After confirming that Espeon was in no danger of dying, the referee stood up, raised his right arm, and held the flag high.
"Espeon has lost the ability to battle!" His voice was loud and clear, echoing through the silent battle zone. "Therefore, the winner of the sixth match is—Xinhai Bai Mu!"
Applause broke out from the stands, fiercer than before.
Disco Dicolik, seated in the VIP section, set down his champagne glass and clapped lightly, a faint approving smile at the corner of his mouth.
Moska still held his bottle of mineral water, his gaze fixed on Grovyle in the arena. A glimmer of light flashed through his cool eyes.
In the contestants' area, Ryosuke Onodera leaned against the sofa, watching Xinhai and Grovyle's victory on the field.
"Another single slash." He shook his head and said to Yuma Kamiya beside him, "Pokémon with slashing attack styles really have high attack power. They practically kill in one hit."
Yuma Kamiya had both hands tucked into his jacket pockets, his expression grave.
He said nothing, merely watching the injured Espeon on the field in silence, as though pondering something.
Rika Yuzuki gently covered her mouth. A trace of pity flashed through her eyes, but it was soon replaced by a complicated emotion—sympathy for Espeon, along with amazement at Grovyle's strength.
Xinhai glanced at Espeon, which Chansey was treating, then withdrew his gaze and said to Grovyle, "Don't worry. It'll be better soon."
"Cha." Grovyle nodded, its golden eyes fixed on Espeon's blood-covered body.
It lowered its head and looked at the leaf blade on its right arm—the blade was stained with Espeon's blood, glinting dark red beneath the lights.
It flicked its arm, sending droplets of blood sliding from the blade and splattering into tiny crimson blossoms on the ground.