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Going from a regular reserve to a new reserve…. Sakura University's intentions were glaringly obvious.
Just how badly did they want intel on his Pokémon?
Li Xiang's gaze swept over the spectator stands; there were so many cameras he couldn't count them all at once.
In the intelligence warfare between universities, recording opponents' battles and analyzing the strength and tactics of their Pokémon through videos was a basic skill.
It even occasionally led to the absurd situation where your opponent knew your Pokémon better than you did.
Of course, knowing the intel was one thing; winning was another.
"Hey, kid."
A strangely pitched, somewhat punchable voice came from the opposite side. It sounded a bit muffled because the surroundings were somewhat noisy.
Shifting his gaze, Li Xiang saw that the person addressing him was none other than that delinquent youth.
"Heard you're strong?"
The delinquent youth had his hands in his pockets, face tilted up, squinting at Li Xiang with his already narrow triangular eyes, shouting, "I watched your battle just now. Feels a bit overhyped?"
"National number one? Isn't that just blind boasting?"
His expression was slightly disdainful.
Li Xiang frowned and walked straight toward the delinquent youth.
Seeing this, Nagayama Kunimi's eyelids twitched, and he hurried forward to stop Li Xiang.
"Junior, junior, no need, junior. Haruki just has a foul mouth. I'll have the coach scold him. No need for this, junior."
Nagayama Kunimi forced a smile.
Li Xiang looked at him with a strange expression. "What are you talking about? I just couldn't hear clearly and wanted to get closer to hear better. At this distance, it just feels like silent yapping."
With a distance of over seventy meters, all that noise above, and the semi-open-air environment, it would be a miracle if anyone could hear clearly.
What was up with that delinquent across the way? Who was he even talking to from so far away?
"Ah? Oh." Nagayama Kunimi paused, then smiled. "Then it's fine. Junior, hurry back to your position. The battle is about to start."
Facing Li Xiang's odd look, the delinquent also realized he'd been winking at a blind man, but he didn't care. Provoking opponents before a match was his habit. As long as he made them angry or unsettled, he gained an advantage.
Psychological tactics worked especially well on young kids like this; they'd fall for it with just a little provocation.
No reaction was fine too; he wouldn't lose anything. At most, people would say he had poor manners.
But in battles, the one who won in the end was the true champion.
So why not?
Just as he was about to continue, Li Xiang had already been pushed back to his spot by Kunimi, who shook his head at him, signaling him to stop.
The reason was probably to avoid tarnishing Sakura University's image or something.
"Tch!"
Haruki clicked his tongue, thinking this was exactly why Sakura University's results had been stagnant—obsessing over meaningless image projects.
They were already opponents; why be so merciful?
He looked at Li Xiang, a smirk tugging at his lips. Such a renowned reputation, and he did alright just now, but that was only because of the huge gap in Pokémon strength.
If faced with an opponent of similar strength, how much skill did he really have?
Both sides selected their Pokémon for the match.
Li Xiang observed the delinquent's attire. Although judging someone's specialized type based on their appearance was unreasonable, he still felt this guy absolutely specialized in Dark-type.
He might as well have "villain" written on his face.
'Dark-type then… Let's send out Greninja first,' Li Xiang thought.
His opponent was a university team reserve, so all aspects should be on par. If he sent out a Pokémon with an annoying Ability and used Taunt, it'd be over.
Most of his Pokémon relied on status moves; if hit by Taunt, they'd have to switch out, so it was better to send out a Dark-type.
Due to the Prankster Ability, Pokémon with this Ability found that when using status moves that affect opponents, they were ineffective against Dark-type Pokémon.
Originally, this wasn't the case, but unfortunately, there was a notoriously infamous Pokémon called Thundurus.
From the fifth to sixth generation, Pokémon was also known as "Pokémon Thundurus" because the combination of Prankster + Thunder Wave + Swagger was utterly disgusting.
After entering the field, spamming Thunder Wave mindlessly was something almost no one could handle. It was the most game-breaking Pokémon of the entire sixth generation.
Due to its nefarious deeds, in the seventh generation, Prankster was nerfed, Thunder Wave's accuracy was nerfed, and paralysis's speed reduction effect was nerfed.
Swagger's accuracy was already less than 100% and got nerfed too.
These nerfs caused Thundurus's usage rate in seventh-generation doubles to plummet repeatedly.
A host of Pokémon with the Prankster Ability wailed in despair.
On the field, the referee announced the rules. Li Xiang and the delinquent each took out a PokéBall.
At the exact moment the whistle blew, they released them simultaneously!
"Toxic Spikes!"
"Smokescreen!"
Both Pokémon landed, and a cloud of gray smoke exploded outward, rapidly spreading in all directions.
In the distance, a purple light glowed faintly.
Several fist-sized objects flew up, broke through the smoke, and then landed on the ground, disappearing.
Although it was only for a brief moment, Li Xiang still clearly saw his opponent's appearance.
—A seventh-generation, Water/Poison-type Pokémon, Toxapex.
A Pokémon with extremely high physical and special defense, excellent type resistances, and if built for HP, became ridiculously tanky.
Common strategies included Baneful Bunker, Recover, Haze, Toxic, Scald, Stockpile, etc.
Its Regenerator Ability further enhanced its sustainability. It could also trap opponents with Infestation.
A typical singles match cancer Pokémon.
Fortunately, he had sent out Greninja.
