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The slender body traced a beautiful arc in the air.
Immediately after, Salazzle landed on the field with a thump, kicking up a small cloud of dust.
"Not bad power," Li Xiang whistled, watching his opponent hurriedly chase after it.
The reason he didn't use the more powerful Zen Headbutt was the concern that getting too close might allow Salazzle to hit him with a Foul Play.
In that case, even if the opponent fainted, Metagross wouldn't come out unscathed.
After all, Foul Play uses the target's Attack stat, and Metagross's output after a Hone Claws boost was nothing to scoff at.
Just look at the earlier Protect— it shattered the shield outright.
As for why Psychic locked onto Salazzle so quickly, it was mainly related to the accuracy boost from Hone Claws.
Salazzle had its speed raised and then lowered, and finally stood there spamming Taunt. Metagross was very angry.
When it got angry, its focus intensified, and it instantly locked onto the stationary Salazzle.
Simple logic.
The iron blockhead wasn't the same hothead who would lose its reason anymore. It could get angry and keep its train of thought clear.
"Full throttle! Final blow. It doesn't have a chance for Foul Play now."
"Meta!"
Metagross responded excitedly, its thick claws combining as a golden sheen lit up at their tips.
Finisher! Full Throttle!
'The magnetic train is departing!!'
BOOM—!
With the roar of a train tearing through the air, Metagross transformed into a golden locomotive, crashing headlong into the staggering Salazzle!
The opponent, who had just reached Salazzle's side, sensed the powerful gust from behind and his heart trembled!
"Will-O-Wisp!"
Knowing full well Salazzle couldn't withstand it, he decisively chose to squeeze the last bit of value out of it.
No time to hesitate.
Hearing this, Salazzle adopted a resolute expression.
Then, it had just opened its mouth when the golden train-like Metagross slammed into it with a BOOM, sending it flying directly into the wire mesh fence at the edge!
THUD!
The fence shook violently, scaring the spectators behind it out of their wits as they hastily scrambled away.
Thankfully, it didn't shatter like yesterday.
According to the school administration's post-match investigation, the previous penetration might have been due to the fence's age and lack of maintenance.
They spent the entire night checking the fence's strength.
But even so, it bulged out significantly from Metagross's impact, like a net bag holding Metagross and the already unconscious Salazzle.
"Meta."
Metagross slowly extracted itself from the distorted wire mesh, thin wisps of white smoke rising from its body as it landed on the ground.
High-speed travel wasn't without cost.
Firstly, it couldn't turn easily; moving straight forward and back made it easy to dodge. Secondly, it was hard to stop or change moves.
If the opponent was prepared, there was no turning back. Therefore, Li Xiang generally didn't use it unless the situation was absolutely favorable.
The opponent rushed over, glanced at Salazzle embedded in the fence, then looked at Metagross, which was gleaming and spotless.
He couldn't help but frown.
'Did Will-O-Wisp not go off?'
'No way! Is luck not on my side? Such a perfect chance for Will-O-Wisp! Did it lose consciousness the moment it was hit?'
'This is…'
His brow furrowed deeply, and he sighed.
Metagross's unscathed state was an undeniable fact. He couldn't waste any more time; Sunny Day wasn't limitless.
The opponent glanced at the sky; the gathered sunlight was gradually diminishing, a sign that Sunny Day was about to end.
There's still a chance!
He quickly recalled the fainted Salazzle into its ball and, from a spot farther away from Metagross, released a lizard-like Pokémon with bright yellow electricity atop its head and a body of purple and yellow.
—The eighth generation, Electric/Poison-type Pokémon, the Amped Form Toxtricity.
If he remembered correctly, its ability was Punk Rock.
'Meant to deal with Corviknight? Bet you didn't expect me to send out Metagross!'
Li Xiang glanced at the slightly panting iron blockhead. Although it hadn't taken much damage overall, it had used Psychic quite a bit.
Using that move too much tired Metagross out; it was a mental fatigue. However, it could still hold on for now. This was far from over.
"Bulldoze!"
Metagross lifted one leg and slammed it down!
BOOM!
A yellowish-brown shockwave shot towards Toxtricity in a fan shape!
This guy was quadruple weak to Ground, had frail defenses itself, and couldn't use Magnet Rise. If this hit, it might be game over.
However, since the opponent dared to send out Toxtricity, it meant it wasn't as simple as it seemed.
Just as Bulldoze was unleashed, the opponent sharply shouted, "Shift Gear!"
Electricity crackled across Toxtricity's chest, like a sports car shifting from first to fifth gear in an instant. Its body shifted, trailing countless electric currents, and it instantly moved out of Metagross's attack range!
"Oh?"
Li Xiang was slightly surprised, blinking as he recalled the scene that looked straight out of a Flash comic.
'Toxtricity could be this fast? Just from one Shift Gear?'
'Full speed investment?'
Metagross was also startled. While Bulldoze didn't cover all directions, it wasn't that easy to dodge either.
