VS Leon (2)

"Dhelmise! Bind!"

"Thwackey! Use Double-Edge to dodge!"

Double-Edge was a Normal-type move and had no effect whatsoever on the Ghost-type Dhelmise. Yet that was exactly what Leon needed right now. Dhelmise was too slow and needed Bind to catch Thwackey for easier attacks, but Thwackey's Double-Edge passed straight through Dhelmise's body, successfully avoiding the attack through the move's properties.

"It could be used like that?"

Lulina watched the exchange on the field in surprise. She had never considered using a Normal-type move to pass directly through a Ghost-type Pokémon's body to evade an attack.

"Excellent reaction."

Blake could not help nodding. Even he had not thought of that approach. As expected of Leon, a Champion level Trainer for a year. That kind of quick thinking was not something just anyone could manage.

Moreover, Double-Edge had a sudden burst of power. It directly broke free of Dhelmise's Bind, and since it had not hit anything, even the recoil damage vanished.

"You're not bad either. If I hadn't reacted quickly, I'd probably have been caught."

Leon wiped away a cold sweat as well. He had acted entirely on instinct just now, and fortunately, he had guessed right. Otherwise, if Thwackey had been bound, the battle would have become very difficult.

"No, that kind of improvisation is part of strength too. But this isn't over yet! Dhelmise! Iron Head!"

"Don't back down! Use Knock Off!"

This time, the two sides collided head-on. The Dark-type Knock Off was super effective against Dhelmise, but Dhelmise's defenses had been strengthened, making it difficult for Thwackey's attack to break through. Meanwhile, the heavy Iron Head sent Thwackey flying. This exchange went to Dhelmise.

"A Pokémon's innate base stats aren't so easily made up for. Going head-to-head with Dhelmise isn't a good choice."

Blake could tell that Leon was getting a little impatient. His consecutive successful moves had made him somewhat overconfident, causing him to underestimate Dhelmise's defenses. When Blake had first caught Dhelmise, it had endured all kinds of negative conditions and kept fighting for a long time. Combined with its training over this period, Dhelmise's defenses were beyond everyone's imagination. Especially against a physically offensive fighter like Thwackey, dealing significant damage to Dhelmise was no easy task.

"I got a little careless, but at least I knocked off its item!"

Leon looked at the Spell Tag lying on the ground.

"Dhelmise! Gyro Ball!"

"Thwackey! Protect!"

Seeing the Spell Tag on the ground, Dhelmise became angry on the spot. It treasured everything Blake gave it. Though it never said so openly, its respect and affection for Blake were unquestionably deep. As Gyro Ball spun at high speed, it even whipped up a whirlwind, and Dhelmise charged at Thwackey like a tornado.

"Thwackey—!"

A blue shield formed before Thwackey, resisting Dhelmise's attack as much as possible. Protect in reality was not the game's absolute defense; against an overwhelmingly powerful attack, it could very well be shattered. Thwackey was frantically squeezing out its stamina to reinforce the shield.

"Zzzzt—!"

A sound like an electric drill striking an iron plate rang out as Dhelmise's rapidly spinning spear tip clashed with Thwackey's shield.

"Crack!"

Obvious cracks appeared across Thwackey's shield, but Dhelmise's attack was also at the end of its strength. In the end, as Protect's shield shattered, Dhelmise's attack came to a halt as well. Both sides had expended enormous amounts of stamina, ending in a draw.

"Now! U-turn!"

Leon immediately seized the opening. Thwackey's moves were all physical, so it was clearly unsuitable for dealing with Dhelmise. But Dhelmise was hardly the only Pokémon he had!

"Thwackey!"

Thwackey got to its feet first thanks to its greater speed. It leaped up and struck Dhelmise's body, then used Dhelmise as a foothold and flew back toward Leon. Slow and caught between old momentum fading and new strength not yet rising, Dhelmise could only watch as its opponent openly returned to its Trainer's side.

"Go! Mr. Mime!"

"Mr. Goo-goo!"

Mr. Mime happily entered the field, bouncing from side to side as though performing some strange dance. But Blake did not dare underestimate Mr. Mime. After all, it was a Galarian Mr. Mime with Ice- and Psychic-type powers. All three of Blake's Pokémon were countered by it, though they countered it in turn as well.

"Don't underestimate Mr. Mime! I raised him step by step from a Mime Jr.! He's my second Pokémon!"

"Mr. Goo-goo!"

Leon did not attack immediately. Instead, he began introducing Mr. Mime's origins, while Mr. Mime proudly put its hands on its hips and puffed out its chest. However, its tap-dancing feet did not stop, still moving in rhythm. With every step, waves of cold air spread from beneath its feet.

"I can tell it's truly strong, but we won't give up either. Dhelmise! Iron Head!"

"Mr. Mime! Hail!"

"Don't let it succeed! Interrupt it!"

This time, Blake attacked first. He absolutely could not let Hail succeed, or Blizzard's guaranteed accuracy in snowy weather might wipe out his entire team.

Dhelmise sensed the threat as well and charged desperately toward Mr. Mime. But it could not help being too slow. It was slower even than Thwackey, let alone Mr. Mime. Accompanied by its tap-dancing steps, Mr. Mime successfully unleashed Hail, and tiny ice pellets fell from the sky. However, in order to use that move, Mr. Mime had no time to evade Dhelmise's attack and was sent flying by the blow.

"Mr. Goo-goo!"

Mr. Mime cried out in pain. Steel-type moves countered Ice types, and with Dhelmise's Steelworker Ability, if Mr. Mime had not been at full strength, it might have been knocked out in one hit.

"Damn, it didn't work? Looks like I'll definitely need a Pokémon that learns Trick Room in the future. But it's too late now. Dhelmise! Sunny Day!"

"Mr. Mime! Blizzard!"

"Mr. Goo-goo!"

Mr. Mime swiftly adjusted its condition. With a wave of its hands, a powerful Blizzard swept the ice pellets from the sky across the entire field. Unable to evade, Dhelmise was struck directly. The battering ice pellets made Dhelmise cry out, but it still gritted its teeth and released a ball of red light into the sky.

"Bang!"

Having released the orb, Dhelmise finally could not hold on any longer and crashed heavily to the ground. However, the orb it had released at the very end successfully dispersed the Hail overhead, and intense sunlight poured down upon the earth.

"Dhelmise has lost the ability to battle! Mr. Mime wins!"