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Round Six.
Just as expected, this round's opponent specialized in the Bug type, which counters the Psychic type.
If anyone claimed the school hadn't meddled in the matchups, Li Xiang wouldn't believe it even if he died.
The purpose was likely to give him more practical battle experience against opponents with different specialties.
The intention was good, but the opponents just weren't up to par. The gap in strength was just too vast; many strategies couldn't even be deployed.
If you don't have priority, what's the point?
In the games, the Bug type was despised because its offensive coverage was nauseatingly poor, while the types it was weak to were all popular ones.
It was downright frustrating.
Fortunately, in Li Xiang's world, poor coverage could be compensated by learning more moves, output could be improved through training and time, and the concept of "popular types" was nonsense.
For multiple reasons, the Bug type wasn't as useless as in the games.
Quite a few people chose it.
However, most trainers specializing in Bug types preferred to set up rain, seemingly fearing the Fire type more than the Flying type.
Which made sense.
Fire-type moves were just too violent, often involving high temperatures, thick smoke, and explosions, easily catching the trainer in the crossfire.
In comparison, while wind could seep everywhere, it at least allowed trainers to avoid collateral damage and maintain good condition.
Therefore, Li Xiang's opponent this round was one who liked to start with rain.
The weather setter was a spider with its head covered by a huge water bubble—the Water/Bug-type Araquanid.
With the Water Bubble ability, power of Fire-type moves against it is reduced, it cannot be burned, and the power of its Water-type moves is increased.
This ability could be considered god-tier.
Additionally, it knew Magic Coat and wasn't afraid of Taunt, and its defenses were decent. Overall, it was a pretty good Pokémon.
Its speed was a bit low, but it had several ranged attacks and could spit Sticky Web to restrict opponents.
Under normal circumstances, it might pose some difficulty.
But for Li Xiang's Pokémon, it was just another day at the office.
Greninja took the field, activated its Camouflage, then used Double Team to create countless illusions, disrupting the opponent and Araquanid's line of sight.
Dozens of indistinguishable clones ran circles around Araquanid, making it extremely difficult to tell which was real and which was fake.
Faced with this, Araquanid decisively used Surf, summoning a huge wave that successfully wiped out all the clones while it searched for Greninja's real body.
Finally, it spotted the sneaky opponent diagonally to its side and immediately tried to trap it with Sticky Web.
But as it moved, it discovered that the ground beneath it was somehow covered in white foam.
This foam was surprisingly sticky, slowing its already poor speed even further!
Greninja, which had intentionally revealed itself to draw attention, rushed over swiftly and used U-turn on the water bubble at its joint.
A viridian light transformed it into a streak, crashing into Araquanid, easily bursting one of the water bubbles at its joints and allowing Greninja to return to Li Xiang's PokéBall.
Simultaneously, Metagross, which had been waiting its turn, entered the field. Without a word, it raised its fist, crackling with lightning, and swung it down on the hindered Araquanid's head!
Thunder Punch!
Amidst the flashing thunder, Araquanid was punched to its knees, the water bubble on its head nearly bursting!
The opponent realized the severity upon seeing Thunder Punch and, not giving Metagross a chance for a second attack, promptly recalled Araquanid.
In response, a giant ladybug that looked like a robot appeared in the distance, looking quite cool.
—The Generation VIII Bug/Psychic-type Pokémon, Orbeetle.
With the Swarm ability, when its HP falls below one-third, the power of its Bug-type moves increases.
Essentially the Bug-type version of Blaze.
Its offensive capability wasn't strong, but its defenses were passable, and its speed was much higher than Metagross's.
Both used Agility and began racing across the field, while their psychic waves interfered with each other, preventing the other from locking on first.
Metagross ultimately suffered from its shorter training time; it simply couldn't catch up to the Orbeetle. It had to force it into a corner by cutting off its escape routes. Furious, it immediately used Bulldoze.
Although Orbeetle could fly, it lacked the Levitate ability and wasn't a Flying type, so it couldn't completely immunity to Ground-type energy.
Even though it gained altitude immediately, it was still affected by the yellowish-brown shockwave.
Its speed dropped unconsciously.
The effect was almost instantaneous; Metagross closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
But just as Orbeetle wore a "plan succeeded" expression and prepared to touch the approaching Metagross's body for a Power Swap...
Metagross grinned ferociously, forming over a dozen head-sized rocks above it and hurling them down at Orbeetle!
Rock Slide!
Orbeetle and its trainer clearly didn't expect Metagross to know Rock Slide. Caught off guard, it hastily used Protect, barely blocking the incoming rocks while frantically backing away.
But it was too late to create distance now. It might block the first move, but not the second.
With less than three meters between them, Metagross decisively merged its front claws, aimed at Orbeetle's body, let its form be covered in a starry light, transformed into a descending comet, and charged out!
Finisher! Full throttle!
The accelerator slammed to the floor!
The slowed Orbeetle had just recovered from Protect. Even if it reacted in time, it couldn't handle a move this fast and this close.
It was truly like being hit head-on by a maglev train, ruthlessly crushed deep into the barrier!
