Powerful Feebas

Feebas suddenly leaped out of the inflatable fish tank, splashing up a string of crystalline droplets!

Pale blue Water-type energy instantly surged around its body, steadily lifting its tiny frame like an invisible cushion of water as it glided in a light arc to the center of the battlefield.

Sunlight poured down through the Gym's skylight, falling across Feebas.

Its purple scales shimmered with fragmented, brilliant light beneath the mingling waterlight and sunlight, carrying a strangely fantastical charm as the glow flowed across them.

An unyielding fighting spirit burned in Feebas's round eyes as it fixed its gaze firmly on the Geodude across from it.

Its small body was not even half a person's height, forming a stark contrast with Geodude's massive frame. Clear blue Water-type energy glowed around it like a faint halo, and its presence did not fall short in the slightest.

In the Gym's spectator stands, many people had never seen a Feebas before. They leaned forward curiously, their gazes glued to this unusually shaped Pokémon as quiet discussions rose one after another.

At that moment, the livestream chat completely exploded. The comments from new and old viewers stood in stark contrast—

"What is that? It looks kind of weird. Is it some new kind of Magikarp?"

"I thought that was just a pet Pokémon. Why did the streamer send it out? Sending such an obviously weak Pokémon against Geodude? Geodude could turn it into dried fish with one stomp!"

"Has the streamer lost it? Sending some trash fish Pokémon to fight Geodude?"

"Probably doesn't want to fight anymore. The Gym Leader already promised to give him the Stone Badge anyway."

"Newbies, quit talking crap! What the hell do you know? Don't compare it to Magikarp. If you don't know, get out and watch the Feebas training videos the streamer posted before."

"No matter how strong it is, it's still just a fish."

"Remember what you said. Don't get slapped in the face later. Watch closely—go, Feebas! Show these guys what you can do!"

"..."

Different opinions clashed fiercely in the chat, the dense wall of text nearly drowning out the screen.

Lin Mo paid it no mind. He merely nodded at Feebas before him, his eyes full of trust.

[Pokémon: Feebas (Shiny)]

[Type: Water]

[Category: Fish Pokémon]

[Ability: Swift Swim]

[Moves: Splash (Mastered), Tackle (Mastered), Thrash (Proficient), Water Pulse (Mastered), Icy Wind (Mastered), Whirlpool (Proficient), Hypnosis (Beginner)]

Across from him, Roxanne studied Feebas with great interest. The hem of her dark gray skirt swayed gently with her movements.

"A Shiny Pokémon. That's rare, but..." Her tone shifted as she commanded Geodude, "Use Smack Down first. Let's see what it can do."

Geodude let out a deep growl that made the rocky ground beneath its feet faintly tremble.

The next second, small stones scattered across the field rose into the air, as though drawn by an invisible force, gathering before it.

The two thick arms on its back shot out, precisely grabbing several fist-sized chunks of rock. Its stone arms suddenly bulged, clearly brimming with power.

"Whoosh—whoosh—"

Several sharp whistles cut through the air as Geodude exerted itself and viciously hurled the stones toward Feebas.

Though these rocks were a size smaller than the stone spheres from the earlier Rock Blast, they carried even greater explosive force. They flew so fast they nearly left afterimages, shooting straight at their target with fierce momentum.

"Feebas, Whirlpool!" Lin Mo's command was brief and clear.

Feebas swung its tail sharply, and a white waterspout rose from the ground before it. The rotating current carried powerful suction, drawing every incoming stone into its vortex.

The rocks spun at high speed within the waterspout, colliding and scraping against one another in bursts of tiny sparks. In the end, they were ground into fine gravel by the current and slowly rose with the vortex.

The waterspout's diameter continued expanding, its highest point even reaching the Gym's dome. The spinning water reflected the sunlight pouring through the skylight, gleaming crystal-clear against the dull yellow rocks around it like a flowing feast.

"Th-this is Whirlpool?" someone in the stands cried out. "Since when was Whirlpool this powerful?"

Roxanne's pupils narrowed slightly. "That level of control over the move... isn't simple."

The new viewers in the livestream were instantly stunned, while the old viewers seized the chance to flood the chat.

"See that? That's Feebas's strength!"

"Who was calling it a trash fish Pokémon just now? Come out and take your beating!"

"Holy crap! The little fish the streamer has is this strong?"

"Whirlpool? Are we seriously talking about that move's power?"

"Did you see that? All those people calling Feebas trash and useless before, come out and apologize now!"

"..."

Lin Mo watched the gravel continuously spinning within the waterspout, a smile curling onto his lips.

Although Tyrantrum had lost just now, being able to trade blows with the battle-hardened Geodude had already exceeded Lin Mo's expectations—

After all, the little fellow had only been revived for a little over half a month. Mastering Dragon Dance and Ice Fang so well was no easy feat.

But Feebas was different. This was Lin Mo's starter Pokémon, carrying all his hopes and companionship.

For nearly a year, its daily move training had never stopped. From basic moves and Water-type energy control to complex move combinations, countless training sessions had long brought its command of moves to perfection. Every flow of energy was as precise as instinct.

Not to mention the special training in Petalburg Woods!

In order to perfectly showcase its water-and-ice combination move in the Pokémon Contest, Feebas had long mastered every detail of the waterspout created by Whirlpool—its current speed, size, duration, and more!

Seeing this, Gym Leader Roxanne immediately realized that trading long-range attacks put Geodude at a disadvantage and swiftly adjusted her strategy.

"Geodude, use Rollout to move quickly around the field. Dodge its attacks while closing in, then use Stomping Tantrum when you find an opening!"

Clearly, Geodude could gain no advantage in a contest of ranged attacks. Only by suppressing its opponent up close could it bring its strength advantage into play.

The instant Geodude received the command, its massive body curled into a perfectly round boulder.

Its gray rocky body scraped violently against the uneven stone battlefield, producing harsh "Creak—creak—" sounds.

Sparks and fragments of stone flew along its rolling path, creating a highly impactful sight.

Like an out-of-control heavy stone ball, it raced and bounced across the rugged field. Though it was not particularly fast, it carried tremendous momentum. Every roll made the ground tremble faintly as it barreled toward Feebas.

"Feebas, Water Pulse!"

Lin Mo's voice remained as calm as ever, without the slightest trace of panic.

Feebas responded in perfect sync, lightly flicking its tail fin. The pale blue Water-type energy around it instantly gathered, condensing into a crystal-clear, translucent ring of water before it.

With a fierce swing of its tail fin, the water ring shot toward the rolling Geodude with a howling rush of wind.

Geodude's Rollout had only just entered its rhythm, and its speed had yet to reach its peak.

Bang! A dull impact rang out as the water ring struck Geodude squarely.

The pale blue Water-type energy clung to its hard rocky body like a lingering affliction, instantly seeping in and spreading through its stone frame.

Geodude's rolling rhythm abruptly stalled. Its massive body shook violently, and a pained groan escaped its throat.

Compared to its fortress-like physical defense, its special defense was much weaker to begin with.

What was more, Water-type moves dealt quadruple damage to the Rock- and Ground-type Geodude. This blow had inflicted no small amount of damage.

Yet there was not the slightest hint of panic on Roxanne's face. Her gaze remained sharp as a blade as she decisively ordered,

"Geodude, don't stop! Keep rolling—build up all your power!"

An astonishing scene unfolded—

This Geodude did not have its Rollout interrupted by Water Pulse. Instead, after forcibly enduring the attack, its body trembled slightly before it accelerated into another roll!

Normally, if another Pokémon using Rollout was struck by an opponent's attack, the move would inevitably be interrupted at once. There would be no way to continue it.