"Heh. Those two moves are coming in a half-pincer formation. If you try to have your Pokémon dodge with Teleport, the Trainers behind them are going to get hit instead~"
Archer showed a vicious grin as he "helpfully" explained it to Grey and Sabrina on the spot.
So they wouldn't end up suffering themselves after ordering Teleport.
He was gambling—gambling that once they heard that, Grey and Sabrina wouldn't dare use those two moves!
And yet…
"Teleport."
Grey and Sabrina gave the order at the exact same time.
Just as Dark Pulse and Icicle Crash were about to hit Gallade and Alakazam, space around them twisted—then each of them blinked behind Houndoom and Weavile.
With the two Pokémon vanishing, Icicle Crash missed first.
Ice shards exploded outward, only to be smashed into powder by the incoming Dark Pulse.
Dark Pulse went wild like a horse breaking its reins, splitting into two beams midair and shooting straight toward Grey and Sabrina!
"You're way too confident in yourselves!"
Archer looked like he could already see Grey and Sabrina getting swallowed by Dark Pulse, the mockery in his eyes completely undisguised as he lifted a hand to keep issuing commands—
But what happened next shattered his worldview.
Grey and Sabrina raised their left and right hands in perfect sync.
Aura power and psychic power flashed in succession, forming an energy barrier in front of them.
BOOM!!!
Dark Pulse slammed into the shield—and failed to leave even the tiniest mark.
"?"
Archer knew Grey and Sabrina were "special," and he knew they were stronger than normal people.
But nobody told him these two could block an Elite Four–level Pokémon's attack!
Grey's aura, fine—at least that was sort of Fighting-type-adjacent.
But Sabrina—what is your deal?!
A psychic barrier blocking a Dark-type Dark Pulse?!
If the Boss saw this, wouldn't he think I'm throwing the match?!
[So… what were those people in the financial district thinking? Someone this strong came out to eat, and they're even nice about it, and the first reaction is to run away?]
[Honestly, if I had that kind of strength, Saffron City would be mine by the next day.]
[Pokémon League: lol]
[Real talk, doesn't that mean Sabrina can be an Elite Four member? Not Pokémon battles—I mean Sabrina herself stepping onto the field.]
[Is nobody going to talk about Grey? He's just as ridiculous as Sabrina!]
The two of them—and the result—sent the chat's emotions on a roller coaster.
Seeing this, viewers seriously felt like the League should add two more Elite Four seats just for Grey and Sabrina.
Human Elite Four!
At this point they could wrestle Pokémon in a fistfight, couldn't they?
Why even battle with Pokémon? Just go up there yourselves!
"Damn it… these two really are monsters. No wonder they're glued together all the time—opposites attract, I guess…"
Archer clenched his fist. The instant he saw Gallade and Alakazam appear behind his Pokémon, he barked out commands on the spot:
"Flamethrower! Night Slash!"
"Awooo!"
Houndoom opened its jaws wide. A glow gathered in its throat.
It whipped its head toward Gallade, and a roaring pillar of fire erupted—flames scorching the air, heatwaves drawing a few beads of sweat from Gallade.
Grey didn't even need to direct it. Gallade already knew what to use.
Its arm snapped downward—violent water surged from the edge of its elbow!
Clang!
A long blade made entirely of high-pressure water formed in an instant!
With a clean, decisive slash, Houndoom's Flamethrower was split straight down the middle!
"Woof?!"
Houndoom stumbled back half a step and turned to flee—
But the leftover force of the cleaved water didn't fade. It stretched into a flowing whip and lashed after it!
Smack! Smack!
Houndoom's hind legs were struck, its escape speed slowing bit by bit.
Legs were everything for canine Pokémon. With its mobility compromised, Houndoom wouldn't be able to burst to full speed for a while.
As the Aqua Cutter dispersed, Weavile seized the opening, its claws coated in Dark-type energy as it swung in from a vicious angle!
"Tri Attack."
Alakazam's eyes flared.
Its two spoons gleamed—one with an icy blue halo, the other with a blazing red glow.
And at the center of its forehead, golden lightning snapped open like a third eye!
Whoosh!!!
Ice, fire, and electricity shot out in a triangular formation. Before Weavile's Night Slash could land on Gallade, Tri Attack had already reached its face!
"Wea!"
Weavile was forced to switch targets mid-strike, its black hooked claws slashing desperately at the incoming Tri Attack!
Boom!
At the moment of impact, the shockwave from four mixed attributes exploded outward in a ring, blasting Weavile flying.
It spun three full times in midair before barely catching itself with its claws, carving several deep trenches into the ground!
And right after Weavile stabilized—
Gallade's second wave of offense arrived like a guillotine!
"Sacred Sword!"
"Gallade!"
Fighting-type energy wrapped around Gallade's arm. Its elbow blade extended into a sword-like shape, forming twin energy blades that made Weavile's sense of danger scream.
If that hit landed cleanly, seven days from now they'd be offering incense at its memorial.
"Weavile, use Icicle Crash to stop it! Houndoom—Snarl!"
Archer reacted in time, yanking Weavile out of its panic.
"Weav!"
Weavile smashed both claws into the ground. In an instant, countless sharp ice pillars erupted, trapping Gallade in a freezing cage!
Gallade swung its Sacred Sword, cleaving the ice spikes in front of it cleanly in half.
"Awooo!"
Houndoom's attack followed—dark soundwave shock blasts tore through Gallade's body, leaving it briefly dazed.
But just as the hit was about to reach Alakazam, it used Teleport again like it was routine, slipping away.
When Alakazam reappeared, it was already high above Houndoom's head.
Its two spoons crossed like an X, while an orange-yellow sphere of energy spun violently in front of its chest—
A Fighting-type Focus Blast!
"Awooo!" (This is bad! That move's power is terrifying!)
Houndoom snapped its head up. From that swelling Fighting-type energy ball, it could smell danger.
If it took that head-on, even if it didn't drop immediately, it wouldn't be far off!
So should it just run?
Or should it go down in a "respectable" way?
Two choices flashed through Houndoom's mind.
But neither felt like a good option.
"Damn it… Psychic-types are such a nightmare…"
Archer cursed under his breath. With no better choice, he had Houndoom try to cancel it with a move instead.
"Inferno!"
Inferno's official base power was 100.
With STAB on top of that, there might be a chance to offset Focus Blast—or even break through it!
"You're dreaming," Grey said lightly. "Gallade—Aqua Cutter!"
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