the pokémon world begins with being picked up by gardevoir

# Chapter 440: The Eight Masters

"Volcarona, Solar Beam again!" Mr. Alder commanded.

Hearing this, Ash Ketchum quickly said, "Blastoise, expand the Whirlpool, then use Haze!"

As Ash Ketchum finished speaking, the Whirlpool above Blastoise's head suddenly expanded. It directly submerged its body within the Whirlpool.

Boom!

The golden Solar Beam struck the Whirlpool, evaporating more than half of it, but Blastoise remained completely unharmed.

After the Solar Beam attack ended, wisps of black mist permeated the Field, causing Volcarona's aura to immediately plummet.

Was that black mist formed by the Haze Blastoise used?

Haze: Eliminates all stat changes on all Pokémon on the Field.

Volcarona's Special Attack had been boosted three times by Fiery Dance. Under the effect of Haze, all those boosts became useless.

"You little rascal!" Mr. Alder was so angry he laughed instead. "Where did you learn these Moves!"

Ash Ketchum looked innocent. From Uncle's house, of course!

At Bai Feng's Home, it was quite convenient for Pokémon to learn Moves.

"Since that's the case, I won't hold back. Volcarona, let that kid see what a real Fiery Dance is!"

As Mr. Alder finished speaking, Volcarona let out a soft cry. Immediately, brilliant light lit up on its body. Ribbons of fire drifted out from it, and before long, they filled the entire Field, turning it into a Sea of Fire.

Even though Blastoise was a Water-type Pokémon, it still felt uncomfortably scorched at this moment.

"Blastoise, use Surf!" Ash Ketchum quickly called out when he saw this.

"Kame~~"

Blastoise nodded, and waves of water surged around its body. The next second, it rode a wave into the Sky, the water shielding it from all the Flames.

As the flames licked at the water, a large amount of water vapor steamed up on the Field.

At this time, it was under Sunny Day, which boosted the power of Fire-type moves while suppressing the power of Water-type moves. Gradually, Blastoise began to feel the water under its feet getting hot.

It tried to use Rain Dance to contend for Weather control with Volcarona, but it was useless; it couldn't compete with Volcarona.

Finally, the water flow under Blastoise's feet was completely boiled. It cried out in pain from the heat and had no choice but to drop the water protection.

But in a Field full of Flames, removing the protection of the water flow was like drinking poison to quench thirst.

"Volcarona, Solar Beam!"

"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"

The golden Solar Beam and the blue Hydro Pump collided. After only a few seconds of standoff, the Hydro Pump was overpowered by the golden Beam, and Blastoise was hit directly, letting out an involuntary cry of pain.

Fortunately, Blastoise's Special Defense was good, Solar Beam wasn't Volcarona's STAB move, and its power was partially weakened by Hydro Pump. Otherwise, just this one hit would have knocked out Blastoise.

Ash Ketchum's brain was working rapidly, thinking about how to turn the tide.

At this moment, the Sunny Day effect disappeared. Volcarona planned to use Sunny Day again, and Blastoise also used Rain Dance once more, wanting to seize the opportunity to take Weather control.

However, it failed again. Volcarona truly lived up to its reputation as a Sun Pokémon; its Control over sunny Weather was too strong, completely incomparable to Blastoise.

Suddenly, Ash Ketchum seemed to have thought of a good Idea. He quietly made a Gesture towards Blastoise, and Blastoise instantly understood.

At the same time, Mr. Alder on the opposite side had already commanded Volcarona to launch an Attack on Blastoise again.

"Volcarona, Solar Beam!"

The golden Light Pillar struck, instantly engulfing Blastoise. Mr. Alder was a little confused; why didn't the Opponent counterattack? This wasn't like Little Squirtle's style!

Suddenly, he realized something was wrong. Behind Volcarona, a Blastoise completely wrapped in water had appeared at some point, while there was nothing where the Solar Beam had dissipated.

It turned out that the moment Volcarona launched Solar Beam, Blastoise used Substitute to create an identical copy of itself and left it in its Original spot, while the real Blastoise had already flown into the sky via Aqua Jet and quietly arrived behind Volcarona.

"Volcarona, behind you! Be careful!" Mr. Alder quickly called out to stop it.

