The Kanto League competitors' lounge.
Red looked at the silent Blue beside him and, in a rare moment of initiative, teased, "Why do I get the feeling you're about to hand over your title of [Breeder]?"
Blue rolled his eyes but offered no rebuttal.
"Let's keep watching. See what other surprises he has in store for us."
Of course, shocks were probably more likely.
On the battlefield.
Gladion reacted much faster than Drayton had the day before.
After all, Xia Chi had only just used an illegal Pokémon yesterday.
Seeing that Sludge Bomb had no effect on Floragato after its change to Steel type, he immediately shouted, "Flamethrower!"
Whatever else happened, the most important thing now was to stop Floragato from continuing to boost itself with [Shift Gear]!
Zoroark gathered energy, and even the surrounding air seemed to grow hotter.
It opened its jaws wide, spewing a fierce, raging column of orange-red fire.
Carrying terrifying heat that threatened to incinerate everything, it warped the air like a roaring fire dragon as it blasted toward the emerald figure gleaming with a silvery metallic sheen nearby!
As the pillar of flame grew larger in its crimson eyes, Floragato suddenly moved.
Its body, made increasingly agile by [Shift Gear], abruptly dropped into a crouch, all four limbs hugging the ground. The scorching wave of fire swept past the fur along its spine!
"Aim Flamethrower down!"
Acting as its targeting system, Gladion issued the command.
Zoroark lowered its head, adjusting the angle of the fire pouring from its mouth and pressing it down toward Floragato near the ground.
This was exactly the opening Xia Chi had been waiting for!
"Jump up! Play Rough!"
Extreme speed brought explosive power. From its crouch, Floragato drove strength into its slender limbs and leaped!
The Flamethrower crossing past