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Chandler was clearly encountering this defensive technique for the first time, but reaching the semifinals hadn't been a matter of luck. His tactical mind was sharp, and his reaction was immediate.
If Salt Cure couldn't penetrate Sceptile's spinning barrier, he would simply switch to a different approach.
"Garganacl, use Iron Defense!" Chandler commanded decisively.
The Steel-type status move would dramatically boost Garganacl's already impressive defensive capabilities, turning it into a physical attacker's worst nightmare. But Iron Defense was just the first part of Chandler's strategy.
Jacob knew what was coming next. Garganacl had access to Body Press – a Fighting-type physical move that was unlike any other attack in the Pokémon world. While most physical moves dealt damage based on the user's Attack stat, Body Press was completely different.
The power of Body Press was calculated using the user's Defense stat instead of Attack. The higher Garganacl's Defense became, the more devastating its Body Press would be. This made the move particularly dangerous for defensive Pokémon like Garganacl, who could boost their Defense to incredible heights.
It was a core strategy that had made Garganacl infamous among competitive trainers – strengthen Defense with Iron Defense, then use that same Defense to deal massive damage with Body Press. The combination turned defensive preparation into offensive power.
Steel-type energy surrounded Garganacl's crystalline body, forming a metallic coating that gleamed silver-gray under the arena lights. The enhancement made Garganacl's already formidable defense reach truly intimidating levels.
Jacob had anticipated exactly this sequence of moves. Garganacl's moveset of Iron Defense, Body Press, Recover, and Salt Cure made it a nightmare for physical attackers to face. Its Purifying Salt ability provided immunity to status conditions like burn, sleep, poison, and freeze, while also reducing damage from Ghost-type moves by half.
At this moment, Garganacl resembled an impregnable fortress – nearly impossible to breach through conventional means.
"Sceptile, use Worry Seed!" Jacob countered with calm precision.
To defeat Garganacl, the first step was neutralizing its troublesome ability. Jacob had spent considerable time researching this exact scenario.
Sceptile launched a small seed toward its opponent. Garganacl's naturally slow speed meant it couldn't dodge the projectile, even when it saw the attack coming.
The Worry Seed struck its target and immediately took root, sprouting across Garganacl's rocky surface. The seed's energy changed Garganacl's ability from Purifying Salt to Insomnia, eliminating its immunity to status conditions.
"Garganacl, use Iron Defense again!" Chandler ordered, refusing to let this setback derail his strategy.
Since Garganacl couldn't avoid the attack, he would double down on his defensive approach instead.
The second Iron Defense boost transformed Garganacl into an even more formidable defensive wall. Jacob could see that direct physical attacks would be completely useless against such overwhelming defense.
"Sceptile, use Leech Seed!" Jacob called out.
It had been a long time since Jacob had relied on such indirect tactics. Back when Sceptile was still a Treecko, gradual damage and recovery moves had been essential parts of their strategy. Now, facing Garganacl's incredible bulk, Jacob was returning to those fundamental techniques.
"Garganacl, Iron Defense once more!" Chandler responded.
Since Sceptile was using setup moves rather than direct attacks, Chandler continued building his defensive advantage.
After three Iron Defense boosts, Garganacl's Defense stat had reached its maximum potential. The white and yellow crystalline formations covering its body now appeared almost metallic, transformed into an armor of incredible hardness.
"Garganacl, Body Press!" Chandler's voice rang out with confidence.
The time for defensive preparation was over – now came the devastating counterattack.
Garganacl launched itself forward like a living missile, spreading its massive arms wide as it hurtled toward Sceptile with tremendous force. Despite its normally sluggish movement speed, Garganacl's explosive burst of power was genuinely frightening.
"Sceptile, dodge!" Jacob commanded urgently.
"Scep!" Sceptile reacted with lightning reflexes, pushing off powerfully with its legs to leap backward.
The impact was tremendous. Garganacl's massive body struck the ground where Sceptile had been standing moments before, creating a crater and sending spiderweb cracks racing across the arena floor.
If that attack had connected, Sceptile would have been severely injured or possibly knocked out entirely.
"Garganacl, continuous Body Press!" Chandler pressed his advantage relentlessly.
The missed attack didn't discourage him – instead, he immediately ordered another assault. Now that the distance between the Pokémon had closed, dodging would be much more difficult.
Moreover, Garganacl could afford to miss multiple attacks, but Sceptile couldn't survive even a single direct hit. One successful Body Press could potentially end the entire battle.
From the commentary booth, Layne provided insight for the viewing audience. "Viewers need to understand just how powerful Garganacl's Body Press has become after three Iron Defense boosts. To put this in perspective, imagine a Garchomp using Outrage after three Dragon Dances – that's the level of destructive force we're talking about here."
Jacob knew exactly how dangerous the situation had become. Facing Garganacl's relentless assault, he couldn't afford any mistakes.
"Sceptile, use Detect!" he ordered.
A protective barrier of light formed in front of Sceptile, intercepting Garganacl's massive charging form.
The collision was spectacular. Garganacl struck the light shield with tremendous force, sending sparks flying in all directions. The barrier trembled violently under the impact, appearing ready to shatter at any moment.
Jacob had never seen Detect strain so dramatically against an attack, but fortunately, the protection held. This was his opportunity for a crucial counterattack.
"Sceptile, Leaf Storm!" Jacob shouted.
While Garganacl had boosted its physical Defense to incredible levels, its Special Defense remained unchanged and vulnerable.
Brilliant green Grass-type energy erupted from Sceptile's body as countless razor-sharp leaves swirled toward Garganacl like a verdant hurricane.
Leaf Storm was Sceptile's most powerful special attack. Though using it would significantly reduce Sceptile's Special Attack stat afterward, the initial impact would be devastating against Garganacl.
The combination of same-type attack bonus and Grass-type moves being super effective against Rock-types meant this attack could potentially decide the battle. Without Gym Leader-level durability, few Pokémon could survive such a powerful Leaf Storm.
"Garganacl, use Protect!" Chandler responded quickly.
A defensive barrier appeared in front of Garganacl, completely blocking Sceptile's devastating special attack.
"Return, Sceptile! You've done brilliantly!" Jacob used this moment to recall his starter, switching to a fresh Pokémon.
Jacob smiled warmly at his returned partner. From the beginning of the battle until now, Sceptile had performed excellently, executing every part of their strategy perfectly.
"Rest well," Jacob said softly. "I'll need you back in the battle later."
With its Special Attack severely reduced after using Leaf Storm, Sceptile had completed its assigned role. Now it was time to rest and recover for the next phase of Jacob's plan.
"Noibat, it's your turn to shine!" Jacob called out as he sent his next Pokémon into battle.
"Noi!" Noibat chirped enthusiastically as it emerged, immediately responding to Jacob's encouragement.
As Jacob's very first Pokémon partner, Noibat had been with him the longest. Throughout their journey together, Noibat had often played a supporting role, helping from the sidelines rather than being the star of major battles.
But today was different. Today, Noibat was the key to defeating Garganacl.
"Noibat, no holding back today!" Jacob's voice carried both affection and determination. "Show them what you can really do – use Toxic!"
Over the past three days of intensive preparation, Jacob had made thorough plans for this battle. While Sceptile had mastered the defensive application of Swords Dance, Noibat had learned an entirely new move through a Technical Machine.
The small Sound Wave Pokémon was about to prove that sometimes the smallest fighters could make the biggest difference.