"Come back, Drapion. You did great." After recalling Drapion, Reggie looked at Liuqing. "First you used Bulldoze to throw your opponent off balance, then finished things with a combination attack. Impressive. Next up is my second Pokémon, who was also my first partner—Empoleon!"
A flash of white light revealed a Pokémon that looked as though it wore a crown, standing opposite Arcanine.
"What an excellent Pokémon!" Liu Qing's eyes lit up at the sight of the Empoleon Reggie had raised, and he could not help praising it. Then his tone shifted. "But I won't hold back. Arcanine, Bulldoze!"
"Empoleon, Drill Peck!" As Arcanine leaped into the air, Empoleon tipped its entire body sideways and spun like a giant top, charging straight at Arcanine.
"Arcanine, Fire Blast!" Arcanine had nowhere to dodge in midair, so Liuqing promptly changed his command.
Hiss! At Liuqing's command, Arcanine opened its mouth and spat out a star-shaped blaze that swept toward Empoleon. Yet Empoleon's rapidly spinning Drill Peck was not slowed in the slightest. It bored through the flames and slammed into Arcanine, whose face twisted in pain as it was sent flying. It hit the ground and skidded a short distance.
"Empoleon, Hydro Pump!" At Reggie's command, light flashed at the airborne Empoleon's mouth. A huge blue ball of water rapidly formed and hurtled toward Arcanine.
"Arcanine, Fire Blast!"
Boom! Fire Blast collided with Hydro Pump, unleashing a deafening explosion. Steam instantly filled the entire battlefield.
"Empoleon, calm yourself and sense your opponent's position." The dense mist now obscured everyone's vision, and Reggie spoke in a low voice.
"Arcanine, Thunder Fang!" Unfortunately, Liuqing's voice rang out from the other side just then. A massive silhouette rushed through the mist, and before Empoleon could react, teeth crackling with electricity bit savagely into its body. Empoleon grimaced in pain and cried out.
"Arcanine, Fire Blast!" At the same time, Liuqing issued another command.
The rapid succession of orders, together with Arcanine's ability to pinpoint Empoleon's position, had caught Reggie off guard. But he was a Pokémon Trainer who had traveled through several regions, and he quickly recovered. Seeing the red glow already building in Arcanine's mouth and Empoleon writhing in agony as sparks danced over its body, he immediately made his decision. "Empoleon, Hydro Pump at full power!"
Boom! Boom! "Awooo!" Although the mist hid the battle from view, the two enormous explosions and the crimson light flashing within it left little doubt about the power of that clash. When the shock waves blew the mist away, both Pokémon lay on the ground, unable to battle.
"Empoleon and Arcanine are unable to battle!" Nurse Joy called.
"Come back, Arcanine!" "Come back, Empoleon!"
"Liu Qing, how did Arcanine pinpoint Empoleon's position just now?" Reggie asked.
"Heh, dogs have very keen noses." Liu Qing smiled and threw his second Poké Ball. "Come out, Shelgon!"
"I see." Reggie nodded and threw his third Poké Ball as well. "Come out, Ludicolo!"
"Shelgon, DragonBreath!" Liu Qing hesitated inwardly as he studied Reggie's Ludicolo. Since Reggie had sent Ludicolo out against Shelgon, it clearly knew an Ice-type move. That ruled out Hydro Pump; using it only to get Shelgon frozen would do more harm than good. That left just DragonBreath, Dragon Claw, and Zen Headbutt. Taking down Ludicolo would not be easy.
As the dark green DragonBreath streamed toward Ludicolo, it instantly used Double Team to dodge.
"Shelgon, sweep through them one by one!" Liu Qing called quickly.
"Ludicolo, Ice Beam!" Reggie immediately called out in response to Liuqing's command. All the Ludicolo images converged into a single figure, and an icy blue beam shot out, striking Shelgon. A layer of solid ice gradually formed around it. The attack was super effective, and although Shelgon had not fainted, it could not break through the ice and was unable to continue battling.
Though it took longer to describe, the transition from Double Team to Ice Beam happened in an instant. Liu Qing sighed helplessly and recalled the completely frozen Shelgon, then took out his third Poké Ball. "Come out, Scyther!"
"Scy!" As the white light faded, a green Scyther appeared in the air, gazing down at the cheerful Ludicolo with fighting spirit blazing.
"Ludicolo, Razor Leaf!" As soon as Reggie spoke, dozens of razor-sharp leaves shot from Ludicolo's body and whistled toward Scyther.
