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On the battlefield, Aiden narrowed his eyes, observing Poppy's oddly familiar Corviknight.
Her lead Pokémon last time had also been this large crow.
With its Mirror Armor ability—which negated and reflected opponents' stat-lowering effects—it was indeed a steady choice as a starter.
Moreover, its Steel+Flying typing made it difficult for Lucario to handle.
Even with its absurdly overpowered Surging Strikes and Wicked Blow, this true steel bone seemed incredibly tough to crack.
Tsk—Lucario would need to learn more fighting styles to widen its coverage!
Though he couldn't find suitable masters lately. If Mustard's Dojo's Urshifu had eighteen types instead of just three...
Aiden silently thought this before reining in his wandering mind to focus on the battle.
From Rika's earlier introduction of Poppy, he'd caught two key points:
First—Poppy's Pokémon weren't self-raised. Likely inherited directly from parents or elders;
Second—this child's strength had improved significantly. Enough to serve as his temporary examiner for this unofficial Elite Four assessment, earning Rika's personal approval.
Thus, he too needed to take this seriously.
"Lucario, Aura Sphere."
Against aerial opponents, Fighting-type moves are easily missed. For a probing opening move, Aiden chose the reliable Aura Sphere.
Unlike other Fighting Pokémon skilled only in hand-to-hand combat, Lucario naturally excelled at gathering Aura energy. It thus possessed certain wave-fighting capabilities—a crucial consumption technique in his view.
"Corviknight, fly up to dodge, then use Iron Defense!"
Poppy also commanded decisively.
Her thinking was simple: use the ample aerial space to dodge attacks, then let the safely positioned Corviknight set up boosts, securing early advantage.
However...
Perhaps due to Aura Sphere's rarity and Poppy's limited battle experience, she seemed unaware this move locked on?
Seeing her command, Aiden's brow furrowed immediately.
Though Poppy made a grave miscalculation, Corviknight's defenses were quite balanced—unlike Skarmory, the other Steel+Flying member who specialized in extremes.
Receiving commands, Corviknight flapped its wings, quickly ascending to a safe height, preparing to reinforce its steel feathers on the spot.
"Luca—"
Just then, Lucario—who had been gathering energy with closed eyes—suddenly opened them. It gathered a blue energy ball between its hands and hurled it toward Corviknight's position with all its might.
"Dodge, Corviknight!"
Poppy urgently repeated her previous command.
Seeing this, Aiden couldn't help but narrow his eyes, adding a clarification:
"Generally speaking, without special countermeasures, Aura Sphere will always hit the opponent."
As he spoke, the thrown blue energy ball soared into the air.
Corviknight calmly halted its move, attempting to dodge by maneuvering through the sky's vast space.
However...
Soon it realized no matter how it dodged, this Aura Sphere relentlessly followed its flight path—impossible to shake off, even closing the distance between them.
"No—Corviknight, use Protect now!"
Poppy quickly understood, changing her command with an anxious expression.
"Boom—!"
By the time Corviknight reacted, Aura Sphere had already closed to a dangerously short distance.
With a muffled explosion, energy dispersed in the air, forming a smoke cloud that completely blocked visibility.
Poppy and Rika instinctively looked up, waiting for Corviknight to emerge.
Only Aiden maintained his mysterious smile, exchanging a glance with Lucario before him.
Lucario instantly understood—
This was the perfect opportunity to set up on the spot!
Against flying Pokémon like Corviknight, conventional attacks might not work well, so...
Lucario closed its eyes again. Black energy quickly gathered on its forehead, condensing into several question mark symbols.
Rika beside them caught this small action, only smiling slightly without offering reminders.
After all, she was merely a referee here—just needed to perform her duties.
But... who exactly claimed Aiden was better at mentorship battles than equal-level duels? His proficiency with psychological tactics was clearly very high.
Could it be others simply hadn't seen him seriously fight before?
Or...
Was he just naturally talented at this style of warfare?
Unable to reach a definite conclusion, Rika stopped dwelling on it.
Beyond the battle's outcome, she was now more curious—
How would Aiden end this mismatched battle?
Sometimes, even Elite Fours needed a bit of acting skills. If students saw no hope of victory, they might abandon challenges entirely, shattering their battle spirit...
So what would Aiden do?
Meanwhile, Corviknight's wings appeared first in the sky. Flapping them dispersed the smoke, revealing its still-gleaming steel body.
