"Red has already defeated two of Dylan's Pokémon. He really is strong,"
Wallace said as he looked at the cap-wearing boy on the field, admiration in his voice.
Although the overall situation still favored Dylan, Wallace wasn't being sarcastic at all.
After all, Dylan's strength was already common knowledge, and even though he hadn't used his strongest Legendary Pokémon in this full-team battle, he had clearly stated that this was the strongest Poison-type team he could currently assemble.
Hearing this, Steven couldn't help giving Wallace a strange look.
Bro, how do you even have the nerve to say that? Red fought his way into the finals fair and square—of course he's strong.
"I wonder what Champion Dylan's fourth Pokémon will be. I'm really curious,"
May said, blinking her big eyes.
"I'm actually more curious whether he'll stuff a Legendary Pokémon into this team,"
Wallace said, stroking his smooth chin.
Dylan did have a Poison-type Legendary—and a top-tier one at that: Eternatus!
"I doubt Dylan will put Eternatus in, but a normal Poison-type Legendary might show up,"
Steven shook his head.
"Since Dylan decided from the start to fight Red with a standard Poison-type team, I don't think he'd include Eternatus… probably."
If Eternatus were actually added, it would be far too overpowered. Ordinary Legendaries, on the other hand, would be fine—after all, Red's Tornadus was also a Legendary Pokémon.
On the battlefield—
Dylan casually threw out his fourth Poké Ball.
"Crobat! Prepare for battle!"
The Poké Ball opened in a flash of white light, and a huge purple bat with two pairs of wings flapped down in front of Dylan.
For a bat Pokémon, it was enormous—nearly two meters tall at a glance. Its four wings beat silently, and its yellow eyes calmly locked onto Tornadus.
This was Crobat, the final evolution of Zubat!
Beep—Crobat. Poison/Flying type. Bat Pokémon.
Ability: Inner Focus.
Moves: Leech Life, Air Slash, Cross Poison, Mean Look, Tailwind—
Description: Its legs have become wings, allowing it to fly at high speed without making a sound. It bares its fangs and bites the prey's neck from behind.
"It's Crobat? I don't remember Dylan using this Pokémon much,"
Blue said in surprise. He'd expected something like Glimmora or Salazzle instead.
Of course, he knew Crobat well—the evolution of Golbat. Its strength was pretty decent, and even Blue himself had trained one before.
Crobat wasn't exactly rare. Zubat could be found in groups in almost any cave. The real rarity was evolving one all the way into Crobat.
That said, the Zubat line wasn't very popular with the public, mainly because Zubat and Golbat looked… well, kind of weird.
And that was precisely why Zubat and Golbat were favorites among members of villainous organizations like Team Rocket.
Probably because they looked evil.
"Yes. This was originally the mainstay of my brother's second team. It didn't appear very often, but later he transferred it into his main Poison-type lineup,"
Lillie said softly.
"And right now, this Crobat is very strong."
"Crobat's strength is indeed quite solid. Its speed is especially frightening,"
Giovanni nodded.
After all, Apollo and the others almost all used Crobat as a core Pokémon.
On the battlefield—
"Crobat…"
Red's eyes flickered slightly as he studied it.
"Tornadus! Psychic!"
Red decisively launched the attack. Psychic beats Poison!
Tornadus let out a low cry, stretched out its arms, and blue light flared in its eyes as a tangible psychic wave surged toward Crobat.
"Quick Attack,"
Dylan said calmly.
Crobat's four wings beat rapidly, and its body instantly turned into a deep-purple afterimage, white light flashing behind it.
So fast!
Red's pupils shrank. He could barely track Crobat with the naked eye—only a blurry purple shadow remained.
He knew Crobat was fast, but not this fast.
Bang!
A dull impact echoed along with Tornadus's grunt as Crobat's Quick Attack slammed into its chest, knocking it staggering backward.
"Bleakwind Storm!"
Tornadus roared angrily after being struck. A mere bat dared to ram into it?!
Icy gales howled as Tornadus unleashed a violent storm of wind blades—its signature move, Bleakwind Storm, a powerful Flying-type attack.
But after landing Quick Attack, Crobat had already soared upward with a beat of its four wings, avoiding the storm's frontal assault.
At the same time, Crobat suddenly dove straight down.
"Swagger!"
Sensing danger, Red immediately ordered Tornadus to use Swagger.
Swagger, a Normal-type move, enrages the opponent and causes confusion, but sharply raises their Attack.
