After two boosts from Nasty Plot, Dark Pulse's power became truly terrifying. Even Steelix, known for its defense, couldn't help letting out a pained, piercing cry.
Don't forget. What makes Dark-type moves "agonizing" isn't just the damage, but the pain that comes with them.
"Steelix, Earthquake!"
Since Rock Slide had failed, Flint simply went for an AoE move. Even if Ground-type moves didn't work that well against Cacturne.
Steelix raised its tail high into the air and then slammed it down with force. A quake-like shockwave rippled through the entire field.
Many timid spectators instinctively ducked and covered their heads, thinking, 'I came to watch a battle… why the hell does it feel like my life's in danger!'
But as a venue built for internal Sinnoh League tournaments, the battlefield was far sturdier than it looked.
So while the shaking was intense, safety was still ensured.
If the audience seats felt this much impact… one could only imagine what the battlefield was like. Already battered and ruined, now there wasn't a single intact patch left.
But the sandstorm didn't stop. No one knew how Cacturne was holding up.
Then, the next moment, a pure white Focus Blast the size of a car tire "fell" from the sky and struck Steelix's back directly!
Steelix instinctively looked up but didn't move to dodge right away.
…And that moment of hesitation was all it took.
Focus Blast hit head-on.
BOOOOOM!
The Fighting-type energy burst violently on impact, tearing into Mega Steelix's body. Even its hardened back was dented from the blow.
"HANG IN THERE, STEELIX! DOUBLE-EDGE!" Flint seized the chance and gave the command loudly.
Cacturne still hadn't landed, and the sandstorm wasn't enough to fully cover it.
It was the perfect opportunity for Steelix to snipe!
"STEEEEL~!"
The long-awaited counterattack was finally here. The Steelix that had been under pressure all this time roared with excitement, twisting its body and surging up toward the airborne Cacturne.
"Spiky Shield!"
They were only five or six meters apart. With Steelix's size, it could close that distance in a second.
Sato could clearly see that the moment he finished saying the word "Shield," Steelix had already rammed into Cacturne!
Boom~
The impact wasn't flashy; after all, steel slamming into plant isn't exactly an equal contest…
Cacturne was hit again and sent tumbling through the air. Its helpless spinning made everyone watching instinctively wince.
Sato stared intently at the airborne Cacturne, already gripping its Poké Ball tightly. If things went wrong, he'd forfeit immediately.
"Steelix… another Double-Edge."
The call for a follow-up attack echoed again. Flint now sounded like a soulless command machine.
Mega Steelix twisted through the air and dove at the airborne Cacturne once more.
Sato clenched the Poké Ball and shouted back, "Wake up, Cacturne… SPIKY SHIELD!"
The next moment, Steelix was upon it. Its massive body completely obscured Cacturne from view.
Did it hit?
…Or was it blocked?
BOOM!
An explosion suddenly erupted around Steelix's neck, knocking it back a significant distance.
It was Seed Bomb!
Sato blinked, realizing with a jolt that the move [Trainer: Regenerative Roar] had just activated!
At the center of the explosion, a golden silhouette quickly emerged and, in the blink of an eye, disappeared once more into the sandstorm.
Seeing Cacturne disappear back into the sandstorm, Sato's clenched fist finally relaxed a little…
Cacturne had not only blocked the second Double-Edge but even managed to counterattack, landing a solid hit on Steelix.
"Steelix, Earthquake!"
A good move doesn't get old. After tasting the benefits of Earthquake once, Flint immediately repeated the tactic when he saw Cacturne vanish into the sandstorm again.
But neither Sato nor Cacturne would fall for the same mistake twice. Just as Steelix was about to slam down, Sato gave a swift command.
"Giga Drain."
Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~
Several thick, golden-glowing vines shot out from the sandstorm and precisely wrapped around the last three segments of Mega Steelix's tail.
In an instant, Steelix's tail was locked in mid-air, hovering half a meter above the ground.
"…Turneee!"
A low growl came from within the sandstorm, followed by the vines surging with energy. Clusters of visible vitality traveled rapidly through them and into the storm.
Steelix's face suddenly showed signs of daze, and even the glowing tip of its horn began flickering dimly.
Drained!
Even without using Drain Punch, even without relying on Water Absorb, Cacturne was still fully executing its [perpetual motion] strategy.
The rapid loss of stamina brought a wave of extreme fatigue crashing down on Steelix.
Right then, the effect of Magnet Rise wore off, and Steelix fell hard onto the ground, completely unable to break free from the golden vines.
But today just wasn't on Sato's side…
Just as Cacturne was about to keep pressing its advantage, the sandstorm cleared.
The shiny Cacturne stood boldly at the center of the ruined battlefield, absolutely impossible to miss.
'…'
"Steelix, Dragon Breath, break free!"
Flint clearly noticed Steelix's exhaustion, so he only commanded it to move its head and open its mouth.
A pale purple Dragon Breath shot toward Cacturne, who decisively cut off the vines and dodged the attack after draining so much stamina.
"Again, Focus Blast."
"Cac!"
Cacturne brought its hands¹[1](?) together, then spread them apart. A pure white Focus Blast grew rapidly in size.
From a distance, Cacturne holding the Focus Blast looked almost like a kid awkwardly trying to shoot a basketball…
But thanks to Nasty Plot's boosts, every Special Attack move from Cacturne was terrifyingly powerful.
"Steelix, Dig!"
Hard to believe that a over-nine-meter-long steel serpent could dig so quickly!
As the faint dust cleared, Steelix had completely vanished from the field, leaving behind a massive two-meter-wide pit. Anyone who didn't know better might think it was a trap site.
And Cacturne hadn't even fired the Focus Blast yet.
…Now its opponent had vanished, leaving it awkwardly holding a giant white ball all alone on stage…
Yeah… pretty awkward…
"Cacturne, ditch the Focus Blast. Cotton Spore over the whole field!" Sato quickly adjusted the plan with a sigh.
Cacturne bared its teeth(?) in a grin and casually hurled the Focus Blast far away, devastating the already-ruined battlefield even more.
Then, with a wave of both hands, countless round, fluffy Cotton Spores floated into the air and spread across the entire field.
With Cotton Spore, Cacturne didn't even need its eyes to detect the entire battlefield's activity.
…Including the slightest tremor underground!
.
.
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¹.Hands, paws, claws, manus?
[1] Hands, paws, claws, manus?