A Brutal Clash

Aggron had been taken out by Xia Yan's rather "reasonable" tactics.

It wasn't surprising that Xia Yan had gained the early advantage.

They just hadn't expected it to end this way.

Steven took a deep breath.

Then he shook his head somewhat helplessly.

Xia Yan always managed to give them "surprises" in one way or another.

This move—

It truly was something Steven hadn't anticipated.

But thankfully—

The battle wasn't over yet.

Taking another deep breath, Steven flicked his wrist and threw out another Poké Ball.

Scree—!!

Vibrating razor-sharp wings and equally heavy, gleaming metal armor appeared, whipping up fierce winds in an instant.

"Steven's second Pokémon is the Steel-type and Flying-type Skarmory!!"

Skarmory had also been one of Steven's earliest Pokémon.

It simply wasn't as outstanding as Shiny Metagross or Aggron.

"Skarmory, Spikes!"

Steven issued his command the moment Skarmory appeared.

Against Xia Yan's Baton Pass strategy, setting up Stealth Rock and Spikes was one of the more effective counters. That had practically become common knowledge.

Skarmory's enormous metal wings beat repeatedly.

Countless tiny metallic objects, like nails, scattered all around Xia Yan's side of the field.

And after landing, those nail-like objects swiftly vanished from sight.

They would have no effect whatsoever on Infernape, which was currently on the field.

But once Pokémon were switched in—

The incoming Pokémon would be affected by those spikes and take damage.

This was one of the more practically useful Spikes tactics in Pokémon battles.

While Steven had Skarmory set up Spikes to guard against Xia Yan using more "reasonable" tactics, Xia Yan wasn't sitting idle either.

"Infernape, Heat Wave!"

Skarmory's aerial advantage put Infernape at a disadvantage.

However—

As a Steel-type Pokémon, Skarmory's weakness was equally obvious.

Whoosh—!!

Terrifying dark-red flames surged above Infernape's head, while waves of orange heat rapidly