BOOOM!
A Focus Blast curved around Zap Cannon and struck Magnezone directly, denting its metal body.
"Magnezone, Gyro Ball, go!" Volkner's tone was calm, but his eyes were difficult to read. Although Magnezone had just been hit, he instantly seized the opportunity to interrupt the opponent's momentum.
As soon as he spoke, Magnezone began spinning rapidly. Silver light encircled its body as it changed flight trajectory and closed in fast on Zoroark.
The effects of Gyro Ball temporarily boosted Magnezone's speed and evasiveness, rendering Focus Blast ineffective.
As Magnezone approached, Zoroark stopped moving, eyes locked tightly onto its opponent, searching for an opening.
Sato didn't issue any commands. In situations like this, Sucker Punch was the best counter, something he had taught Zoroark well in advance.
He trusted Zoroark and chose not to interfere, simply waiting for Zoroark to seize the perfect moment to strike.
Though these thoughts might seem lengthy, they flashed through Sato's mind in an instant.
Magnezone now reached Zoroark's side, its spiraling, saw-like attack slicing toward Zoroark's abdomen from a sharp upward angle!
"Zoro!"
Zoroark had already finished charging its legs. With a side leap, it dodged Magnezone's frontal assault. Its long red mane whipped behind it, and the dark-glowing gem at its tip slammed into Magnezone's lightly armored underbelly.
Both attacks aimed for the abdomen, both from tricky angles; but the gap in agility allowed Zoroark to gain the upper hand…
Sucker Punch landed!
"Magnezone… Explosion."
Volkner's voice remained calm, but it sent a chill down Sato's spine. He reflexively shouted "Protect!"
…But the battlefield was already engulfed in white light.
Four explosions in one match, each one more terrifying than the last.
Sato squinted toward the still-calm Volkner, inwardly shocked. Seeing Magnezone's chances of winning dwindling, he had immediately chosen mutual destruction.
'This guy's ruthless…' Sato frowned in concern. He didn't even know if Zoroark had managed to activate Protect. Without it, there was no way it could still fight after such an Explosion.
Gradually, the white light faded, and the thick smoke settled. Magnezone lay broken on the ground like a hunk of scrap metal.
Zoroark wasn't doing much better. The side of its body that faced the Explosion was scorched and curled, its fur disheveled like a stray dog.
Luckily, Protect had been activated just in time. Zoroark didn't take the full brunt of the Explosion, but even so, it had little stamina left.
And while Magnezone had lost the ability to battle, it might recover faster than Zoroark; after all, it was literally named Magnezone. It was probably good at exploding.
"Zoroark, return."
"Zo…"
Zoroark gave Volkner a long look, then obediently returned to its Poké Ball.
Volkner had already drawn his third Poké Ball and, for once, actually spoke. "The first two were Gym-level. This time, I'm sending in one of my main forces…
Luxray, give it everything you've got!"
Sato suddenly noticed that once Volkner sent out Luxray, his entire demeanor changed. A blazing battle spirit erupted from his eyes, as if to say: the real fight was only just beginning.
And Luxray had clearly reached Low Pseudo-Elite Four level…
This was Volkner's "true" current strength. As the close friend (bro?) of Elite Four "reserve" Flint and Sinnoh's future strongest Gym Leader, there was no way he'd still be stuck at the Elite level.
However, the moment Luxray stepped onto the battlefield, a flash of toxic light surged from below and wrapped around it, inflicting poison.
The Toxic Spikes laid earlier had finally triggered… for the first and last time.
Sato grew excited as well. It was only his first day in Sinnoh, and he had already encountered such a worthy opponent as Volkner.
This made him all the more excited for the rest of his journey!
"Ariados, your turn!"
Sato didn't send out a third Pokémon. Instead, he had Ariados -who had already appeared once- return to the stage.
Then, he saw Volkner frown deeply, eyes filled with anger as he looked at him.
An Elite-level Pokémon versus a Pseudo-Elite Four?
"Are you underestimating me?"
"Of course not. My Ariados is no weakling," Sato replied with a smile, adding silently in his mind, 'It's right on the verge of level up¹.'
Volkner let out a cold snort, his anger undiminished. Using a Peak Elite Ariados to challenge his Low Pseudo-Elite Four Luxray… anyone with half a brain could guess what Sato was trying to do.
'Using my Luxray as… ? Sato, aren't you getting a little too cocky?' "Heh! Luxray, Wild Charge!"
"Ariados, Sticky Web."
"Ignore it, charge straight in!"
Luxray's posture was overwhelmingly aggressive, showcasing its Pseudo-Elite Four physique to the fullest.
Sticky Web shot out continuously, but Luxray easily tore through it every time.
Against Raichu, it had been highly effective, but in front of Luxray, it seemed as fragile as tissue paper.
Sato had known there was a big gap between Elite and Pseudo-Elite Four, but Luxray's performance still filled him with apprehension.
Bang!
Ariados was knocked flying, sent soaring through the air. Luxray, not hesitating in the slightest, was ready to pursue, but Ariados used its silk to pull itself back to the ground.
At that moment, a flash of poison lit up on Luxray's body. It frowned and shook its head but kept its eyes locked on Ariados.
High-level Pokémon naturally resisted some effects of lower-level toxins. Trying to win by stalling wasn't very likely.
Still, while Luxray was stabilizing itself, Ariados quietly regrouped. In the end, it hadn't been taken out in a single combo.
"Keep using Wild Charge! Take it out as fast as possible!"
"Sticky Web, try to dodge."
In terms of attack power, Ariados definitely couldn't match Luxray. Even with the Sniper ability, Sato didn't dare gamble on critical hits… he wasn't Mark.
The best tactic now was to stall with Sticky Web, slow down the opponent, and let the poison gradually eat away at Luxray's stamina. Small damage adds up, never underestimate it.
Then, everyone watching witnessed a truly inspiring yet brutal scene.
Volkner's Luxray relentlessly hammered Ariados, overpowering it; but every time it looked like the end, either the poison flared up, or Ariados blocked with Protect, Substitute, or simply dodged altogether.
Panting and on the brink of collapse, Ariados always looked like it was about to fall… only to endure again and again through Luxray's relentless assault.
Meanwhile, Volkner's face turned redder and redder. He was beyond furious… (▼ヘ▼#)
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¹. Level Up, Breakthrough or Advance?