"Round two, begin!" The referee stood at the center of the battlefield, raising the flag and announcing in a clear, loud voice. The soft cheers in the audience quieted down, and all eyes focused on the intense battle between Alex and Roxanne.
The fight had now entered a more tense phase, as both opponents unleashed powerful and strategic moves. Facing an opponent who was higher level and more experienced, Alex remained unshaken, taking the initiative to start the attack.
"Rocky, use Aura Sphere!" Alex's serious yet confident voice echoed in Lucario's mind.
Immediately, Lucario gently closed its eyes, crossing its hands in front of its chest, concentrating all the inner energy. A blue energy sphere, about the size of a basketball, gradually appeared in its palms. The glowing orb shimmered like a gem, floating and full of power.
Thanks to the deep bond and aura system shared between Lucario and Alex, Lucario could sense its trainer's thoughts and commands without spoken words. The power of Aura Sphere was controlled by willpower, ready to fly straight toward Probopass.
Aura Sphere was a natural skill that Riolu learned upon evolving into Lucario. The League rated this move's power at 90 points, making it quite formidable. Moreover, Lucario had outstanding physical and special attack stats, making each strike extremely dangerous.
Roxanne was slightly taken aback by the silence and seamless coordination between Alex and Lucario. She was used to giving orders by voice but now witnessed their perfect synchronization without a word. Still, her seasoned battle experience allowed her to react quickly.
"Probopass, use Tri Attack to break Aura Sphere!" Roxanne's sharp, commanding voice rang out like a blade.
Probopass began gathering energy. Three beams of vivid light—red, green, and blue—converged into three sharp rays, rushing toward Lucario's energy sphere.
Aura Sphere was a special fighting move, and Probopass was Steel/Rock-type. This made Aura Sphere deal quadruple damage to Probopass. Though this Steel-type Pokémon had very high defense, receiving four times damage was serious, and without a proper strategy, it could be severely hurt.
The two moves collided with a tremendous explosion, shaking the whole battlefield. Dust rose, engulfing the arena in a misty haze, reducing visibility for the audience.
"Rocky, continue with Aura Sphere!" Alex clearly ordered, his voice echoing in Lucario's mind.
This time, Lucario didn't just pull the energy sphere with aura power but crossed its arms to condense the Aura Sphere again, then threw it swiftly toward Probopass at an astonishing speed.
Roxanne was alert and immediately commanded, "Probopass, use Tri Attack again!"
The next two clashes created loud explosions, dust swirling up again, and the battlefield was once more shrouded in smoky fog, forcing the spectators to squint to see.
Under Roxanne's skillful control, Probopass used long-range moves to restrain Lucario's terrifying strength. Despite its slow movement, it leveraged its defensive advantages and versatile techniques to prolong the battle.
Some experienced trainers whispered, "Probopass moves slowly; close combat would be very dangerous for it."
"And Lucario keeps using Aura Sphere, which consumes a lot of energy."
"Roxanne's Pokémon has suffered the least damage. If the match drags on, Alex might lose his edge."
May, standing near the stands, listened to these words and couldn't help but worry about Alex. This was Roxanne's main Pokémon — not to be underestimated.
While others expected Alex to change tactics, he continued commanding, "Rocky, keep using Aura Sphere!"
Once again, the energy sphere appeared, growing larger and brighter under the stadium lights.
Roxanne frowned, slightly displeased with the repetitive move, but there was no time to ponder.
"Probopass, use Tri Attack now!"
Another massive explosion echoed, with thick dust covering the battlefield.
Through the dust, Alex swiftly ordered, "Rocky, dash in and use Feint!"
Lucario immediately moved, leaving deep footprints on the ground, charging toward Probopass with rapid speed.
Though the dust reduced visibility, Lucario used its aura power to precisely sense the opponent's position. Its reflexes were agile like a true warrior.
Roxanne quickly realized the disadvantage and shouted, "Probopass, quickly use Protect!"
A milky white energy shield appeared around Probopass, blocking the incoming punch. However, Lucario's attack was Feint—a physical move with low power but capable of breaking through Protect.
When Lucario's spiked fist collided with the shield, a metallic clang resounded, and dust rose thickly again.
Probopass was pushed back a significant distance, losing balance on the battlefield.
Though Steel/Rock-type, the attack had a great impact because Lucario wore super-heavy protective gear on its hands, increasing the force of the blow.
Immediately, Alex gave the next order: "Now, use Power-Up Punch!"
Lucario stomped firmly on the ground, leaving a deep mark on the arena floor, then delivered a powerful spiked punch toward Probopass.
The metallic collision sparked, showcasing Lucario's overwhelming strength.
This punch not only dealt damage but also increased Lucario's attack power, marking a turning point in the match.
Alex didn't let Lucario continue attacking but quickly instructed, "Rocky, pause and prepare to dodge the next move."
Roxanne blushed with concern, understanding Probopass was in serious trouble. The giant metal mass moved slowly and couldn't withstand Lucario's continuous, precise attacks.
Cornered, she shouted decisively, "Use Thunderbolt now!"
Despite being Steel/Rock-type, Probopass could learn Electric-type moves.
Thunderbolt was a powerful Electric skill with high speed and devastating force.
Lightning flashed from Probopass's large nose, shooting a bolt straight at Lucario.
Alex quickly commanded, "Dodge!" and Lucario skillfully dodged to the side, avoiding the dangerous electric attack.
The bolt whizzed past, striking the edge of the battlefield, echoing loudly and lighting up one corner of the arena.
Alex narrowed his eyes, clearly sensing the electricity and Lucario's quick reaction.
"Now, use Focus Blast to finish!" Alex shouted.
Lucario lunged forward, raising its spiked fist ready for the final strike.
The thunderous sound rang out as it slammed into Probopass, delivering a strong, decisive blow.
The battlefield shook; dust and smoke billowed, obscuring vision for a few seconds.
When the haze cleared, everyone anxiously looked to the referee.
He raised the flag and solemnly announced, "Alex wins round two, challenging Rustboro Gym Leader Roxanne!"
Silence fell everywhere; the atmosphere grew heavy and tense.
Sighs, surprised looks, and admiring whispers echoed throughout the stands.
This victory was not just a result but a firm affirmation of Alex and Lucario's skill, tactics, and absolute power.
Roxanne stood watching Lucario return to Alex, her eyes still filled with surprise mixed with respect.