Even though Iron Defense was used, it isn't Protect. That thing can't block all the damage, it merely increases your Defense.
Moreover, Lucario has been using Aura Sphere and Mach Punch repeatedly, coupled with MEGA Lucario's extremely strong dual attack power, Blastoise being able to hold on until now is already quite impressive.
However, by this point, Blastoise is already on the brink of its limit. Its remaining physical strength is just a sliver, probably struggling even to use a skill once. This battle has already reached its end here.
Ash quietly watched Blastoise lying beside Gary, his mind filled with thoughts, uncertain about what he was thinking. Eventually, he raised his hand, ready to command Lucario to land the final blow on Blastoise.
At this moment, Gary suddenly shouted loudly, "Blastoise, use Rest!"
Rest can clear all abnormal statuses from a Pokemon and restore all of its physical strength, considered the strongest recovery skill among Pokemon. However, this skill isn't omnipotent, if a Pokemon suffers excessively severe damage, even Rest can't recover it.
But for Blastoise now, restoring all its physical strength using Rest is basically no problem. Following Gary's command, Blastoise lying on the ground directly closed its eyes, instantly entering a sleep state.
The wounds on its body caused by Lucario's Aura Sphere and close-range attacks also fully recovered as it entered sleep, leaving no trace.
"It can even Rest? But now your Blastoise is just a target for my Lucario to attack!" Ash, preparing to deal the final blow to Gary, paused in surprise, not expecting the opponent to find a way to grab a slim chance of survival in such a dire situation.
But a Pokemon in Rest is just a pure target. If it encounters a Pokemon with insufficient attack power, that's fine. Yet MEGA Lucario's attack power is among the top ranks across all Pokemon species!
"Not necessarily! Blastoise, use Sleep Talk!!" Gary uttered his classic saying—sono koto wa wakaranai!
His Blastoise can use Sleep while simultaneously being able to use Sleep Talk. However, due to the wide variety of moves Blastoise can apply, the skill randomly selected by Sleep Talk entails significant uncertainty.
Unless absolutely necessary, Gary is quite reluctant to use this move. Using Sleep combined with Sleep Talk allows attacking the enemy during sleep, but it also means leaving everything to fate.
If luck falls short, and it results in using some useless ultimate move, like Tackle or something, it's basically over.
But if you don't use Rest, you miss the chance to gamble. Rest allows a chance with Sleep Talk, whereas not resting results in immediate defeat by the opponent. Therefore, Gary chose to gamble.
The sleeping Blastoise stood up as if sleepwalking, then raised its hands, and the twin cannon barrels started gathering water—Water Pulse!
In its Rest state, Blastoise drew the most suitable skill. Among the myriad of skills, landing this one certainly seems like winning a jackpot in the lottery.
But Blastoise's Water Pulse in its sleep state has mediocre accuracy and speed, three streams of water shot towards Lucario, and Lucario dodged with a mere leap without needing any skill.
"Try another Sleep Talk!" After a skill is used, continuing requires using Sleep Talk for the next skill, which remains random.
Life allowed the Blastoise to draw Water Pulse again, this time targeting the airborne Lucario, unable to evade!
"Nice! What luck! Victory seems to favor me, Ash!" Gary waved his fist hard, a joyful expression on his face.
No matter if Water Pulse hits or not, Blastoise will wake up in just about ten seconds. By then, a fully restored Blastoise facing a Lucario with about half its strength means the advantage is still in its favor!
At this rate, Ash's Lucario might be defeated!
"Lucario, Super Aura Sphere!" Just as Gary indulged in his dreams of grandeur, Ash's voice suddenly sounded. In the sky, Lucario stretched its hands, a deep blue energy ball forming on its hands, soon reaching basketball size.
Ordinarily, this meets Aura Sphere's launch standards, yet Lucario continued infusing Aura. The Aura's power ferociously surged into the Aura Sphere, and in a flash, it transformed from a basketball size to something resembling a small meteor!
Gary: …
Dang! Why does this thing look so familiar? Isn't this the move Lucario used back when battling Mewtwo? Mewtwo's ultimate move was shattered by this thing. The explosive power was such that without Arceus's contract blocking it, Viridian City would have turned to ashes!
What worth does my Blastoise have for you to use this move, is this a game???
Water Pulse neared Lucario when it slammed its hands down, the meteor-like gigantic energy ball collided with Water Pulse in midair!