Chapter 651: A Complete Failure
Elara's core tactic so far was still Baton Pass.
She hadn't deviated from her standard playbook.
The only difference was that the receiver of the baton had changed from her usual Serperior to Espeon, and the passer, Scolipede, had undergone a magnificent transformation.
The lack of these two key pieces of information made Chuya extremely uncomfortable in this match from the very beginning, repeatedly missing opportunities!
Youthful arrogance comes with a price.
Soon, he paid the first installment—
Samurott fell...
Samurott wasn't fast to begin with. As a quadrupedal sea beast resembling a seal, it was very clumsy on land.
Facing Espeon's high-speed kiting tactic, it could only choose to counterattack with ranged moves.
Catching up was impossible, never in this lifetime...
As a result, Samurott's sword skills were rendered useless, and it could only fall with regret.
In the second round, Elara continued with Espeon.
And Chuya specifically brought out a counter-pick Pokémon: Liepard!
The Dark-type Liepard was largely immune to Psychic moves, and with the Unburden ability, it could boost its speed by consuming its item, ensuring it wouldn't be left in the dust by the current Espeon.
At the start, Chuya immediately ordered: "Liepard, Fake Out!"
Elara's Espeon didn't have the insane reaction speed of Arthur's little dragonfly.
She couldn't beat Fake Out.
Slapped by a palm extending from the void, she fell into a daze.
Then Liepard roared, consuming its item to trigger Unburden, and charged at Espeon like lightning.
"Use Throat Chop!"
Judging solely from this opening, Chuya had finally turned the tide.
But Elara remained unhurried.
She had already planned her strategy the moment she saw the opponent bring out the counter-pick Liepard.
As a rotational player, Elara's greatest strength was her self-awareness.
She knew her raw power was inferior to Chuya's, so she only sought to win the match steadily, not demanding a perfect process.
So her choice was—
"Espeon, Swagger!"
This was a rare move in the arena, especially in singles.
Normal-type move: Swagger. It enrages the opponent, confusing them, but also sharply raises their Attack stat by two stages!
Using this move against an opponent in the arena was too unstable.
One wrong move and you're handing the opponent a knife, afraid they won't stab you hard enough.
This move was basically permanently benched in singles matches, almost never used.
It was occasionally used in doubles, but mostly in conjunction with specific abilities, used on teammates to get a free buff.
After all, this move required no chanting. If the confusion could be negated, it was better than Swords Dance.
Cases of using it against enemies were extremely rare.
The commentators were also shocked.
"My god? What's going on? The Kubfu player used the niche move Swagger! What is she thinking?"
The audience was more direct. "Holy crap? Didn't use it last round, using it now? Has she lost her mind?"
Chuya didn't understand either, but that didn't stop him from pursuing.
"Liepard, Assurance!"
He didn't even bother to cure the confusion, seizing the opportunity to attack!
But not long after, Elara finally explained her intention to everyone.
It wasn't madness, but a tactical arrangement.
"Espeon, Psych Up!"
The move Specter had demonstrated before: Psych Up, copying the opponent's stat changes!
This way, the Attack boost was replicated onto Espeon!
Although the process was a bit troublesome, Espeon managed to avoid chanting and successfully obtained a hard-earned Attack boost.
At this time, Chuya realized something, his tone becoming urgent, urging Liepard to increase the attack frequency.
"Keep suppressing! Fast! Throat Chop again!"
As a mage-type Pokémon, Espeon had low demand for Attack boosts. With convenient abilities like Confusion, they rarely relied on claws and teeth to fight enemies.
However, just because Espeon didn't need it didn't mean Elara's other Pokémon didn't!
Chuya had guessed the opponent's tactic, but he also realized: he seemed unable to stop it!
"Espeon, Future Sight! Then use Baton Pass!"
Planting the seed of Future Sight, then using Baton Pass to pass on the buff effects.
Immediately after, Elara said very decisively: "I surrender."
That's right! Espeon also knew Baton Pass.
She was both a receiver and the second passer of the baton.
Running out of mid-battle switch authority didn't matter. Elara had a clear positioning of herself; she didn't expect to achieve a shutout.
So, Espeon, having completed the task, could just surrender directly.
Then in the last round, Chuya was forced to send out Staraptor.
And Elara, without suspense, sent out Scolipede again!
Picking up the buff mark left by Espeon, which contained both Attack and Speed boosts! (The speed boost came from copying Liepard's Unburden ability via Psych Up on Espeon, then Baton Passing)
Espeon didn't rely on Attack boosts, but Scolipede loved them!
Now Chuya finally realized he was in trouble...
The opponent had really played the Baton Pass tactical system to perfection this time!
Passing the baton back and forth between two Pokémon, making his scalp tingle.
Unfortunately, due to his arrogance and conceit, he missed critical information, and now his decline was becoming harder to conceal.
Although Staraptor still held the type advantage, this advantage was becoming thinner under the opponent's operation.
He tried to seize the initiative at the start.
"Staraptor, Quick Attack!"
Time was not on his side. Once the opponent's Speed Boost ability activated again, the slight type advantage would be negligible.
But coincidentally, just as Staraptor launched its charge, a surge of psychic energy burst from the void, shooting it down on the spot!
An aerial strike hidden in the timeline!
It was the last gift left by Espeon before leaving the field in the previous round: Future Sight!
Elara's timing was perfect.
"Scolipede, Cross Poison!"
Now Staraptor really couldn't take off again.
Not long after, the referee raised the flag—
"Staraptor is unable to battle!"
In the end, Chuya only had one counter-pick Pokémon left, Liepard.
While Elara still had two Pokémon!
Her ace Serperior hadn't even appeared yet and was in perfect condition.
Although it was only the intermission, Chuya's face was ashen.
This time he had really failed, completely...
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