The shockwave brought by that single Dark Pulse didn't just leave Caitlin completely dumbfounded; Shauntal beside her was also staring in wide-eyed disbelief.
What kind of Pokémon was Jellicent?
Just looking at its body type told you its bulk was absolutely solid, and it was especially adept at handling Special Attack-based moves.
Even though they decided to let Jellicent act as the artillery piece to unleash a fierce offensive alongside Empoleon to catch people off guard before the tournament started—
It didn't mean its durability was poor. For several years, its main focus had actually been defense.
Yet this shield that Shauntal absolutely trusted was instantly deleted?
Even with Dark Pulse dealing super effective damage, the power shouldn't be this absurd!
Is this Pokémon even scientifically possible?!
However, thinking about how Teacher Azure sent out an unseen Legendary Pokémon, this level of destructive power probably wasn't that absurd after all—
Shauntal's gaze became very subtle. When she looked at the completely unbothered Chi-Yu, her eyes even held a hint of grievance.
At this point, she could probably guess what the special aura that had been lingering on the field since the opponent entered actually did.
Wo-Chien lowered Attack, Ting-Lu lowered Special Attack, so this Chi-Yu most likely lowered Special Defense—
Was that how it forcibly broke through her Jellicent?
Shauntal fell silent for a moment, finally letting out a helpless sigh in her heart.
Sure enough, the Chi-Yu Teacher Azure prepared was way too hard-countered against her and Caitlin.
As expected of Teacher Azure, losing to a Legendary Pokémon isn't actually embarrassing—as long as Caitlin could get over this mental hurdle.
Thinking this, Shauntal's gaze subconsciously drifted to the side. Sure enough, after Caitlin snapped out of her daze, her already flushed cheeks turned even redder.
After Jellicent fell, the Water Gun it had been charging up ultimately couldn't be fired, so naturally, it couldn't apply any pressure to their opponents.
In an instant, not only was their highly anticipated consecutive Water-type nuke combo instantly shattered, but the Hydro Pump from Caitlin's Empoleon was also "absorbed" by Togekiss.
Chi-Yu remained standing. Taking another Hydro Pump didn't have much of an impact on Togekiss either.
Its HP was probably looking a bit rough, but right after, Togekiss pulled out and swallowed a Sitrus Berry, effectively negating a portion of the damage it just took.
Compared to their side suffering an immediate knockout, Aiden's side was clearly perfectly fine with this.
At this point, if they wanted to stage a comeback—
They undoubtedly still had to focus down Chi-Yu.
After pondering for a moment, Shauntal took out her second Poké Ball.
However, just as she was about to throw it, Caitlin suddenly reached out and stopped her.
"Let me do it."
As soon as Caitlin spoke, Shauntal immediately understood and voluntarily stepped back half a pace.
Caitlin threw out her other Poké Ball.
"Go, Medicham!"
Seeing this, Aiden's interest was piqued.
He could roughly guess what Caitlin was thinking.
The power of that Dark Pulse from Chi-Yu just now was indeed absurd. Letting Shauntal—a Ghost-type specialist—handle it probably meant she wouldn't be able to produce a Pokémon that could tank a hit from it anytime soon.
So, was Caitlin planning to 1v2?
The rules did allow it; as long as both sides had two Pokémon on the field, it wasn't strictly limited. She could even temporarily hand control of Empoleon over to Shauntal.
But given Caitlin's pride and the absurd calculation abilities of a Psychic—
She was probably planning to shoulder the responsibility all by herself.
Aiden looked at the Medicham that appeared on Shauntal's side of the field and immediately noticed the Mega Stone necklace around its neck.
Just as expected.
Aiden nodded secretly.
Since it was the ultimate trump card saved for last, not Mega Evolving it would indeed look a bit underwhelming.
However, if the main attacker was Mega Medicham, it basically meant their upcoming game plan was an open book.
With the Pure Power ability, there was no way it would run a Special Attacker set, right?
That would be way too abstract.
So it was definitely going to be the same aggressive basher route as before. And conveniently enough, after Mega Evolving and completing its training, Medicham's speed was actually quite fast. It could at least trade blows with Chi-Yu.
Come to think of it, there was also a certain move of theirs they had to watch out for—
In just an instant, Aiden basically guessed Caitlin's thoughts, and a smile immediately hung on his face.
Cynthia also noticed the opponent's intent and looked thoughtful.
However, they weren't in a rush to make a move. Instead, they gave Caitlin plenty of time to Mega Evolve.
"Medicham, Mega Evolve!"
Unsurprisingly, Caitlin quickly revealed the Key Stone bracelet on her wrist, and a pillar of light shot into the sky.
When the light faded, the curry-scented silhouette of Mega Medicham appeared and immediately sprang into action—
"Medicham, use Fake Out on Togekiss!"
"Empoleon, use Hydro Pump!"
