🎆 Happy New Year! 🎆
Thank you all for the amazing support throughout this year. 💙To celebrate the arrival of the new year, here is a special New Year code:
🎁 Code:NewYear: F3B16
📅 Code validity:
Start: December 30, 2025 at 11:55 p.m.
End: January 2, 2026 at 11:00 p.m.
Enjoy it and let's start this new year strong. 🚀✨Here's to an amazing 2026! 🎉
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"Breloom, react quickly!"
Jonathan Turner watched anxiously as Breloom's body fell in freefall and shouted urgently.
Perhaps his words had an effect, for Breloom's closed eyes suddenly snapped open, fixing on the whirlwind rising from below.
"Use Seed Bomb!"
Breloom regained its state and focused Grass-type energy, forming seeds covered in a hard shell, which it hurled toward the whirlwind.
Boom, boom, boom!
Like mines exploding in the water, several detonations blasted the whirlwind apart in the air.
Taking the opportunity, Breloom hit the ground somewhat clumsily, managing to stabilize itself, though it was breathing heavily.
"I expected no less from a well-trained Breloom. Not even a chain of attacks like that could bring it down immediately."
"But... how do you plan to stop this? Shellder, use Psychic!"
Ethan Black, seeing that Breloom had barely escaped, smirked and ordered Shellder to continue attacking with its psychic power.
Immediately, Breloom let out a pained roar. After the heavy expenditure earlier, it could not instantly free itself from the psychic pressure, and its body began to twist under the crushing force.
"Barrier!"
While maintaining control with Psychic, Shellder generated a barrier, then hurled it spinning through the air like a blade, slashing Breloom head-on.
Boom!
Breloom, still struggling against the psychic force, was struck helplessly by the barrier. Its body was sent flying once again.
"Well done! Finish it with Hydro Pump!"
Without a doubt, after taking a continuous chain of attacks, Breloom could no longer withstand Shellder's Hydro Pump, which struck it head-on and slammed it into the protective wall. The stream, growing more intense, pressed so hard that the wall began to crack like a spiderweb.
Boom!
Another thunderous sound: Breloom's back shattered the wall and became embedded in it.
"Breloom!"
Jonathan Turner shouted in concern.
But this time, Breloom no longer responded. Its body collapsed to the ground, eyes spiraled: it had lost the ability to fight.
"Phew, it's over."
Ethan Black sighed in relief.
Although Shellder won, the fight had been quite risky.
It had been a battle of rapid strikes, both Pokémon unleashing nonstop offensives. Without the aid of Psychic, Shellder would never have withstood Breloom's speed.
And even with that support, Shellder had actually been at a disadvantage. The turning point came when Breloom used the move Spore.
That move, famous for guaranteeing sleep, was Jonathan Turner's trump card. But it proved useless against a Shellder with the Overcoat ability, becoming the biggest mistake of the whole battle.
Shellder seized that chance to trap Breloom with Psychic, and with a series of chained attacks, knocked it out, securing victory.
Thus, although Breloom had been chosen as Shellder's direct counter, in a sense, a Shellder with Psychic power and the Overcoat ability turned out to be an even harsher counter for it.
"In the end, he paid the price of reading too little."
Ethan Black smiled. In fact, he had already published an article about Shellder's Overcoat ability. Anyone who remembered that Ethan Black was the author could have deduced that his Shellder had this ability.
But Jonathan Turner, as a trainer specializing in Fighting-type Pokémon, was clearly not much of a reader.
"Breloom is unable to continue! The victory goes to Shellder!"
The referee announced the result in a tone brimming with excitement.
"Ten in a row! Ten in a row! Ten in a row!"
The entire stadium erupted in cheers.
"What? Even Jonathan Turner lost? Is that Shellder really this strong?"
The leaders of the Pokémon Blue Horizon Club looked at Ethan Black and Shellder in the field with darkened faces.
If Ethan Black had used Sandslash or Cacturne, they could have accepted it. But it was just a simple Shellder!
How did Ethan Black train his Pokémon? It was as if all of them doubled their stats in his hands!
"Amazing, Ethan never disappoints!"
"That Shellder is unstoppable!"
The ring leaders of the Pokémon Nightstar Club couldn't contain their excitement.
After all, Elias Drayton had already racked up eight consecutive victories and had left them on the verge of humiliation with a possible record of ten straight defeats.
With only two chances left, they had almost lost all hope.
But then Ethan Black appeared, defeated Elias Drayton outright, and restored their dignity. That alone was reward enough. They hadn't even dared dream of a ten-to-one.
And yet Ethan Black exceeded all expectations. That Shellder, wrapped in Aqua Ring, seemed never to tire, unleashing Hydro Pump devastatingly and sweeping the field.
And now, even Jonathan Turner, a member of the university team, had fallen before him. Ethan Black had just achieved a historic ten-to-one.
From nearly suffering it, to accomplishing it themselves. The ring leaders of the Pokémon Nightstar Club still felt it unreal, like a dream.
"Huh? He really pulled it off?"
"And Ethan is only eighteen... his talent is terrifying!"
"An intermediate-level trainer at eighteen, and about to reach advanced level. Becoming a Pokémon Hunter is practically guaranteed for him."
Rachel Blake's eyes shone with excitement. She had invested in him as mere support for a rookie, and now she was reaping enormous returns.
Moreover, she sensed she could continue betting on him: a Shellder with psychic powers and such incredible mastery of Water-type energy fit perfectly with the inheritance of her lineage.
At the same time, in a corner of the stadium, a man watched Shellder with interest. His lips curved into a smile full of meaning.
(End of chapter)