Nessa's Drednaw wasn't supposed to be this strong. Its strength was always mediocre… Was this the difference in command? How could she have become so powerful in just a few months?
Lina panted heavily, staring past the fierce looking Drednaw to meet Nessa's calm eyes. What had she gone through during that time? What had changed?
Nessa...
Her vision blurred for a moment. The Drednaw's outline flickered, and she suddenly imagined Nessa charging forward again like the last time, fists raised, challenging her to a battle without Pokémon.
"Challenger Lina, please send out your next Pokémon!" Ryan's impatient voice called out over the speakers.
Lina might have been lost in thought, but he and the other staff had no time for it. The battle should have been over by now—why was she hesitating?
They'd seen plenty of ridiculous battles these days, so nothing really shocked them anymore. But still, she needed to keep the match moving.
Come on, just send out the Pokémon already!
Ryan's nerves were fraying. If this dragged on, it wouldn't just cut into his mealtime—the audience was getting restless too, and the broadcast team would have to stretch for drama again.
He shouted louder, "Challenger Lina, please release your next Pokémon immediately!"
At last, she came back to her senses. Wiping the sweat from her face, she took a deep breath and steadied herself.
Then she pulled out a Poké Ball and tossed it forward. "Come out!"
A flash of red light burst open, and from it emerged a blue bird with short wings. Its dull eyes scanned the battlefield for a heartbeat before they locked onto Drednaw. Instinct took over. Without waiting for a command, it opened its beak and fired.
What it launched was a Gym-level Barraskewda.
The air before it swelled from the sudden burst of power, blasting a shockwave across the field.
Drednaw's eyes went wide, even Nessa's skin prickled at the raw energy.
That move wasn't ordinary—it was a missile made from a Barraskewda at Gym-level strength. The attack could easily one-shot most Gym-level Pokémon.
Thankfully, Nessa had anticipated it already. The instant Cramorant appeared, she commanded, "Use Protect!"
A shimmering green barrier formed around Drednaw just as the living missile slammed into it.
Boom!
The blast shook the area. Smoke and dust billowed high, chunks of dirt flying as cameras went blind under the haze.
Ryan continued his commentary, "That attack was Cramorant's ability, Gulp Missile! It spits out whatever Pokémon it failed to swallow, and the impact is incredibly strong! This hit could have instantly taken down most Gym-level Pokémon, but roadblocker Nessa predicted it and had Drednaw use Protect just in time!"
As his words faded, a sharp cracking sound echoed from within the smoke.
Crack!
Lina's eyes lit up at the sound, but dimmed again as the dust thinned, revealing the green barrier once more. A thin web of fractures spread across its center.
Barraskewda's strike had cracked it, but not broken through completely.
The fish now flopped helplessly on the ground, its body drying rapidly in the air, writhing from the discomfort.
Lina clenched her jaw and said quietly, "Come back, Barraskewda."
A red beam drew it back into its Poké Ball, leaving the dazed Cramorant looking around blankly, as if it had already forgotten why it was there.
Nessa's expression didn't change. As soon as the green shield faded, she gave her next order without hesitation. "Rock Tomb."
A perfect counter. Cramorant was a dual Flying and Water-type Pokémon, naturally weak to Rock-type moves. Its short wings made it a slow flyer, making it difficult to evade Rock Tomb. Of course, that also had something to do with its goofy, absent-minded nature.
Stones burst from the ground and hovered ominously above Cramorant's head.
Lina froze at the sight, momentarily stunned. She wanted to call for her Pokémon to dodge but the words never left her mouth.
A thunderous crash followed.
Crash!
The rocks slammed down, burying Cramorant in the broken soil.
"Brilliant!" Ryan yelled, voice full of excitement. "Roadblocker Nessa's timing was absolutely perfect—completely ruthless! It's like watching a battle machine in motion! Every move she makes is aimed at victory! It looks like Cramorant… can no longer fight! Will challenger Lina be switching Pokémon?"
Lina's lips trembled. "I... I..."
She had lost.
That loss meant she was out of the Gym Challenge and the Championship Cup. Even after using her father's carefully prepared Gym-level Barraskewda and her own Cramorant, she still couldn't defeat Nessa.
Fear flickered across her face. She glanced toward the camera, then at Ryan, unable to speak.
Her father had made a deal with the company, but that plan had already failed. Now, with her second defeat, she knew what would happen. Once the Champion Cup ended, she would lose Hulbury.
She couldn't understand how Nessa's battle style had changed so drastically, or how she had reacted so perfectly to Gulp Missile.
When she released Cramorant, it had immediately fired a missile from its beak. Who could possibly identify that Pokémon, anticipate its projectile, and react in the same instant?
And yet Nessa had.
She'd used Protect at the perfect moment, and blocked the attack completely.
Lina couldn't comprehend it.
Seeing her frozen in place, Ryan urged again, "Challenger Lina? Please release your next Pokémon!"
"I..." She lifted her head blankly and finally whispered, "I surrender."
"Excellent!" Ryan exclaimed with a wide grin, raising his microphone. "Challenger Lina has surrendered! This roadblock challenge is over! The winner is Hulbury's very own Nessa! She will continue her journey, challenging Gyms and advancing to the Champion Cup!"
At his cue, several cameras rushed toward Nessa. She calmly recalled her Pokémon and answered the reporters' rapid-fire questions with practiced ease.
In the audience, Leon crossed his arms, humming thoughtfully as he shook his head.
He knew Sonia had helped Nessa by giving her information about her opponent, but the match had still been fair. After all, Lina had tried to use a Cramorant carrying her father's Barraskewda—a clearly underhanded tactic.
Just knowing the opponent's data wasn't enough to decide victory. Nessa had won the battle because of her own tactical skill and command ability.
Still...
Leon thought back to a few of her earlier feints during the match and perfectly timed reads. They felt oddly familiar, like he'd seen that exact battle style somewhere before.
Beside him, Raihan had already sidled up to Shiro, slinging an arm over his shoulder with a knowing smile.
"Impressive, huh… Shiro? So, when are you planning to leave Galar?"
Shiro said nothing. He simply stepped aside a bit, slipping out from Raihan's grasp.
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