Caitlin's thought process was exceptionally clear right now.
It seemed like the biggest threat on the field was Chi-Yu, but in reality, Cynthia's Togekiss couldn't be ignored either.
As long as it kept using Follow Me, the pressure on Chi-Yu would remain minimal until it completely fainted. Instead, Caitlin's side was the one that constantly had to play defensively.
So, their chance only came once.
By using the unexpected Fake Out as Medicham entered the field, they could create a brief opening to land Empoleon's Hydro Pump!
Even if Aiden's side chose to trade blows, she shouldn't lose another Pokémon instantly.
A guaranteed profit with no losses!
After feeling the pressure, Caitlin only felt that her mind was unbelievably clear.
Come on, Aiden!
Let's hurt each other! Let's see who's afraid of who!
That was what Caitlin thought.
But in Aiden's eyes, the current situation actually seemed quite easy to resolve?
"Chi-Yu, Protect."
"Togekiss, Protect."
The two of them very tacitly issued defensive commands at the exact same time. The two transparent barriers that popped up gave the Pokémon behind them a great sense of security.
Caitlin's mouth started twitching wildly.
They were just aggressively attacking last turn, why did they suddenly switch back to defending?
And—
'Why don't you guys need to communicate? You can see right through our thoughts with just a single glance!'
Rather than having her tactics read, this subtle point actually made Caitlin tilt a little. She even started sniffing, on the verge of tears.
'No, if I lose control of my expressions now, I'll completely solidify my image as a defeated dog!'
Forcing a smile onto her face, Caitlin's expression right now strangely gave off the eerie vibe of a "vengeful ghost."
At least, that's how it looked to Aiden.
'Don't tell me this girl has been read so hard that she short-circuited and fast-forwarded to fighting with irregular psychic powers?'
Aiden couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Is being a trainer really this dangerous of a profession?
'Cynthia will definitely be fine. Even if this girl throws Shauntal at me like a projectile, the target will absolutely only be me. She wouldn't even be able to graze Cynthia.'
'So, I'd better stay prepared.'
Aiden sneakily slipped his left hand into his pocket and gripped Mewtwo's Poké Ball, finally feeling a bit more at ease.
Since the atmosphere had been built up to this point, it was time to turn up the heat and finish the job!
"Chi-Yu, Will-O-Wisp!"
"Togekiss, Follow Me."
This time, it was Aiden and Cynthia's side that took the initiative.
It was obvious that Medicham was the "boss" of the opponent's team. As long as they completely neutered it, this match was basically over.
At the very least, Aiden didn't believe Shauntal could print out some weird monster on the spot to reverse the information gap against them!
They only needed one Will-O-Wisp to instantly extinguish a Physical attacker. It was the simplest way to deal with it.
Cynthia understood this too, so she very cooperatively used Togekiss to keep drawing aggro.
Togekiss's goal for this match was very clear: just do a good job as a bodyguard and let Chi-Yu do its thing.
"Tch—"
Seeing this, Caitlin, for some reason, became even more annoyed.
However, she could only immediately issue commands to block this offensive for now.
"Medicham, use Protect while charging at Chi-Yu!"
"Empoleon, use Flash Cannon! Take out that annoying Togekiss in one breath!"
Even while commanding on two fronts, Caitlin's logic remained crystal clear.
For Medicham, it had to close the distance to Chi-Yu as much as possible to have a chance of moving first and ending it with a single punch.
——Following conventional thinking, since Chi-Yu's damage output was already so massive, it was highly likely just a glass cannon. If it couldn't move first, it would easily get one-shot.
And Medicham's combat power was absolutely sufficient.
As long as it could find an opportunity to knock out Chi-Yu and score one back, the situation could still be salvaged.
The battle isn't over yet!
Don't think you've already won, Aiden!
Caitlin gritted her teeth, nervously anticipating how the situation would unfold.
Togekiss took the lead with Follow Me, simultaneously drawing the attention of Empoleon and Medicham.
However, because Medicham's current action was more defensive, the moment Chi-Yu spat out the Will-O-Wisp floating toward it, it immediately reacted and used Protect to block it.
Its footsteps didn't slow down in the slightest. Even though Protect slightly interrupted its rhythm, it quickly crossed half the field and was about to arrive right in front of Chi-Yu.
As for Togekiss, after drawing aggro, it was hit head-on by Empoleon's Flash Cannon, which was coated in iron filings.
Even though Togekiss's bulk was quite excellent and its training as one of Cynthia's aces was unquestionable, getting hit by a super effective move still wasn't pleasant.
If it didn't have the Sitrus Berry, it probably would have fallen by now.
Of course, even though it was still standing, it could probably only endure one more hit at most.
They had paid a certain price, but it was still acceptable.
The next turn would probably decide the match.
All four of them thought this at the same time.
"Medicham, dash at full speed and use High Jump Kick! Finish it in one breath!"
