For a moment, many people's minds went blank.
But the next instant they understood why the Mamoswine had disappeared—
A funnel-shaped giant pit with no visible bottom from their perspective had appeared at some unknown time, with terrifying quicksand slowly rotating inside, achieving a peculiar rhythm with the swirling wind and sand in the air.
More than half of the Mamoswine's body was buried in the sand, desperately struggling yet sinking deeper.
Kendall was stunned.
Quicksand Hell!
The Earth Split version that Baimu once used!
Ying Yuan remembered when he participated in the Pyrite Arena tournament; such a Quicksand Hell was used, not expecting the Garchomp could also bring it forth.
And on a larger scale...
Ah!
It was because of the Mamoswine's Earthquake!
Ying Yuan wasn't stupid; he simply lacked competitive battle experience and awareness, but he could naturally see things right in front of him.
The current situation undoubtedly was that the Earthquake had dispersed the specially designed battle arena surface beneath the Mamoswine, allowing Garchomp to create the Quicksand Hell with greater ease.
And its larger scope made it extremely difficult for Mamoswine to escape.
"Crackboom!"
The Garchomp popped its head out from the other side, with some wounds on its body but still spirited.
It easily broke free from the quicksand, flying into the air looking down at the struggling Mamoswine.
"Dragon's Fury!"
"Crackboom!"
Garchomp accumulated indigo Dragon Flame in its mouth, and fiercely spat it out!
Poof!
A huge ball of fire came crashing down toward Mamoswine!
Kendall gritted his teeth and shouted, "Ice Shard!"
"Moo!"
The Mamoswine struggled to raise its long tusks, forming translucent ice crystals between them, spinning as they flew to intercept the descending fireball.
Boom!
Smoke exploded in midair.
The two forces collided, and their power seemed evenly matched.
"Continuous use of Dragon's Fury!"
Baimu waved his hand; the Mamoswine had become like a tortoise in a jar, unable to move, left only to take the hit.
After all, it was a Pokémon that once lived in the tundra; it adapting to Pyrite Town's environment was already not easy, to escape from an anthill-type Quicksand Hell?
Basically impossible.
He calmly said to Ayana and Otsuka, "Utilizing Traits is a very basic yet extremely important part of tactics. And tactics aren't merely about using techniques; it's more about mastering timing and knowing which technique to use when and where."
"Then why didn't you use this Quicksand Hell from the start?"
Cheng Hong asked the question on many people's minds.
"The previous techniques were mainly to lull the opponent into complacency, to make Garchomp more proficient at using Quicksand Hell, and most importantly, to master the rhythm, hold the initiative, so the opponent cannot attack and can only passively defend against your attacks."
After Baimu finished his words.
The expressions of the surrounding Trainers had shifted from complex to admiring, Ayana silently processed it all, while Ying Ma stared blankly at the Garchomp continuously spewing Dragon Flame at Mamoswine.
He never imagined his Pokémon could be so "powerful."
The same technique, used differently, could produce such incredulous effects!
Suddenly.
Baimu raised his hand to signal Garchomp to stop.
He looked at Kendall in the distance, asking, "Mr. Kendall, why not continue commanding?"
When the third clash between Ice Shard and Dragon's Fury ended, an explosion appeared in front of Mamoswine, Kendall ceased to speak up.
"In the last two matches, you said the power gap was too large. But in this match, there's no significant gap between the Pokémon; why give up?"
Baimu's words seemed puzzling to the surrounding people.
Is this the stance of winning without mercy?
Indeed, the Pokémon's strength wasn't vastly different, but the gap between the Trainers was wide!
"..."
Kendall remained silent, knowing he had already lost, unwilling to continue the struggle, feeling it would be too disgraceful.
It's only a battle.
Moreover, he didn't wish to be too confrontational with Baimu, yet publicly admitting he wasn't as skilled still felt embarrassing.
Abandoning the command was his way to lose with some dignity.
Additionally.
He was following Ying Yuan's orders, battling Baimu to help ease the boss's worries; was it necessary to fight so hard to the point of losing face?
In Pyrite Town's past "upper society," two things were most important—
One was money, and the other was face.
The times indeed changed, but what they valued wouldn't change so swiftly.
Feeling the atmosphere around was heavy, Baimu sighed, "Mr. Kendall, I'm not here to blame you, nor did I intend to blame you. I want to ask, have you ever truly watched your Pokémon during a battle?"
Hmm?
Kendall was perplexed, instinctively glancing at the Mamoswine in the sand pit.
He suddenly noticed, the Mamoswine was still gazing at the airborne Garchomp, its eyes devoid of despair and dejection of impending defeat, filled only with blazing fighting spirit.
It was struggling, waiting.
It wanted to escape the Quicksand Hell, to continue battling Garchomp.
"..."
Kendall was emotionally moved, yet words failed him; an inexplicable sense of shame surged within.
He didn't know what he was ashamed of.
It's just an insignificant victory or defeat.
Indeed.
Insignificant...
"Is the second-in-command of Pyrite Arena only to this extent!? Losing two matches in a row and not even having the will to win back just one! Clearly, your Pokémon hasn't given up yet! It wants to continue battling for you! Waiting for your command!"
"But what are you doing! You, the Trainer, is accepting defeat for it! Mr. Kendall! Why not command! Does silently acknowledging your defeat give you dignity! So many people in the arena worship you, Boss Ying Yuan trusts you so much, have you lived up to their expectations?"
Baimu's voice was loud, deafening, shocking everyone.
However.
Kendall's roar was even louder.
"Have you said enough——!!"
Unknowingly, his eyes turned red, gritting his teeth as he shouted, "Speaking so righteously, but do you know anything! If it weren't for repaying my brother's kindness, who would repeatedly agree to battle you? To be ridiculed by you in public?
"Everyone gathered here patiently listening to you speak, purely following the boss's orders, is the outcome of a trivial battle capable of determining anything? Nothing will be determined! Just because you've learned something new outside, don't flaunt your arrogant and disdainful attitude in front of us!
"If you're really that impressive, why not go to Silicon City, the Ore Arena, the Vermilion Arena? The Trainers there are much stronger than us! Why don't you go?"
Ying Ma was greatly taken aback, anxiously wanting to soothe the agitated Kendall and stop the quarrel, but was stopped by Ying Yuan shaking his head.
"Well said!"
Baimu clapped vigorously, praising, "Indeed, a trivial battle determines nothing, but every victory accumulates into something significant, driving you to keep moving forward. Those places you mentioned, I will certainly visit! But before that, I want to do something else.
"As for ridicule? No way! My time isn't sufficient to waste like that, and as of now, you're not worth it. It was Boss Ying Yuan's invitation that made me choose Pyrite Arena... but judging by the current situation, you greatly disappointed me."
His words incited the glaring of Trainers in the arena.
Yet, Kendall's emotions seemed to have calmed after a thorough vent, his voice hoarse from breaking down, "So, what exactly do you want to do?"
"Ah, I want to achieve the glory of Ore."
Baimu said with a smile: "It could be two or three years, maybe four or five; I will establish my Trainer School in Pyrite Town, I will pass down all my knowledge, creating generation after generation of powerful Ore Trainers!
"You are the first batch of experimental participants before I open the school. And the lesson I wish to teach first is titled 'Believe In Your Pokémon, Fight Until The End!' and as of now—none of you pass!"