Round of 32 to the last 16.
The quality of the opponents improved visibly.
In terms of knowledge alone, if the previous round's opponent was at the level of Unmarked Kanto Zhi, then this round's opponent is at least at the level of Unmarked City Doji.
The most obvious point—
The opponent recognized Electromagnetic Levitation and immediately instructed his Hippowdon to cancel the originally planned Quicksand Hell.
In terms of combat quality, daring to use Digging multiple times to evade moves is commendable. After all, Four Heavenly Kings Bertha liked this tactic when she fiercely battled Ash Ketchum with seven badges.
And it really works well.
However.
"Flame Fang!"
Boom!
The ground cracked, sand and rocks exploded, and a giant black-nosed, yellow-skinned Hippowdon burst from the ground, its ferocious momentum mixed with burning flames as it aimed at the Mawile in mid-air.
"Been waiting for you! Backward Ice Fist!"
"Chido!"
Mawile suddenly raised its head, narrowly avoiding the Hippowdon that leaped three to four meters high, its gushing flames nearly scorching its face.
Unfortunately, after missing, the Hippowdon's jaw was exposed to Mawile.
Mawile's small fist quickly gathered chilling cold air, radiating a gem-like brilliance, as it pulled back, twisted its waist, and drove its shoulder forward all in one motion, suddenly striking ahead!
Thud!
The powerful fist slammed into Hippowdon's jaw, erupting with the sound of freezing exploding!
Hippowdon uncontrollably flew backward, landing with a thud and rolling over several times.
Under the forceful Trait, Mawile's unnatural strength was perfectly unleashed!
"Impossible!"
The opponent exclaimed in disbelief, unable to accept that his Hippowdon left such a gap during the clash.
However, the previous two assaults from underground already exposed its inability to evade moves in mid-air, so for Mawile, who had understood Hippowdon's pattern—
It was a sitting duck.
Able to dodge an upward attack, it could do as it pleased.
So Hippowdon was hit so hard by Mawile that it nearly stumbled, and if not for its decent physical resistance, and the fact that the Ice Attribute wasn't Mawile's primary attribute, it wouldn't have withstood that blow.
"Come back!"
The opponent hurriedly ran up to retrieve Hippowdon.
Although this effect is impossible in the game, Pokémon that return to their Pokeball can indeed recover some stamina by resting.
"Won't slack off? Or don't dare to use it?"
Baimu silently speculated.
The next moment.
The opponent swiftly released a second Pokémon, positioning it away from Mawile.
Under normal circumstances, everyone positions their Pokémon like this, unless, like in the last match, the opponent foolishly drags their own time and doesn't consider positioning.
Ultimately, they were taken down in one set.
Boom.
White light flickered.
A majestic Pidgeot with flowing plumage appeared in the air, its full chest muscles and wide wings making its flying posture exceptionally agile.
Its nearly six-foot-tall body also demonstrated that its trainer had taken good care of it.
"Pidgeot."
Baimu squinted, withdrew Mawile with a Pokeball, and sent out Chansey with a flick of his hand, "Come on, time to test the results!"
"Lucky…"
Chansey looked up at the spirited Pidgeot, slightly intimidated by its size, but stood firm.
In the past month, it had experienced its share of challenges and had already overcome the nervousness of being on stage alone, being just a step away from truly standing on its own.
However, even if it couldn't attack right now, it could still contribute to the team.
Baimu told it this, and it firmly believed.
"Lightning Flash!"
Pidgeot flapped its wings, transforming into a flash of white light and swooping downward, moving so fast that even Dynamic Vision couldn't precisely track it.
Faced with such a fierce offensive, Chansey stood still as if it were dazed, waiting blankly for the opponent to rapidly approach, until—
"Defend!"
"Lucky!"
Chansey's face tightened, raising its small paws as a shimmering green light shield unfolded just before Pidgeot collided with it!
Boom!
Pidgeot's Lightning Flash hit the light shield yet could not advance, its energy and impact were absorbed and vanished, like stones sinking into the sea!
[Defend], able to shield oneself from most of another Pokémon's moves.
Chansey's important recent achievement!
The opponent paused, not overly concerned, knowing that Defend is hard to use consecutively, making him appear more advantageous in the close range between Pidgeot and Chansey.
After all, Chansey's physical defense is not great.
Using something like that, you're just at a disadvantage!
It's a pity Baimu didn't agree, "Use Telekinesis on its chest feathers!"
"Nani!?"
The opponent was shocked, "Pidgeot, don't let it succeed!"
"Chirp!"
Pidgeot responded with a call, fiercely struggling to fly backward, yet Chansey closed its eyes and pounced forward, sticking to Pidgeot's chest.
A faint pink light shone on Chansey and Pidgeot, allowing the two to fly together.
No matter how it struggled, Pidgeot couldn't escape.
"Peck its head! Wing Attack to knock it down! Quick!"
The opponent didn't know what Chansey intended, feeling an ominous crisis building inside.
Pidgeot lowered its head, wildly pecking at Chansey's smooth head, but alas, it didn't know the move [Peck], so the attack didn't carry attribute energy.
The Wing Attack did produce flashes of white light but was still of little use.
Telekinesis was like strong glue, ensuring the two Pokémon stayed glued together.
"Crash it! Crash it down!"
In a panic, the opponent tried anything he could think of.
Baimu, however, remained calm, "Shrink! Crawl to its nape!"
Chansey's body shuddered from the pecking and wing beating, but it rapidly shrank to a tiny size, slipping to the back of Pidgeot's neck right before it crashed to the ground.
Boom!
Pidgeot's plan backfired, hurting itself as it collided.
In this position, locked by Telekinesis, Pidgeot couldn't get rid of Chansey or attack it.
The flapping also prevented the opponent from smoothly retrieving it with a Pokeball.
"How can this be! How is this even possible!"
The opponent was dumbfounded, having knowledge on par with Johto Zhi, yet easy to stumble over unexpected tactics.
"Sing."
Baimu coldly and ruthlessly decreed Pidgeot's doom.
Pinkish light waves rippled from Chansey as a soothing melody resonated above Pidgeot, causing its eyelids to grow heavy, involuntarily descending to the ground to sleep.
"Invisible Rock."
Chansey's setup continued unabated.
The opponent glanced at Baimu's silky-smooth tactics, gritting his teeth, still yearning to struggle.
But as Chansey's earth-yellow light wave enveloped the field, countless rocks suspended in the air vanished, only for—
The opponent's retrieved Hippowdon was immediately hit by Invisible Rock the moment it landed—
And fell flat.
Pidgeot entered the field.
Already wounded further as a Flying Type, it remained asleep.
While the Mawile Baimu switched in ruthlessly finished it off.
"You, this, Chansey, I… ahhh!" The opponent's face twisted with frustration, feeling utterly unwilling in his defeat.