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Toxic was a deceptively simple move with devastating long-term effects. Once a Pokémon was poisoned by Toxic, they would continuously lose health, and the damage would intensify over time. The longer the battle dragged on, the more severe the poisoning became, eventually draining health at an alarming rate.
Many trainers considered Toxic to be a move for underhanded tacticians, but Jacob had always appreciated its strategic value. Sometimes the most effective approach wasn't the flashiest one.
Chandler's expression darkened considerably when he saw Noibat successfully land the Toxic attack. He knew from experience that Toxic was one of the most frustrating moves to deal with in competitive battles.
Jacob felt a surge of satisfaction as he watched the poison take effect. Gym Leader-level Garganacl or not, Purifying Salt ability or not – with the right combination of moves, even the mightiest fortress could fall. His strategy was working perfectly.
He made a mental note to teach Noibat Substitute as soon as this tournament was over. If he was going to embrace tactical warfare, he might as well master it completely.
Chandler stared at his Garganacl, now suffering from both Toxic poisoning and Leech Seed's draining effect. His entire strategy had to shift. This was no longer about methodical setup – it had become a race against time. Every passing moment worked against him.
He hadn't expected Jacob to employ such an attrition-based approach. Throughout the entire High School Cup, Jacob had won his battles through aggressive offensive power, relying on Charizard's overwhelming force and Sceptile's raw strength. This was the first time anyone had seen him use such patient, methodical tactics.
"Clever," Chandler muttered under his breath, adjusting his glasses. "You've been hiding this strategy all tournament long. But I have my own surprises."
"Garganacl, Body Press!" he commanded.
"Noibat, fly higher and dodge!" Jacob countered immediately.
Noibat's wings beat rapidly as it soared upward, its small, agile body easily evading Garganacl's powerful but predictable attack. The Flight-type's natural mobility gave it a significant advantage in this matchup.
"Noibat, use Supersonic!" Jacob called out, pressing his advantage.
The battle continued with Jacob maintaining careful distance while steadily wearing down his opponent. His strategy was methodical and effective – perhaps not the most exciting to watch, but undeniably successful.
Jacob felt confident about the battle's direction, but he remained cautious. Something about Chandler's behavior puzzled him. Why hadn't the scholarly trainer switched out Garganacl yet? It seemed tactically unsound to leave a Pokémon in such a disadvantageous position.
Then Jacob spotted something in his research notes that made his blood run cold: Explosion. Garganacl could learn Explosion – one of the most devastating moves in existence. The user would sacrifice itself to deal massive damage to everything nearby.
That had to be Chandler's plan. He was keeping Garganacl in battle, using moves like Rock Slide and Body Press to force Jacob to use Protect. Once Noibat's protection was on cooldown, Garganacl would unleash Explosion for a devastating final attack.
"Sneaky," Jacob thought to himself. "But I'm one step ahead."
Having figured out Chandler's strategy, Jacob became even more careful with his positioning. He kept Noibat at maximum distance from Garganacl, never giving the Rock-type an opportunity to get close enough for its final gambit.
When Garganacl's Rock Slide attacks occasionally connected, Jacob immediately had Noibat use Roost to recover health. As for Protect – he was determined not to use it until absolutely necessary.
The battle became a patient game of endurance. Jacob could afford to wait, but Chandler definitely could not. With each passing minute, the Toxic poison grew stronger, and Leech Seed continued sapping Garganacl's strength.
Finally, as Garganacl swayed on its feet, clearly near collapse, Chandler made his desperate move.
"Garganacl, use Explosion!" he shouted.
"Noibat, Protect!" Jacob responded instantly.
The battlefield erupted in blinding light as Garganacl's body released all its remaining energy in one catastrophic blast. The explosion generated tremendous air currents and shockwaves that slammed into Noibat's protective barrier.
The sound was deafening. Even through Protect's shield, some of the explosion's aftershock reached Noibat, dealing damage despite the defensive move's normally perfect protection.
"Garganacl is unable to battle!" the referee announced as the smoke cleared.
Chandler recalled his defeated ace without hesitation, already reaching for his next Poké Ball.
From the commentary booth, Layne's voice carried genuine amazement. "I can hardly believe what we just witnessed! Jacob has actually defeated Chandler's seemingly invincible Garganacl! His tactical preparation was absolutely masterful."
"This was incredibly impressive strategic thinking," Liliana added enthusiastically. "Jacob identified Garganacl's weaknesses and exploited them perfectly. With two more victories, he'll secure his place in the National Finals!"
"Go, Grimmsnarl!" Chandler called out, sending his second Pokémon into battle. His composed expression suggested this setback hadn't rattled him at all.
Jacob felt immediate concern about facing a Grimmsnarl with the Prankster ability. That particular combination was notorious for disrupting opponents' strategies.
"Taunt, Grimmsnarl!" Chandler commanded.
"Taunt, Noibat!" Jacob countered simultaneously.
Both trainers had chosen the same move, but Jacob knew he was at a disadvantage. Noibat generated sound waves from its large purple ears, spreading Dark-type energy along with the sonic vibrations. However, even with this technique, it couldn't match the speed of a true Prankster user.
The Prankster ability gave status moves nearly guaranteed priority against Pokémon of equal level. It was one of the most feared abilities in competitive battles.
Grimmsnarl's Dark-type energy surged outward with supernatural speed, reaching Noibat almost instantaneously and cutting off its own Taunt attempt. Jacob had never encountered such overwhelming speed in status move execution.
While Noibat could create Taunt-like effects through sound waves, it wasn't true Prankster priority and simply couldn't compete with Grimmsnarl's natural advantage.
"Parting Shot, Grimmsnarl!" Chandler continued his offensive immediately.
More Dark-type energy flowed from Grimmsnarl, this time attaching itself directly to Noibat. The move reduced both of Noibat's offensive stats while simultaneously returning Grimmsnarl to its Poké Ball, allowing Chandler to switch to another Pokémon.
"Go, Rabsca!"
"Noibat, U-turn!" Jacob responded quickly.
The situation was spiraling beyond his control. Everything had happened in less than twenty seconds – Chandler's switch, two consecutive status moves, and now Jacob found himself on the defensive with a weakened Pokémon whose status moves were completely sealed off.
Jacob could only have Noibat use U-turn to escape and regroup. Meanwhile, Chandler had now revealed all three of his team members: Garganacl, Rabsca, and Grimmsnarl.
As Jacob looked at the newly emerged Rabsca, a feeling of dread settled in his stomach. He had a terrible suspicion about what was coming next.
"Rabsca, use Revival Blessing!" Chandler commanded with quiet confidence.
Jacob's worst fears were confirmed. Revival Blessing was one of the most unique moves in existence – an exclusive technique known only to Rabsca and Pawmot that could restore a fainted Pokémon to battle with recovered health.
The mystical Bug and Psychic-type began to glow with gentle energy as it offered a prayer of compassion. Garganacl's Poké Ball responded to the blessing, and the Rock-type emerged once again, restored to fighting condition.
All of Jacob's careful work had been undone in an instant. The advantage he had fought so hard to build crumbled completely, and he was essentially back to square one.
The only consolation was that Revival Blessing could typically only be used once per battle. To use it again would require an extended rest period that Chandler probably couldn't afford in this match.
But this particular Rabsca seemed unusually well-trained. This battle was proving far more challenging than Jacob had anticipated.
Noibat's U-turn successfully connected with Rabsca, dealing minor damage before returning to its Poké Ball. The small Flying-type had done its job admirably, but now it was time for reinforcements.
Jacob reached for his most trusted partner's Poké Ball.
"Go, Charizard!"