"That scorpion sting really was something—even the Buddha feared it!" On the field, Liu Qing watched Drapion retract its tail and sighed in admiration. After recalling Exeggutor, he took out a black-and-green Poké Ball and tossed it.
"Liu Qing, I never thought you'd still hold back at a time like this," Reggie said, sounding disappointed when he saw that Liu Qing had sent out Gengar.
"Reggie, Gengar's Psychic-type moves certainly won't work on Drapion, but that doesn't mean Gengar can't defeat it. Don't let your guard down and let me beat you too easily!"
"In that case, I'll force you to bring out your last Pokémon." Having settled on a plan, Reggie immediately commanded, "Drapion, Dark Pulse!"
The black pulse looked like countless black rings linked together as it raced toward Gengar. Gengar seemed terrified by the Dark-type move, staring wide-eyed without moving. Even after so many matches, Reggie had yet to fully gauge Gengar's strength, but he knew it definitely ranked among the strongest of Liu Qing's six Pokémon. Coupled with the eerie abilities of a Ghost-type, Gengar's strange behavior immediately put him on his guard.
Dark Pulse shot forward swiftly and struck Gengar head-on. The expected scream came, but it sounded more like a theatrical groan, with a hint of mockery. Looking again, Reggie saw that Dark Pulse had passed straight through Gengar's body and hit the field behind it.
"Drapion, spread out your Dark Pulse! Watch beneath your feet!" Reggie recalled Gengar's performances in several previous battles, but he couldn't work out where Gengar actually was.
"I told you, Gengar isn't that easy to deal with." Seeing how cautious Reggie had become, Liu Qing smiled faintly and snapped his fingers. "Gengar, have some fun with it!"
"Heh heh!" Before Liu Qing caught it, Gengar had been notorious for its pranks. Although it rarely used them after being caught, it had privately kept dreaming up new tricks. At Liu Qing's command, it gave a sinister laugh. Its body flickered, turning into countless transparent skeletal phantoms that drifted toward Drapion and Reggie. Despite the bright sunshine and knowing it was an illusion, Reggie felt a chill run through his whole body, as though he had plunged into an ice cellar. Quite a few women in the audience had already begun screaming in fear.
"Drapion, stay calm! Use Pin Missile!" Reggie knew he couldn't let the shadows keep drifting closer, or his momentum would gradually be worn away. He hurriedly gave the command.
Before Drapion could unleash its move, however, the countless skeletal phantoms turned into countless cans of insecticide. Although it had lost its Bug typing upon evolving, it was still a bug and instinctively feared the stuff. Its first reaction was to protect itself and lower its head. Liu Qing seized the opening and commanded, "Gengar, Hypnosis!"
Oh no! Reggie cried inwardly. Although Hypnosis was a Psychic-type move, it was a status move, so Drapion had no immunity to it. Amid a flicker of red light, Drapion collapsed onto the ground and fell fast asleep.
"Come back, Gengar!" Liu Qing swiftly switched Poké Balls, recalling Gengar while throwing out Gyarados's Poké Ball. "Gyarados, Aqua Tail!"
"So Gyarados was the Pokémon Liu Qing intended to use against Drapion. But because it had so little stamina left, he sent Gengar out first to put Drapion to sleep with Hypnosis. Now Gyarados can attack and decide the match," Xiao An analyzed from the stands.
"Drapion, wake up!" On the field, Reggie shouted anxiously as Aqua Tail swept Drapion into the air, sending it tumbling.
"Gyarados, Ice Fang!" Liu Qing commanded again.
Gyarados had deliberately struck Drapion so that its flight would carry it toward its mouth. With a sway of its upper body, Gyarados sank its freezing fangs into Drapion. Aqua Tail had also soaked Drapion's body, and under the assault of the cold, that water gradually froze into solid ice, encasing it.
"Drapion has been frozen solid! Will this be the end of the match?" the commentator's excited voice rang across the arena.
"Gyarados, finish it with Giga Impact!" Gyarados had already been low on stamina, and after using two moves in succession, it looked utterly exhausted. They couldn't afford to drag this out any longer, so Liu Qing ordered the final attack.
"Drapion, wake up! Hurry and wake up!" With its stamina running low, Gyarados took considerably longer to gather the energy for Giga Impact. Watching the pale purple glow gradually emerge, Reggie shouted anxiously. Perhaps his feelings reached Drapion, because its tightly shut eyes opened within the ice. Delighted, Reggie immediately called, "Drapion, use Hyper Beam at full power!"
"Roar!" Hearing the command, Drapion let out a muffled roar from within the ice, gathering orange-yellow energy in its mouth.
