"Boom!"
"A hit! Gengar's Shadow Ball hit Swampert!"
As the billowing dust cleared, Swampert let out a furious roar. It hammered the ground with both arms and lunged forward, veins bulging on its fists as a pair of Hammer Arms whistled through the air toward Gengar.
Gengar narrowly twisted aside to dodge, then raised a hand and hit Swampert with Giga Drain, dealing tremendous damage.
Swampert endured the pain and swung a fist, sending Gengar flying, then hammered the ground with both arms to unleash Stone Edge.
"Gengar!" Gengar quickly adjusted its body in midair and used Sucker Punch to force its way closer, also dodging the Stone Edge that would otherwise have been sure to hit.
"Nice!" The spectators cheered as Gengar spat a Sludge Bomb straight into Swampert's face, scoring a direct hit.
Swampert raised a fist and punched empty air, then used Stone Edge again. This time, Stone Edge hit Gengar, instantly dealing tremendous damage.
"Gengar!"
"Yes!" Huang Zequan shouted excitedly. "Keep using Stone Edge! I'll take this first match!"
But then something strange happened.
No matter how Swampert hammered the ground, it could no longer use Stone Edge. Shi Pokémon League raised his eyebrows below the field.
"Cursed Body?"
Indeed, Swampert's attack had just triggered Gengar's Ability, Cursed Body, and Stone Edge had been banned outright.
"Tch." Huang Zequan waved a hand. "That's fine! Use Earthquake!"
"Roar!" Swampert hammered the ground again to use Stone Edge, but failed.
Huang Zequan: ???
"No! I said Earthquake!"
Swampert wanted to cry, but had no tears. It wanted to use Earthquake too, but no matter what it did, all it could use was Stone Edge! It was as though its body no longer belonged to it!
Huang Zequan looked at Gengar in shock. Gengar's eyes were blood-red, and one