However, its silver feathers near the wings appeared slightly curled—perhaps due to the extremely tight timing of its Protect. Though it reacted in time, it still seemed to have suffered some impact.
Seeing Corviknight unharmed, Poppy sighed in relief.
However, when she snapped back to focus on Aiden's side, she suddenly realized—
Lucario had seized her distraction to stealthily complete a setup???
"Seizing every opportunity in battle is also a reflection of trainer skill, Poppy."
Aiden smiled again, but his gaze toward Poppy now carried clear seriousness.
"A true trainer never exposes such obvious mistakes for opponents to exploit. Please note this for the future."
"Y-yes!"
Perhaps due to Aiden's authoritative tone, Poppy instinctively responded earnestly before thoughtfully considering countermeasures with a complex expression.
Rika observed this scene.
Though it was a simulated Champion assessment battle, it somehow felt like...
Aiden had already subconsciously assumed the examiner role, genuinely pointing out Poppy's flaws?
Could this be the main reason for Sunshine Gym's consistently high popularity?
If he maintained this during Champion assessments, challengers would likely fight with even greater determination.
Rika silently noted Aiden's unconsciously displayed traits.
Perhaps he'd be perfect as the first Elite Four—delivering a wake-up call to students?
No—she should first observe his actual battle performance before deciding.
"Next up is my turn."
Aiden spoke again.
"Lucario, Thunder Punch!"
Though following Bulk Up with a physical attack after learning Wicked Blow seemed foolish, but...
Aiden sensed the next unavoidable Aura Sphere might instantly KO Corviknight. He planned to feed Poppy some moves first, appearing less overwhelming.
Otherwise, if he made her cry, wouldn't he become the villain...?
Wouldn't Poppy fail to notice him holding back if he used Thunder Punch?
"Corviknight, fly up to dodge, then use Body Press!"
Poppy reacted swiftly, having learned from her earlier mistake to change Corviknight's instructions.
"Luca..."
Lucario paused, not fully understanding its trainer's intentions but unquestioningly choosing trust.
Aiden commanded this way—he must have his reasons!
So it only needed to grasp his intent to easily resolve the opponent.
The answer was simple!
"Gah—!"
Slightly slower Corviknight prepared to take off, but Lucario stomped its foot first. Jumping preemptively, it blocked Corviknight's escape route from the air.
"..."
Seeing Lucario's unexpected move, Aiden suddenly had a bad feeling.
Where did you learn this aerial maneuver from???
Couldn't be inspiration after getting hit by Bagon, right...
Seeing Lucario closing in while Corviknight struggled to dodge, Poppy bit her lip, making a difficult choice—
"Corviknight, charge forward with Body Press!"
As Poppy commanded, the two Pokémon locked eyes on the field, quickly unleashing their signature moves.
Lucario's fists glowed with conspicuous electricity, ready to launch consecutive powerful strikes at closer range!
Corviknight took a deep breath, seemingly waiting for a counterattack opportunity.
"Luca-Luca-Luca!"
Entering punching range, Lucario struck first. With electric sparks flying, it unleashed a flurry of rapid punches.
"Gah!"
Corviknight suddenly flapped its wings before the attack landed. Ascending slightly, it used gravity to dive down, retaliating with steel claws against Lucario!
Yes—it would turn defense into offense!
Both Steel-types, Lucario's steel punches and Corviknight's iron talons collided repeatedly, sparks flying vividly.
Thunder Punch countered Corviknight, Body Press countered Lucario. Though the exchange seemed even, the reality soon revealed their strengths.
Lucario's dual-purpose fists skillfully deflected Corviknight's attacks while swiftly counterpunching.
Corviknight's claw structure lacked such flexibility, only barely defending passively.
And defense was meaningless against Lucario.
After all, Aiden's Lucario had the ability—
Inherited from Armor Island Dojo, the martial art mastery embodying Master Mustard's lifetime insights: Unseen Fist!
Not a specialized move for breaking Protect, but a fierce offensive technique integrating "penetration" into instinct.
"Luca!"
Soon, Lucario seized Corviknight's fatigue gap. Jumping up, it threw an uppercut straight at the completely undefended head.
After close observation, Lucario had noticed Corviknight's body was covered in vertical steel feathers.
Thus, attacking normal areas would be ineffective.
But its beak lacked feathers—like a human chin—making it one of its weak points.
Without hesitation, Lucario delivered the uppercut.
As expected, Corviknight—fully focused on countering its assault—couldn't react in time. The surprise punch landed precisely on its beak, sending it flying several meters backward until it nearly reached the field's edge.
