"Yes! Ariados didn't fall! That makes the boss's advantage obvious!"
Mark danced excitedly in the stands. Even if the following matches ended in a tie, Ariados's slot would be enough for Sato to secure the victory.
George, beside him, was far less optimistic. He shook his head and said, "Didn't you read the pre-match information Sosuke gathered for Sato?"
"I... I read it... right?" Mark scratched his head awkwardly. He had been too excited to sleep last night, then ended up gaming until midnight.
"According to past match records, Elite Four Sen's two strongest Pokemon haven't appeared yet. One is his Starter Pokemon, and the other is his ace for decisive battles," Si'nan added quietly, seemingly not noticing the look George was giving him.
"Yeah, so the matches ahead won't be easy either." George nodded, silently adding another sentence in his heart.
But none of your aces have appeared either, Sato.
On the field, Sen and Sato had already sent out their fifth Pokemon at the same time.
Fire-type and Dark Type, Houndoom!
Grass-type and Poison-type, Roserade! A gleam flashed through Sen's eyes. Before the match, Sato's Houndoom had been the Pokemon he feared most, which was precisely why he had prepared numerous tactics targeting it.
The "Double Spikes" tactic was one of them, and Roserade had a way to deal with it as well.
On the other side, Sato showed without much fluctuation upon seeing Roserade. He had even guessed Sen's final Pokemon with near certainty.
The threat of the "Double Spikes" tactic had left him with no way to send out Houndoom from the beginning. Now, it was already a little late.
After all, whether he was dealing with the Roserade before him or that final one...
"Continue the match!" The referee's voice interrupted both sides' thoughts. The