Ichigo's challenge in the Champion League has begun. His first opponent is Jin Kariya, a flying-type specialist. The first match of their battle began with it being Honchkrow against Weavile. Despite having the type advantage, Weavile was overcome with Honchrkow's relentless attacks and was soon defeated. Now, Ichigo is down by one pokemon. Can he still pull out a win or has his time in this advance competition already ended?

Each and next chapter, the ultimate goal

Ready for battle, brave and bold

I know we're gonna make it

We will find a way

Oh-oh

We've come so far

We fought so hard to get where we are

Oh-oh

We belong together

It's always you and me

Pokemon

(Ichigo's voice) Fly High to Battle High

Ichigo is already in a tough situation. He might have lost his first pokemon, but he could still have a chance to pull out a win if he's still able to battle.

"Ichigo is down by one pokemon. What pokemon will he use next or is he already throwing in the towel?"

"Not even close." Ichigo said. He knows Honchkrow is powerful and fast, but he has a few tricks up his sleeve. "Crobat, you're up next!"

"Crobat!"

"Crobat is next for Ichigo. It's a full on battle in the air. Let's see just how high this battle can really go."

"A fellow flying-type... That won't save you either." Kariya said. "Now use Air Cutter, Honchkrow!"

"You use Air Cutter too!" Ichigo said. Both pokemon used the same attack. The two attacks clashed against each other. It seemed like an even fight at the moment. However, Honchrkow's attack was starting to push through. Soon, one blade was able to hit Crobat and knocked Crobat down.

"Honchkrow won that struggle! Can Ichigo really beat that pokemon?!"

"I say this battle is just about over as well. Honchkrow, Aerial Ace!" Kariya said. Honchkrow flew right at Crobat and this battle seemed like it would be over, but Ichigo wasn't going to let it end so easily.

"Supersonic!" Ichigo said. Crobat unleashed a sonic wave when Honchkrow got close enough. Honchkrow got caught by the attack and was now confused. "Hahahaha. You really thought it was over? Crobat, Cross Poison!" Crobat blasted Honchrkow with a cross of poison and knocked Honchrkow to the ground. Honchrkow still acted confused as it bashed its head against the ground.

"Ichigo and Crobat have turn the tide of this battle!"

"Honchkrow, snap out of it!" Kariya called, but it didn't do any good.

"Now use Steel Wing!" Ichigo said. Crobat flew right at Honchkrow and bashed its wings against Honchkrow. Right when that happened is when Honchkrow snapped out of the confusion.

"Yes. Honchkrow snapped out of it." Kariya said.

"Too slow! Air Cutter!" Ichigo said. Crobat unleashed the attack again and blasted Honchkrow. Honchkrow was the one knocked out this time.

"Honchkrow is unable to battle! Crobat is the winner!" The referee said.

"It's tied up with them both loosing one pokemon."

"Yes! I knew he could do it!" Orihime said.

"Easy, Orihime. The battle is far from over." Rukia said. Ichigo still has a long way to go.

"Not bad, Ichigo. However, you still have three other pokemon that are just as powerful to beat." Kariya said as he got his next pokemon ready. "Ride the wind, Staraptor!"

"Staraptor!"

"It's another battle in the air!"

"Let me show you how my Staraptor battles this time." Kariya said.

"We'll see about that! Crobat, Steel Wing!" Ichigo said. Crobat flew right at Staraptor with its attack ready.

"Staraptor, Wing Attack!" Kariya said. Staraptor timed its attack perfectly. Staraptor smashed its wing against Crobat and knocked it down. "Now use Close Combat!" Staraptor flew at Crobat and bashed its talons and wings against Crobat.

"Crobat, Supersonic!" Ichigo said.

"We're not falling for that again! Staraptor, pull away!" Kariya said. Staraptor was able to flyaway from Crobat's Supersonic before it was able to land its attack. "Now use Take Down!" Staraptor recklessly charged right at Crobat. It paid off as Staraptor smashed into Crobat and smashed Crobat into the ground. Staraptor flew away and it showed that Crobat was knocked out.

