Semifinals

The Double Battle Tournament semifinals were about to begin the next morning. The first match was moments away.

Bai Shi and Dawn would face Kōhei and a girl wearing a round hat.

Bai Shi and Dawn sent out Zangoose and Pachirisu.

Their opponents sent out Slowking and Glameow.

"Dawn, cover me! I'll take out that Glameow first!"

The moment the match began, Bai Shi deliberately shouted his plan to Dawn.

He made sure every Pokémon Trainer there heard his intentions.

"Go, Zangoose! Use Agility!"

Then he gave his Pokémon the command.

Zangoose grinned fiercely and charged straight at Glameow.

"Okay, got it!"

Dawn nodded quickly, ready to support him at any moment.

She was getting used to Bai Shi's habit of opening a match with an all-out attack.

As long as they won, she didn't mind playing a supporting role.

"Zangoose, use Crush Claw!"

In an instant, Zangoose reached Glameow. It raised a paw and took the opening stance for Crush Claw.

"You won't hurt my teammate that easily!"

"Slowking, use Protect!"

Kōhei pushed his glasses up his nose. With a smile on his face, he calmly gave Slowking the order.

From what he had seen in the previous two rounds, Bai Shi always attacked right at the start.

He targeted the weaker Pokémon and took it out first.

Kōhei had prepared a counter to that tactic.

He had chosen Slowking for this match specifically because it knew Protect.

First, Protect would stop Zangoose's opening attack.

Then Slowking would bring it down with Confusion.

That would send Kōhei into the final with a clean victory.

Slowking moved beside Glameow and used Protect, ready to block Zangoose's attack.

A transparent barrier appeared in front of Zangoose.

It enclosed both of Kōhei's Pokémon.

Zangoose could no longer land an effective attack on