Chapter 198: 198. Kai vs Danny -2

Words : 1279 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

---- "The first round of the challenge is simple use an Ice-type move to freeze the water erupting from the geyser. Whoever freezes it first wins!" As Danny spoke, he had already thrown his Poké Ball into the air. With a flash of light, a Nidoqueen materialized on the mountaintop. Retrieving the empty Poké Ball, Danny subtly cast a sideways glance at the Ultra Ball in Kai's hand, trying to guess which Pokémon he would use for this challenge. Kai, in turn, glanced at Nidoqueen. Like Nidoking, Nidoqueen was a large, bipedal Pokémon. However, its body was blue instead of purple, and it was exclusively female forming a perfect counterpart to its male counterpart. It was well known that Nidoqueen was fiercely protective of its young and would become incredibly aggressive when defending them. But in a competition where the goal was to freeze a geyser, the ideal Pokémon would be one that could effectively use Ice-type moves. Yet, as a Ground- and Poison-type Pokémon, Nidoqueen couldn't naturally learn Ice-type moves. That meant Danny must have trained it using TMs or tutoring to give it an Ice-type attack. Still... considering how common Water Pokémon were in the Orange Islands Pokémon like Seel, Dewgong, Shellder, or Lapras, all of which could naturally learn Ice-type moves why had Danny chosen a Ground-type instead? Kai didn't quite understand his reasoning. But it didn't matter. No matter what Danny's strategy was, Kai had the perfect counter. "Come out, Articuno!" At the mere mention of the name, Danny froze. For a moment, he thought he had misheard. Or perhaps Kai had made a mistake in calling out the wrong Pokémon. But when Articuno spread its majestic wings and revealed its elegant form before him, Danny's jaw nearly hit the frozen ground. "Ar... Ar... ARTICUNO?!" His voice cracked with sheer disbelief. Rubbing his eyes, Danny took an unsteady step forward, as if needing to confirm that what he was seeing was real. "Kreeeaaah!!!" But just as he moved closer, Articuno let out a sharp cry and flapped its wings, causing him to reflexively stumble backwards. Danny swallowed hard. "K-Kai... Where did you even find this... this Ice God?!" "Ice God?" Kai raised an eyebrow at the title before shaking his head. "Sorry, but this Articuno isn't the legendary Ice Guardian of your Orange Islands. I simply encountered it on my journey and caught it." Danny blinked, his breath hitching. So... this wasn't THE Articuno of legend? He felt an immense wave of relief. The three Guardian Birds of the Orange Islands, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, were considered sacred. They were the protectors of the archipelago, maintaining the delicate balance of the island's ecosystem. Growing up, Danny had been raised on stories of these magnificent creatures. The very idea that someone could capture one of them was unthinkable. But, after a moment of reflection, it made sense. Articuno wasn't a singular Pokémon it was a species. Though incredibly rare, they existed outside the Orange Islands as well. The true Ice Guardian, however, remained beyond anyone's reach. Even so, Danny's entire perception of Kai shifted instantly. Before this, he had regarded him as just another challenger. A strong one, perhaps, but still just a regular trainer. But now? Now, he realized Kai was anything but ordinary. "Who... Who are you, really?" Danny asked, his voice tinged with newfound respect. Without even realizing it, his tone had changed entirely. Truthfully, Danny rarely paid attention to events outside the Orange Islands. He lived in his own little world, content in his simple island life. Even major events like the Indigo League Championship barely registered on his radar. Which meant he had no idea that Kai was the reigning Indigo League Champion. Kai gave a casual shrug. "Here in the Orange League, I'm just a regular challenger. But if you did some digging into recent events outside the archipelago, I think you'd quickly figure out my identity." Danny instinctively reached for his PokéGear, itching to look up Kai's name. But they were in the middle of a challenge now wasn't the time. So, pushing aside his curiosity, he refocused on the match. At that moment, the two Pokémon stood side by side, facing the twin fissures in the mountainside where the geyser would erupt. These fissures, though separated, were fed by the same underground hot spring. When the geyser erupted, both streams of scalding water would surge into the air simultaneously. Danny clenched his fists. But as he glanced at Nidoqueen, standing right next to Articuno, he couldn't help but feel a pang of self-doubt. Against any other opponent, he would have been confident. But next to Articuno, his Nidoqueen looked... so painfully average. Still, he had no choice but to proceed. A tremor rumbled beneath their feet. Seconds later, the geyser erupted two jets of boiling water shooting several meters into the air. "NOW!" Kai and Danny shouted in unison. "Articuno, use Ice Beam!" "Nidoqueen, use Ice Beam!" Both Pokémon fired their respective Ice-type attacks. Superheated steam exploded from the geyser as the freezing beams met the boiling water. But the difference in power was staggering. Articuno's Ice Beam was visibly thicker and brighter, enhanced by its natural mastery over the move and bolstered further by the Never-Melt Ice hanging around its neck. The result? Instantaneous freezing. In less than a second, Articuno's beam turned its geyser into a solid pillar of ice. Nidoqueen, on the other hand, struggled. Though its Ice Beam was effective, it took nearly five seconds longer to fully freeze the water. The outcome was undeniable. The winner was clear. Danny could only stare at the ice pillars in astonishment. Not only had Articuno's Ice Beam been significantly faster, but the ice it created was far more durable. Unlike the brittle ice from past challenges, which would typically begin melting almost immediately, this ice was rock-solid. Even compared to his own geyser's frozen pillar, Kai's was denser and visibly more resilient. Danny let out a long breath, shaking his head in disbelief. "It... ended instantly... This is the power of Articuno?" he murmured, eyes filled with awe. "Unbelievable." Nearby, the snowfall had begun to let up, allowing a clearer view of the icy arena. Sabrina silently stepped forward, approaching Kai. Without a word, she reached out and gently brushed the snow off his shoulders. Kai glanced at her, offering a small smile, making no move to stop her. Danny, meanwhile, felt completely ignored. 'Excuse me, I'm still here...' he thought to himself, exasperated. Clearing his throat, Danny forced a grin. "Well... I guess that means you win the first round." Kai nodded, looking at him expectantly. "So, what's the next challenge?" Danny took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself. "Alright," he said, raising two fingers. "The second challenge will test your Pokémon's strength. This time, we'll be—" Before he could finish, a loud cracking noise echoed from the ice pillar Nidoqueen had frozen. Danny turned, watching in horror as it began to crack and weaken. Meanwhile, Kai's ice pillar remained completely intact. Danny felt another blow to his pride. Forget losing in speed... Even the ice I made is inferior?! Suppressing the urge to groan, Danny forced himself to focus. "Okay... on to the next challenge," he muttered, already bracing himself for another humiliating defeat. ---- Don't forget to drop some Power Stones! For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon. P@treon/iamxeno Thank you so much for your support and for reading!

Chapter 198: 198. Kai vs Danny -2

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