That speed just now surpassed even its own.
"Fire Punch!"
"Psychic Shield!"
Li Xiang's command came from behind. Metagross instinctively activated its Psychic Shield. In the next instant, its vision blurred as a burst of flame exploded in front of it!
After the explosion, Toxtricity pulled back, disappearing from directly ahead without a trace of hesitation.
'So fast!'
Metagross realized that with its current dynamic vision, it couldn't track this guy for the moment!?
"Meta!"
"Don't panic! Fly up!"
Li Xiang's voice reached Metagross's ears. The latter immediately retracted its four arms and flew into the sky!
The moment it took off, a burst of flame exploded right below it!
'Dodged it just in time!'
"Tch!" The opponent clicked his tongue in displeasure. He had wasted two more good opportunities to take down Metagross.
If Metagross took to the air, things would become much more troublesome, but it was still fightable.
"Overdrive!"
Looking at Metagross in the sky, Toxtricity spread its arms. The purple pick-like structures on its chest vibrated rapidly, a blue glow erupted at its feet, and it released soundwave-like electric currents!
The range was huge, covering nearly half the sky!
'Been waiting for this!'
"Meta!"
Metagross's dark golden eyes gleamed sharply. It didn't even bother dodging, tanking the hit head-on!
Blue and yellow electric currents continuously stimulated its body. Then, its heavy body plummeted like a meteor!
If the earlier move was a functional Bulldoze, this was a full-power, high-damage Earthquake!
'I'm crazy enough to quake even my own trainer!'
With this resolute thought, Metagross's four legs became enveloped in a yellowish-brown light!
"Not good! Retreat!"
The opponent's expression changed. This was definitely not Bulldoze!
'Dammit! You said it was a Pokémon raised for just over a year! How many moves are you going to teach it before you're satisfied!?'
Toxtricity, having just finished Overdrive, hurriedly scrambled away.
However, while its speed was high, it wasn't faster than Metagross, which had intentionally not flown too high precisely to draw Toxtricity closer!
The silver crab crashed down!
Yellowish-brown light shot out in all directions!
No blind spots!
In the blink of an eye, Toxtricity had already reached a spot over ten meters away but still couldn't avoid the trailing shockwave of the Earthquake. Its body was sent flying!
Even the opponent couldn't escape the very edge of the quake's shockwave, tumbling head over heels!
In the distance, Li Xiang watched this scene, thinking how right he was to choose Earthquake over High Horsepower before Mega Evolution.
High Horsepower would only yield higher returns than Earthquake after Metagross got Tough Claws.
Until then, it was far inferior to Earthquake's wide range and high damage.
As for Bulldoze, it was just a byproduct of the learning process.
"Psycho Cut!"
After landing, Metagross immediately slid towards Toxtricity, raised its thick right arm, summoned a golden five-meter-long blade, and swung it down!
Swish—!
Toxtricity, having just thought to run, saw the blade descending upon it.
Even the trailing shockwave was hard to endure; it immediately lost consciousness from this single slash.
Second one! Down!
"Beeeeep!"
The referee blew the whistle.
"How could there be such a useful move as Psycho Cut?"
Li Xiang looked satisfied at the recently learned Psycho Cut. This move was also one of the typical willpower-based moves.
Like the earlier Psychic Spiked Club, it was a special form of Psycho Cut that Metagross could manifest when its condition peaked.
In the distance, the opponent flustered stood up, just in time to see Toxtricity get slashed down. He was so angry he clawed deep marks into the ground with both hands.
'The intel was all for nothing! Bulldoze, Earthquake, Icy Wind, and Psycho Cut—none were mentioned!'
'If I had known earlier, would I have been tricked?'
'Just mentioning Psychic Shield is useless!'
He looked up at the sky. Sunny Day had completely ended. The Venusaur coming next would have a very hard time.
This wasn't the opening situation where everyone stood far apart, gazing across a "sea."
There's no time to set up Sunny Day now!
How to fight? Hope Metagross exhausts its own stamina? Its attribute energy?
Play a battle of attrition?
Then what about Corviknight? How does Venusaur fight Corviknight? With powder?
"...We can win!"
The opponent's expression gradually hardened. He believed in Venusaur's staying power and decided to give it a shot.
However, Li Xiang decisively switched out Metagross.
Using Psychic-energy like tap water—while it didn't say anything, it was probably almost drained.
No need to fight a battle of attrition with a high-stamina Venusaur.
Next, let the new member take the stage, let it get used to the tense atmosphere of the battlefield sooner. Both sides took out Poké Balls, neither in a hurry to release, waiting for the other to go first.
Five short seconds passed swiftly. Thus, both simultaneously released their Pokémon at the center of the field.
Less than ten meters apart!
'Miscalculation!'
The opponent's heart trembled. Then he saw Li Xiang release a Doublade.
'Huh? That newly trained Pokémon that rarely appears?'
He froze for a moment, his expression gradually turning delighted.