Pokémon: From Pirate to Just

As Sieg stepped out of the contestant tunnel, he narrowed his eyes, a sharp twinge rising from the cooling sensation on his wound.

At that moment, a pair of fierce crimson eyes locked onto the opposing Scizor, filled with a chilling intensity.

"Caw, caw!!"

Sieg's Murkrow fluffed up its feathers instantly, crying out in excitement.

A slight, almost manic smile tugged at the corners of Sieg's mouth. A wild glint sparkled in his eyes as he spoke with enthusiasm, "Yes, that's the feeling, Murkrow. Push your limits and go even further beyond!"

Sieg and his Murkrow momentarily locked eyes with each other, reaching an understanding that went far beyond mere commands.

"Now then, let's welcome our contestants!"

Sieg took a deep breath, calming his mind. He slowly stepped onto the battle stage, his gaze composed.

His opponent glanced over at him as well, eyes intense yet laced with faint disdain. When his eyes landed on Sieg's unblemished skin, he instantly judged in his heart that Sieg couldn't be that old.

What surprised Sieg, however, was that his opponent wasn't wearing a mask.

With the referee's signal, both trainers released their Pokémon. Murkrow and Scizor faced each other, their gazes locked in fierce tension.

"Scizor, use Bullet Punch."

Right from the start, his opponent went straight for Scizor's signature move, Bullet Punch. Sieg couldn't help but wonder if its ability was Technician.

He'd need to confirm it through the course of the battle.

"Murkrow, use Tailwind."

A breeze swept through the battlefield, swirling around Murkrow. In the air, Murkrow twisted its body, barely dodging Scizor's leaping Bullet Punch with the use of Agility.

Scizor truly lived up to its nickname as the Crimson Lightning.

It executed Bullet Punch with explosive speed and terrifying jumping power.

"Scizor, get close with Agility and use Fury Cutter!"

Scizor nodded slightly. With a sharp step, it crossed half the battlefield in a blink.

Using Agility, its speed was barely behind Murkrow's.

"Don't clash head-on, keep your distance with Tailwind and harass it! Murkrow, use Gust!"

Though Bug-type moves counter Dark-types, Flying-types resist Bug-type attacks. That's one of the key reasons Sieg had chosen Murkrow, it created a dual-type buffer.

Both Pokémon launched into combat immediately. Scizor, boosted by Agility, chased after the elusive Murkrow. Unfortunately for it, with Tailwind's boost, Murkrow wasn't easy to catch up to.

While flying, Murkrow continually flapped its wings, sending waves of Gust attacks backward.

To the audience, all they could see was a flash of crimson and a streak of shadow darting across the stage, far too fast to make out clearly.

Still, the thrilling exchange kept adrenaline levels sky-high. With pounding music and the heat of the fight, the crowd exploded into wave after wave of roars.

Just then, the organizers reminded the audience that the match was nearing its end, one last ploy to tempt them into spending more.

The battle club's sponsors from the Battle Frontier certainly knew how to stir hearts and squeeze profits.

Sieg had won several matches in a row. With his previous win streak, the odds had become so onesided that big bets barely yielded returns. But not this time.

This was a clash between an eight-win streak and a nine-win streak.

At the beginner tier, this was top-tier combat.

Countless wealthy spectators and aristocrats were throwing their Pokédollars into the ring.

As time passed, both Pokémon began slowing down.

Agility was a Psychic-type technique, and it was already difficult for Scizor to master it. Using it repeatedly was even harder.

However, Sieg's Murkrow, with its Prankster ability, could unleash Tailwind again!

"Murkrow, use Tailwind, then Screech!"

A sudden boom burst from above. Scizor clutched its head in pain, the shrill screech causing a momentary lapse in focus.

"Now's our chance! Murkrow, use Drill Peck!"

Murkrow spun in midair and dove. Its beak gleamed silver-white, sharpened to the point of lethality.

Though this move wasn't fully mastered, with the momentum from Tailwind and its dive, Murkrow plunged like a meteor toward Scizor.

"Scizor, use Protect!"

The opponent's voice cracked slightly.

Clearly, when a battle reaches the point where one must rely on Protect, it means the fight has entered a fever pitch.

"Scizor, use Iron Head!"

Its massive claw glinted like steel, smashing toward Murkrow.

But Murkrow wasn't about to play by his rules.

The Drill Peck was blocked by Protect, but Murkrow beat its wings rapidly and retreated with incredible speed. Thanks to Tailwind, it narrowly dodged the crushing Iron Head with barely half a body's width to spare.

"At the starting level, base stats really do make a huge difference," Sieg thought as the clash dragged on, his mind racing.

Scizor had a base stat total of 500. Especially its 130 physical attack, it made Sieg cautious.

If Murkrow took even one clean hit, it would be in serious trouble.

If the opponent did have the ability Technician, that Iron Head could very well end the fight in a single blow.

That's why Sieg had Murkrow evade constantly, never letting it get locked into a direct brawl or close-range exchange.

As Sieg pondered his next move, he noticed something, a slight stumble from Scizor as it sprinted.

"Is that an injury on its left leg? Even its movement is impaired... It's much worse than it looks!" Sieg's eyes sharpened.

Murkrow had fought nine battles already and was certainly tired, but his opponent wasn't exactly fresh either after eight consecutive victories.

Scizor's left leg, was its weakness.

A mad idea surged into Sieg's mind. He immediately issued a command to Murkrow, who was dancing midair across the arena.

"Murkrow, attack Scizor's left leg with Gust!"

With a graceful spin in the air, Murkrow flared its wings. Twin cyclones roared from its sides, both targeting Scizor's injured leg.

"Scizor, dodge it, quick!"

The trainer shouted, and Scizor gritted its teeth, forcing its exhausted body into a leap.

But then, Screech struck again, a piercing cry that forced Scizor to clutch its head in agony.

It was too late.

The twin gusts slammed into its left leg. The intense wind reopened the wound.

"Scizor!"

The Scizor howled in pain, collapsing to one knee. As it raised its head, a black shadow rushed toward it like a bullet.

"Finish it! Murkrow, use Wing Attack!"

A streak of darkness swept across the battlefield. Murkrow's jet-black wings slammed down on Scizor's wounded leg.

The pain overwhelmed Scizor. With a dull thud, it fainted on the spot.

The entire arena erupted in thunderous cheers!

Ten consecutive victories!

It had been nearly half a year since anyone had achieved this!

Now, the beginner stage had crowned yet another king.

Dusk and his Murkrow!

Sieg glanced at the fallen Scizor with a shred of pity. Forced into early evolution through Metal Coat, the creature had burned through its potential.

On top of that, its left leg had never received treatment throughout the match. Murkrow's relentless pressure had pushed it to the brink.

Without a strong healing-type Pokémon, that leg might be ruined. Even if healed, it could be crippled, forever stuck at this level.

"But what does that have to do with me?"

A cruel smirk tugged at Sieg's lips, a flicker of madness gleaming in his eyes, the purest reflection of a Dark-type heart.

Unbeknownst to him, a punkish boy with a crimson mohawk in the audience caught this very scene. His gaze flickered, a look of appreciation flashing across his face as he stared at Sieg.

"Interesting... That look... That's exactly how a Dark-type trainer should be."

He casually propped a foot on the seat in front of him, drawing angry glares from nearby spectators. But he didn't care, his fingers still toyed with a Pokéball in his hand.