Though not instantly KO'd, its struggling rise suggested it was barely hanging on.
"..."
Aiden's expression turned complex.
Lucario nearly one-shot Corviknight with one punch. Did I hold back or not?
But at this point, he could only grit his teeth and follow Lucario's lead.
If holding back still couldn't win—not his problem!
He'd warn his Pokémon after becoming Elite Four to ease up a bit.
Directly signaling Lucario to hold back mid-battle would disrespect the opponent. Poppy might still cry from frustration...
Sigh—why does being Elite Four have to be so troublesome even after leaving the gym leader position!
"Lucario, Aura Sphere."
Several sharp Aura Spheres fired consecutively. Even if Poppy commanded Protect in time, it couldn't block all attacks.
Soon, as expected, Lucario easily defeated Corviknight.
Beside them, Rika couldn't help but twitch her lips.
Take back my earlier thought—Aiden absolutely cannot be first in line!
If Aiden went first, the number of rookies advancing to the next stage would surely be halved…
Though Geeta did say standards shouldn't be lowered, it required dialectical thinking.
If everyone was eliminated in the first stage with no one reaching the second—it would be absurd!
After the first round, Poppy opposite Aiden quietly sniffled, looking dejected.
Though she'd improved greatly since her last challenge—even Rika said so...
Why did facing Gym Leader Aiden still feel as powerless as before?
Poppy shook her head, pushing away these discouraging thoughts.
No! Can't think like that!
The battle had just begun—I still have chances!
After recalling the downed Corviknight, Poppy's eyes hardened again.
"Next, I choose you!"
"Tinkaton!"
Poppy quickly threw another Poké Ball. Red light flashed, revealing an absurdly large hammer first, with a cute pink figure below.
This Pokémon caught Aiden's attention.
Tinkaton— Steel + Fairy typing was already noble by type alone.
It could also learn the absurdly powerful exclusive move "Gigaton Hammer"—160 base power. Its downside of being unable to reuse wasn't too severe.
Even its abilities were highly useful: Mold Breaker, Own Tempo, and Pickpocket—each with good utility.
Yet despite these factors, Tinkaton remained unpopular in the previous life.
The reason was simple...
This loli blessed with heavenly strength who could wield a 100kg+ hammer had only 75 Attack stat.
Of course, in the real Pokémon world, its offensive capabilities remained questionable.
"Tinkaton, use Fake Out to close the distance!"
While Aiden watched Tinkaton, Poppy quickly adjusted her mindset, commanding decisively.
"Luca..."
Hearing the opponent's command, Lucario's expression turned slightly playful.
Fake Out was its specialty, so it had some insights on countering it.
Aiden also raised an eyebrow, feeling a hint of gratification.
After his long-term streaming promotion of useful battle moves like Fake Out, Protect, and Thunder Wave, their adoption rate was now quite high.
Even 8-year-old Poppy could instinctively use this move...
But coincidentally, she faced his Lucario.
"Lucario."
Aiden smiled. Lucario immediately looked back, reaffirming its decision—
"Use Quick Guard!"
Theoretically, Quick Guard and Fake Out had similar priority, relying purely on reaction speed.
In Pokémon games, same priority moves would compare speed stats.
Lucario was slightly slower than Tinkaton, so it would likely flinch first, failing to counterattack in time.
But in reality, there was a prerequisite—
Due to some... irregular reasons, Lucario using Fake Out often anticipated opponents' attacks, reacting effortlessly.
"Luca!"
Before Tinkaton's attack landed, Lucario had already prepared. Its hands made a pincer motion, completely ignoring Tinkaton's feinting hammer, smoothly catching the real punch.
"..."
Poppy fell silent again but also sighed in relief. Moments later, her voice turned sharper.
"Tinkaton, use Gigaton Hammer!"
Yes—even if Fake Out missed, as long as the distance was close enough, Tinkaton's strength could overcome any opponent!
If Gigaton Hammer hit Lucario, everything would be fine!
But clearly, Poppy hadn't realized—
Quick Guard actually split into two parts.
Blocking the opponent's priority move was just the setup; the next step was "counter."
"Luca!"
After using the empty-hand disarmament technique to neutralize one attack, Lucario struck first before Tinkaton could exert force. Slapping its forehead at incredible speed, it successfully stunned the opponent.
Then, it disengaged smoothly, quickly retreating to a relatively safe distance.
Rika watched this, sighing inwardly.
Exactly as she'd thought earlier—their battle experience was completely mismatched.