Without waiting for Liuqing's command, Scyther beat its wings and swiftly dodged. Then, at Liuqing's order, it used Aerial Ace and charged toward Ludicolo.
"Protect!" At Reggie's command, Ludicolo thrust both hands forward. A green sphere of light enveloped its body and blocked Aerial Ace.
"Water Pulse!"
As Protect vanished, a blue ball of water gathered between Ludicolo's outstretched hands and shot toward Scyther.
"Brick Break!" Scyther faced the point-blank Water Pulse without fear. It could cleave through ocean waves, let alone a mere Water Pulse. White light flashed along its right arm as it split the attack in two, then continued downward without losing momentum, striking Ludicolo on the head and knocking it to the ground. At that moment, the two halves of Water Pulse scattered into spray.
"X-Scissor!" Pressing its advantage, Scyther crossed its arms, which shone with dazzling white light, and struck again at the fallen Ludicolo.
"Use Protect again!" Reggie shouted anxiously at the sight.
Boom! X-Scissor slammed into the green barrier with a tremendous crash. The barrier wavered, but held firm.
"Ludicolo, Ice Beam!" Reggie returned to his earlier tactic. An icy blue orb gathered in Ludicolo's hands before releasing several beams radiating bitter cold toward Scyther.
"Scy!" Scyther could not dodge in time and was grazed by one of the beams. It let out a pained cry, and its evasive movements slowed.
"Oh no!" As soon as Scyther slowed, all the Ice Beams converged on it. Liu Qing hurriedly shouted, "Scyther, Swords Dance!"
Whoosh, whoosh! The instant he spoke, Scyther whirled its blades and spun rapidly, blocking the Ice Beams.
"Scyther, X-Scissor!" Liu Qing breathed a sigh of relief when it blocked Ice Beam, then issued another attack command.
"Protect!" Reggie called once again as he watched Scyther rush toward Ludicolo with its attack ready.
"Aerial Ace!" The moment Liuqing saw Ludicolo extend both hands again, he shouted his command. Scyther, which had still been some distance away, appeared before Ludicolo in an instant. Before Ludicolo could react, the combined Aerial Ace and X-Scissor struck it, sending it flying. It only stopped after crashing into several spectators outside the battlefield, unable to battle!
"Ludicolo is unable to battle!" Nurse Joy declared.
"Come back, Ludicolo. You worked very hard." Reggie recalled Ludicolo and spoke as he looked at its Poké Ball.
"Reggie, your approach to defense and offense is excellent. It's given me plenty of inspiration. Thank you!" Watching Reggie's fighting style had filled Liuqing with excitement. Against an ordinary Pokémon Trainer, that approach would surely make them lose their composure, grow impatient, and lose the match. Unfortunately, Reggie's opponent was Liuqing.
"It's a good approach, but I still lost. Looks like this fighting style isn't quite perfect yet." Reggie sighed. "Never mind. Next is my fourth Pokémon. Go, Ninetales!"
"Nine!" White light flashed, and Ninetales appeared on the battlefield, its nine long tails trailing behind it, noble and elegant.
"Scyther, Aerial Ace!" At Liuqing's command, several white streaks of light immediately appeared around Scyther as it attacked Ninetales.
"Will-O-Wisp!" Reggie immediately gave his command as well, and dozens of ghostly blue flames appeared around Ninetales.
"Oh no! Scyther, stop!" Unfortunately, Aerial Ace was too fast, and Liuqing's warning came too late. Scyther plunged straight in. Although it struck Ninetales, flames flared all over its own body, and its face contorted in pain. It retreated, panting, only for flames to erupt over it again, forcing it down onto one knee.
"Ninetales, finish it! Flamethrower!"
"Oh no, dodge!" At Liuqing's command, Scyther tried to rise and fly away from the incoming flames. But fire flared over its body once more, and Ninetales's Flamethrower engulfed it. When the flames faded, it lay on the ground, blackened and unable to battle.
"Scyther is unable to battle!" Nurse Joy announced.
"Come back, Scyther," Liuqing said quietly as he recalled it. He reached for Gyarados's Poké Ball and threw it. "Come out, Gyarados!"
"ROOOAR!" With a tremendous roar and a shower of golden sparkles, the enormous red Gyarados appeared on the battlefield. An overwhelming aura spread outward, frightening Ninetales into retreating again and again.
"Heavens, a red Gyarados! It's enormous!"
"Yeah, judging by its size, it must be nearly ten meters long. That's half again as big as an ordinary Gyarados!"
Gyarados's appearance immediately drew countless exclamations of amazement.
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