"Crobat is unable to battle! Staraptor is the winner!" The referee said.

"Like a shooting star, Staraptor came down fast and Crobat was knocked out from it."

"Crobat, return." Ichigo said as he brought Crobat back to its pokeball. "Time to go big or go home. Gyarados, you're up!"

"RRRAAARRRGGGHHH!"

"Gyarados is Ichigo's third pokemon! Can this big and tough pokemon take on Staraptor?"

"Bigger isn't always better. Staraptor, Wing Attack!" Kariya said. Staraptor flew at Gyarados and was getting ready to attack.

"Ice Fang!" Ichigo said. Gyarados had cold energy flow into his teeth. He took a bite out of Staraptor and pulled Staraptor down. Staraptor was smashed into the ground.

"Staraptor!" Kariya called as it looked like that did a lot of damage. Staraptor showed that it was taken out in one hit.

"Staraptor is unable to battle! Gyarados is the winner!" The ref claimed.

"In one hit, it's tied up again."

"Not bad." Kariya said as he brought Staraptor back in its pokeball. "Let's see how you do against my next pokemon. Ride the wind, Braviary!"

"Braviary!"

"That looks like one fierce pokemon." Chad said.

"You can say that again." Rukia said. "Still, Gyarados has some powerful attacks. Let's see how this works."

"I think we'll make the first attack this time. Gyarados, Thunder!" Ichigo said. Gyarados was able to gather electrical energy and unleashed it as it came right down at Braviary. Braviary got hit by the attack, but it was enduring. That wasn't what Ichigo was expecting.

"That puts the brave in Braviary. Braviary is taking that Thunder."

"Why isn't it working? Aren't electric-type moves real strong against flying-types?" Orihime questioned.

"That's true. The thing is that Braviary is so strong that it can take it." Rukia claimed.

"Hone Claws!" Kariya said. Braviary's talons extend out and could feel its power increasing. "Now use Superpower!" Braviary flew out with its talons out and smashed them right into Gyarados head. Braviary's added power was able to push Gyarados to the ground.

"Gyarados, are you okay?!" Ichigo called. Gyarados was able to pull itself together and get back up. "Use Whirlpool! Try and trap that Braviary!"

"Won't work if Braviary doesn't get caught! Head straight up!" Kariya called. Gyarados generated the whirlpool to try and trap Braviary, but Braviary flew straight up and was able to avoid getting caught.

"Now use Hurricane!" Both pokemon used the same attack. The two attacks clashed against each other. It looked about even as the two of them cancelled each other out.

"Now use Superpower!" Kariya called. Braviary came down at Gyarados with its attack ready.

"Ice Fang!" Ichigo said. Braviary flew right for Gyarados' head, but Gyarados used his own attack and was able to catch Braviary with its teeth. Despite the damage that was being dealt, Braviary was still hanging in there.

"Fury Attack!" Kariay called. Braviary pecked away at Gyarados.

"Braviary keeps taking a lot of damage, but just won't give up!"

"In that case, Hurricane at point-blank!" Ichigo said. Gyarados unleashed the attack and blasted Braviary. Braviary was blown into the ground. When the dust cleared away, Braviary was taken out of the battle.

"Braviary is unable to battle! Gyarados is the winner!" The ref said.

"He did it! He's taken the lead!" Orihime said.

"That's good, but Gyarados has taken up a lot of damage." Chad said.

"That last pokemon won't be easy to beat." Rukia said.

"Come on, guys." Orihime said as she doesn't like how they keep saying all of that.

"We're sorry, Orihime. It's not that we don't believe in Ichigo." Rukia said. "It's just that he's in a tough situation. Let's just not celebrate early."

"Gyarados, can you keep going?" Ichigo said. Gyarados took a lot of damage, but was still able to keep going.

"Still able to keep battling? Admirable, but my last pokemon won't be so easy to beat." Kariya said as he got his last one ready. "Ride the wind, Corviknight!"

"Cor!"

