Hammerlocke Stadium.
After facing Leon in the Top 8 last year,
Li Wei was battling him again, a year later.
Arcanine's flames were unlike ordinary fire,
hotter and more violent.
Within those flames lay a trace of ancient, sacred power, connected to Groudon, Ho-Oh, and Arceus.
As for Moltres? Nothing to do with it.
"Dodge!"
Cinderace barely managed to twist aside. The searing tongue of flame grazed its fur, leaving a stinging pain.
It endured the discomfort, tensed its leg muscles, and leaped high, attempting to attack from above.
But Li Wei had anticipated this.
"Don't give it a chance. Earthquake."
Arcanine raised its forelegs, then slammed them down!
The ground throughout the stadium shook violently,
terrifying shock waves spreading outward in a ring around it. With nothing to push off against, Cinderace took the earthquake head-on and crashed to the ground.
"Get some distance! Use Flame Charge!"
Leon frowned slightly,
finding himself on the back foot.
Flames ignited around Cinderace. If it kept using Flame Charge, its speed would keep increasing.
But Li Wei gave it no such chance.
"It's over. Precipice Blade."
The earth rose beneath Arcanine's feet, light gathering below it into a crimson blade that pierced upward from the ground, spanning heaven and earth.
Precipice Blade was even stronger than last year.
If Cinderace took a direct hit...
The consequences would be unimaginable.
It would be done for!
At the last possible instant,
Leon displayed astonishing decisiveness.
"Cinderace, U-turn!"
Before Precipice Blade could strike, Cinderace became a streak of light, its toes briefly touching Arcanine's body,
before it turned into a beam of red light and returned to its Poké Ball.
At the same time, Leon threw another Poké Ball.
"Inteleon, I choose you!"
A beam flashed, and Inteleon appeared on the field, as cool and