"Hawlucha is unable to battle! Volcarona wins!"
At the referee's announcement, Diantha frowned in frustration, then gave a helpless smile and recalled her partner. Looking at the boy across from her, she said with a hint of complaint,
"I thought I'd get off to a good start. I never expected your Volcarona to use String Shot so skillfully. I miscalculated!"
Yong smiled.
"Surprise makes it all the more effective. Miss Diantha, I've been on guard against your close-range attacks all along!"
At that moment, even louder cheers erupted from the Eastern Hemisphere's section of the stands, drowning out the opposing side.
"We have our result! Hawlucha is the first to fall! Unfortunately, Miss Diantha has lost the first battle! What a shame. The situation clearly favored Hawlucha, but nobody expected Yong's Volcarona to turn things around with such superb thread control and pull off a comeback!"
The host's voice brimmed with excitement.
"Both competitors engaged in a fierce exchange of attacks and defenses! What an intense battle! In the end... Yong takes the first round! Let's congratulate him!"
"Ding! Volcarona won an official battle! Gained 350 Training Points! Gained a large amount of experience!" "Ding! Fiery Dance, Fire Spin, String Shot, Psychic, and Air Slash proficiency increased!"
It was still a little short of leveling up.
Yong sighed inwardly. Without the Stone Plate's help, Volcarona's leveling speed was gradually slowing, falling well behind his other partners' rapid progress.
Looking at his partner fluttering over the field, the boy asked with a smile,
"How are you feeling? Can you keep going, Volcarona?"
"Voo~"
Volcarona swayed before Yong, fluttering its wings, and gently nodded to show that it could continue.
"Don't push yourself!"
"Voo!"
Seeing that his partner had no intention of resting, Yong did not insist.
Diantha took out