nami, despite her apparent lack of strength, has reaction and evasion skills on par with top-tier experts?
In Leo's view, perhaps this is what it takes to be the world's chosen one.
But when Nami and Pikachu turned their offense on Joffrey, the corpulent king had no choice but to use his body as a shield.
Inevitably, he lost the match.
——
Meanwhile...
"Okay! Mr. Zoro, who has fully recovered, please retake your place as the ring leader."
On the stage, Jessie, seeing that Zoro had fully recovered, immediately twisted her waist into the correct position and resumed guiding the event.
At this moment, Sanji, who had been gravely injured and unconscious just moments before, emerged from the contestant tunnel alongside Zoro and stood beside Usopp and the others, causing the audience to marvel!
Although everyone knew the medical equipment provided on Celestial Island was advanced and thorough, seeing someone who had been bleeding profusely and near death half an hour ago now standing in the ring with a cigarette in his mouth as if nothing had happened was nothing short of magical.
This sight left the audience momentarily stunned, even questioning if their sense of time had somehow broken.
Since Garp and Ace were so powerful, they had almost secured their spots in the top four.
Thus, this competition was really for the remaining six players to vie for the last two semifinal positions.
To avoid excessive delays in the arena, Leo had stored a batch of life essence in the medical bay specifically to heal the players' injuries quickly, allowing them to return to the ring without much downtime.
"Then, our challenger will decide whether to continue challenging other champions."
"Since Mr. Sanji has already challenged once, if there are other challengers challenging him at the same time, the other challengers will be given priority."
"Challengers, please make your decision..."
As Jessie finished speaking, a figure as mysterious and noble as a violet stepped out from the challengers.
"Miss Jessie, I want to issue a challenge!"
Robin declared with a smile.
Today, she wore a light purple turtleneck sweater and denim shorts that reached just above her knees, creating a striking contrast with her black boots, which extended to her calves, forming an absolute visual treat.
The true measure of a woman's allure isn't how much she's willing to reveal...
But whether she can still become the center of attention without revealing anything.
And today, Robin embodied this perfectly!
Compared to the now highly developed and super cute Nami, Robin's mature elegance left no room for competition.
On the stage, Robin continued walking forward, her dark boots echoing against the hard marble floor, each step resonating in Sanji's heart.
At that moment, seeing the irresistibly charming Robin up close, Sanji wished he could become a pet at her feet, protecting her soles from the dirty ground.
Unfortunately, such blessings were not for Sanji.
"Sorry, Nami."
Robin, having reached the fourth main ring, slowly lifted her gaze, meeting Nami's, who had just been healed above. Her expression carried a warm, friendly smile.
"Sister Robin..."
Nami smirked, slowly pulling out Pikachu's Poké Ball from her waist. She showed no displeasure at Robin's challenge.
On the contrary, a burning determination sparked in her eyes!
It seemed she had been eagerly awaiting this battle!
Women are peculiar creatures.
They can bond at any moment without concern for the situation.
But when the time comes, they can also reveal an unyielding competitiveness!
——
Five minutes passed.
Nami and Robin, two stunning women from the world of pirates, stood on opposite sides of the ring.
Meanwhile, in the main control room, Leo, under the puzzled gaze of little Eevee, pulled out a large bag of snacks and two giant buckets of "Coke-Zero" from the void, as if settling in for an enjoyable movie.
It's a bit embarrassing to admit that Leo, a dimensional businessman claiming to belong to the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce, shares the same hobby as those cultured men.
Thankfully, the racks of video equipment set up around the audience explained it all...
He wasn't alone in this!
...
...
Under the dazzling fireworks, the battle commenced in an instant.
Nami and Robin simultaneously threw their Poké Balls into the air.
"Come on out! Pikachu!"
"Go! Espeon!"
In an instant, two lively and energetic Pokémon appeared before the two girls, each brimming with vitality and excitement.
Pikachu, fresh off a lackluster battle, now craved a thrilling fight to unleash its pent-up energy!
Espeon, who hadn't had a grand appearance in a long time, was equally eager to showcase its abilities on this grand stage!
As they released their Pokémon, Nami and Robin exchanged smiles, acknowledging the fierce competition to come.
In the next moment, both of them unleashed their full power without hesitation!
"Unleash your thunder and lightning to sweep away all before you! Bond Evolution!!! Pikachu!!!"
"Espeon, it's time to show everyone your mysterious grace! Shine to your heart's content! Bond Evolution!!!"
Rumble!
Under the clear sky, a massive pillar of lightning suddenly materialized around Pikachu, rapidly expanding and enveloping Nami in its glow.
Bathed in the lightning, Nami not only remained unharmed but also closed her eyes as if she were in a spa, savoring the electrifying energy.
Suddenly, the divine light of evolution burst forth within the lightning, illuminating the entire arena.
In less than a second, the brilliant light shattered like glass and faded away.
Pikachu's form transformed instantly through Bond Evolution!
After evolving, Pikachu's markings remained largely unchanged, but a tuft of golden hair sprouted atop its head.