But it was too late.

Blastoise directly hugged Volcarona, and the water around its body also wrapped around Volcarona.

Sizzle~~

Gurgle~~

Volcarona's scorching body directly boiled the water, but even so, Blastoise didn't let go. It even used Liquidation, striking Volcarona fiercely, and then plummeted towards the Ground while holding Volcarona.

Boom!!!

With a great crash, the two Pokémon fell to the Ground simultaneously. The steaming water vapor covered their forms.

As the water vapor churned, Volcarona flew out from it, battered, flapping its wings, and quietly looking down.

When the water vapor completely dissipated, everyone saw Blastoise lying in the pit, unconscious.

"Blastoise is unable to battle, Volcarona wins! Competitor Ash Ketchum, please release your next Pokémon!" the Referee announced loudly.

At this moment, the Audience Member supporting Mr. Alder erupted in thunderous cheers like a Tsunami.

Ash Ketchum thought for a moment, patted the Pikachu on his shoulder, and said, "Pikachu, I'm counting on you this time!" Then he took out a Poké Ball and Recalled Blastoise.

"Blastoise, you worked hard. I won't let your effort be in vain!" Ash Ketchum said softly.

"Pika~ Pika~~~"

Pikachu excitedly clenched its fists, leaped off Ash Ketchum's shoulder, and ran into the center of the Field with high spirits.

Seeing Pikachu appear, the atmosphere Outside the Field became even more heated. Everyone knew that Ash Ketchum's Ace Pokémon was Pikachu; even the promotional posters featured photos of Pikachu.

Now, Pikachu VS Volcarona, Ace against Ace, who wouldn't be excited?

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt, say hello to Volcarona!" Ash Ketchum shouted.

"Pika!"

Pikachu responded, and intense golden electric current burst from its body. The next second, a bolt of lightning shot towards Volcarona.

"Volcarona, Fiery Dance!"

As Mr. Alder finished speaking, a spiral pillar of fire met the bolt of lightning. Crucially, Volcarona once again activated the additional effect of Fiery Dance to raise its Special Attack.

Boom!

A roaring sound echoed as the two moves collided, causing a violent explosion.

Seeing that neither Pokémon had gained an advantage, Mr. Alder said, "It seems I have to bring out my trump card, otherwise it's going to be dangerous!"

Saying that, he took out a Poké Ball and Recalled Volcarona. At the same time, he revealed the Dynamax Band on his wrist. As purplish-red light surged from the band, the Poké Ball suddenly grew larger.

Alder threw the giant Poké Ball, and Volcarona reappeared on the Field, its size rapidly increasing.

Dynamax Volcarona appeared!

"Then we won't be polite either!" Ash Ketchum shouted when he saw this, simultaneously revealing the Dynamax Band on his wrist. Red had gotten him this Dynamax Band; with Red's connections in the Pokémon League, getting this thing was no trouble at all.

Soon, Pikachu completed its Gigantamax form.

"Pika~~"

The chubby Pikachu was quite cute.

"Volcarona, Max Flare!"

As Mr. Alder finished speaking, Volcarona flapped its giant wings. Countless fireballs with flame tails smashed towards Pikachu.

At the same time, the sun in the Sky shone even more intensely.

Max Flare, while dealing damage to the opponent, makes the sunlight stronger.

"Pikachu, Max Lightning." Ash Ketchum shouted.

Crackle crackle, countless electric current surged around Pikachu's body, then transformed into a roaring electric dragon rushing towards the opponent. At the same time, the Field instantly turned golden.

The additional effect of Max Lightning is to create Electric Terrain, and Electric Terrain amplifies the power of Electric-type moves.

Electricity and flames are both very violent powers, so when they collided, they caused a violent explosion, and layers of smoke filled the Field.

"Volcarona, Max Flutterby!"

Next, a yellowish-green light pillar sprayed from Volcarona's mouth, shooting towards Pikachu.

Max Flutterby has the effect of lowering the opponent's Special Attack. Mr. Alder wanted to use this to lower Pikachu's Special Attack stat and gain more opportunities for Volcarona.

"Pikachu, Max Guard!"

Light flashed on Pikachu's body, and a barrier appeared out of nowhere, blocking the beam formed by Max Flutterby, foiling Mr. Alder's plan.

