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Of course, there was an explosive move.
Why else would Li Xiang always like Metagross to use Agility?
Because the payoff was genuinely high.
"Earthquake!"
"Protect."
The Krookodile, sent flying by a punch, stomped down hard with both feet. The icy surface instantly cracked like a spiderweb, and continuous yellowish-brown shockwaves surged forward!
Massive amounts of snow and ice were shaken up, carried along by the shockwaves, surging forward in layers like ocean waves!
In an instant, both arrived before Metagross but were completely canceled out by Protect.
The shockwaves vanished into nothingness.
The snow and ice fell, forming a wall-like barrier in front of Metagross, blocking its view.
By the time Metagross cleared the snow, Krookodile had already disappeared. Only a wide snowy path and distant spiderweb-like cracks on the ice remained.
As if it had turned invisible.
This...
Metagross and Li Xiang's expressions gradually turned strange.
There was no need to guess; Krookodile had used Dig to burrow into the snow, planning a sneak attack from behind.
'But how dare you? I've already activated Gravity, clearly indicating Ground-type moves!'
'Oh. You thought it was Stomping Tantrum or Bulldoze?
Well, well, if that's what you think, I couldn't be happier.'
'Don't mind if I do!'
Completely ignoring the slight vibrations from below, Metagross excitedly raised its two front legs high. As they lit up with a yellowish-brown glow, it slammed them down ferociously!
"Meta!"
[Earthquake]!
Another Ground-type shockwave, but attacking in a different direction.
Beneath Metagross, the snow and ice were instantly sunken like squeezed crackers, forming an extremely regular semicircle!
Shockwaves rippled outward but continuously spread downward!
"Krook!"
Not far away, Krookodile broke through the snow and ice with a pained expression, revealing itself.
Its body was covered in blast marks.
When a Pokémon is underground, the damage from Earthquake and Magnitude increases!
Without a doubt, the opponent had made a terrible move!
They gambled and lost!
Realizing this, the Meicheng University student's pupils contracted sharply, his face turning pale and purple. For whatever reason, he actually shouted:
"High Horsepower!"
"Krook!"
The battered Krookodile roared angrily, turning pain into power. Surrounded by yellowish-brown energy, it transformed into a meteor and charged toward Metagross!
'Giving up?'
"Ice Punch!"
Metagross's three legs slammed the ground hard, stabilizing its body. Then it raised its right fist high, letting icy currents circulate around it, emitting an icy blue glow!
The next second, it suddenly swung down at the charging Krookodile!
Like a batter hitting a home run!
Boom!
Two different attribute energies instantly exploded, shaking the air and the field. White snow spewed into the sky, frantically fleeing the explosion's epicenter!
Grayish-white smoke expanded, transforming into a distorted giant mushroom, along with the strong wind, spreading outward!
Li Xiang squinted, his scarf swaying in the wind, but he himself remained unmoved, staring intently at the field.
As if responding to him, a silvery, squat figure emerged, with some wounds on its body, as if torn by sharp claws.
Same-type STAB move against non-STAB.
His side was fine, so the opponent...
"BEEP—"
The referee spotted the unconscious Krookodile before Li Xiang did and decisively blew the whistle.
What was that about?
Li Xiang completely didn't understand what the opponent was thinking. Mindset shattered? It didn't seem like it from the situation.
He naturally couldn't have imagined that the opponent intended to gamble on Krookodile's endurance, withstand Metagross's move, and use Payback to finish it off.
Unfortunately, Metagross's output was nothing to scoff at. Even though Ice Punch was mostly negated by High Horsepower, the remaining power was enough to take out Krookodile.
One wrong move leads to another.
From the moment the opponent lost the gamble on Dig, his defeat was already sealed.
Of course, he didn't have a chance to switch either. Despite Metagross seemingly acting later, what move to use had already been decided beforehand.
Gravity was still active.
Having seen Earthquake, the opponent was even more afraid to send out Magnezone. Quad-weak to Ground? Endure with its life?
No choice.
The opponent revealed his third Pokémon.
One that looked like a yeti, with four legs and a pair of massive pincer fists.
—Crabominable, Iron Fist ability.
A crab versus a crab?
Li Xiang raised an eyebrow slightly, not quite understanding what this guy was thinking by sending out a Pokémon weak to Steel-type moves.
But since the opponent was starting to feed, why not agree with him?
It wasn't like there was any downside for Li Xiang.
"Full throttle."
Without further ado, he said this puzzling phrase.
However, the Metagross on the field eyes lit up.
As if hearing what it most wanted to hear, it brought its two fists together, looked at the Crabominable not far away, and its eyes lit up like car headlights upon ignition!
Finishing move!
Full throttle!
In that instant, Li Xiang seemed to hear the roar of an engine. Starlight-like sheen flickered, and together with Metagross's silvery body, it transformed into a dazzling stream of light that captivated the heart!
Like the wind and lightning!
It swept up snow and storms along the way, with even electricity crackling behind it!
Amidst the deafening noise, the white giant crab was violently smashed away by the silver giant crab with the momentum of a comet striking Earth, crashing out of the field all the way, arriving at the edge of the stadium!
Thud!
Zzzzt—
After the dull sound of the wall being struck, an electric sound rang out. A purple hexagonal honeycomb shield appeared in front of the spectator stands, blocking the rampant Metagross and passive Crabominable!