The static electricity caused these hairs to stand up in tufts, and Pikachu's stance shifted from quadrupedal to upright.
If someone were to dress Pikachu in a martial arts uniform and claim it was Pikachu's Super Saiyan 3 form, there wouldn't be a single voice of dissent!
Contrary to the lush hair, Pikachu's size actually decreased after Bond Evolution, becoming even smaller than before.
Perhaps influenced by Nami's experiences as a thief, Pikachu's smaller, more agile form seemed perfect for stealth.
However...
Despite the smaller size, Pikachu's tail extended, becoming longer and more slender, ending in a large, yellow lightning bolt. Occasionally, bolts of electricity crackled from it, like a divine punishment wielded high above.
Meanwhile...
Robin and Espeon's Bond Evolution exuded an air of mystery.
A cloud of lavender-pink smoke instantly enveloped them.
As the smoke cleared, Espeon's new form was revealed to the audience.
Its primary color remained the same mysterious lavender, but its body had grown slightly larger.
The ruby on its forehead, which housed its psychic power, had darkened to a deep red.
The once twin-tailed Espeon now sported nine tails, each with a slight downward curve, dancing in the air and forming a massive flower that floated gently in the wind.
Robin's graceful demeanor took on an even more enigmatic quality after bonding with Espeon and gaining its psychic powers.
A shimmering wave of purple-pink light flickered in her eyes, masking any emotion.
"Pikachu! Use Rain Dance!!!"
The battle was about to begin!
Nami initiated the first strike, trying to create a favorable environment for herself.
However...
Just as Pikachu began to summon the scarce water energy within it to perform the move, Robin, as if anticipating Nami's tactic, smiled brightly and waved her hand.
"Espeon, use Sunny Day!"
As Pikachu's Rain Dance was just starting to gather dark clouds over the sun, the bright sunlight suddenly pierced through, evaporating the clouds and scattering its warm rays across the ring.
Robin smiled playfully and said, "You're not the only one who can use weather moves, Nami."
Ample sunlight is essential for a Pokémon to perform at its best. As an expert in Pokémon Contests, how could Robin's Espeon not master this move!
"Tch, foiled again..."
Nami pouted in frustration.
Without rain, she couldn't amplify the range of her electric-type moves.
But at least the sunny weather didn't favor either Pikachu or Espeon. Nami quickly set aside her obsession with the weather and commanded Pikachu:
"In that case, let's go on the offensive!"
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!!!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu responded immediately, taking a deep breath.
The electric pouches on Pikachu's cheeks swelled up, making it look incredibly cute.
But this endearing scene only lasted a moment.
Crackle!
Blinding lightning sparked from Pikachu's cheeks, and in an instant, a torrent of electricity surged from Pikachu's body like a raging storm!
Boom!!!
A massive thunderbolt shot toward Robin and Espeon.
With Pikachu's power boosted by the Lightning Ball, the Thunderbolt wasn't just 100,000 volts... Even millions or tens of millions of volts couldn't fully capture the overwhelming force of this thunderous attack.
"Indeed, Nami's Pikachu is something else!"
Even though she had anticipated Pikachu's extraordinary strength, experiencing its earth-shattering power firsthand left Robin stunned!
To win this battle, it seemed she would have to resort to other means.
Robin sighed inwardly but had no intention of backing down.
"Espeon, block it!!!"
With Espeon's current strength, it was clearly outmatched in trying to withstand Pikachu's attack.
And the lightning was too fast and powerful to dodge.
In this dire situation, Robin could only thank her stars that Espeon was a Psychic-type Pokémon.
As Robin's words fell, the ruby on Espeon's forehead flared with intense psychic energy.
Even though Bond Evolution allowed trainer and Pokémon to communicate telepathically, trainers still habitually gave commands out loud, as if vocalizing them enhanced the moves.
Suddenly!
A transparent barrier materialized in front of Robin and Espeon.
It was Light Screen, a Psychic-type move that could withstand all elemental damage.
In the next moment, the terrifying thunderbolt struck like a tidal wave, crashing into the Light Screen.
"Es-eon!"
Espeon cried out in pain, but then the dark red gem on its forehead flared even brighter.
A surge of psychic energy reinforced the Light Screen, holding back the full force of Pikachu's lightning.
"The front line is yours, Espeon!"
Robin resolutely crossed her arms over her chest.
Even though the lightning obscured her view of Nami, she still remembered her opponent's last position.
"Forty-Fleur: Cuatro Manos: Deep Lock!!!"
A magical purple light flashed in Robin's eyes.
In an instant!
Four enormous hands, each formed from ten arms, suddenly appeared around Nami, seizing her limbs.
And from each hand, a soft purple glow emanated, like a protective shield, shielding the arms from the surrounding electricity.
"What!?"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Before Nami could react, the four massive arms lifted her into the air, pinning her like a crucifix for all to see.
"Pika!?"
Pikachu, sensing something was wrong, quickly turned its head.
But to its surprise...
The lightning surrounding Pikachu didn't dissipate. Instead, it intensified, hurtling toward Nami!