Li Xiang breathed a sigh of relief. If he had sent out Corviknight, while it would resist poison, if it accidentally got hit by Scald and burned, that would be disastrous.
The current situation was advantageous for him. Before the opponent could spot Greninja and set up, it could break through with Extrasensory!
On the other side, the delinquent looked at the vision-obstructing smoke, knowing Greninja had taken the field.
He thought he had guessed correctly. With his getup, anyone would think he specialized in Dark-type.
There were no Fairy or Bug-types in Li Xiang's team, only two Dark-types. If he didn't send one out to counter Prankster, what else would he send?
The delinquent curled his lips, not disappointed by his inability to see Greninja.
"Light Screen!"
A pink light screen instantly unfolded in front of Toxapex.
Simultaneously, an invisible force slammed into Toxapex!
The light screen appeared, mitigating the invisible force. When the two collided, dazzling sparks flashed!
Toxapex cried out in pain!
"Such terrifying power. Good thing I got Light Screen up. So fast too. Sludge Wave!"
The delinquent, unhurried, quickly stepped backward while Toxapex oozed eye-stinging purple energy from its body, violently spraying it in all directions!
360° no blind spots!
It didn't even spare the trainer's direction!
Layer upon layer of purple-glowing sludge spread out, surrounding Toxapex like a massive venom swamp!
The delinquent stood over ten meters away, a malicious smile on his face.
"Baneful Bunker!"
He shouted softly. The moment his words fell, countless Greninja holding giant water shuriken appeared from the gray smoke, hurling them at Toxapex!
A purple light shone on Toxapex, and a spiky purple shield instantly expanded, blocking all the Water Shuriken.
Moreover…
"Surf!"
Torrential, wave-like water surged up beneath Toxapex, the currents carrying the poison on the ground, seemingly intent on sweeping it up and spreading it outward!
Determined to hit the invisible Greninja and poison it!
However, a belated giant water shuriken suddenly flew from the distance, striking Toxapex's body!
Boom!
Water exploded!
Toxapex cried out in pain, the wave's momentum weakening in the blink of an eye.
As if using the Flying Thunder God Technique, a black figure appeared where the water had exploded, hovering mid-air, holding aloft an enormous boulder!
The delinquent's pupils constricted violently!
'How is it hovering in mid-air?'
Baneful Bunker was too late!
"Recover!"
The moment he spoke, the boulder came crashing down on Toxapex!
'Eat my Rock Slide!'
Thud!
The close range Rock Slide hit Toxapex's head, exploding with a roar!
A teeth-grating dull impact!
In the spectator stands, Tenzoji and Fukoja saw this and immediately stood up, frowning deeply as they watched below.
"How is it hovering mid-air?"
"Extrasensory or Bounce. One of the two."
"A Pokémon can use two moves simultaneously?"
"Don't ask me; I don't know either."
How was it done? Using Rock Slide while hovering!
While they were utterly perplexed, on the field, Toxapex, covered in wounds, slowly used Recover to restore its nearly depleted HP.
The delinquent immediately recalled it. Recover was only to prevent Toxapex from fainting outright; he couldn't give the opponent a chance to pursue.
"So tanky. Three hits still didn't take it down. Full bulk Toxapex? Or did Recover give it a last-second boost? No flinch either."
Li Xiang frowned, feeling his luck had suddenly turned sour. Extrasensory and Light Screen were used simultaneously; not only was it not interrupted, but Rock Slide didn't cause a flinch either.
Now Toxapex was off the field, leaving both screens and Toxic Spikes behind, causing endless future troubles.
But since it was a slow Pokémon with basically no evasion, if no one set up Trick Room, it probably didn't matter.
As for how Greninja hovered, of course, "someone" was helping hold it up.
Camouflage could include others, so it could also choose not to. Fortunately, Extrasensory was an invisible attack.
Now, these people probably all thought Greninja could use two moves at once.
As Li Xiang pondered, his opponent sent out his second Pokémon.
A Pokémon with dark pink skin, purple head, arms, and tail, holding a spiky gray seashell, looking dopey and slow—a hippo-like Pokémon.
—An eighth-generation, Psychic/Poison-type new Pokémon, Galarian Slowbro.
'So you're a Poison-type specialist! Setting up Trick Room!? Then I'm wide awake!'
Li Xiang immediately recalled Greninja and sent out Corviknight.
"Trick Room!"
"Taunt!"
Both sides issued commands.
Corviknight flapped its wings, opened its beak, and began hurling insults at Galarian Slowbro.
A torrent of profanity sprayed forward, dark light flickering over its body.
Clearly, Taunt had succeeded.
Strangely, Galarian Slowbro seemed unaffected, its eyes glowing faintly, the shell cannon in its hand also beginning to shine.
A luminous, shimmering cube materialized before its chest, abruptly expanding outward from Galarian Slowbro!
'Quick Draw triggered!'
Li Xiang immediately assessed the situation on the field, but Trick Room has such a long wind-up. Taunt already succeeded; how did you block—
"Slow!"
Galarian Slowbro's expression suddenly turned furious, a dark light flashing over its body.
'Only now entering the Taunted state??'
'Slow Start Ability... no, forget that Galarian Slowbro doesn't have Slow Start; even Slow Start wouldn't prevent Taunt.'
This delayed reaction vibe…
Slow…?
Li Xiang's eyes widened.