Of course, there were always exceptions. Indeed, given Sneasel's speed and the subtlety of the Feint Attack, even the evolved Lulu would normally find it difficult to react.
Had she been hit directly, the double damage of a Dark-type move against a Psychic-type would likely have knocked Kirlia out instantly, given her naturally low physical defense.
However, Lulu had followed Hisoka for two years, completing countless bounty missions and accumulating a wealth of experience. Facing this potentially lethal attack,
she didn't show a hint of panic. She didn't even blink. Silently, the moment before Sneasel's Feint Attack connected, the space around Kirlia rippled visibly, and her entire figure vanished!
"Snea... sel?"
Sneasel had never seen such a vanishing act. Having its move hit nothing but air left it baffled. How could something that large disappear in the blink of an eye?
Swish!
The sound of something slicing through the air came from behind. Sneasel's long, sharp left ear twitched, and it immediately performed a flip to the right. A purple blade-like shadow flashed past Sneasel's previous position and struck a tree with a dull thud. Looking closer, the "blade" was actually a purple leaf, its front half buried deep into the wood.
Though Sneasel had dodged in time, the speed of the purple leaf was so great that it left a thin scratch on its left cheek. If not for its sharp hearing and agility, a direct hit to the back from that terrifying leaf would have likely ended the fight right then and there.
Seeing her attack fail to end the match, Kirlia showed no emotion. Her expression remained calm as she raised her white right hand and beckoned.
The purple leaf nailed to the tree seemed enchanted; it flew backward at high speed, returning to hover above Kirlia's palm. The leaf spun rapidly, its friction against the air creating a continuous buzzing sound.
"Magical Leaf!" Hisoka recognized the move instantly. This was likely a new skill she had learned upon evolving into Kirlia. Thanks to her previous extensive training in mental power manipulation,
she had mastered the skill the moment she learned it. A tall building starts from a solid foundation; the better the basics, the faster a Pokémon could master the surge of power that came with evolution.
She had manipulated steel balls, needles, and nails countless times; mastering Magical Leaf was a natural extension of that. The principles were the same, and with her evolved mental capacity, the power of her Magical Leaf had reached an entirely new level.
She raised her left hand, and another purple energy leaf slowly formed. One in each hand, she flicked her wrists. With a buzzing sound, the two purple leaves flew out like flying swords from a cultivation novel, capable of taking a head from a hundred meters away.
Sneasel refused to back down, immediately using Agility to drastically increase its speed to dodge the incoming leaves. For a moment, it was forced into a desperate, frantic scramble.
As long as she had enough mental energy to back her, Kirlia's Magical Leaf attacks would be endless, and a single hit would leave Sneasel severely wounded.
Sneasel tried repeatedly to close the distance, knowing that its moves could also end the fight in one hit, but facing a Kirlia equipped with Teleport, that hope remained a distant dream.
Kirlia's performance provided Hisoka with endless surprises. He had originally intended to train Lulu as a support, but his methods had unexpectedly created a perfect mobile turret. Teleport combined with Magical Leaf, paired with a mental capacity three times greater than others of her species, made Lulu's future look incredibly bright.
Fifteen minutes passed in a flash, and the gap between the two had become clear.
Sneasel was panting heavily, its sweat soaking the dry earth beneath it. It couldn't find a way to win. Perhaps it possessed the fierce instinct and unyielding will of a wild Pokémon,
but compared to a Kirlia trained for two years by a transmigrator who had been a math prodigy in his past life, it fell far short in terms of tactical ingenuity and flexibility.
Lulu eventually grew tired of the game. Her powerful mental energy seized the fallen leaves covering the garden, whipping them into the air to form a massive green leaf storm that surged toward Sneasel. Hidden within the swirling green gale were several purple shadows.
The storm swept over the area, leaving it in shambles. Accompanied by Sneasel's cry of defeat, the battle officially came to a close.
Kirlia had shown no mercy. Hisoka sighed helplessly as he picked up the badly injured Sneasel. Fortunately, the wounds were all external; there was no need to visit a Pokémon Center. With his own medical knowledge and some topical medicine, the Pokémon would recover after a night of rest.
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