Xia You's third battle was the tenth match in Group A. Judging by the schedule, it would not begin until around two in the afternoon at the earliest, so the three of them took the opportunity to leave the Group A field and head over to Ash's Group C.
Their timing could not have been better. When they arrived, Ash was in the middle of his second battle, using his Phanpy against a woman's Machoke.
They did not call out to distract him. Instead, they found Brock watching from the sidelines.
"You're here?" Brock asked when he saw the three of them. "Did your battles go smoothly?"
"Of course!" Before Xia You could answer, Misty said with a smile, "With Xia You out there, victory was a sure thing. He won two matches in a row without breaking much of a sweat! Anyway, how's Ash doing? Don't tell me he's already had the bad luck to lose a match?"
Brock shook his head. "No, but..."
Only after hearing his account did Xia You and the others learn what had happened in the earlier match. Although Ash had won, his opponent's Furret had used a remarkably clever burrowing strategy, repeatedly attacking from underground and pushing Pikachu into a desperate situation. Ash had nearly lost, but fortunately, a last-minute flash of inspiration had led him to have Pikachu grab hold of Furret and follow it underground, then unleash Thunderbolt beneath the surface. Only then had he managed to counter the strategy and seize the chance to defeat Furret.
It had been an extremely dangerous battle, and his campaign had nearly begun with a defeat.
Fortunately, Ash had won in the end.
You really couldn't underestimate any opponent. There might be someone among them who could take you completely by surprise...
Xia You