And Tornadus's Incarnate Form had the ability Prankster, giving its status moves priority—
—but Crobat wasn't slow either. It also had a priority move!
"Quick Attack!"
Crobat accelerated again, its purple form flashing past Tornadus in an instant.
Tornadus's eyes could catch Crobat's movement, but it didn't matter. Crobat wasn't even looking at Tornadus while flying at high speed—how could Swagger take effect?
Red frowned deeply. Crobat was simply too fast.
Then—
Bang!
Another sharp impact rang out. Crobat had somehow appeared behind Tornadus, slamming into its back with Quick Attack.
Tornadus angrily stabilized itself, spinning around as deep blue light welled up in its eyes.
Psychic!
But Crobat had already flipped upside down and shot upward, and the psychic wave missed again.
"Brave Bird!"
Crobat performed a graceful turn, and it was as if a sharp, piercing cry echoed in the air. Brilliant red flames enveloped its body.
Flying-type move—Brave Bird!
"Tornadus! Dodge!"
Red shouted immediately.
Tornadus hurriedly pulled back, trying to evade, but it was far too rushed—and Crobat was far too fast.
The majestic Brave Bird slammed heavily into Tornadus, the overwhelming impact drawing a pained roar from it.
The tremendous force carried Tornadus straight down, smashing it into the battlefield with a thunderous crash!
The entire arena shook violently, and deep cracks spread across the ground beneath Tornadus.
And that wasn't all.
The moment it hit the ground, dark purple poisonous light spread across Tornadus's body—Toxic Spikes took effect.
Tornadus's entire body was wracked with agony, so intense it couldn't even open its eyes.
Another loud boom echoed as dust billowed into the air.
Crobat flapped its wings and slowly rose into the sky. Red electrical arcs crackled across its body—the recoil damage from Brave Bird—but its gaze remained cold and unchanged.
Crobat was already used to it.
With a powerful flap of its wings, the dust was blown away, revealing Tornadus lying unconscious on the ground.
Red fell silent. This outcome was within expectations—after all, the three Max Lightning attacks from Dynamaxed Drapion had already dealt massive damage to Tornadus.
"Tornadus has lost its ability to battle. Crobat wins!"
Blue announced the result.
The entire stadium erupted.
A Legendary Pokémon—Tornadus—had been defeated so easily by a Crobat?!
"What? Is that really a Crobat?! How can it be this strong?!"
Ash exclaimed in disbelief.
"This is nothing like Brock's Crobat at all! It's way too strong!"
Brock's face immediately darkened. Yes, he had a Crobat too.
That was… really rude.
So his Crobat was that weak in their eyes?
"I'm sorry for disappointing you!" Brock fumed inwardly.
"Even Pokémon of the same species can be vastly different in strength, Ash. You don't understand that yet?"
Misty rolled her eyes at him.
Brock nodded vigorously. Finally—someone understood.
"And honestly, you're giving Brock way too much credit, comparing his Crobat to Dylan's,"
Misty added casually.
Brock bit into a handkerchief.
Logically, she wasn't wrong—but it still hurt.
Ash scratched his head. When you put it that way… it was kind of like his Charizard compared to those in the Charicific Valley.
"But still, that was Red's Legendary Pokémon!" Ash muttered.
"And the opponent was Dylan,"
Brock shook his head.
On the battlefield—
"Blastoise! Rapid Spin!"
After a brief moment of thought, Red decisively threw out Blastoise—deliberately releasing it into the air.
The moment Blastoise landed, it immediately used Rapid Spin.
"Plot,"
Dylan said calmly, seizing the opportunity to power up.
Dark light flashed in Crobat's eyes as it used Nasty Plot to boost its Special Attack.
Meanwhile, Blastoise's Rapid Spin quickly cleared the Toxic Spikes from the field, and Red recalled it.
"Espeon!"
Red then decisively threw out his fifth Pokémon.
A flash of white light, and a sleek purple Pokémon landed gracefully in front of him—Espeon, one of Eevee's evolutions.
Beep—Espeon. Psychic type. Sun Pokémon.
Ability: Magic Bounce.
Moves: Future Sight, Psychic, Power Gem, Wish—
Description: Extremely loyal to trainers it recognizes. It is said that its precognitive powers become highly developed in order to protect its trainer.
Espeon, huh?
Dylan narrowed his eyes slightly. He remembered this Espeon well—especially its Magic Bounce ability.
Red had used it in previous battles. Although it hadn't appeared often, it had always performed exceptionally well.
Magic Bounce was a pretty solid ability—it could negate and reflect certain status moves.