Su Hao's reason for wanting to battle the Elite Four was simple.
He merely wanted to see how large the gap between himself and the Elite Four still was, while also evaluating the results of Incineroar, Hisuian Braviary, and Lucario's special training during this period.
Just as he had said before, winning or losing did not matter. If possible, he would rather battle an Elite Four member's ace.
Only then could he more intuitively decide when to challenge the Divine Land Alliance's Elite Four.
Off to the side, Auston, who knew François fairly well and had fought him several times, said solemnly, "Though it isn't his ace, his Greninja ranks among the top four of his main team. That ever-changing Protean Ability is simply an opponent's Nightmare."
"Combined with its extreme agility, even against a Late Elite Four Level opponent, that Greninja can keep up the fight for a long time. If it finds the right opportunity, it can even defeat its opponent with an extremely powerful super-effective move. It's an exceptionally troublesome enemy."
Sophia nodded in agreement. "Su Hao's ace, Diancie, is a Rock and Fairy-type Pokémon. It and Greninja have a mutually advantageous matchup. If their levels are similar, the outcome will depend on whose foundation is stronger."
After the brief discussion, the battle between Diancie and Greninja began.
"Greninja, Double Team!"
François narrowed his eyes, intending to first disrupt Diancie's vision before fighting through relentless attacks. This was Greninja's usual style.
"Greninja!"
Greninja answered with a cry and gave its body a slight shake. Countless Double Team clones emerged, filling nearly every inch of the surrounding space.
That move alone showed how deep Greninja's foundation had become under François's training.
Su Hao remained unmoved. "Earth Power!"
François's expression turned serious. He had never heard that move's name