"What?"
Slowking suddenly used Headbutt on Mega Slowbro, causing only minor damage, yet the impact knocked Mega Slowbro slightly off its position. Because of that tiny displacement, it narrowly avoided the fissure that had effectively reached a theoretical "150 percent hit chance."
"Slow~"
Mega Slowbro steadied itself, swaying a little as it regained balance. It appeared completely unharmed, with the Shellder armor encasing its body only suffering a superficial scratch.
Slowking itself was also fine, with the only injury being the Shellder on its head. Its eyes, located at the back, shot out two streams of water, and a large bump had formed on its head. Slowking raised a hand and gently patted the Shellder, as if comforting it.
Olympia's expression twitched slightly.
"It's fine! Mudsdale."
Silas quickly reassured the somewhat discouraged Mudsdale, then continued issuing commands without hesitation.
"Don't lose heart. Use Fissure again."
"Mud!"
Reinvigorated, Mudsdale gathered Ground-type energy once more and launched a third Fissure. Its target remained clear, the grounded Mega Slowbro that had been affected by Smack Down.
At the same time Mudsdale attacked, Diancie provided support and coordination.
A bright full moon suddenly appeared overhead, casting a hazy glow beneath the star-filled dome. Immediately afterward, a beam of radiant lunar energy surged forward, striking ahead of Mudsdale's attack.
Special attacks were particularly effective against Mega Slowbro, and as expected, Slowking stepped forward to intercept. It raised its arms to shield the Shellder crown atop its head, its eyes blazing with psychic energy.
Psychic collided violently with Moonblast in midair.
The clash pinned Slowking in place, successfully holding it off while Mudsdale continued its assault.
Unable to both attack and maneuver freely, Mega Slowbro withdrew completely into its shell and began rolling across the muddy battlefield. The fissure trailed closely behind it, splitting the ground in relentless pursuit.
Outside the field, Olympia suddenly opened her eyes wide, her voice quick and decisive.
"Slowbro, use Yawn as your final move."
She had already foreseen its fate. Cracks had spread densely across the ground surrounding it, and any further movement would disrupt the fragile balance.
If that happened, it would fall straight into the abyss created by Fissure.
"Slow..."
Despite everything, Mega Slowbro faithfully carried out its trainer's command. It let out a long yawn, releasing a drowsy white cloud that drifted toward Mudsdale.
The moment Mudsdale inhaled it, an overwhelming wave of sleepiness surged through its body. Its eyelids felt unbearably heavy, its hooves slipping in the mud as its massive frame wavered unsteadily.
"Mud!"
Mudsdale shook its head vigorously, forcing itself to stay alert, but within seconds the drowsiness deepened, engulfing it completely.
Its legs gave out, and it collapsed into the mud, falling fast asleep.
At the same time, Mega Slowbro also went down.
Because it had used Yawn, the delicate balance beneath it broke. With a series of cracking sounds, the ground gave way, and Mega Slowbro fell into the fissure below.
The one-hit knockout effect triggered. Its stamina was instantly depleted.
When everyone looked again, Mega Slowbro had reverted to its normal form. Even the Shellder that had been biting its tail had been knocked loose, leaving Slowbro and Shellder separated and unconscious.
"Slow... king!"
Breaking free from Diancie's restraint, Slowking first checked on Slowbro and Shellder, confirming they were only temporarily unconscious. Then it turned back, ready to continue the battle.
A powerful surge of psychic energy erupted from its body as it activated Future Sight repeatedly. Even for a Pokémon with such immense psychic power, the strain left it breathing heavily.
"Mudsdale is fine, it's just asleep."
After reassuring Diancie, Silas's attention shifted to Slowking's actions.
Now it was a one-on-one situation. Everything depended on Diancie.
"Use continuous Diamond Storm."
At his command, countless pink diamonds materialized in the air around Diancie.
With a push of its arms, the diamonds surged forward like spinning blades, slicing through the air with sharp whistling sounds as they rushed toward Slowking.
Having just finished repeatedly using Future Sight, Slowking was in a state where its old strength had not yet recovered and new strength had not yet formed. In haste, it erected a psychic barrier to defend itself.
Bang, bang, bang.
A barrage of impacts rang out one after another.
The hastily formed barrier could not withstand such relentless force. After only a few seconds, it shattered under the assault. Diamond fragments struck Slowking's body, leaving numerous shallow cuts.
"Slow!"
It cried out in pain, only to be engulfed by another wave of Diamond Storm. More shallow wounds covered its body, and the force sent it flying backward. Even the Shellder on its head was knocked off.
It crashed heavily outside the battlefield, both it and Shellder losing their ability to fight.
"Hah… that was close."
Silas let out a breath, forcing a slight smile as he looked away from Mudsdale.
Nearby, faint psychic light flickered briefly before the Future Sight energy dissipated completely.
The battle was over.
Mudsdale's steady snoring echoed across the field, completely unaffected.
"Return Mudsdale. You have worked very hard in this battle."
"And Diancie, you come back too. I will reward you well when we get home."
"I want a diamond cake, Silas~"
"No problem."
Before returning, Diancie maintained her royal elegance, lifting the hem of her dress and giving a graceful curtsy to everyone present.
Only then did the referee, Charlotte, snap back to her senses.
She quickly raised the flag in her hand, cleared her throat, and loudly announced:
"Slowbro and Slowking are both unable to battle. The winner is the challenger, Silas!"
"Draaa!"
Though it had not participated in the battle, Dragonite let out an excited cry. It rushed forward and wrapped Silas in a tight embrace.
It took quite a while before it finally let go.
At that moment, Silas finally understood why Dragonite was not only called the chubby dragon but also the hugging dragon.
Dragons really did love hugs.
Olympia had already recalled Slowking, Slowbro, and Shellder into their Poké Balls. She walked up to Silas and spoke calmly.
"This is proof of your victory over the Anistar Gym. May you walk your own path and let nothing stand in your way."
The special Psychic Badge had a crystal sphere at its base, with a wisp-like shape rising above it.
"Thank you, Gym Leader Olympia."
Silas accepted the badge and placed it into his badge case. With this, all eight special badges of his second journey were finally collected.
Now he could apply to the League for either an Elite Four challenge or directly challenge the Champion. There would be a short preparation period in between.
"Oh, right."
Silas suddenly turned to Olympia, resting his hand on Dragonite's round belly.
"This child is interested in the sundial. Do you happen to have any fragments of it? I can trade something of equal value."
Hearing this, Olympia observed Dragonite for a moment before a knowing smile appeared in her eyes.
"If it is for this one, then of course."
"Madam Olympia, here are the items you requested."
Charlote and another disciple approached, each holding a box.
"This one contains a fragment of the sundial, and this one is something you will need in the future."
Dragonite immediately grabbed the box containing the sundial fragment. It could not resist picking up a small piece and tossing it into its mouth. The crystal, rich with energy, made it close its eyes in satisfaction.
Silas opened the other box and found a broken purple crystal inside, shaped somewhat like a protruding block.
"This is…?"
[Mightiest Mark: A mark that only the strongest Pokémon can obtain.]
(End of Chapter)