Though expecting an 8-year-old to know various moves was absurd.
But at least currently, Aiden was completely overwhelming Poppy—no suspense whatsoever.
Aiden was still restrained. If he'd exploited Tinkaton's delayed reaction with a super-effective move...
He recalled—Lucario should know Earthquake, right?
One Earthquake—disregarding the Nasty Plot boost—would easily finish Tinkaton.
This might seem unkind to Poppy, but after seeing Aiden's commands, Rika actually felt relieved.
At least it proved Aiden knew how to hold back!
"Lucario, continue with Aura Sphere!"
Though overwhelmingly advantageous, Aiden now felt slightly anxious.
Afraid Lucario's heavy-handedness might sweep through Poppy's team in one Pokémon, shattering her mentality?
But Lucario didn't seem to be using full power either? It hadn't used Unseen Fist to break Protect, nor Wicked Blow and Surging Strikes learned from Master Mustard...
Even its mastered Mega Evolution remained unused.
If unleashed, the battle would become even more lopsided...
What about Earthquake—more super-effective against Tinkaton?
Like Kingdra's Draco Meteor, Earthquake caused excessive terrain damage. After a few uses, construction teams needed to rebuild the field. Aiden had already blacklisted it.
Tournaments were different, but at home, he couldn't casually use Earthquake.
No!
Regardless of what happens next, he must recall this reckless young Lucario and let other Pokémon test the waters!
"Tinkaton, use Substitute to block the attack, keep chasing!"
While Poppy stubbornly commanded, Lucario's Aura Sphere had already charged, aiming at Tinkaton.
Having been reminded earlier, Poppy understood dodging Aura Sphere was impossible.
But compared to Protect—a relatively passive move that couldn't close distance—Poppy chose Substitute to block the attack while maintaining mobility to approach and counterattack.
Her thinking had merit.
Before Aura Sphere landed, Tinkaton immediately used Substitute. Using it to block the attack, it also exploited the smoke from the exploding Substitute to obscure its form, closing the distance in one breath.
"Tinkaton, Gigaton Hammer!"
Now Poppy had only one thought repeating—
If Gigaton Hammer hits Lucario, everything will be fine!
This time, Teacher Azure surely couldn't interrupt Tinkaton's move!
However...
"Lucario, Detect."
Aiden's casual words effortlessly dissolved Tinkaton's assault.
Though headstrong, Lucario wasn't foolish enough to take a Gigaton Hammer head-on. It had prepared defenses early.
In close combat, it feared no Pokémon!
Moreover, Gigaton Hammer exhausted its entire strength—impossible to use consecutively.
After using it, Tinkaton would inevitably enter a brief weak period.
Seeing this, Aiden couldn't help but shake his head inwardly.
Though Poppy had special talents ordinary people lacked, her practical experience was still too naive...
Clearly lacking Sunshine Gym's tempering—she should come for more lessons later!
"Lucario, Close Combat!"
Aiden commanded decisively.
He couldn't wait to recall this reckless young Lucario, unconsciously using the Fighting-type finisher.
"Tinkaton, Protect!"
Exhausted after using Gigaton Hammer, Poppy knew Tinkaton couldn't clash head-on. She decisively chose defense.
This was actually the best option—relatively safely giving Tinkaton breathing room.
Sadly...
Against Aiden's illegally powerful Lucario, defense was meaningless.
Tinkaton reacted quickly, forming a transparent energy barrier before it.
However, before it could sigh in relief, Lucario's "serious punch" arrived.
Unseen Fist—a profound martial art—could be summarized in one sentence:
No defense is perfect. Find the flaw, and all defenses crumble effortlessly!
For Lucario, achieving this was even easier than the two Ursaring masters.
Because Aura never lied to it. Any energy could be perceived as Aura, instantly revealing weaknesses.
"Luca—!"
The punch landed on the Protect barrier. Lucario roared fiercely, concentrating power to its limit.
With a "crack—", the originally solid Protect barrier shattered like glass shards, scattering everywhere.
Lucario's assault didn't slow. Its powerful fist struck Tinkaton's abdomen forcefully.
The result of Tinkaton suffering this brutal blow unprepared needed no elaboration.
"Hiss—"
Rika suddenly inhaled sharply.
How did Lucario pull off that move???
Poppy's Tinkaton wasn't extremely strong, but Lucario was just a recently evolved youngster too?
Logically, even with a strength gap, it shouldn't completely ignore Protect through pure power?
