The students watching around them were green with envy, secretly vowing to work hard and raise their own Pokémon properly from now on!
"Good!"
The vice principal perked up as well. He straightened and called out, "Both contestants, please take the stage and send out your Pokémon!"
With the principal watching, everyone grew more alert, eager to leave a good impression on this powerful trainer. Perhaps he would take a liking to one of them and accept them as his apprentice!
Zhang Na took out her Poké Ball and called, "Come out, Staryu!"
Class Three's contestant was a boy with a face covered in acne. As soon as he stepped onto the stage, he leered at Huo Mengyao before sending out a fierce-looking Krabby.
"Begin the battle!"
Zhang Na hesitated for a moment before calling, "Staryu, use Water Gun!"
"Krabby, dodge with Agility, then charge in and use Vice Grip!" The boy wasted no time issuing his orders.
Faced with Krabby's dramatically increased speed, Staryu missed with several consecutive Water Guns before being caught in an enormous claw!
The claw exerted tremendous force, and Staryu let out a pained groan as it was squeezed.
"It's over."
Ye Qing had checked Krabby's information. Although its level was not much higher than Staryu's, its moves were clearly superior.
Once Staryu was caught, its abysmal physical defense meant Krabby's extremely high physical attack would let it finish the fight in a single combo.
Although Zhang Na was nervous, she still gave an immediate command. "Oh no, hurry and use Rapid Spin!"
Staryu spun rapidly inside Krabby's claw, its five points repeatedly striking Krabby's arm.
"Endure it and use Slam!"
A vicious gleam flashed in Krabby's eyes. It swung its agonizingly painful claw hard, slamming Staryu into the ground with a thud.
Seeing that Staryu had been knocked out instantly, the vice principal announced, "Staryu is unable to battle. Krabby wins!"
Zhang Na sadly recalled her Pokémon and walked off the stage, her lips drawn into a pout.
"I'm sorry."
Zhang Na apologized quietly as she looked at Ye Qing and Huo Mengyao.
Principal Jiang took a sip of mineral water, his expression blank. To be honest, the battle between these two students had disappointed him somewhat. If this year's top students were all at this level, things would be grim.
Huo Mengyao gave her a hug and smiled. "What are you apologizing for? You already did very well. Leave the rest to us."
"Hi, Mengyao."
As Huo Mengyao stepped onto the stage, the acne-faced boy greeted her with a smile. No matter how one looked at it, though, his expression seemed sleazy.
Huo Mengyao ignored him. "I'm counting on you, Growlithe."
"Woof!"
The moment Growlithe appeared, he let out a loud bark and stared at the opposing Krabby, brimming with energy.
Pokémon: Growlithe (level 7) Potential: D Status: Healthy Gender: Male Type: Fire Ability: Flash Fire (when hit by a Fire-type attack, absorbs the flames, taking no damage and boosting his own Fire-type moves) Held item: None Egg moves: Crunch, Flare Blitz Basic moves: Bite, Ember Tutored moves: None TMs: None Notes: Growlithe has an exceptionally keen sense of smell, five thousand times stronger than a human's. Once he has smelled a scent, he will never forget it, no matter what happens.
Huo Mengyao pointed at Krabby. "Don't give him a chance to catch his breath. Use Ember!"
The acne-faced boy refused to be outdone. "We'll use Bubble!"
Growlithe and Krabby attacked simultaneously, streams of embers and bubbles colliding violently in midair!
Knowing he could not win with Bubble alone, the acne-faced boy, eager to show off, decided to take a risky approach. "Use Agility and charge in!"
Huo Mengyao smiled faintly. "Just what I wanted. Get ready, Growlithe!"
"Woof!"
Growlithe kept his eyes fixed on the approaching Krabby, his body tensed and ready to spring!
The acne-faced boy shouted excitedly, "Now! Vice Grip at full power!"
Just as Krabby's claw closed around Growlithe, Huo Mengyao shouted, "Use Crunch!"
Crack!
A sharp pain shot through Growlithe's waist, but Krabby fared no better. Two rows of deep tooth marks were left in its hard shell!
"Slam!"
"Flare Blitz!"
The two commands came simultaneously. Just as Krabby raised its claw high, flames erupted all over Growlithe's body. Pushing off Krabby with all four legs, he slammed fiercely into it!
Thud!
With a dull impact, Krabby was sent flying several meters away and landed on its back, foaming at the mouth.
The vice principal called out, "Krabby is unable to battle. Growlithe wins!"
"Yay!"
Huo Mengyao was thrilled by her victory, her flushed little face looking like a ripe apple.
"Woof, woof."
Growlithe was happy to have won for his trainer as well, but the waves of pain in his waist, combined with the stamina he had already spent, left him panting.
The second contestant stepped forward. He was a boy wearing glasses, and Ye Qing recognized him as Sun Zhiliang, Class Three's study representative. He was usually rather dull and rarely stood out.
Sensing someone's gaze on him, Ye Qing turned his head and found Young Master Zhang Qiang looking at him mockingly.
Ye Qing ignored him. The best way to crush his pride was to defeat him fair and square in battle.
Sun Zhiliang planted his feet, took out a Poké Ball, and called, "Come out, Bulbasaur!"
Pokémon: Bulbasaur (level 10) Potential: E+ Status: Healthy Gender: Male Type: Grass/Poison Ability: Chlorophyll (increases speed in sunny weather) Held item: None Egg moves: Ingrain Basic moves: Tackle, Vine Whip, Poison Powder Tutored moves: None TMs: None Notes: Bulbasaur often sleeps soundly in the sunshine. The seed on his back gradually grows and blooms by absorbing sunlight.
Although Growlithe had a type advantage over Bulbasaur, Ye Qing still did not think his chances were good. Aside from his considerable stamina expenditure, the injury to his waist would also affect his agility.
From what Ye Qing had observed, this boy must have bought a Bulbasaur that was still in its infancy. Otherwise, its level could not have risen so quickly in such a short time.
"Begin the battle!"
At the vice principal's signal, both contestants gave their commands simultaneously.
"Dodge, then use Ingrain!"
"We'll use Ember!"
Growlithe barked fiercely, opened his mouth, and fired embers like a machine gun.
Gentle sunlight fell on Bulbasaur's back, and his Chlorophyll ability boosted his speed considerably. Only a few scattered embers from the barrage exploded against his body.
After dodging the embers, Bulbasaur extended several roots from beneath his body and drove them into the ground. Streams of green energy were drawn up from underground to replenish him.
Huo Mengyao lightly bit her lip. "Ingrain? We'll use Flare Blitz!"
With Ingrain, Bulbasaur was effectively unbeatable in a battle of attrition. She could only take a risk and knock him out in one decisive attack.
She fell for it.
Ye Qing sighed regretfully. Bulbasaur had learned Poison Powder and was simply waiting for Arcanine to engage at close range.
If Growlithe kept wearing Bulbasaur down with Ember, he might not necessarily win, but at least he could continue draining his opponent's stamina.
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