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"Ludicolo, use Giga Drain on the surroundings! Swampert must be in that pit!"
When Ludicolo suddenly plunged into the massive sinkhole beneath it, Tobias was startled at first — then elated. He immediately shouted the command.
Shaking off his initial panic, Ludicolo reacted quickly and obeyed.
In an instant, countless emerald-green energy streams burst from its body, lashing out wildly at the pit's interior.
But… something was wrong. Even though Ludicolo had fallen to the very bottom, none of its attacks struck Swampert.
"Ludicolo, hurry! Use Waterfall and climb out!"
The very next moment, Tobias's voice rang again, this time tinged with panic. He had just seen Swampert emerge calmly from the ground outside the pit — not inside it. His misjudgment had placed Ludicolo in mortal danger.
Ludicolo felt the same dread gnawing at it. It seized on the rushing muddy water pouring into the pit's edge and tried to ride it upward with Waterfall.
"Don't let it escape! Swampert, Ice Beam — freeze it solid!"
Sato shook his head softly at Tobias's desperation, then gave his order.
Swampert, already poised for the moment, snapped its jaws open and fired a freezing blue beam straight into the pit.
The mud-slick Ludicolo was instantly encased in thick layers of ice, fusing with the pit's murky water into one massive frozen block.
"Incredible! So Swampert's digging wasn't running away from Ludicolo's attacks at all. Its true purpose was to set a perfect trap!"
"Ludicolo had no way out — Swampert's Ice Beam froze it completely!"
"Kira's clever tactics have turned the tables! Diaz's Ludicolo, the trump card against Swampert, has been immobilized. What can he possibly do now?"
The commentator's voice rang with excitement.
Clap clap clap clap~~~
The audience erupted into applause, many realizing only now how deliberate Swampert's actions had been. To them, this level of strategy and flawless teamwork showed just how deeply Sato and his partner understood one another.
"Mr. Kira Hayashi really has it figured out," said Whitney, her eyes sparkling as she turned to Daisy. "If Ludicolo, the one Pokémon best suited to counter Swampert, goes down like this… Diaz is in trouble. Regirock and Moltres won't stand a chance in this weather!"
Daisy nodded, joy flashing across her face too, though it quickly dimmed with caution. "Yes… but don't relax yet. That man's origins are unclear. He may have more than three Legendary Pokémon."
Hearing this, Solidad — who had been listening beside them — also grew more sober, keeping her attention firmly on the battle.
Tobias's face, however, was black as charcoal. He had no means of freeing Ludicolo from the ice.
"Come on! Break free, Ludicolo!" he roared desperately, clinging to hope. He couldn't even recall Ludicolo into its PokéBall; his partner had to escape on its own.
But Ludicolo lacked the raw strength of something like Shiny Kingdra. No matter how it struggled, the thick frozen shell didn't budge. Swampert simply dug it out of the pit with ease.
"Help him break free, Swampert. Icy Hammer!"(Note: Ice Punch + Hammer Arm)
Once Swampert positioned the frozen Ludicolo in front of it, Sato gave the command.
Swampert's fist glowed, swirling with condensed Ice-type and Fighting-type energy, before slamming into the block.
Whoosh—!!
BOOM!!
The blow shattered the ice — and sent Ludicolo hurtling like a ragdoll, smashing into the arena wall with bone-jarring force.
"Another one! What terrifying power — Swampert has blasted yet another of Diaz's Pokémon into the arena wall!"
Hearing the sound of Ludicolo making intimate contact with the wall, the commentator's face twitched slightly. He wiped the sweat beading on his forehead with a hand towel while loudly addressing the audience.
"Ludicolo is unable to battle. The winner is Swampert!"
About ten seconds later, the referee, who had once again jogged outside the battlefield, confirmed Ludicolo's condition, raised his small flag, and loudly announced the result of this match.
The name "Swampert!" thundered through the stadium once more as the crowd erupted in cheers.
Tobias felt his heart sink to the bottom. Two of his key Pokémon — gone. Meanwhile, only Swampert showed signs of fatigue; Sato's entire team was otherwise intact.
Though filled with immense unwillingness, he could only pick up his PokéBall and recall the fainted Ludicolo.
"Damn it… I underestimated him. He's not like the pseudo Elite-Four level trainers I've fought before. This is the true strength of one of those so-called 'monsters' who returned from that cursed island according to the info..."
Grinding his teeth, Tobias clenched his fists, then drew a deep breath to steady himself. His eyes shifted to the waterlogged battlefield, murky and tainted with mud. He already knew his next move.
"It's up to you, Suicune. Purify this battlefield!"
He hurled the PokéBall. With a flash, a majestic figure landed upon the water's surface — the incarnation of the North Wind, Suicune.
For Suicune, the water's surface was like solid ground. It stood firmly on the water surface, which had now completely become a water field.
Simultaneously, when Suicune landed on the water, a light blue ripple spread outwards. Immediately after, the water areas the ripple passed through became clear and pure.