"Excadrill is Unable to Battle. Garchomp wins, making contestant Cynthia the winner of this match!"
Deng Pei raised his right hand and announced the end of the third match of the first round.
The host shouted, "The semifinalists have been decided! Sinnoh Champion Cynthia's tactics and strength proved superior! She overcame her opponent and claimed the final victory!"
Applause thundered like waves crashing one after another.
Countless excited gazes remained fixed on the field below as tireless cheers rang out.
Cynthia leaped into the shattered, sunken battlefield and softly said to Garchomp, who had reverted from Mega Evolution, "Thank you, Garchomp."
"Garchomp!"
Garchomp gave a slight nod.
Then both of them looked toward Iris, who had already reached Excadrill. Ignoring the grit and dust on the ground, she lovingly hugged her Pokémon.
She murmured, "You worked very hard, Excadrill. Thanks for the effort."
Excadrill's tired eyes were half-open before slowly closing in silence.
Cynthia stepped closer. "Iris!"
"Thank you for your guidance, Miss Cynthia!" Iris quickly stood and greeted her, doing her best to keep her voice steady. "We'll definitely become stronger afterward!"
Seeing her expression, Cynthia said soothingly, "I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for giving me an unforgettable battle."
As the two spoke, all sorts of reactions unfolded outside the arena.
The relatives and friends in Dragon Village looked deeply regretful and felt especially sorry for Iris.
Everyone looked to the elder, who calmly said, "When that child comes back, we'll comfort her properly."
"Yeah!"
The residents of Dragon Village immediately responded.
Inside the room where Unova's Elite Four had gathered, Marshal abruptly stood up and left. "I'm going to train!"
Grimsley pinched a coin between his fingers. "So she was still too green after all, Caitlin—"
Caitlin had already vanished without a trace.
Both