🎄 Christmas Special Discount 🎄
From December 23 to December 25, there will be a public 50% discount on the following tiers:
Intermediate Trainers, Advanced Trainers, Elite Trainers, Elite Four Trainers, Champion Trainers, and Legendary Trainers.
🎆 New Year Discount 🎆
There will also be a 50% discount, but it won't be public. On December 31, the discount code will be published inside the chapters, so stay tuned 👀✨
-------
"What?"
"Rollout, Rapid Spin, Gyro Ball..."
"Don't tell me that move is a combination of three moves?"
"If that's the case, this Sandslash is way too terrifying! Using three 'ball-type' moves at once... it could be considered the absolute king of balls!"
Hearing the professor's explanation, countless freshmen stared in astonishment at Sandslash on the field. A combination of three moves like that was something never seen before!
Before, when Sandslash only combined two moves, it was already incredibly strong... now, if it was using three at once, how powerful could it become?
"What a terrifying Sandslash!"
Even the members of the university team, at that moment, looked on with awe and unease.
They had believed that Arcanine, with its strongest move Flare Blitz, had already secured victory. Yet they never imagined that Sandslash still held such a trump card, turning the situation completely on its head.
"Three moves combined?"
"No... this could only be considered two and a half."
Ethan Black watched the battle and shook his head slightly, his expression growing more serious.
If Sandslash could truly combine Rollout, Rapid Spin, and Gyro Ball into one, it could immediately crush Arcanine's Flare Blitz.
"From the looks of it, the outcome is already decided."
"Though this Sandslash is very strong, Arcanine's raw power is still a bit greater."
"This has nothing to do with training—it's simply that Arcanine, by nature, is stronger than Sandslash."
The professors, too, were analyzing carefully. Although Sandslash was managing to temporarily resist Arcanine's assault with the combination of Rapid Spin and Gyro Ball, over time it was starting to be gradually overwhelmed.
On the battlefield—
Though Arcanine had been stopped for the moment, its flames grew with every passing second, increasing the pressure on Sandslash, forcing it back, leaving behind a deep trench in the ground.
It was clear that, even while using Flare Blitz, Arcanine was still activating its Flash Fire ability, continually boosting the power of its attack.
"Still holding out? If you surrender now, I can make Arcanine stop."
Patrick Mills watched Arcanine's flames intensify and cast a cold glance at Ethan Black.
The situation was already clear. If they continued, Sandslash would inevitably be defeated and badly injured. Even Arcanine would take some damage, though not much. To Patrick Mills, it wasn't worth carrying on.
Fighting a lost battle had no meaning.
"Oh, really?"
"I think that's something I should be saying to you."
"Although your Arcanine, thanks to Flash Fire, can use its own flames to boost the power of its attacks..."
"It's obvious that doing so consumes its stamina. And if you add the strain of using Flare Blitz, how long do you think your Arcanine can last?"
Ethan Black looked calmly at Patrick Mills as he spoke, laying bare Arcanine's special ability without hesitation.
"What... did you just say?"
Patrick Mills's face changed drastically.
The use of Flash Fire to strengthen Arcanine's attacks was a secret his family never revealed to outsiders. For Ethan Black to say it so casually left him completely stunned.
"Sandslash... now!"
The moment Patrick Mills froze, Ethan Black's eyes gleamed as he gave the command.
"Sha sha sha!"
Sandslash roared, its body releasing clouds of sand. Driven by Rapid Spin, the sand turned into a whip that lashed fiercely at Arcanine.
"What?!"
Patrick Mills snapped back to his senses, but it was already too late to react. He could only watch as the sand whip struck Arcanine with full force.
The attack came so suddenly that Arcanine, focused on resisting Sandslash, had no time to defend. It took the blow head-on and...
The flames covering its body were scattered in a single strike!
Even weakened, the sand whip did not vanish and slammed directly into Arcanine, sending it flying through the air until it crashed into the battlefield's protective wall.
"You...!"
Patrick Mills glared angrily at Ethan Black. Now he understood: it had all been a tactic to distract him and create an opening for attack.
If Arcanine had been ready, it could have used Flare Blitz to counter both the sand whip and Sandslash directly.
At that moment, the entire place fell silent.
The end had come far too quickly... and in such an utterly unexpected way.
Everyone stared wide-eyed, in disbelief, at the panting Sandslash sitting on the ground.
Since when...?
Since when could a Sandslash be this strong?
That strange and mysterious combination of moves was forever etched into the minds of all who had witnessed it.
Seeing the devastated battlefield and Arcanine lying gravely wounded on the ground, many instinctively swallowed hard, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
"So... this is the strength of the number one in the rankings?"
After a long silence, someone finally spoke in a dry voice, without the slightest trace of doubt.
"What a terrifying Sandslash."
"A Sandslash like that isn't something you see every day... but more than it, what impresses me most is Ethan Black's skill in training Pokémon."
"Not just this Sandslash, but also the Meltan he used earlier, and even the Cacturne he hasn't shown yet—all prove his extraordinary ability as a breeder."
"Especially that combination of the three 'ball' moves... to think of using Sandslash's physical traits to combine them and multiply their power so unbelievably... this Ethan Black has a truly high understanding of Pokémon training."
Not only the freshmen, but even the professors were amazed. That rookie had left them all with a deep impression that day.
(End of Chapter)