"Togekiss, Ally Switch."
Caitlin and Cynthia spoke almost simultaneously.
First, Medicham suddenly leaped up while running, instantly bringing its knee forward in a plunging motion.
High Jump Kick was a legitimate killer move for Fighting-types, let alone the fact that its user was a Mega Medicham with Pure Power and maxed-out Physical Attack.
As long as it hit Chi-Yu, even a Legendary Pokémon absolutely wouldn't be able to tank it!
Even if Togekiss used Ally Switch, it would be pointless—it would just mean a different Pokémon would faint. Chi-Yu would still have to face Empoleon's assault!
"Empoleon, keep using Hydro Pump!"
Caitlin's eyes were firm as she spoke again.
This time, even if Chi-Yu used Protect to block the Hydro Pump, it would be useless. The best support, Togekiss, had already fallen. There was no teammate left to draw fire for it!
Having ideals is great, but—
Caitlin also knew very well in her heart that even at this stage, Aiden might still have a way to defuse it.
For example, the Tera Orb he was quietly pulling out with his right hand.
If it were Tera Ghost, Cynthia wouldn't have used Ally Switch to take the bullet for Chi-Yu just now.
But as long as it wasn't Tera Fire, it seemed basically impossible for Empoleon's Hydro Pump to take it down without a type advantage—
With the battle entering a white-hot stage, she could only leave everything to fate.
If Aiden's Terastallization just so happened to hard-counter her perfectly, then she could only admit defeat!
Fine, you win this round!
The answer was soon revealed. When the Tera Orb Aiden gently tossed out burst open, scattering green energy across the ground, Caitlin could only let out a helpless sigh.
It actually was Tera Grass—
The Hydro Pump that originally should have been super effective against Chi-Yu now had its damage reduced to almost nothing under the protection of the Tera armor. Not only did it fail to knock Chi-Yu down, but it actually seemed to provoke its fighting spirit.
At this point, Caitlin was truly out of options.
Aiden really had a twisted sense of humor. The effect would have obviously been better if he had used it earlier, but he specifically saved it for the end to kill her mentally!
Having seemingly lost all her strength and options, Caitlin was ultimately left with nothing but helplessness.
Being able to force Aiden to use Terastallization was probably already her limit.
Normally, she might have been quite satisfied with this, but—
It was a pity that she was still one step behind.
"Chi-Yu, Ruination!"
After easily tanking Empoleon's Hydro Pump, Aiden immediately commanded a counterattack, aiming straight at Medicham.
Under the effect of Ruination, Medicham soon visibly grew exhausted.
And after both sides finished exchanging moves, Cynthia smoothly recalled the fallen Togekiss and pulled out her second Poké Ball—
"Go, Garchomp!"
When the match reached the endgame, Aiden's Chi-Yu's HP was actually still quite healthy.
If you added a Garchomp that had been holding back its energy for half the match and looked completely bloodthirsty—
With their terrifying damage output, they could easily wipe out Medicham.
Moreover, as long as the land shark didn't Mega Evolve, its speed was clearly a tier above Medicham's. The priority wasn't even in her court.
In the end, Caitlin could only rely on a double Protect to desperately stall for one more turn, before watching Garchomp and Chi-Yu execute a "combo technique."
One launched an assault from underground, using Earthquake to hit the entire field, not even sparing its own teammate;
The other gathered all its strength to unleash Fire-type energy, using Overheat to ignite the opponents' half of the field, turning it into a sea of fire.
Under this dual assault, Caitlin couldn't even put up any effective resistance before her two Pokémon were swiftly wiped out.
As for Shauntal's Chandelure, which entered last?
The moment it stepped onto the field, it saw two incomparably evil ghosts. Its lamp-shade face, which shouldn't have had any expressions to begin with, actually took on a look of surprise.
Its little eyes were filled with big confusion.
As if saying:
'I... I have to fight these two Pokémon?'
In the end, unsurprisingly, it was physically put to sleep by a single Earthquake from Boss Land Shark.
With this, another pair of contestants advancing to the Top 8 was confirmed.
The audience didn't fully understand the intricacies, but they knew what they liked and collectively stood up to applaud.
A significant portion of the audience only knew that after Garchomp came out, it completely steamrolled the opposition. As to why it was so smooth, they couldn't really wrap their heads around it.
At the very beginning, the situation looked like a 50/50, but for some reason, as the fight went on, things started going off the rails—?
But then again, it seemed like every time someone fought Teacher Azure, regardless of the power gap, the process was always like this. So his fans weren't really surprised.
The gap in strength was visible to the naked eye. Looking back at the slightly difficult early phases, it felt like Teacher Azure was just intentionally holding back.
First giving the opponents the illusion that "I might actually win!" before completely crushing all their fantasies.
Nice, very Aiden—
Just kidding. Did you really think you could beat Teacher Azure?
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