Blaziken's fist had now turned completely golden, radiating with intense fighting energy as it slammed directly into Sharpedo's body with overwhelming force. The attack, combining both upward and downward momentum, was not a simple addition of power but a complex release of energy that struck with devastating effect.
However, on the other side of the field, knowing that Sharpedo had already been caught in the net and had no chance of breaking free, Izumi commanded Walrein to launch a fierce counterattack without hesitation. Walrein spat out a powerful jet of water, and then, as its thick blubber trembled with the effort, tiny snowflakes materialized around it, instantly transforming the water jet into a sharp, massive ice spear that shot rapidly toward Tyranitar.
Tyranitar's eyes narrowed in concentration, and streams of sand surged wildly from all directions, swirling together to form a dense, protective barrier in front of it. At the same time, the "Ω" symbol on Tyranitar's abdomen glowed brightly, and a concentrated, scorching flame burst forth from its mouth as it unleashed a powerful Flamethrower. It intended to use the Flamethrower to melt the incoming ice spear, but Walrein's strength and level far surpassed Tyranitar's, and Walrein's ice-type energy was clearly not something that Tyranitar's non-native Flamethrower could easily overcome. The ice spear passed directly through the flames and then pierced through the sand wall Tyranitar had created, continuing its trajectory like a sharp sword aimed at a vital target.
Tyranitar stared intently at the ice spear that had breached its defenses, took a deep breath, held it, and crossed its arms firmly in front of its body in a defensive stance. The impact was immediate and harsh—pound—the sharp ice spear made a crisp, cracking sound as it connected with the hard armor on Tyranitar's arms. However, the force behind the ice spear did not diminish, relentlessly pushing Tyranitar backward step by step across the rough terrain.
Bang—Swampert, who had darted out from the side with surprising speed, slammed its earthy-yellow fist heavily onto the shaft of the ice spear, shattering it into fragments. Only then did Tyranitar manage to stop its forced retreat, steadying itself with a low growl.
Izumi's expression shifted to one of surprise; in that fleeting glance, she had clearly seen the special symbol on Tyranitar's chest and belly. She was all too familiar with this symbol—wasn't it the mark associated with Groudon, the Legendary Pokémon that Team Magma had always sought to control? How could it appear on Tyranitar? The question flashed through her mind, but she didn't have much time to ponder it now, as the battle was reaching a critical point.
Because Sharpedo, which had been blasted away by Blaziken's powerful Sky Uppercut, drew a high, helpless arc in mid-air before crashing down onto the ground between the two sides. It rolled several times before coming to a stop, unmoving and showing no further response. Sharpedo was the first to be knocked out of the battle!
Izumi, who already faced a combat power disadvantage, had now lost another Pokémon, making her situation even more precarious. If Walrein were still at its peak condition now, perhaps the tide could be turned, but as things stood, the odds were stacking against her. There was hardly any time to think or strategize; Walrein once again spat out multiple jets of water, one after another, in rapid succession. The attacks came faster and faster, growing in number and intensity.
At the same time, Crawdaunt, which had narrowly escaped disaster earlier, reappeared beside Walrein and joined in, spitting its own jets of water to support the assault. Ice crystals began to form on Walrein's two massive tusks, and even the water droplets clinging to its whiskers instantly froze into tiny, shimmering ice beads. The temperature within the entire space plummeted sharply, and wisps of visible cold air swirled around Walrein's body. On the surface of the originally pitted small puddles scattered across the battlefield, intricate ice flowers bloomed rapidly.
The water jets spewed into the air became the focal point of Walrein's concentrated cold air control, and sharp, pointed ice pillars rapidly formed and hung menacingly in the air. It was the technique known as Sheer Cold! However, Walrein did not use Sheer Cold to attack directly but instead employed it to condense and shape these formidable ice pillars! In Walrein's current tired state, using Sheer Cold was indeed a strenuous effort, but this was Izumi's only chance to regain some footing in the battle.
Sharpedo's defeat had already put her at a complete disadvantage. If even Walrein couldn't reclaim some ground, then the subsequent battle would become overwhelmingly difficult. The very breath exhaled by the Pokémon on the field turned into thick white mist in the chilled air, a clear sign that Quasi-Champion level Pokémon indeed possessed the ability to influence and change the environment around them.
