The result of the increased distance between the two sides was more opportunities to use stat-boosting status moves at the start of the match.
Even though these boosts no longer functioned as simple percentage increases as they did in games, stacking them multiple times still provided a terrifying physical enhancement that could easily determine the outcome of a battle.
Consequently, neither Kashiwagi nor the giant dared to let the other continue buffing indefinitely. After completing their fundamental setups, they both charged toward the center, eager to seize the initiative.
In just a few breaths, the distance between them closed dramatically!
"Fairy Wind!"
"Mach Punch!"
The commands were issued simultaneously.
Having been suppressed for too long, the Hitmonchan was the first to strike. Brimming with energy, it was certain it could land the finest punch it had thrown all week.
Faster than the eye could follow, it closed in on Mawile with a sliding step, a technique so swift it seemed to shrink the very earth beneath its feet.
Whoosh!
The sound of displaced air erupted!
It was the whistle of Hitmonchan's fist cutting through the wind. Its right fist twisted like a drill, enveloped in the brilliant white halo of Mach Punch. It looked like a flashbang on the verge of detonating—giving off the feeling that even if one managed to dodge the direct hit, the shockwave alone would leave them paralyzed.
The combination of the Iron Fist ability and Bulk Up had elevated this Mach Punch to a terrifying level!
But Mawile was no stationary target. Before the opponent could connect, it swung the massive horns behind its head, spinning its entire body like a top. A gale infused with pale pink light particles transformed into a violent tornado, clashing head-on with the Mach Punch!
The turbulent elemental energies collided, collapsing inward for a split second before exploding outward!
Boom!
A brilliant flash of fire mixed with thick smoke instantly swallowed both combatants.
However, a moment later, Hitmonchan and Mawile retreated from the cloud in opposite directions, panting slightly as they waited for the smoke to clear. At this stage, neither side felt it was wise to charge blindly into the haze and risk an ambush.
They both chose to hold their ground.
An ordinary gamer could never imagine a physical attacker like Mawile using the special-category Fairy Wind to neutralize a Mach Punch boosted by both Iron Fist and Bulk Up. Yet, this exact spectacle was playing out vividly in the Pyrite Colosseum.
"What a pity! I really thought that punch would take Mawile down! I didn't expect its Fairy Wind to be so powerful!" the announcer lamented before turning to the guest. "Mr. Shiratori, what do you think?"
"I agree. If that Mach Punch had landed, Mawile would definitely be finished," Shiratori stated calmly. "But you're wrong about one thing: Mawile's Fairy Wind isn't actually 'powerful.' It was able to cancel the Mach Punch partly because Mach Punch's base power isn't high, but mostly because of the torque generated by the wind."
"Torque?"
"Yes. Hitmonchan's punches are famous for their spiraling, drill-like force. Mawile's Fairy Wind happened to be rotating in the opposite direction, which, to some extent, unraveled the momentum of the punch."
"Wow, hearing you explain it like that makes Kashiwagi's counter-strategy seem truly breathtaking."
"It's alright. That's just a basic maneuver; I could do better. Besides, the match has only just begun. Let's wait and see." Shiratori looked as though he still had absolute confidence in the giant.
On the field.
The dust slowly settled. The two Pokémon locked eyes with their enemies, confirmed there were no immediate follow-up moves, and launched another offensive.
"Close Combat!"
"Sucker Punch!"
The moment the trainers barked their orders, the Pokémon moved as if in perfect sync with their thoughts.
Hitmonchan performed its customary sliding step. As a Pokémon said to possess the soul of a professional boxer, it remembered its footwork and fighting stance at every moment, even in a crisis like this.
In contrast, Mawile—who had only just begun to learn about boxing through Kashiwagi's sparring—couldn't yet perform those techniques with such fluidity.
However, simply understanding the principles of boxing was already paying dividends in its fight against Hitmonchan. What surprised Mawile even more was that Hitmonchan's every move was exactly as Kashiwagi had described it during their training yesterday.
It realized that even if its raw reaction speed was slightly inferior to Hitmonchan's, it could compensate by using the insights Kashiwagi had provided.
Smart trainer, clever me!
Mawile was delighted. The massive jaws on the back of its head whipped around to the front like a living creature. Radiating a dark red light, the jaws snapped shut with incredible precision, striking a fraction of a second before Hitmonchan's right hook could land!
Hitmonchan, fully committed to the punch, couldn't dodge. Its entire right fist was swallowed by the massive maw.
Thud!
A muffled explosion of sound followed as brownish-red and dark red energies clashed. Mawile's brow furrowed from the impact, but it didn't let go. It was not in its nature to release a prey it had already bitten. Instead, it clamped down even harder.
The sharp teeth of the great jaws sank deep into Hitmonchan's bulging muscles. The intense pain caused the latter's face to contort. As Hitmonchan prepared to follow up with a left hook to Mawile's face, a sudden, monstrous force flipped its body over!
Mawile had lifted Hitmonchan completely over its head, holding it suspended by nothing but its arm!
The giant and Hitmonchan both knew they were in trouble and tried to counter. However, a boxer's power comes from the ground; suspended in mid-air, Hitmonchan was like a rootless weed. Even if it threw a Mach Punch, it would lack the leverage to generate real power.
What's more, Mawile didn't give it the chance. It began to spin at high speed with itself as the axis!
"Fairy Wind!"
A gale filled with pink particles surged upward. Hitmonchan felt as if it were being sliced repeatedly by invisible blades, suffering the full brunt of the swirling storm. When the wind finally dissipated, Mawile hurled it violently into the ground.
"mon!" Hitmonchan groaned, its face twisted in agony.
"Hang in there! Get up!" the giant screamed.
But Hitmonchan's attempt to rise was a mere struggle. Its right arm hung limp and twitching, making it clear it was only one step away from fainting.
"Hitmonchan is in deep trouble—oh! Candidate *** has opted for a switch! Hitmonchan is successfully recalled!" the announcer shouted excitedly. "Let's see his next Pokémon!"
On the field, Mawile watched with regret as Hitmonchan was pulled back by the red light. If it had been just a second faster, it could have secured the knockout, but its speed was still its weak point.
"Maw-ile!" It floated back to Kashiwagi.
"Is your jaw alright?" Kashiwagi asked softly. Using the great jaws for a Sucker Punch to intercept a Close Combat was essentially trading injury for injury. Unless the opponent was truly formidable, he didn't like this tactic—the risk was too high.
"Maw-ile~" Mawile nodded then shook its head, indicating it was painful but manageable.
"Go ahead and take a break." After thinking for a few seconds, Kashiwagi decided to swap Mawile out.
As the exchange happened, the opponent's second Pokémon appeared.
It was a brownish-tan creature with no distinct head, its black eyes situated on its chest, and arms and legs with spring-like joints.
Hitmonlee, the Kicking Pokémon.
It was a relative of the previous Hitmonchan, but while the latter specialized in punches, Hitmonlee's power lay in its incredibly flexible, telescopic legs.
"So it's the Tyrogue family after all..." Kashiwagi took a deep breath. His chosen Pokémon hit the ground simultaneously.
"Luck~" Chansey let out a very lucky cry.