Magneton crashed heavily onto the ground, then slid another meter or two before barely coming to a stop near the edge of the field.
A deep slash was clearly visible across its main body, tiny sparks flickering from the wound.
All three of Magneton's eyes dimmed at once. Its body twitched faintly, then went completely still.
The entire venue fell silent for a moment.
In the stands, every guest's gaze landed on Magneton in the field.
At the edge of the field, the referee's eyes lingered on Magneton for a moment.
Magneton lay motionless at the edge of the field, its three eyes completely dimmed. Only an occasional faint spark flashed through the gash before vanishing entirely.
The referee raised his right arm high, flag aloft, then swung it down sharply.
"Magneton has lost its ability to battle!" His loud, clear voice echoed through the silent battle zone. "Therefore, the winner of the thirteenth match is—Xinhai Bai Mu!"
Applause rose from the stands as the referee announced the result.
Xinhai stood in the command area, looking first at Magneton lying motionless in the middle of the field, then at Grovyle. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Thanks for the effort, Grovyle." His voice was not loud, yet it rang especially clearly through the quiet battle zone.
"Grov!" Grovyle retracted the leaf blade on its right arm and turned around. Its golden eyes looked toward Xinhai, a faint smile at the corner of its mouth.
The silver-gray necklace around its neck swayed lightly in the breeze, its hidden Poké Ball gleaming with a restrained luster beneath the lights.
Ryuji Takahashi stood on the other side of the field, staring at Magneton lying motionless on the ground in silence for a while.
He scratched his head, then took out a Poké