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POV Serena

She gave a nod, a competitive glint in her eyes. "Show me what you're made of, Serena."

The battle began in an instant.

"Delphox, Mystical Fire!" I commanded, my heart pounding as the flames ignited from Delphox's staff.

The fox-like Pokémon twirled the staff in its paws, conjuring a bright burst of flames and launching it straight toward Garchomp.

The firestorm roared through the battlefield, surrounding the massive Dragon-type.

Cynthia's sharp eyes followed the movement, her smirk never fading. "Dodge and use Dragon Claw."

Garchomp leaped high, its incredible speed making it seem as if it had vanished from the fire.

In an instant, it was above Delphox, its claws glowing with a fierce, emerald light.

"Psychic, now!"

Delphox's eyes glowed blue as an unseen force caught Garchomp mid-air, stopping the attack before it could land.

The energy crackled in the air as my Pokémon struggled to hold the powerful dragon in place.

Cynthia's eyes narrowed slightly, but she remained calm. "Break free with Brutal Swing!"

Garchomp roared and twisted its body violently, dispersing the Psychic grip before swinging its massive arm at Delphox.

"Block it!" I shouted.

Delphox barely had time to raise its staff before the impact struck, sending it sliding backward across the pavement. Dust and sparks flew into the air.

The crowd murmured in awe. I clenched my fists. Delphox was doing well - better than I expected - but Cynthia had the advantage.

"Flamethrower!"

Delphox inhaled deeply before unleashing a scorching torrent of flames straight at Garchomp.

The attack was precise, covering the battlefield in blazing heat.

"Dig."

The ground shattered beneath Garchomp as it burrowed down, vanishing from sight. My breath hitched - this was bad.

"Stay sharp, Delphox! Use Future Sight!"

Delphox's eyes flashed with psychic energy, setting the delayed attack into motion.

Now, we just had to survive long enough for it to strike.

A second later, the ground erupted beneath Delphox.

Garchomp burst forward, its fangs gleaming with a Crunch attack.

"Teleport!"

Delphox barely managed to vanish in time, reappearing a few meters away. The crowd gasped at the display of speed.

Cynthia chuckled, her eyes shining with excitement. "Not bad, Serena. I can see why Ash likes you so much."

I exhaled sharply, adrenaline coursing through me.

This wasn't just a battle - it was a test of everything I had left inside me.

The battle raged on, and despite Delphox's incredible performance,

Garchomp kept pressing the advantage.

Cynthia was on another level, and I knew that if I wanted a shot at winning, I needed to take a risk.

"Delphox, Fire Blast!"

Delphox spun its staff, tracing a blazing kanji-like symbol in the air before launching a massive burst of flames toward Garchomp.