"Damn it! This Cacturne even has such a rare Fighting-type move as Drain Punch!"
Seeing that Cacturne, after using Power-Up Punch, also executed Drain Punch, the students were once again stunned.
Moves like Drain Punch and Power-Up Punch both belong to that category of punching moves with special functions. This type of combat move with additional effects is extremely rare, and it is very difficult for ordinary Pokémon to learn them.
The Pokémon they owned basically mastered only direct and simple offensive moves; they never imagined that this Cacturne would master two different functional combat moves, which was truly shocking.
Moreover, by relying on the combination of Power-Up Punch and Drain Punch to attack, Cacturne could gradually absorb Feraligatr's physical energy through close combat, allowing it to get back up immediately and continue fighting even after taking devastating blows.
This caused all the students to show expressions of complete astonishment. At that moment, the Cacturne on the stage was literally an impossible-to-kill cockroach.
"Wait... could it be that Feraligatr is going to lose?"
At that instant, no one knew which student said it, but those words made everyone jump in surprise.
Looking at the battlefield, it was clear that Feraligatr, which had been unleashing fierce attacks nonstop, was already beginning to show obvious signs of exhaustion. In contrast, thanks to the great resilience of its body and the constant recovery of energy through Drain Punch, Cacturne still looked brimming with vitality.
The scene left everyone with expressions of disbelief in their eyes.
Although Feraligatr's overall physical capabilities far surpassed those of its opponent, it could not compete with someone who could recover energy endlessly. Seen this way, it seemed that Feraligatr's defeat was only a matter of time.
"T-this... this has to be a joke. That's senior sister Maya's Feraligatr!"
One student showed an expression as if he had seen a ghost. It should be known that, among all the dojo's students, Maya's Feraligatr was firmly ranked within the top five.
And now an unknown apprentice, relying on nothing but a Cacturne, was about to enter the top five as well?
How were those senior brothers who had trained and fought in the dojo for years supposed to live with that?!
"It seems this is precisely the advantage of Grass-type Pokémon. Absorption moves are something Grass-type Pokémon naturally excel at, and learning and using the move Drain Punch is also much easier for them."
Maya observed the still-energetic Cacturne on the field and finally understood why her father had approved Ethan's application to enter as a student.
With Power-Up Punch and Drain Punch, Cacturne could already compensate to a certain extent for its disadvantage in combat techniques. In its current state, it already had the qualifications to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament, and its results would not be bad.
And if Cacturne were to further learn powerful combat techniques, then it would have the ability to contend for prominent positions in the rankings.
Of course, to compete for the top spots, even mastering advanced combat techniques would not be enough unless it possessed monstrous innate strength like her father's Feraligatr; otherwise, it would be very difficult to face the truly powerful Fighting-type Pokémon.
"But... this should already be enough."
Maya gently closed her eyes, and just as her voice faded, Feraligatr's roar was heard.
Immediately afterward, a current of water began to surge violently around Feraligatr's body, causing its aura to spike abruptly.
"Feraligatr, charge!"
At the same time, Feraligatr's figure shot forward. As it ran, it looked like a crashing ocean wave, charging straight toward Cacturne.
"Is this... the Torrent ability?"
Seeing this scene, Ethan was also surprised.
The effect of the Torrent ability is that when a Pokémon's physical energy is on the verge of collapse, the power of its Water-type moves increases. But at that moment, Feraligatr was not even using a Water-type move, but a simple, ordinary charge.
Even so, Feraligatr was able to unleash the enormous power of the Torrent ability, making an ordinary charge resemble the move Surf.
It was evident that Feraligatr had developed its Torrent ability into an explosive technique: by releasing all of Torrent's power in an instant, it drastically increased its burst capability, giving an ordinary charge terrifying power.
"It appeared! It's Master Harper's Limit Charge!"
"An attack that releases all the body's strength in an instant and rams the opponent with the entire body!"
The students began exclaiming one after another, clearly very familiar with this technique.
By relying on the Torrent ability to release all of its strength and then crashing into the opponent with its body, this attack did not use any attribute energy, but only the Pokémon's ability and body. Although it looked somewhat "cheesy," it fully complied with the rules of the Martial Arts Tournament.
In the past, in the Martial Arts Tournament, Gym Leader Harper himself had defeated his opponents using precisely this kind of attack that could not even be considered a move, thus achieving final victory.
Boom!
A deafening crash!
Facing Feraligatr's charge, Cacturne threw a punch using Power-Up Punch.
But in the face of the attack unleashed under Feraligatr's extreme burst, Cacturne had no room to react at all; its body was struck head-on and violently sent flying outward.
"It's out of bounds! Cacturne is out of bounds!"
A student shouted in alarm. Unlike normal Pokémon battles, the Martial Arts Tournament has a clearly defined area, and the moment a Pokémon leaves it, it is considered a defeat.
"It lost... it was a lapse at the very end. Cacturne still had many resources it didn't get to use. But... well, this is fine."
Ethan lightly shook his head. If he had revealed all his cards, Cacturne would actually have been able to win long ago.
However, Ethan had brought Cacturne mainly to learn combat techniques. If he really used those other methods, he would have strayed from his original goal.
"Huff... huff..."
On the field, after using the Limit Charge, Feraligatr also looked extremely exhausted.
At that moment, it had practically exhausted all of its physical energy. If Cacturne had managed to withstand that attack, the outcome of the battle would have been impossible to predict.
But in the end, it had won. Feraligatr felt somewhat satisfied and directed its gaze into the distance.
Suddenly, its pupils contracted and then slowly widened.
Before its incredulous eyes, Cacturne slowly stood back up.
And judging by its appearance, Cacturne still seemed to have the strength to keep fighting!
Not only Feraligatr—even Maya and the students present showed expressions as if they had seen a ghost.
That was the Limit Charge that Leader Harper was so proud of! And Cacturne had managed to withstand it?
How could that be possible?!
(End of chapter)