Ninetales cried out in pain, badly wounded by Sandslash's Metal Claw and forced several steps back. Seeing that the Ice Balls were about to fall, Lu acted decisively and recalled Alolan Ninetales into its Poké Ball.
With its Snow Warning Ability, Alolan Ninetales was the core weather setter of Lu's snow team. To preserve his weather setter, Lu had no choice but to recall Ninetales midway through the battle.
"Beartic!"
Amid the swirling snow, a vicious-looking Beartic made a brutish entrance onto the field. At the same time, two Ice Balls dropped straight down and slammed savagely into it.
"It's that boy's Beartic!"
"He's sending out a beast like that already. Looks like the Sandstorm King is putting him under a lot of pressure."
Lu's Beartic was famous. At least, quite a few trainers had battled it before, so seeing him send it out so early showed how seriously he took this match.
Having taken the hit from the changing Ice Balls head-on, Beartic gritted its teeth and grinned ferociously at Sandslash. Meanwhile, the two Ice Balls became four in midair, constantly circling and weaving around one another.
"Beartic, use Bulk Up!"
At Lu's command, Beartic's muscles swelled all over. Searing currents of air spread from its body, evaporating even the surrounding ground.
Under Sandslash's control, the four Ice Balls shot forward at tremendous speed, but Beartic moved even faster. With its Slush Rush Ability active in the snow, it flexed its back and waist and charged like an arrow, its gaze crazed and its presence oppressive, as though it meant to flatten and tear apart everything in sight.
"Brick Break!"
A knife-hand chop came down swiftly. Faced with Beartic's overwhelming presence, Sandslash realized that if it flinched or dodged, it might well lose the will to keep fighting. This Beartic's aura was simply too terrifying and crazed.
Lu's Beartic had stolen the spotlight at this regional tournament, leaving many trainers' scalps tingling at the mere sight of it entering the field.
The four Ice Balls dropped swiftly. Beartic's figure was reflected in Sandslash's eyes. Just as it drew close, Sandslash suddenly twisted its waist and back, tensed both claws, and aimed them viciously at Beartic's chopping hand.
With a crash, their power collided. At that same instant, Beartic leaped up like a fierce hunting falcon. Using the speed boost from Slush Rush, it vaulted over Sandslash, its right arm extended downward and its knife-hand chop as swift as the wind.
Not only that, but strengthened by Bulk Up, Beartic's physical reactions were extremely fast. As its chopping hand came down, its legs were already positioned, ready to hammer Sandslash with successive attacks. Attacking high and low at once, it was hard to defend against-vicious and wild!
At this dangerous moment, the four Ice Balls plunged down. Sandslash seized the opening to roll left, kicking out its right leg again with the motion. Like a taut whip, it lashed viciously at Beartic, which could hardly change direction in midair.
Under the relentless assault of the four Ice Balls, Beartic's attack was interrupted. It had no choice but to brace one hand against the ground and twist its spine, scattering countless patches of lingering snow to defuse the dangerous blow.
Sandslash's superb combat skills surpassed everyone's expectations. Despite its stature, it could fight the enormous Beartic with both ferocity and tenacity.
The four Ice Balls became eight and hung motionless around Sandslash. Just as Beartic took a step forward, one of them abruptly exploded, the bang drawing a low grunt from Beartic.
"Keep using Bulk Up, then Brick Break!"
Power surged through its body once again. Intense heat spread from Beartic like boiling water, seemingly ready to evaporate everything. Sixteen Ice Balls shot toward Beartic in the center from every direction at top speed.
With a wild grin, Beartic roared. Tremendous power burst outward through the air, instantly melting all sixteen Ice Balls into wisps of vapor.
On the Presidential Platform, Lance, who had changed back into ordinary clothes, smiled. "A weather-based boosting style. This Lu really does look like a Gongping fan. Even their battle methods are identical."
The Calm Mind of Gongping's Lucario, the Dragon Dance of his Tyranitar, and the Swords Dance of his Scizor all followed the same core approach as Lu's Beartic. This convinced quite a few people that Lu was Gongping's fanboy.
With its Attack and Defense boosts complete, Beartic sneered and lunged forward with a crash, not hesitating in the slightest, its momentum crazed to the extreme. A perfect combination of speed, offense, and defense-this was what made Beartic so frightening in the snow!
Amid the swirling snowflakes, Sandslash's figure flickered into countless afterimages. With Snow Cloak fully activated, its movements became increasingly ghostlike. After Beartic's first lunge missed, Sandslash's eyes flashed coldly from the other side, and its claw shot out like a thrusting spear toward Beartic's head.
Beartic bellowed, its terrifying power forcing Sandslash's movements a beat slower. As it turned and brought its chopping hand down, Gongping, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke. "Defense Curl, combined with Chip Away!"
Chip Away steadily attacked upon spotting an opening, ignoring the opponent's stat changes to deal damage directly. Beartic's chopping hand hung overhead, giving off a terrifying current of air. The ground beneath its feet seemed to blast back with explosive force as it lunged wildly.
Sandslash curled into a ball and bounced, changing direction again. It swung its left arm, delivering a powerful short-range strike, while its loosely clenched right hand counterattacked without dodging or retreating. Chip Away steadied Sandslash's mindset, allowing it to seize the slightest opening in Beartic during their lightning-fast exchange.
As their final attacks met, Sandslash seized the moment and aimed for Beartic's opening.
The two Pokémon fought furiously at close quarters. Despite their different heights and builds, both suffered serious wounds in the series of savage exchanges. As the snowflakes gradually faded, Beartic's speed and Sandslash's mobility both declined. In the end, however, Beartic ran out of stamina and was knocked to the ground by Sandslash.
With Beartic defeated, Lu's expression turned icy. Beartic and Ninetales were the strongest members of his snow team, yet both had now been beaten in succession by a single Alolan Sandslash. He found it hard to accept.
How could that bastard be so strong!
"Amazing..."
Inside the Pokémon Center on Cinnabar Island, Yin was deeply shaken, even though the television had not captured the battle footage very clearly.
Even against a Pokémon in that state in the snow, he could use the simplest moves to break through and defeat his opponent with the most ordinary fighting methods. Was this the strength of these Kings?
Picking up the papers in his hand, Yin turned on the computer and began searching for relevant information.
Although it had won, Sandslash was not in good condition, so Gongping recalled it as well. Watching the snow dissipate before him, Gongping said quietly, "Are you that worried about your snow setter?"
Gongping's words made Lu's expression stiffen. "That's none of your concern. Weavile!"
The third Pokémon Lu sent out was a very mischievous-looking Weavile. Of course, after the matches over this period, the spectators all knew about this Weavile's extremely nasty personality.
"Bean sprout, actually, I never intended to counter your snow team in the first place..."
"What do you mean?"
Gongping's words gave Lu an ominous feeling.
"Go, Ninetales!"
With a crash, the light dispersed, and a silvery-white Ninetales identical in appearance to Lu's Alolan Ninetales appeared on the field. At the same time, a sweeping snowstorm rose across the field once again.
"Incredible! King Gongping actually has an Alolan Ninetales just like Lu's, and it has Snow Warning too!"
Before you continue