"Pikachu, Max Darkness!"

Mr. Alder wanted to lower Pikachu's Special Attack, and Ash Ketchum also wanted to lower Volcarona's Special Defense.

"Volcarona, Max Flare again!"

Boom!

The two moves crossed paths, hitting their respective opponents simultaneously.

"Pika!"

"Woo~~"

Both Pokémon's bodies swayed for a moment and then fell to the Ground.

Pikachu saw this and quickly tried to get up, but after its Gigantamax form, its body was too fat. It wobbled twice and was less agile than Volcarona, which moved later.

"Volcarona, Max Flutterby!"

A yellowish-green light pillar sprayed from Volcarona's mouth, hitting Pikachu, who was only halfway up.

"Pika~~"

Pikachu shrieked and fell back to the Ground.

"Pikachu, G-Max Volt Crash!" Ash Ketchum shouted.

Hearing this, Pikachu simply didn't bother getting up. It sat slumped on the Ground, and countless electric snakes burst from its body, shooting towards Volcarona.

G-Max Volt Crash is Pikachu's signature Gigantamax Move!

"Woo~~~"

Volcarona was engulfed by the electric current, letting out a mournful wail.

"Volcarona!" Mr. Alder looked at Volcarona worriedly. The already injured Volcarona was now even more shaky, its entire body scorched.

"Volcarona, Max Flare!"

Just as Mr. Alder was about to command Volcarona to continue the battle, he saw its body surrounded by electric current, and the move it was halfway through using was suddenly interrupted.

It was the paralysis effect!

Pikachu's signature Gigantamax Move comes with the special effect of causing the opponent to enter the paralysis state.

"Good opportunity, Pikachu, Max Lightning."

Crackle crackle, countless electric current once again transformed into a giant dragon roaring towards Volcarona, engulfing it again.

"Volcarona!"

The electric current dissipated, and Volcarona fell to the Ground, covered in injuries, then reverted from its Dynamax form.

Seeing this, the Referee announced, "Volcarona is unable to battle, Pikachu wins! Since Mr. Alder has lost all his Pokémon, the winner is... Competitor Ash Ketchum!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the cheers Outside the Field exploded.

"Red, did you see? Ash Ketchum won, Ash Ketchum won!" Delia directly threw herself into Red's arms, jumping and dancing while hugging him.

Mr. Mime and the other Pokémon also danced excitedly.

"Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum!" Max desperately shouted Ash Ketchum's name and waved at him.

Misty, Brock, and May also couldn't help but stand up from their seats.

Ash Ketchum and Mr. Alder's match was over, and there were no other matches today.

Tomorrow, after Calyrex and Raihan's match, and Leon and Drasna's match, the new Eight Masters would basically be decided.

It remained to be seen if anyone could climb up through the Revival Match.

In the evening, Bai Feng used the Summoning Circle to bring Ash Ketchum's family, Brock, Misty, Max, and May back to Fangxing Mountain together.

Lopunny, Hatterene, and Audino teamed up with Delia and Brock to prepare a sumptuous Feast. A group of people held a party at Bai Feng's Home to Celebrate Bai Feng and Ash Ketchum's Victory in the first round of the Master Class.

Red raised his glass and said, "Come, let's have a toast!"

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

...

Everyone cheered happily!

The group played together until late before returning to their respective Room to rest. Everyone stayed at Bai Feng's House that night, and the next morning, they went to Hammerlocke City together.

In the morning was Calyrex and Raihan's match. Without any accident, Raihan lost to Calyrex. There was no other reason; Calyrex's Ace, Gardevoir, was simply too much of a Counter to Raihan's Dragon-type Pokémon, and Raihan's only Pokémon that could contend with Calyrex, Duraludon, was cleverly avoided by Calyrex.

In the afternoon was Leon and Drasna's match. This match also had almost no suspense; Leon won the final victory.

In the blink of an eye, two more days passed. During these two days, the Revival Match was held, and the final two winners were determined to be Siebold and Raihan.

Incidentally, Blue and Mr. Alder did not participate in the Revival Match; they voluntarily withdrew.

