"Is that Pokémon called Floatzel?"
"In our League, it is a very uncommon Pokémon."
After that Pokémon appeared on the scene, the spectators also recognized it and could not help showing surprise.
"Floatzzll!"
As soon as it came onto the field, Floatzel let out a growl filled with presence.
Immediately afterward, the ring around its neck, similar to a float, suddenly inflated, and a fine mist began to spread around it.
"Floatzel? Then it seems it is once again a Pokémon of speed. In addition, looking at Tristan's expression, this Floatzel's speed is surely even faster than Sceptile's."
"If he sent it out even after having seen Rhyperior's speed, it is because he undoubtedly has enough confidence."
Ethan's expression became somewhat more serious. Not to mention the enormous attribute disadvantage, if it was also at a disadvantage in speed, then the battle would become quite complicated for Rhyperior.
"Aqua Jet state!"
As soon as the battle began, Tristan gave the order directly.
Then, Floatzel's entire body was wrapped in currents of water.
However, Floatzel did not move immediately. It merely maintained that state covered by water, its gaze fixed on Rhyperior.
It was clear that, if Rhyperior tried to use the same method it had used against Sceptile, Floatzel would immediately use the move Aqua Jet to dodge and then take the opportunity to launch a counterattack.
Under a quadruple type advantage, if Rhyperior was hit by one of Floatzel's attacks, of course it would not have a good time.
"Continuous Rock Blast!"
Seeing that Floatzel did not want to initiate the attack, Ethan gave the order directly.
Immediately afterward, Rhyperior raised both arms, and one after another, rocks shot out like projectiles from the cavities in its hands.
Just as those stones were launched like bullets, Floatzel's figure also moved.
It was practically a flash, and its figure had already disappeared from the spot, causing all the attacks to miss.
With a splash, Floatzel appeared at some unknown moment behind Rhyperior, used the move Aqua Tail, and struck its body directly.
Accompanied by a loud rumble, speed transformed into terrifying force, and not even Rhyperior's enormous weight could prevent its body from leaning backward.
After a single strike, Floatzel immediately retreated, without the slightest hesitation, not giving Rhyperior any opportunity to counterattack.
"What incredible speed!"
"Rhyperior was pushed back!"
"At what moment did Floatzel attack?"
Seeing Rhyperior's body lean backward, the spectators opened their eyes wide.
For the great majority of the audience, that speed was, without a doubt, the fastest they had ever seen.
And not only the audience: even Ethan's face became a little more somber.
When he reacted, the only thing he saw was Rhyperior retreating. And when he looked at Floatzel, he discovered that it was still in exactly the same place, as if it had never moved.
A speed so similar to instantaneous transposition completely surpassed that of any opponent at the same level.
"Why is it so fast?"
"Even if it relied on Aqua Jet, it shouldn't reach a speed like that, right?"
After the initial shock, Ethan fell into deep thought.
At that moment, on the field, under Floatzel's terrifying speed, Rhyperior was being completely suppressed!
If he could not discover the reason behind that absurd speed, there was no doubt: he would lose this battle.
"Speed, speed, speed..."
"What means does Floatzel have to increase its speed?"
"Besides Aqua Jet... could it be Swift Swim?"
"Yes, it has to be that. Swift Swim doubles speed. If that is so, then it perfectly explains why Floatzel is so fast."
Ethan's eyes shone slightly. He had found the key point of this battle: the Ability Swift Swim.
As long as he managed to neutralize the Ability Swift Swim, once Floatzel lost that twofold speed increase, then it was not certain that it would still be faster than Rhyperior, whose instantaneous speed erupted through the force application technique.
Then the real question appeared: how was Floatzel activating the Ability Swift Swim without there being rain on the field?
"Rain...? Could it be that?"
Suddenly, Ethan remembered the mist that had spread around Floatzel before the battle began.
Thinking about it now, perhaps that was not ordinary mist. Perhaps it was loaded with the power of rainy weather.
Therefore, as long as he could disperse that rain power attached to Floatzel's body, he could also neutralize the Ability Swift Swim.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
On the field, the battle continued.
Under Floatzel's speed, Rhyperior did not have a single opportunity to strike back.
But even while withstanding attack after attack, Rhyperior's body remained upright, without showing any visible injury.
Seeing that, Tristan could not help cursing inwardly. Was that Rhyperior's defense not too monstrous?
Just as Tristan was still impressed by Rhyperior's durability, Ethan gave another order: "Then... Rhyperior, use Sandstorm!"
Upon hearing the order, Rhyperior's entire body suddenly erupted with Rock-type energy.
But its way of using sandstorm was somewhat different: it raised both arms, and sand and gravel shot out from the cavities in its hands, so that stones and dust instantly rose up and rushed directly toward Floatzel.
"Floatzel, again!"
Upon hearing its Trainer, the water still enveloping Floatzel's body began to vibrate.
Afterward, Floatzel's figure disappeared again among watery flashes.
But right at the instant Floatzel moved, Rhyperior also moved.
Practically at the same time, all the spectators felt their vision blur for an instant: both Pokémon disappeared from the field.
And when they reappeared, they did so precisely at the moment when Rhyperior's fist collided head-on with Floatzel's move Aqua Jet.
In the next instant, water exploded in all directions, and Floatzel's body began to retreat nonstop, until it returned to the point where it had been before.
"It hit it! Rhyperior's speed has matched Floatzel's!"
"Incredible. That Rhyperior is too strong."
"Attack, defense, and speed... that Rhyperior is practically perfect!"
The spectators were once again surprised, and they could not help admiring Ethan's level of raising.
"Was it only luck?"
"Floatzel, use Aqua Jet again!"
Tristan did not want to accept it and ordered a new attack.
But the facts proved that, at that moment, Rhyperior's speed was no longer much slower than Floatzel's.
"Just as I thought. Although Floatzel's speed is still so fast that it is almost impossible to react to it, its speed has truly gone down. The clash from a moment ago is the best proof."
A curve formed at the corner of Ethan's lips. The situation on the field was exactly the same as what he had deduced.
Floatzel was concentrating the power of rain inside the ring on its neck, and thanks to that, it activated the Ability Swift Swim to double its speed.
Once Ethan understood that point, he had Rhyperior use Sandstorm to suppress the rainy power accumulated on Floatzel's body. And, naturally, by doing so, the Ability Swift Swim stopped working.
(End of chapter)