Facing the relentless barrage of leaf blades, Kuro, now weaponless, could only lift the remnants of his broken blades at the tip of his claws in a desperate attempt to defend himself.
Unfortunately, the shortened blade, robbed of its length, required far more effort to fend off the leaf attacks—effort Kuro no longer possessed.
Slash!
"Ahhh!!!"
The razor-sharp leaf blades sliced through Kuro's defenses effortlessly. A sickening sound filled the air as one of the blades penetrated his body, eliciting a scream of pain. Instantly, blood sprayed like raindrops from the open wound.
Kuro, unable to block the attack, was left with a massive gash across his chest. Flesh and skin were torn wide open, and even the bone beneath was clearly visible.
"It's over!" echoed the thoughts of many of Kuro's supporters as they watched in despair.
Meanwhile, Decidueye was determined to secure victory. Thanks to its high stamina and rapid recovery, it relentlessly used Slam as if it were a basic attack. The sheer speed of Decidueye assault left Liepard helpless, unable to mount any counterattack.
After Kuro hit the ground, it took only minutes before his energy was completely drained. His eyes rolled back, resembling spirals, and he lost the will to fight.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The termination bell rang abruptly.
Before Meowth could declare Usopp the winner, a pair of long-awaited Chansey and Blissey hurried over, waddling on their short legs toward Kuro. This time, they skipped the stretcher and rushed in with various medical instruments to treat Kuro's injuries immediately.
There was no other choice.
Usopp's Leaf Star attack had been powered by Decidueye's bonded evolution, further enhanced by Usopp's grass-type energy. Its power was far beyond anything Kuro could withstand. Kuro's internal organs had been severely damaged by the direct hit to his chest. Without prompt medical attention, he would have succumbed in the ring in less than ten minutes.
Of course, with Leo overseeing from behind the scenes, there was no chance he would let his valuable fighters perish here.
As a result, even though Kuro was gravely injured, few in the player lounge paid him any mind. Instead, all eyes were on Usopp, who had just secured his victory.
Though everyone already knew Usopp was no pushover, seeing Kuro, a fighter of comparable strength, get systematically outmaneuvered and defeated step by step made them reevaluate Usopp's capabilities.
Usopp was a formidable opponent, deceptively easy to overlook. Anyone fooled by his comical demeanor would undoubtedly regret it.
Whispers soon filled the lounge, discussions continuing even as Usopp strolled back with his usual swagger.
Meanwhile, a section of the audience was buzzing with excitement.
——
"Quarterfinals! Quarterfinals! Did you see that? Usopp made it to the quarterfinals!" Kaya's eyes sparkled with excitement as she clutched the railing of the stands, proudly showing off to everyone around her. Her expression mirrored that of a parent whose child had just passed a prestigious exam—beaming with pride.
"Uh… Usopp is really strong! Haha…" The members of the Buggy Pirates seated next to Kaya quickly chimed in with praise for Usopp, though their curious glances often drifted toward the railing that Kaya was gripping tightly.
Only now did they truly realize just how robust the building materials of the arena were—strong enough to withstand Kaya's enthusiastic grip without breaking!
——
With Usopp's match concluded, the timing coincided perfectly with the lunch break. Under the guidance of Team Rocket, the audience began to file out in an orderly fashion, heading to the tourist restaurants on Celestial Island for a meal.
As they ate, the excitement of the morning's battles lingered. People eagerly discussed the matches and began speculating on the outcomes of the four remaining afternoon battles.
Unfortunately, the afternoon matches didn't quite meet the audience's expectations.
Garp, Robin, and Zoro faced off against their opponents. These unfortunate challengers were overwhelmed by the power of the trio before they could even utter a single line. The duration of these battles was shorter than the time it took Nami's Pikachu to defeat Smoker and Haunter in earlier rounds.
Only the fourth match, between King Joffrey and the rarely noticed AI Nor, lasted longer than expected—stretching for a full half hour.
Ultimately, Joffrey managed to eke out a win through a grueling strategy of poisoning and stalling, gradually wearing down AI Nor and his Pokémon until they were on the brink of collapse and forced to surrender. Joffrey's tactics were as infuriating as Usopp's sneak attacks.
With that, the 16-to-8 knockout round officially concluded.
The names of Sanji, Nami, Ace, Usopp, Garp, Robin, Zoro, and Joffrey would soon be etched into the annals of the pirate world.
Unlike the preliminary rounds, each of these eight competitors boasted a distinct fighting style. Even Joffrey, who had fortuitously avoided stronger opponents, had drawn attention for his unique battle strategy.
Following the bond evolutions, the average power level had reached 60+, allowing even ordinary people in the pirate world to witness the true might of Pokémon, enhancing their reputation significantly.
As with the preliminary rounds, both players and spectators were given a day's rest after the elimination round.
However, this brief respite would only amplify the audience's anticipation for the next matches, making the excitement even more explosive when the critical moment arrived!
...
...
The short intermission passed in a flash.
In the blink of an eye, the auditorium was packed to capacity once more, every seat filled. Familiar fanfare echoed through the air as the Rockets trio hyped up the crowd, and the eight competitors made their entrance, walking onto the stage to an electrifying soundtrack.
Although this wasn't the first time the audience had witnessed such a spectacle, and despite the predictability of the routine entrance, the excitement was palpable. The crowd couldn't help but cheer enthusiastically, cheering for their favorite players in rhythm with the music.
Acting as hosts, the Rockets trio gave a brief introduction of the top eight contestants, who were already well-known to everyone. Without further ado, they moved on to explain the rules for the semifinals.
"Attention, all contestants!"
Jessie, with a radiant smile and her hair dramatically flowing, took center stage and addressed the microphone:
"I will now explain the format for the upcoming semifinal matches."
She paused for emphasis, then continued:
"First and foremost, let me highlight a major change…"
"In this Pokémon League Tournament, the selection of the top four finalists will differ from previous rounds. Instead of traditional one-on-one matches, the competition will take the form of an arena battle!"
As Jessie finished, the ground between her and the podium began to rumble with the sound of gears turning.
Four elevated platforms slowly rose from the arena floor, eventually stopping three meters above the ring. Atop each of these platforms sat a grand, ornate throne, glimmering under the lights.
Jessie resumed her introduction:
"This top-four arena competition will take place over the course of three days!"
"During this time, anyone can attempt to ascend one of those four thrones and become the reigning champion."
"If a throne is already occupied, then the person seated will automatically become the challenger."
"Throughout these three days, the challenger must accept any and all battle invitations, regardless of the time of day!"
"To keep things fair, Lord Leo will use his powers to ensure that contestants remain in peak condition before each match. This way, aspiring champions won't need to worry about being worn down by continuous challenges."
"Three days from now, those who still occupy a throne will become the semifinalists of this Pokémon League Tournament!"
"Furthermore, reaching this stage means you'll receive the incredible prizes prepared by Lord Leo!"
"Trust me, Lord Leo's rewards will surpass your wildest expectations!"
"Even the runner-up prize is enough to leave you stunned!"
"However, the rewards for the champion and the runner-up are vastly different."
"So…"
"Whether it's for honor, glory, or the magnificent rewards, seize this moment! Give it your all and strive to stand at the pinnacle of this world-renowned stage!!!"