In the Challenge matches, Raihan challenged Leon, and Siebold challenged Ash Ketchum, who was the least experienced among the eight.

Raihan obviously lost, but Siebold won against Ash Ketchum.

Bai Feng wasn't surprised by this.

Although Ash Ketchum was already very strong, he was still too young after all. Bai Feng believed that with two more years of experience, there would definitely be a place for him among the Eight Masters.

Returning from the Field, Ash Ketchum said to Bai Feng dejectedly, "Uncle, I lost!"

Bai Feng patted his shoulder and comforted him, "You're still young, you have plenty of time to improve yourself. We'll start over in the next Master Class!"

With Bai Feng's encouragement, Ash Ketchum quickly regained his spirits. "Okay, I will definitely succeed!" He wasn't the type to be easily defeated. "Goal, Pokémon Master! Let's go!"

"Pika! Pika!"

The Pikachu on his shoulder also raised its fist in response to him!

"Let's go!" Bai Feng also smiled and raised his fist.

Thus, the new Eight Masters were born. They were Bai Feng, Leon, Lance, Sabrina, Steven Stone, Cynthia, Siebold, and Calyrex.

Afterward, the media conducted a group interview with the newly formed Eight Masters. When asked if there was any special reason for the Kalos Region simultaneously producing three Masters, the few of them exchanged glances, a meaningful smile appearing on their faces.

Finally, Calyrex replied, "That's... a secret!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 441: Wedding Dress

Two days later, Wyndon Stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, after more than a year of intense competition, our new eight Masters have finally been born! Now let us welcome them with warm applause!"

As the Host's excited voice fell, the Audience Members outside the field erupted in cheers. Accompanied by the cheers, Bai Feng, Lance, Sabrina, Steven Stone, Cynthia, Calyrex, Siebold, and Leon walked onto the stage simultaneously. At the same time, photos of the eight of them lit up on the Big Screen in the Arena.

As they entered the Field, the cheers from the Audience Members outside the field grew even more enthusiastic.

After the eight Masters were seated one by one, the Host continued, "In the upcoming Competition, we will witness Matches between the eight Masters. The final winner will receive the title of Strongest Champion!

I'm sure everyone is already eager to see the Matches, so now let's take a look at the Match schedule!"

As soon as the Host finished speaking, the photos of the eight Masters on the Big Screen disappeared, replaced by an Arbor Diagram. Headshots of the eight Masters hung at the end of the Arbor Diagram, showing the Battle arrangements between the eight Masters.

Lance VS Siebold

Calyrex VS Leon

Sabrina VS Cynthia

Bai Feng VS Steven Stone

After the Battle arrangements were released, Bai Feng and the others returned to the Waiting Room. On the way, Steven Stone walked beside Bai Feng and said with a wry smile, "I didn't expect to face you right away!"

Bai Feng joked, "Then Mister Steven Stone, you must go easy on this little nobody like me!"

"Get out of here!" Steven Stone punched Bai Feng's shoulder and said.

Soon, the morning Matches began.

Lance vs. Siebold, Lance wins!

The afternoon Matches continued. Calyrex vs. Leon, Leon wins!

The three Masters from the Kalos League lost two consecutive Matches at the start, placing all the burden on Bai Feng.

Although this was an event for the entire Pokémon League, there was also competition between the various League Branches. This time, the Kalos League sent three Masters simultaneously, which certainly gained them a lot of face. The League Branch Chapter Head was grinning from ear to ear, and the wind generated by his walking could blow other Chapter Heads eight zhang away.

Now, seeing Siebold and Calyrex lose their Matches one after another, the Chapter Head's heart immediately sank.

If Bai Feng lost again, how could he take back his boasts?

The Matches continued the next day.

In the morning, Sabrina battled Cynthia, Cynthia wins!

In the afternoon, Bai Feng battled Steven Stone.

Under the gaze of eager anticipation from everyone, the two walked to opposite sides of the Battlefield.

The Referee, riding on a Magnezone, flew to the center of the Field and announced, "Match start! Both Competitors, please release your Pokémon simultaneously. The rules of the Match are..."

As the Host's voice fell, Bai Feng and Steven Stone simultaneously took out their Poké Balls. Two Red Lights flashed, and their respective Pokémon appeared on the Field.