Fortunately, it was a Pokémon specialized in defense. Metagross used Meteor Mash, which it wasn't weak to. The power was intense, but it managed to hang on.
Taking advantage of their close proximity, Orbeetle decisively used Hypnosis.
At close range, Hypnosis was almost guaranteed to hit. Metagross didn't have time to use Protect and was instantly hypnotized by the pink-purple light waves shot from Orbeetle's eyes, falling asleep.
However, Metagross still had it firmly pinned against the barrier, giving it no chance to escape.
And this was exactly part of Li Xiang's plan.
The words "Sleep Talk" were uttered almost the instant Metagross fell asleep.
Thus, Bullet Punch was used.
A pure silver gleam accompanied the fierce punches, slamming into Orbeetle's head!
Thud!
The barrier dented further!
Orbeetle was already on its last legs, planning to use Recover to restore its health. It never expected Li Xiang to react so quickly, as if he knew exactly what move it would use.
He directly predicted the Hypnosis, had Metagross use Sleep Talk, and Metagross luckily selected an attacking move.
Now, there was no time to think about Recover. Orbeetle, whose speed was no match, was directly knocked out by a single punch.
The referee, upon observation, quickly judged that Orbeetle had lost the ability to battle and blew the whistle promptly.
The opponent could only recall Orbeetle.
Seeing this, Li Xiang also recalled Metagross and sent out this round's main attacker—the Fire-Appliance Machine, Heat Rotom.
He had known all along that the opponent had an Orbeetle that could set up Trick Room, so he hadn't rushed to send out Heat Rotom. Only after Orbeetle was down did he bring it out.
If his guess was correct, the opponent's third Pokémon should be—
A Scizor, entirely red, wielding two giant pincers, with three spike-like horns on its head, and a pair of silver bug wings on its back.
With the Technician ability, it was the opponent's ace Pokémon.
Sure enough, he had guessed everything right. They were so predictable.
Search through Scizor's entire movepool, and you wouldn't find a single move that could effectively hit Heat Rotom.
Its two STABs are one 1/4x and one 1/2x effective. The Flying-type move Wing Attack is also 1/2x. How are you supposed to fight that?
Yes, Araquanid had moves that could hit it, but with one leg injured and its movement hindered by sticky foam, and being weak to Electric in the rain, did it have priority?
No, it didn't.
The Trick Room user was taken out by Metagross, and Araquanid's mobility was restricted.
At this moment, Heat Rotom was invincible.
The opponent knew this too but still wanted to struggle. Taking advantage of the rain reducing Fire-type power, they had Scizor use Bullet Punch.
Scizor itself wasn't fast, but it possessed instant burst capability.
What is instant burst?
It's the ability to, within an extremely short time, use the acceleration of Bullet Punch to erupt with terrifying speed akin to teleportation!
Li Xiang had learned about the power of this technique long ago from his senior sister. Heat Rotom was even more familiar with Pokémon like Scizor.
The opponent started with Swords Dance; and they follow with Nasty Plot.
Then, without hesitation, it decisively used Protect!
BOOM—!
A screeching explosive sound rang out!
In the gust of wind affecting the entire field, sending rainwater flying everywhere, a silver light flickered incessantly, like the sun rising from the horizon.
The green shield in front of Heat Rotom shattered abruptly, disappearing into the air.
The Protect shield was actually smashed apart by a single, silver-glinting pincer from Scizor!
Bullet Punch breaking Protect!
It showed how terrifying this attack was.
Against a Pokémon weak to Steel, it might have been a one-hit KO. But alas, it was hitting Rotom-Heat.
After breaking the shield, the remaining power of Bullet Punch did pitifully little damage to Heat Rotom itself, not even worth calling a tickle.
The cost was that Scizor's body, bathed in the rain, continuously emitted scorching steam, exactly like a freshly boiled lobster.
It couldn't move temporarily, needing three to four seconds of cooldown before it could attack again.
Heat Rotom's opportunity had arrived.
The process was simple.
The microwave oven-formed Rotom opened the valve on its front, smiling as it placed its two energy arms on Scizor's body.
And then—
Overheat!
Rapidly expanding flames, like a combustion bomb, released a suffocating wave of high-temperature heat, blasting Scizor high into the air!
Scizor's heavy body, over a hundred kilograms, flew through the air like a large doll before crashing heavily to the ground.
A second hit wasn't needed.
The rain-weakened Overheat, backed by Rotom's high offensive stats, directly one-shotted the red-shelled lobster that had seemingly delivered itself to its doom!
The opponent's thinking was simple.
Swords Dance followed by Bullet Punch. For a Pokémon like Scizor, as long as it's alive, it deals damage. If there's an opportunity, it deals damage.
There was no second choice.
As a result, Li Xiang successfully defeated it, practically without shedding a drop of blood.
The second Pokémon was down too.
The opponent had no choice.
They could only send out their Araquanid, which, while having barely lost any HP, was practically half-crippled.
And Heat Rotom had long prepared Thunder. The moment Araquanid landed, it summoned the blue thunder dragon down upon it.
Araquanid blocked with Protect but couldn't escape Heat Rotom's subsequent Discharge, helplessly biting the dust.
Thus, Round Six, came to an end.