And...
Rika felt this move oddly familiar.
Somewhat like... childhood Master Tournament broadcasts she'd watched on TV.
A nearly retired Master Mustard, with two Urshifu, used this move to make opponents afraid to defend, forcing head-on clashes.
But how did Aiden connect with the retired Master Mustard running the Isle of Armor Dojo and learn his Unseen Fist technique?
Never heard Aiden was a martial artist training at the Dojo either? Probably overthinking...
Rika shook her head, setting aside this confusion.
With Lucario's full-power punch easily defeating the opponent, the score reached 2:0.
Aiden immediately recalled Lucario before Poppy could react.
Hakiri, you...
Too heavy-handed! Don't you see the little girl's about to cry!
No—Poppy needs to regain some ground. Otherwise, finishing this match might earn him the title "kid-terrifying villain"...
"Lucario seems a bit tired, so next I'll send out this child."
Aiden took a deep breath, making an excuse while ignoring his Poké Ball's slight rolling protest. He threw another Poké Ball.
"Go, Sylveon!"
"Sylveon~"
The adorable pink Eevee evolution appeared brightly.
Aiden trusted his slightly timid Sylveon completely.
First—against Steel-types, Sylveon's moves wouldn't be too effective, at least preventing Poppy's loss from being too crushing.
Second—Sylveon wasn't as headstrong as Lucario, not aiming to one-shot opponents immediately.
Moreover, Sylveon was his longest-companion starter. Legends said prolonged human-Pokémon cohabitation fostered heart synchronization.
So Sylveon would surely understand his wish to hold back a bit!
Thinking this, Aiden winked at Sylveon, who turned to look at him.
"Sylveon?"
Noticing its trainer's strange expression, Sylveon tilted its head but soon looked enlightened.
It understood—everything!
Must be because Lucario hogged all the spotlight earlier, so now it's my turn to showcase Sunshine Gym's strength!
Though unclear why suddenly pulled into this battle, the very handsome big sister beside her was extremely familiar.
It was under her command that it and Riolu had fought desperately to barely defeat one Pokémon, protecting Sunshine Gym's existence.
So this time should be similar, right?
Thinking this, Sylveon quietly turned back, looking at the still-dazed Poppy with a "kind" smile.
Come on—now I'm completely different. I'll definitely protect my trainer and the gym!
With Sylveon's thought came a heavy heartbeat that suddenly made Aiden dizzy.
Yes—this is the flavor!
Aiden felt secretly gratified.
Though unsure why, the opponent hadn't even sent out a Pokémon yet, but Sylveon's "King Engine" had already activated on its own.
But this proved it understood his intention—bluffing to scare opponents, right?
Just need Sylveon to struggle a bit, then find an opportunity to "accidentally" faint.
Giving Poppy one point should improve her mood.
Aiden quickly sighed in relief as Poppy silently took out her third Poké Ball.
Corviknight and Tinkaton's consecutive defeats made Poppy realize one thing—
Though Rika had praised her earlier, saying she now had Gym Leader-level trainer skills.
But at least now, those words seemed just encouragement. Compared to Gym Leader Aiden, she still fell far short...
But Rika was watching. She couldn't lose heart—must show more fighting spirit! At least take one point from Teacher Azure!
Thus, she had to send out her ace Pokémon.
"Go, Copperajah!"
Poppy threw the Poké Ball with great momentum, shouting in a sharp child's voice.
Soon, a mountain-sized dark green giant elephant appeared on Poppy's field, radiating imposing presence.
"Sylveon?!!!"
Completely shadowed by the giant, Sylveon cried out in surprise.
Lucario's previous opponents seemed ordinary. Why does my opponent suddenly become so powerful?!
Unfair!
Facing the massive size difference, Sylveon naturally felt timid. Its heart pounded fiercely again, drumbeats growing clearer.
Hearing this familiar sound again, Rika beside them couldn't help but smile.
It seemed Aiden's this child was serious again...
Hold on, Poppy—at least let me see how strong Aiden's Sylveon really is!
"Copperajah, use Heavy Slam!"
Desperate to score a point and regain momentum, Poppy commanded immediately. Copperajah charged toward the much smaller Sylveon.
"Sylveon?!"
The previously confident Sylveon was startled by this behemoth, instinctively turning to look at Aiden behind it.
"Sylveon... use Blood Moon!"
Originally, Aiden planned to recall Sylveon immediately, sending out Mewtwo to dodge with Psychic's teleportation effect.