Izumi knew she must take out Slowking first! She saw the situation with perfect clarity: if not for Slowking's subtle and pervasive psychic control over the entire battlefield, Aoki wouldn't be able to let his Pokémon fight so recklessly, nor would he be able to turn danger into safety again and again. It was entirely due to Slowking's omnipresent psychic powers that Aoki's Pokémon managed to avoid attacks that would have otherwise been impossible to dodge. Moreover, with the amplification provided by Aoki's own considerable psychic powers, Slowking was now the strongest among all of his Pokémon, both in terms of level and strategic importance.
As long as she could take out Slowking—the one who controlled the field, had the highest level, and served as the core of Aoki's strategy—she would still have a fighting chance. Originally, just one ice pillar would have been enough to challenge even the highly defensive Tyranitar, let alone the dense and countless ice pillars now hovering in the air, poised to strike.
Aoki also recognized that Izumi was making an all-out effort. Looking at Walrein's current exhausted state, it was clear that using Sheer Cold had taken a significant toll. It moved! Crawdaunt, with the clear intention of leading the charge, rushed straight toward Aoki's assembled Pokémon with a fierce and determined look in its eyes. Dark energy threads wrapped tightly around its large pincers, and a sinister, dark aura swirled aggressively around its body. As it closed the distance, the sinister aura grew more and more intense, spreading out like a wave.
Psychic threads materialized in the air once again, attempting to bind Crawdaunt, but they were directly dispersed by this all-out Dark Pulse as soon as they condensed. Crawdaunt's goal was straightforward: to disrupt and scatter all of Slowking's psychic energy that was spread throughout the space, leaving it with nowhere to draw power from. The primary target was Slowking itself!
Noticing Crawdaunt's deliberate movements, Aoki's expression hardened with resolve. Swampert transformed into a swift stream of water and charged directly toward Crawdaunt, accompanied by a sharp-eyed Drapion closing in from the other side. It was a clash of pincers against pincers, a direct confrontation.
The ice pillars suspended in mid-air finally shuddered into motion. They sliced through the sky with sharp, whooshing sounds, homing in on their targets. Slowking clenched its fists, watching as the ice pillars shot toward it, knowing it couldn't risk taking a direct hit. It enveloped itself in a shimmering cloak of psychic energy and instantly teleported from its original position, reappearing in another corner of the air. But to its alarm, the ice pillars seemed to possess a self-tracking ability, adjusting their course and remaining locked onto it.
At the same time, Florges waved its hands gracefully, and as vibrant petals drifted down around it, four thick vines erupted from the ground beside Izumi. The move was Grass Knot, and its target was not the Pokémon but the trainer herself! Izumi never expected that a League trainer would resort to such a direct tactic, but her years of battle experience allowed her to react instinctively. She retreated frantically, and Walrein, recognizing the danger to its trainer, suddenly slowed the speed of its ice pillars to intervene. This momentary diversion gave Slowking a critical chance to catch its breath.
Slowking instantly teleported again, vanishing into thin air just as the ice pillars closed in. Bang—the strategy of besieging the Wei to rescue the Zhao had worked; by attacking what the opponent must save, Florges had shifted the focus. The true target of Grass Knot was never Izumi herself, but Walrein, who had moved to save her. Who said that when facing an all-out attack from the opponent, one must choose to defend? Sometimes, a bold attack is the best defense!
Tyranitar bent low, placing its hands firmly on the ground, while Aggron appeared beside it, spreading its hands wide in the air. A massive rock began to form above Walrein, ready to crash down. Walrein, still bound by the Grass Knot, struggled against the vines holding its bulky body in place. The ground beneath it trembled slightly, accompanied by a low, roaring sound. The red "Ω" symbol reappeared on Tyranitar's chest as it lay on the ground, and wisps of ground-type energy flowed into the earth through its hands.
Finally, with Tyranitar's full exertion, the move Precipice Blades erupted from the ground, pushing against Walrein's thick blubber with a scorching, lava-like temperature. The attack broke through the remaining vine restraints, soaring into the sky and colliding with the Rock Slide that Aggron had condensed—a massive rock now rapidly falling. Rumble—the Rock Slide landed directly on Walrein, which was still being pushed upward, and shattered into pieces upon impact.
Even with Walrein's smooth skin and protective blubber, such a powerful combination of attacks still caused it to cry out in pain. The shattered rocks left visible streaks of blood on its body, marking the severity of the assault. But this was not the end; it was only the beginning. The temperature at the points of contact with the Precipice Blades, which continued to push it upward, grew increasingly intense.
Boom!!! Like something that had been held back for too long, a deafening explosion suddenly echoed throughout the entire space, marking a turning point in the fierce battle.