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"Zilin has sent out her final Pokémon Salazzle, all the way from the Alola region!"
"Poison and Fire dual-typing… that's a tough combination to deal with."
"Can Lanny's Flaaffy, after such an incredible performance, keep up this momentum?"
Audrey's commentary came rapid-fire, her voice alive with energy as she relayed the unfolding battle. Every so often she glanced toward the man beside her.
"Professor Ashford, what's your take on this matchup?"
"In terms of typing, neither side has a major advantage," the professor replied evenly. "But Flaaffy has already been through one battle. Endurance could be a problem."
"So you think Salazzle has the edge, then?"
"Not necessarily. It'll come down to execution."
Ashford's voice remained calm, but Kael's earlier display still lingered in his thoughts like thunder echoing long after a storm. He wasn't about to make bold predictions.
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On the battlefield, toxic purple haze swirled around Salazzle, spreading outward like an expanding tide.
The lush grass beneath its claws blackened instantly upon contact with the poisonous mist, rotting into foul-smelling sludge.
The poisonous gas spread like ink dropped into clear water, blotching the arena floor with creeping patches of corruption.
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Trying to control the field?"
At the highest levels of battling, "field control" was crucial.
Creating terrain that favored your own Pokémon could boost their abilities, restrict an opponent's movement, and steadily wear them down.
Kael was no stranger to this tactic.
Its long pink-and-black striped tail swayed gently, the crystalline orb at the tip glowing faint blue.
Whummm—
In an instant, a powerful magnetic field pulsed outward, spreading like an invisible dome pressing down from the sky.
The oppressive force pinned the battlefield itself beneath it.
The toxic fog wavered, then shrank as though dragged back by unseen chains. Within moments, the suffocating haze thinned, weakened, and finally dissipated into nothing.
"Skreee!"
Salazzle hissed in protest, her slender frame buckling under the invisible weight. Forced low to the ground, she trembled beneath the crushing pressure.
Kael had already won the opening battle of field control.
Zilin's pale hands clenched at her sides, her lips tight with frustration. As a seasoned trainer, she knew her partner was in trouble.
"What do I do…?"
Her mind raced. Then, taking a sharp breath, she called out the only option she had:
"Use Protect!"
A shimmering, translucent barrier wrapped around Salazzle, like a submarine's hull groaning under ocean pressure. The shield creaked ominously under the magnetic force, but it held barely.
Now was the time to counter.
"Flamethrower!" Zilin commanded.
Salazzle inhaled sharply. Flames tinged with violet poison gathered in her throat before spewing outward in a roaring torrent.
The searing blast tore through the air toward Flaaffy, raising the temperature of the entire arena. Grass ignited on contact, instantly reduced to gray ash.
Kael didn't flinch. His black eyes gleamed, faint sparks dancing across his irises. He could smell the acrid mix of venom and burning air.
To the crowd, it looked like he was being reckless frozen in place, hands lowered. But behind him, Flaaffy's tail flicked once, as though marking time.
Whummm—
The magnetic field condensed in front of him, tilting into a reflective barrier.
The blast struck—
Crash!
Like a river diverted by a stone, the violet flames split cleanly against the invisible shield, deflecting to Kael's rear and scorching the arena floor black.
Crack!
The strain became too much. Salazzle's protective barrier shattered like glass, its fragments dissolving into thin air. She cried out, forced low again under the magnetic weight.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
Salazzle's defenses were fragile. If he went all-out, he might cause lasting damage. He couldn't allow that.
"…Just enough to knock her out."
He swept his arm to the side. Electricity gathered in his hand, golden bolts coiling tightly until they hummed with contained violence.
"That should be enough."
He lifted his crackling arm, pointing it squarely at the struggling Salazzle. His lips curved into a faint grin as he whispered a single word—
"Biu."
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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