"Go, Sylveon! Misty Terrain!"
"Camerupt, Fissure!"
Mist rose across the arena, but Camerupt slammed its feet onto the ground. The next second, the battlefield cracked under the heavy impact as it tried to swallow Sylveon whole. However, Sylveon nimbly dodged before the move could connect.
Immediately after, Baton Pass was used, and Annihilape replaced Sylveon on the field.
"Be careful, Camerupt. Stay ready to use Eruption."
The Hoenn League had studied Gu Yuan's Annihilape extensively and devised several countermeasures, primarily to prevent its Rage Fist from accumulating too much power.
Annihilape burst out of the pocket dimension. With the cover of the thick mist, Wendell and Camerupt failed to pinpoint its location instantly.
It swung its fist, and the power of Phantom Force slammed into Camerupt. The moment it felt the pain, the prepared Camerupt spun around and unleashed a massive wave of fire. Under the sweeping Eruption, Annihilape couldn't fully escape even with its quick reflexes.
The burning flames only served to make Annihilape more excited, and a twisted smile appeared on its face. It clenched its fists, constantly converting pain and anger into its own strength.
After such a long time of training, Annihilape had completely mastered Rage Fist, allowing it to exert the power of Expert Mastery. Stimulated by pain and fury, the power of Rage Fist increased far beyond the 50 points described in its basic effect.
Phantom Force, Rage Fist!
As Gu Yuan's voice echoed in Annihilape's mind, it vanished from the spot again.
"Camerupt, cover with Smog, prepare for Eruption!"
While called Smog, it was actually a barrier of blazing fire. As the searing flames formed a defense, Camerupt braced itself to use Eruption again.
The moment it emerged from the pocket dimension, Annihilape charged straight through the fiery defensive line. With the effect of Misty Terrain active, it didn't have to worry about falling into a burned status.
A punch like a lightning bolt struck true, imprinting itself on Camerupt's chest. After two attacks and Annihilape's own mastery of the move, the power of Rage Fist had surged to nearly two hundred.
The heavy blow caused intense pain to rapidly erode Camerupt's reason. Even though it managed to regain its focus quickly, Annihilape had already retreated, giving Camerupt no chance to retaliate.
Move fast and finish it in one go!
The command rang out, and Annihilape reappeared. Stepping onto the flickering flames, it seemed unable to feel pain. The power of Rage Fist surged once more.
This time, Camerupt reacted in time and turned back with a point-blank Eruption. However, before the flames could spread, they were extinguished by the impact of Rage Fist. The remaining force slammed into Camerupt again.
Specifically, because of Camerupt's counterattack, the power of Rage Fist increased even further. Annihilape lunged forward and delivered another heavy blow, sending Camerupt flying. Upon hitting the ground, Camerupt lost consciousness and was unable to battle.
Annihilape stared intently at Wendell, its grin widening as it looked forward to its next opponent. Little did it know that its eerie smile was putting immense pressure on Wendell.
"You did your best, Camerupt. I'll leave the rest to our other partners!"
With that, Wendell released Torkoal.
Compared to Camerupt, Torkoal's defense was significantly higher. It could withstand Annihilape's assault for a longer period, creating more opportunities for counterattacks, which meant a higher chance of taking Annihilape down with it.
"Torkoal, Iron Defense!"
The moment Torkoal appeared, Annihilape had already vanished into the pocket dimension. Iron Defense activated, further boosting Torkoal's defensive capabilities. Just as it finished the move, Annihilape appeared behind it and slammed a fist into its shell.
In that instant, Torkoal felt as though its internal organs had been struck by a sledgehammer. Using its incredible endurance, it turned back with an Inferno. Surprisingly, Annihilape didn't even try to dodge, letting the Inferno engulf it completely.
Clad in roaring flames, Annihilape swung its fist again. After several exchanges, it had boosted the power of Rage Fist to the limit, its potency nearing four hundred. With one punch, Torkoal coughed up blood.
"Hang in there, Torkoal! Use Inferno again!"
The mist had begun to dissipate. If the Inferno could hit Annihilape again, it might inflict a burn, greatly reducing Annihilape's threat. Unfortunately, Torkoal could not give Wendell the response he wanted.
A third punch landed, and Annihilape defeated Torkoal instantly! As the power of Rage Fist reached its peak, the aura radiating from Annihilape became increasingly terrifying.
Seeing this, Wendell was forced to release his final Pokémon, Blaziken.
"Blaziken, charge in with Flame Charge!"
Unlike the common Blaze ability, Wendell's Blaziken possessed the hidden ability Speed Boost. After using Flame Charge, its speed increased even further. Combined with Blaziken's naturally high speed, it was a nightmare for most Pokémon.
However, against an Annihilape that mastered Phantom Force, that speed didn't count for much. Before Blaziken could reach it, Annihilape used Phantom Force and vanished from the field once more.
"Focus Energy, prepare Fire Spin!" Wendell shouted.
At this point, Wendell had only one thought: he had to defeat this Annihilape no matter what. The most effective way was to burn it. Blaziken took a deep breath and concentrated. Before the flames could rise, Annihilape burst out from the pocket dimension.
Ignoring Annihilape's movements, Blaziken unleashed the Fire Spin anyway. But Wendell had forgotten that Annihilape mastered more than just Rage Fist.
Clear the way with Shadow Ball, then end it with a Rage Fist combo!
A ball of purple-black energy shot out, blasting a hole straight through the Fire Spin. Annihilape dashed through the gap and slammed its fist into Blaziken's chest.
The horrifying power sent Blaziken crashing out of its own Fire Spin. The intense pain racking its body made it difficult for Blaziken to even stand. But Annihilape was already there, its Rage Fist falling once more.
Blaziken desperately tried to muster its strength, but it couldn't even produce a spark of flame, let alone stand up to fight back. Finally, a red beam of light shot out, recalling Blaziken to prevent further injury.
Looking at Annihilape standing victoriously on the field, the surrounding audience felt as if a dark shadow had cast over them, creating an exceptionally oppressive atmosphere.