"Drapion has awakened! With Liu Qing's Gyarados preparing Giga Impact, Reggie has chosen to counter with Drapion's strongest move, Hyper Beam! When these two devastating moves collide, who will emerge victorious...?" The commentator seized the opportunity to shout again, whipping up the atmosphere throughout the arena.
"Liu Yuan, can you tell what the decisive factor in their battle is right now?" In the VIP seats, Mili pointed toward the field with one hand and rested the other on Liu Yuan's head as she asked seriously.
"Neither Gyarados nor Drapion has much stamina left. Whichever one gets hit by the other's move first will definitely be knocked out. So the key is which one finishes preparing its move first and hits its opponent first," Liu Yuan said after some thought. Then he looked at Mili, nervous yet hopeful, waiting for her assessment.
"That's right!" Mili nodded gently. Seeing Liu Yuan's cheeks flush with excitement, she continued, "But although your answer is correct, it only scratches the surface. Do you know why your eldest brother used Aqua Tail first, then Ice Fang?"
"To freeze his opponent solid?" Liu Yuan glanced at Drapion, still encased in ice on the field, and answered uncertainly.
"Then let me ask you this: Drapion was already asleep. Why did your eldest brother go to the extra trouble of freezing it?" Mili pressed.
"Well... I don't know." After thinking for a while, Liu Yuan answered honestly, lowering his head in disappointment.
"Liu Yuan, you haven't even set out on your journey yet. It's already impressive that you noticed that much." Seeing her youngest son's dejected expression, Mili smiled and spoke gently.
"Liu Yuan, first you need to understand that although the Psychic-type status move Hypnosis works on Dark-type Pokémon, its actual effect is only half as strong, perhaps even less. Add Gyarados's attacks to that, and Drapion was bound to wake up very soon. Meanwhile, Gyarados had exhausted too much stamina in its earlier battle to keep fighting Drapion for long. That was why your eldest brother used a Water-type move followed by an Ice-type move to freeze it solid. Even if Drapion woke up, it wouldn't be able to move freely, giving Gyarados time to gather its strength. That was why your eldest brother's third command was Giga Impact." Mili paused before continuing, "That's why he froze Drapion. And even now, the ice remains the key to victory. Although it immobilizes Drapion, it also gives it a layer of protection, greatly reducing Giga Impact's effectiveness. Drapion might even have enough strength to keep fighting after the ice shatters. At the same time, that layer of ice blocks the Hyper Beam Drapion is preparing. Breaking through it will inevitably weaken Hyper Beam, but leaving the ice intact will deprive Drapion of oxygen, putting it at an even greater disadvantage. So the deciding factor is how well Liu Qing and his opponent, Reggie, seize their opportunity. Whoever times it better will win this battle."
"Mom, my eldest brother still has three Pokémon left, so his opponent must be under a lot of pressure right now, right?" Liu Yuan suddenly thought of something and asked.
"That's right. Your eldest brother and that trainer named Reggie are both excellent trainers, and both are very good at seizing opportunities in battle. But Liu Qing still has two Pokémon in perfect condition, which puts pressure on Reggie without him even doing anything. Now we'll have to see whether Reggie can keep his composure and achieve the best possible outcome," Mili explained.
On the field, Gyarados's entire body was now enveloped in a swirling, pale purple glow, while Drapion's Hyper Beam was almost fully charged inside the ice. A glint flashed in Liu Qing's eyes. He snapped his fingers and shouted, "Giga Impact, go!"
"Roar!" Gyarados roared, stretched out its enormous body, and charged straight at Drapion.
"Drapion, fire Hyper Beam!" Hyper Beam had reached the point where it had to be released, but Giga Impact had yet to strike the ice. Reggie sighed inwardly, knowing his plan could no longer succeed, and immediately gave the command.
Crack, crack, crack! Fractures spread across the ice before it shattered with a crash. An enormous orange-yellow beam shot toward the oncoming Giga Impact.
BOOM! A tremendous explosion erupted. The searing light stung everyone's eyes and brought tears streaming down their faces, forcing them to shut their eyes. Their ears filled with thunderous rumbling, which only gradually subsided after a while. When they looked again, Gyarados and Drapion were both lying in a huge crater, unable to battle.
"Drapion and Gyarados are both unable to battle! Since all six of Reggie's Pokémon are unable to battle, the winner is Liu Qing!" the referee announced his final ruling.
"Congratulations to Liu Qing on advancing to the final two... The Indigo League Conference final will take place tomorrow. Who will emerge as the champion?"
"I lost..." Reggie sighed softly, took out a Poké Ball, and recalled Drapion.
"Congratulations, Liu Qing!" At the edge of the field, Reggie shook Liu Qing's hand and said sincerely, "Make sure you win the championship tomorrow!"
"Thanks. I'll do my best!" Liu Qing replied with a smile.
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