After completing the thrilling quarterfinals, the Championship China tournament continues to the semifinals. The four remaining top trainers have demonstrated their strength and strategy, and now they are preparing for an even more intense battle. In this semi-final, Eastern Champion, Zhao Feng, and Western Elite Four, Han Ye, face off against each other. On the other side, the Northern Champion, Liangyi, battles the Southern Elite Four, Chen Xiang.
On the farm, the calm morning atmosphere accompanied by warm sunlight seemed in stark contrast to the intensity of the ongoing tournament. Yang Chen, accompanied by Reba and Yang Xiaoyi, sat in their garden while enjoying warm tea. Their Pokémon, like Gardevoir and Dragonite, seemed to sit quietly, yet focused on watching the live tournament broadcast on the big screen.
Yang Xiaoyi, with the typical enthusiasm of youth, asked, "Papa, who do you think will win today?"
Yang Chen smiled faintly. "Zhao Feng and Liangyi have a great chance, but Han Ye and Chen Xiang are unpredictable opponents. Strength alone is not enough; strategy and mentality are also important."
However, behind that calmness, Yang Chen remained vigilant. He used his super abilities to monitor the situation around the Beijing stadium, ensuring there were no threats from the Galaxy Team that might try to disrupt the tournament.
Reba noticed her husband's anxiety. "Chen, you need to learn to relax a bit. Not everything bad will happen."
Gently, Yang Chen replied, "I just want to make sure everything is safe. If something happens, I want to be ready."
In the main stadium of Beijing, the atmosphere heated up as the semifinals began. The audience erupted in cheers as the participants confidently entered the arena. The camera's spotlight was on the four coaches, each exuding an aura of determination and high fighting spirit.
First Match: Zhao Feng vs Han Ye
The atmosphere in the Beijing stadium heated up as the semifinals began. The audience cheered loudly, echoing their spirited chants for both coaches who were about to battle in this adrenaline-filled match. On the left side of the arena, Zhao Feng, the Eastern Champion, stood calmly, facing his opponent. The look in his eyes was full of confidence and determination. Beside him, Tyranitar, his large and sturdy Pokémon, stood fiercely, ready to battle.
On the right side of the arena, Han Ye, the Elite Four of the West, was equally confident. With a steady stride, he stepped forward, unleashing Gyarados, the iconic Pokémon known for its destructive power and relentless tenacity. Gyarados snorted loudly, displaying sophistication and the potential for a terrifying attack.
The referee called both trainers to get ready, and after the signal was given, the match began.
Zhao Feng started by immediately calling Tyranitar to battle. With its large and thick body, Tyranitar looked like a massive rock ready to crush anything that stood in its way. With its special ability, Tyranitar immediately utilized Sand Stream, creating a sandstorm that enveloped the entire arena. The weather changed drastically, with sand flying and limiting everyone's visibility, creating an advantage for Tyranitar, which is accustomed to fighting in such conditions.
Han Ye's Gyarados, although more agile, seemed to struggle a bit with the weather conditions affecting its visibility. However, Han Ye was undeterred. Without hesitation, he commanded Gyarados to use Dragon Dance, boosting its speed and physical attack. Gyarados began to move faster, its body spinning with elegance and increased strength. This surprised the audience, as they realized that although Gyarados seemed affected by the sandstorm, this Pokémon could still fight with incredible speed.
Seeing this, Zhao Feng immediately commanded Tyranitar to use Stone Edge, taking advantage of the favorable weather to launch a barrage of attacks. However, Gyarados managed to dodge several attacks nimbly, thanks to the increased speed from Dragon Dance. But, a Stone Edge attack finally hit Gyarados, although only a significant portion of the attack connected.
Gyarados, although injured, did not back down. With the strength gained from Dragon Dance, it turned and attacked with Waterfall. A massive wave of water struck Tyranitar with great force, but Tyranitar's sturdy defense allowed it to withstand the attack. However, that doesn't mean Zhao Feng can let his guard down.
The match was getting more intense, and Han Ye showed his cunning. Seeing that Gyarados's physical attacks were not effective enough, he ordered Gyarados to retreat and replace the attack strategy with electric power. Han Ye released his second Pokémon, Magneton, and immediately commanded it to use Thunderbolt. A strong electric bolt struck Tyranitar, who was still trapped in the sandstorm.
Zhao Feng looked surprised by this change in strategy. All this time, Tyranitar had an extraordinary resistance to physical attacks, but electric attacks could pose a serious threat. Thunderbolt hit Tyranitar hard, and although the Pokémon had good defense, the strong electric attack made a significant impact, causing it to stagger back.
However, Zhao Feng was equally cunning. In an instant, he replaced his trusty Pokémon with Excadrill, a Ground and Steel-type Pokémon known for its high speed and extraordinary strength. With the Mold Breaker ability, Excadrill can attack with full power even if the opponent uses Electric-type moves. As soon as Excadrill appeared in the arena, the audience was amazed to see the rapid change in Zhao Feng's strategy.
Excadrill immediately launched an Earthquake attack that shook the arena, causing Magneton to lose its balance and eventually fall to the ground. Earthquake delivered a very powerful attack, exploiting Magneton's weakness to Ground-type moves. Han Ye, although slightly surprised, remained calm and decided to send out Toxicroak to replace Magneton.
The battle is getting more intense. Gyarados re-entered the arena and tried to take control, but the dangerous attacks from Excadrill pushed Gyarados further into a corner. Han Ye tried to give commands calmly, attempting to utilize Gyarados's strength and speed to evade Excadrill's attacks. However, at the right moment, Zhao Feng commanded Tyranitar to rise again, taking advantage of the remnants of the lingering sandstorm. Using Crunch, Tyranitar struck Gyarados with a terrifying attack, ending Gyarados's resistance in this match.
Although Han Ye put up an extraordinary fight, the combination of Tyranitar's physical strength and Excadrill's quick strategy ultimately brought victory to Zhao Feng. This battle was not just about Pokémon strength, but also about well-thought-out strategies and the ability to quickly adapt to changes.
The spectators gave loud cheers as the battle ended. Although he won by a narrow margin, Zhao Feng's victory was met with enthusiastic applause from his supporters. However, both Zhao Feng and Han Ye knew that this match was not just about strength, but about cunning in facing difficult situations.
Yang Chen, who followed the match from afar, felt relieved even though he knew that the next match would be even more challenging. Reba, who was also watching from afar, patted her husband's shoulder with a smile, feeling proud to see the cleverness and strategy employed by Zhao Feng.
"Now we just have to wait for the final," Yang Chen said softly. "But this match shows how important strategy and mental toughness are."
With a mix of victory and caution, the first semifinal match ended with Zhao Feng as the winner, and the tournament world is looking forward to an even more thrilling final round.