"That's the same pokemon he used with Orihime." Ichigo said. "It might be stronger now than when it was back then. We better be careful. Gyarados, Ice Fang!" Gyarados tried attacking Corviknight, but Corviknight was able to avoid the attack.

"Corviknight, Sky Attack!" Kariya said. Corviknight coated itself in golden energy and flew right at Gyarados. It smashed itself against Gyarados and dealt some damage. "Now use Brave Bird!" Corviknight coated itself in a different kind of energy. It smashed itself against Gyarados again and was able to knock Gyarados out.

"Gyarados is unable to battle! Corviknight is the winner!" The referee said.

"That leaves both trainers down to just one pokemon each." Ichigo brought Gyarados back in its pokeball. Absol was getting rather concerned himself.

"Don't worry, Absol." Ichigo said as he could tell what Absol was thinking. "If we do lose, so be it. If this is going to be our last battle, I want my last pokemon to be you. Ready to go?"

"Absol!" Absol went out on the field and was ready for the battle now.

"Ichigo's last pokemon is Absol. Both of them are down to only one pokemon."

"No matter what, we'll keep battling! Psycho Cut!" Ichigo said. Absol wasted no time and attacked. Absol unleashed the attack and blasted Corviknight with it.

"Attacking with something that powerful from the start? You must be getting desperate, or aiming to end this quickly." Kariya said. "It would be pointless either way. Corviknight, Roost!" Corviknight began to glow and some of the damage Corviknight did take was starting to heal.

"Corviknight can regain some of the energy it lost?!" Ichigo said. It wasn't looking good, but it didn't matter to him. "We still won't back down!" That's what Kariya liked to hear.

"Now use Steel Wing!" Kariya said.

"Night Slash!" Ichigo said. Both pokemon charged at each other. Their attacks collided and tried to push the other back, but they both ended up pushing each other back.

"Now use Brave Bird!" Corviknight flew in the air and was surrounded by bright blue energy and flew at Absol.

"Absol, Razor Wind!" Ichigo said. Absol was able to counter as it used Razor Wind. The attack blasted Corviknight and was able to stop it in its tracks. "Now use Night Slash!" Absol didn't wait around. He charged at Corviknight and slashed against the flying pokemon.

"Corviknight, Roost!" Kariya said. Corviknight glowed again and tried to regain some strength.

"I don't think so! Razor Wind!" Ichigo said. Absol was able to attack again with Corviknight getting blasted.

"Attacking while Corvikight is recovering?!" Kariya said as he wasn't expecting that. "I think it's time we put an end to this! Sky Attack!" Corviknight still pushed through. Corviknight was coated in gold energy again as it flew right at Absol. Absol got hit hard by the attack, but Absol was still fighting as well.

"That's it, Absol! Don't give up! No matter who our opponent is, we're going to keep battling until the very end! Now, attack with Night Slash again!" Absol gave Corviknight a powerful slash with his horn again and threw all his weight in that attack. Corviknight was blown back and ended up hitting the wall. All of them looked back and saw that Corviknight was knocked out.

"Corviknight is unable to battle! Absol is the winner! The victory goes to Ichigo!" The referee claimed.

"It's done! Ichigo has defeated Kariya!"

"Yes! I knew it would pay off in the end!" Ichigo called. He hurried over to Absol and petted Absol around the head. "Way to go, Absol! You were awesome!"

"Absol." It was a great battle and it certainly got the others interested in battling Ichigo.

"Nicely done, Ichigo." Kariya said when he was done checking on Corviknight. "Only now you'll have to beat all the members of the Elite Four. After a show like that, you can't allow yourself to be beaten so easily."

"I wasn't planning on loosing." Ichigo said. One down and three to go.

Ichigo has succeeded in beating one member of the Elite Four, but he still has three more to go. Even if he does win, there's still the champion. Each battle will be just as challenging, but he appears to be ready for it. Stay tune to see more.

To Be Continued...

Pokemon Question: Okay, all you trainers. The answer to the last question was...Electivire. Electivire has the best electrical-energy output of any electric-type. Here's the next question. What electric-type's long tail protects it from high-voltage and to gather electricity from the atmosphere?