The instant the Sand Scale Fruit went down Sceptile's throat, emerald energy burst from within its body, as though a green flame had been ignited deep inside it.
Its Unburden Ability was fully triggered at that moment—its speed doubled.
Mentor Gaoshan's pupils contracted at the sight, and he immediately shouted, "Vacuum Wave, Hitmonchan!"
Realizing something was wrong as well, Hitmonchan quickly threw two punches through the air at Sceptile, attempting to interrupt its increase in speed and at least buy itself some time.
Two transparent Vacuum Waves shot toward Sceptile at incredible speed, reaching it almost the instant after Hitmonchan punched.
But with the Sand Scale Fruit and Unburden Ability boosting it, Sceptile's speed had more than doubled. Just before the Vacuum Waves arrived, it shifted half a step to the right. The two blasts grazed past its shoulders, leaving two bowl-sized craters in the gray stone slabs behind it.
Then Sceptile pushed off the ground again and lunged at Hitmonchan. The Leaf Blade on its right wrist flashed with emerald energy as it slashed directly at Hitmonchan's waist.
Seeing Sceptile charge at it after dodging its attack, Hitmonchan instinctively threw a punch, only for its guarding right fist to be cleaved apart by Leaf Blade.
A tear split the dark red glove down the middle, revealing blood seeping from the knuckles beneath.
Feeling the pain in its fist, Hitmonchan immediately risked taking another Leaf Blade and leaped backward several times in succession, narrowly escaping disaster.
Its footing wavered slightly when it landed, but it promptly raised both fists again and maintained a defensive stance.
With no time to dwell on the pain in its hand, Hitmonchan followed its Trainer's command and used Mach Punch and Detect at the same time to fend off Sceptile's attacks and counterattack.
Sceptile's next