This attack actually directly knocked them out of the field boundary!
Smoke covered everything!
The spectator stands were in an uproar, with many people craning their necks, trying to see what was happening below.
The commentator exclaimed repeatedly, claiming that after years in the industry, this was the first time he'd seen such a ferocious Metagross.
As the dust settled, the two Pokémon gradually revealed themselves.
It was the unconscious Crabominable and the standing Metagross.
One-hit KO!
Terrifying difference in strength!
Scattered applause came from the spectator stands. The referee blew the whistle, the sound echoing through the stadium.
Having taken out two of the opponent's Pokémon consecutively, the opponent could be said to be at the end of the road, only a step away from defeat.
Li Xiang, however, frowned.
Because the Metagross, which should have been unscathed, actually showed unmistakable fatigue on its face, and its walk was quite unsteady.
This shouldn't be.
Metagross's level might not be very high, but its durability was commendable. It shouldn't be this tired after playing most of the match without taking much damage.
There was only one possibility. Crabominable had done something.
Most likely Super Fang the move that brings the opponent's HP down to the user's level.
While being hit by Meteor Mash, it still used a move to retaliate, ultimately reducing Metagross's HP significantly.
The opponent probably hadn't expected to be able to one-shot Crabominable in this way, right?
A pity. Metagross had to be switched out.
There were likely still three more matches to go; it couldn't hold on any longer.
Thinking this, Li Xiang decisively switched Metagross out.
Simultaneously, that eerie sense of suffocation in the field disappeared. The Gravity state ended. Metagross ultimately hadn't studied Gravity much; its duration wasn't long.
The opponent's face lit up with joy.
For him, Metagross was now low on HP. With Magnezone's output, it might be possible to finish it off with Hidden Power - Fire.
After that, he just needed to fight one against two.
Without Gravity restraining it, Magnezone would undoubtedly be powerful!
Both sides switched Pokémon.
At Li Xiang's side, the small and exquisite Microwave entered the field, making strange hee-hee-hee laughs, its crimson body radiating heat.
The opponent's side, the still relatively high on HP, unattacked by Metagross, Magnezone landed on the field.
Heat Rotom!
The opponent was slightly stunned, his expression gradually turning serious.
Last time, the Hongcheng team captain lost to this Pokémon. Without it, the Hongcheng captain might not have lost so quickly.
And so far, Li Xiang had already revealed five powerful Pokémon.
'Three years to train five Pokémon to their level! Is that something a human can do?'
The key point was, Magnezone had no moves to effectively hit the Microwave with.
Off the field, in the Mist City University preparation area, a bunch of senior sisters were giggling and laughing, taking delight in others' misfortune as they watched Li Xiang's opponent.
In the spectator stands, the reserve team members and regular students cheering for Li Xiang listened to the surrounding discussions and anticipation, and the utter dejection on the Meicheng University side, their lips curling up uncontrollably.
'Surprised? There's more to be surprised about! Taste the grievances we endured!'
On the field... The battle began.
Both sides were over forty meters apart, rapidly closing in on each other. During this, both unconsciously activated Light Screen.
"Metal Sound!"
"Eerie Impulse."
Magnezone released screeching sound waves at Heat Rotom. Bizarre silver light spread in a fan shape, continuously affecting Heat Rotom!
Heat Rotom endured the sound that felt like a thousand cat claws scratching glass and released threads of electricity, successfully hitting Magnezone's body!
Metal Sound lowers the opponent's Special Defense; Eerie Impulse lowers the opponent's Special Attack.
Since it wasn't a fixed percentage, it was hard to say who benefited more from this exchange.
But Li Xiang felt Magnezone was already done for.
This guy simply had no moves to deal significant damage to Heat Rotom. After all, between Hidden Power - Fire and Hidden Power - Ground, Magnezone had chosen Hidden Power - Fire.
Among the remaining moves, few could deal much damage to Heat Rotom.
It was time to end this battle.
Metagross needed rest to persist further.
"Dark Pulse."
Heat Rotom quickly flew into its move's effective range and shot a beam composed of countless black rings at Magnezone!
A green shield appeared in front of Magnezone, blocking Dark Pulse.
Easily baited out Protect.
Li Xiang looked at the flustered opponent, knowing they were out of options.
"Overheat."
"Zap Cannon!"
The opponent roared.
Magnezone's two eyes stared intently at the Microwave. Rapidly, between the centers of its two magnets, a large yellow-and-blue thunderball condensed, shot at the Microwave.
And the Microwave also very directly opened the valve on its chest.
Flames gushed forth!
Like a roaring beast, emitting an exhilarating rumbling sound, it instantly swallowed the thunderball and then ate up Magnezone's body!
Flames soared into the sky!
The snow and ice on the ground, under the scorching of this flame, a large portion sublimated into water vapor, spreading across the field!
The rest also melted into icy water, slowly flowing.
Li Xiang stepped back several steps, avoiding falling into the deep pit Metagross had created earlier.
These cursed field conditions were the trainer's greatest enemy.
He looked up at the "fireworks" in the sky and Magnezone, which was emitting smoke all over, falling from the sky like a detached rocket stage.
Hearing the referee's whistle, he thought, "Ah, I kinda feel like eating cotton candy. Can Rotom make it?"