"Bang!"
A crisp sound rang out.
Ludicolo gathered Normal-type energy around its body, shaping it into a glowing palm, and slammed it straight into Sceptile.
Fake Out was a truly troublesome move. Its power was not great, but it could interrupt an opponent's attack and make them flinch. Ludicolo had struck first.
The moment the hit landed, Edgar wasted no time and shouted his next command. "Ludicolo, now use Ice Beam!"
Hearing this, Jacob had been about to call for Sceptile's Mega Evolution, but he stopped himself at once. Sceptile was already weak to Ice-type moves, taking twice the normal damage. If it Mega Evolved, that weakness would double again, making it take four times the damage.
"Sceptile, hang on! Use Swords Dance to spin out of the way!"
"Chamo!" Sceptile called back to Jacob. Its body twisted rapidly, its thick tail sweeping through the air as it spun like a top.
At the same moment, Ludicolo let out a burst of freezing air, ice crystals swirling around its hands as it gathered Ice-type energy. A pale blue beam shot toward Sceptile, dragging shards of ice and a wave of bitter cold in its path.
"That is some frightening Ice-type power."
"And that isn't even a Water- or Grass-type move for Ludicolo — if it uses one of its own type, the damage will be even worse."
"Ludicolo's control over Water- and Grass-type energy already looks close to Heavenly King level."
"This Ludicolo might really be on the verge of reaching Heavenly King level."
Jacob frowned as he watched the scene unfold. This Ludicolo was clearly stronger than he had first guessed. Just as the crowd was saying, it seemed ready to break into Heavenly King level at any moment.
Edgar had served as a Water-type Gym Leader for nine years, spending that time training a new team of Pokémon from the ground up. Now, as his second team grew stronger, his own strength as a Trainer was climbing fast. If this Ludicolo reached Heavenly King level, Edgar would have two Pokémon at that level.
The Ice Beam struck the spinning Sceptile, and a bitter chill spread across its body, ice slowly creeping over its scales. Even though Sceptile's Swords Dance had let it dodge part of the attack, it could not avoid the beam completely.
The spinning stopped. Sceptile came to a halt, its Attack now sharply raised thanks to Swords Dance. Frost coated its right arm, cold air drifting off it — a clear sign that the Ice Beam had done some damage and frozen the limb.
"Jacob's Sceptile managed to dodge part of that Ice Beam by spinning through Swords Dance, but it still took damage. Its right arm is frozen solid, and that could be a problem going forward."
"What's more, Ice Beam already deals double damage to Sceptile — but if it Mega Evolves into Mega Sceptile, a Grass and Dragon type, that becomes quadruple damage. No wonder Jacob is holding back on the Mega Evolution."
"So what will Jacob do? Switch Pokémon, or push forward anyway?"
"My guess is he switches out. With Ice Beam this dangerous, Mega Evolving would be risky. Bringing back Charizard might be the safer choice."
The two commentators went back and forth, clearly caught up in the drama of the match.
Down on the field, Sceptile stared coldly at Ludicolo, watching it the way a hunter watches its prey.
"Mega Evolve! Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!" Jacob's voice rang out again, and this time his choice caught everyone off guard.
"Jacob... he's actually going through with the Mega Evolution now!"
The commentator's voice rose in surprise. Clearly, even he hadn't expected this move at such a moment.
"This is such a bold decision. We can't be sure what Jacob is thinking... maybe it's simply because this is an exhibition match?"
"Whatever his reasoning, all we can do now is watch and see how it plays out."
"As the reigning High School Cup Champion, Jacob must be seeing something the rest of us aren't."
"Remember, Sceptile is already twice as weak to Ice-type moves. Once it Mega Evolves and gains the Dragon type, that weakness becomes four times as strong. This next stretch of the battle will be brutal."
A burst of shifting light spread across the field as Sceptile's body swelled rapidly, stretching and reshaping itself. Within moments, it had grown far larger than before.
When the light faded, Mega Sceptile stood in its place — massive, fierce-eyed, like some ancient reptile brought back to life. Thick clouds of Grass-type and Dragon-type energy rolled off its body, radiating a presence as intimidating as a beast from a forgotten age.
"Ludicolo, keep using Ice Beam!" Edgar's voice rang out from across the field. Facing a Mega Sceptile that was now four times weak to Ice, there was no need to change strategy — he simply needed Ludicolo to keep firing.
Cold energy built up once more, mist curling off Ludicolo's hands as another beam of icy light shot forward, cutting through the night straight at Sceptile.
"Sceptile, dodge it and close in with Leaf Blade!"
Jacob's eyes narrowed. Choosing to Mega Evolve here was a gamble, no question — but risk and reward always went hand in hand. Even with its new weakness to Ice, Mega Sceptile's speed and Attack had both surged to a new level. If it could close the distance, it stood a real chance of bringing Ludicolo down.
Mega Sceptile's whole body flared with green light, and the ice coating its arm shattered instantly. A wave of Grass-type energy rolled out, tinting the entire arena in an eerie green glow that cut through the darkness.
Two blades of Grass-type energy extended from its wrists as Mega Sceptile pushed off the ground and launched itself forward.
"Boom!"
At the very same instant, the Ice Beam crashed into the spot where Mega Sceptile had been standing — but it was already gone, having dodged just in time.
"Incredible speed!"
"Sceptile has always been known for its speed, but I didn't expect Jacob's Sceptile to move that fast even after growing to such a massive size through Mega Evolution."
"Among Pokémon of its level, Sceptile's speed is genuinely among the very best."
A wave of bitter cold swept the field, freezing the ground almost instantly. But Sceptile didn't slow down for even a second — moving in a blur, it closed the gap and appeared right in front of Ludicolo.
"Sceptile has closed the distance!"
"After that Swords Dance, Sceptile's Attack stat is nothing to underestimate. High speed paired with high Attack — it's fighting like an assassin out there."
"Even at the peak of Quasi-Heavenly King level, Ludicolo has no way to keep up with Sceptile once the fight goes to close range!"