After all, heavier Pokémon used Heavy Slam better, and the move inherently countered Sylveon's Fairy typing.
If Sylveon took this hit, it might faint instantly—no acting needed.
But he reconsidered—
Since Sylveon understood his intention, wouldn't this be a good acting opportunity?
Just need to recall it before Heavy Slam lands, pretending it ran out of stamina, right?
After all, it's just a Pixilate Blood Moon—could it possibly one-shot Heavy Slam-resistant Copperajah?...
Indeed, Sylveon is most reliable!
After giving Sylveon a reassuring gesture, Aiden thought inwardly.
"Vee... Sylveon!"
Since the trainer said so, Sylveon had no choice but to use the move with gritted teeth.
As Copperajah stepped forward again, all three people on the field suddenly felt a chill, shivering involuntarily.
Simultaneously, when Aiden looked up, the dusk-yellow sun had somehow vanished. In its place hung a blood-red full moon, emitting crimson light high in the sky.
"..."
Rika also noticed this, looking at Sylveon with puzzled eyes.
Why does Aiden's every Pokémon seem so strange…
Lucario earlier also felt oddly different despite normal moves.
This Sylveon didn't even pretend.
So this must be the "Blood Moon" Aiden mentioned—actually affecting the environment. Its power should be terrifying.
A move worthy of close attention.
Rika silently added another note, thinking to herself inwardly—
This kid Aiden—the last time here, his Pokémon weren't this strong. How in less than three months not only evolved but also developed unique training directions?
Just these two Pokémon are already Elite Four-caliber…
Could Aiden really be born to be a trainer?
While Rika pondered, the two Pokémon on the field began their unique duel.
"Sylveon!!"
Against the behemoth Copperajah, Sylveon could only attack with all its might, hoping to finish the opponent before its attack landed.
Under Sylveon's influence, the originally crimson scene turned pink. Moonlight poured like a waterfall, materializing from high above to attack Copperajah's entire body.
Normally, Fairy-type moves wouldn't be very effective against Steel-type Copperajah.
But perhaps due to raw power, or simply because Copperajah's massive size absorbed too much moonlight erosion.
Of course, there was another possibility—
Aiden's Sylveon was truly the Moon's beloved daughter. Unwilling to see it suffer, the Moon hanging in the starry sky unleashed its most violent power without mercy.
This poor heavily burdened Copperajah.
Soon, as it slowly built momentum for its charge, clear pain showed on its face, movements growing sluggish.
"Huh?"
Aiden's eyes widened in shock.
No, don't mess around!
Why is Sylveon becoming more illegal again? This move's power is clearly wrong!
And... such a sturdy-looking Pokémon is just a lightweight? Can't even withstand Sylveon's Blood Moon???
Facing the future Steel-type Elite Four with Sylveon and resisting Blood Moon—holding back this much and still losing? I really have no solution then...
Aiden sighed inwardly.
Looks like even as Elite Four, I'll need to go easy on students during evaluations.
Otherwise, even Geeta might not pass my stage!
If no Champion is born this year, who will President Geeta send to solo all Paradox Pokémon in Area Zero?
Really hard to guess~
As Aiden guessed, the situation developed.
Sylveon, suddenly entering berserk output mode, continuously attacked with pink moonlight, actually severely wounding Copperajah.
Fortunately, Copperajah's frame was incredibly solid. Enduring the pain, it gathered strength again for a brutal charge, quickly closing the distance between them.
Before its attack landed, Aiden decisively recalled the trembling, eyes-closed Sylveon.
In actual battles, freely using Poké Balls to avoid damage would often make situations unsolvable, so it wasn't normally allowed.
But since Aiden did this, he accepted Sylveon couldn't withstand this Heavy Slam—equivalent to giving up one point.
Of course good for Poppy—finally scoring one point against Aiden, her mentality surely improved.
For Aiden, his goal of "giving one point" was also achieved.
A win-win situation.
"You did great, Sylveon."
Aiden couldn't help but praise the Poké Ball in his hand.
Yes—truly veteran acting skills.
Sylveon's performance earlier was so convincing even Aiden almost believed it.
For future Champion assessments, Sylveon might be the most adaptable one...
Aiden shook his head, looking at Poppy again.
"I was indeed a bit overconfident earlier, but I can see that Copperajah is very well-raised. You must have put in much effort, right?"
"So next, I'll get serious."
As Aiden spoke, he already took out his third Poké Ball.
"Next, I choose you."
"Ogerpon!"
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