Bai Feng's first Pokémon was Primarina, while Steven Stone's was Cradily.

Cradily, the Barnacle Pokémon, Rock and Grass dual Type, the Evolutionary Form of Lileep, one of the Pokémon revived from Ancient Times fossils. Although it doesn't possess the Poison type, it can secrete a strong dissolving fluid, making it a very troublesome Pokémon.

Although Steven Stone specializes in Steel type, he also trained several Pokémon of other Types to prevent being targeted, such as Armaldo, Claydol, Archeops, etc. Cradily was one of them.

Because he likes stones, most of the Pokémon he trained that were revived from fossils also have a very strong personal characteristic!

"Primarina, say hello to Cradily with Icy Wind." Bai Feng said first.

He wouldn't let Primarina use Water-type moves because he knew very well that Steven Stone's Cradily's Ability was Water Absorb. Attacking it with Water-type moves would only be counterproductive.

Even Primarina's Sound-based moves could barely be used, because due to the effect of the Ability Liquid Voice, the Sound-based Move it uses would all become Water-type.

"Woo~~"

Primarina let out a soft cry, opened its mouth, and exhaled a stream of cold air, blowing towards Cradily.

However, Cradily did not counterattack. Steven Stone shouted, "Cradily, Ingrain!"

As Steven Stone's words fell, Cradily's roots grew rapidly, rooting itself deeply into The Earth below.

Ingrain: Roots itself to The Earth, recovering a certain amount of HP each turn. The drawback is that because it's rooted to The Earth, it cannot be switched out.

The moment Ingrain was successfully used, Primarina's Icy Wind also blew over. However, Cradily's Special Defense was very high, and taking a hit from the not-very-powerful Icy Wind wouldn't be much.

This damage had just occurred when it was healed by the recovery from Ingrain.

Then Bai Feng heard Steven Stone order Cradily again, "Cradily, Stockpile!"

The Move Stockpile is usually used in conjunction with Spit Up and Swallow. Spit Up is an attacking move; the more times Stockpile is used, the greater its Power. Swallow is a healing move; the more times Stockpile is used, the more HP it recovers.

Already in the Ingrain state, if combined with Swallow, Cradily would become very difficult to defeat.

Furthermore, the Move Stockpile itself can boost the user's Special Defense and Defense.

"Primarina, Moonblast!"

A crescent moon appeared behind Primarina, and a silver beam of light poured out, shooting towards Cradily. However, Cradily ignored it completely and used Stockpile again.

Boom!!!

With a Loud Noise, Cradily shook violently from the hit of Moonblast. If it weren't for being rooted to The Earth, it would probably have been knocked flying by now.

But unexpectedly, the Injuries it sustained were not as severe as the Audience Members imagined.

It was the double effect brought by Stockpile and Ingrain!

"Cradily, continue Stockpile!"

"Primarina, Moonblast!"

Boom!

The silver beam of light hit Cradily again. This time, Cradily sustained even less damage.

Stockpile can only be used three times, so after that, Steven Stone didn't let Cradily use Stockpile again, but instead used another Move that could still boost Special Defense, Amnesia!

The effect of Amnesia boosting Special Defense is much stronger than Stockpile. This Move is very unfriendly to Pokémon that excel in Special Attack like Primarina.

As expected, after two rounds of Amnesia, Primarina could barely inflict any significant damage on Cradily.

Bai Feng originally wanted to stop Steven Stone, but he thought about it and gave up.

Boost away! Keep boosting! You'll have a hard time later!

Because of the Special Defense boost from Stockpile, after two rounds of Amnesia, using Amnesia again no longer had an effect on Cradily. Steven Stone finally planned to counterattack Bai Feng and Primarina at this moment.

In his opinion, his Cradily was already in an invincible position!

However, just then, he heard Bai Feng shout, "Primarina, Psych Up!"

Primarina shone with a flash of Light, and its Special Defense and Defense were significantly enhanced, especially its Special Defense, which received an extreme boost.

Psych Up: Applies self-suggestion to itself, making its stat changes the same as the opponent's.

The boosted stats Cradily gained after taking several hits were instantly copied by Primarina.

Steven Stone was almost laughing from anger.

But it doesn't matter, he'll have plenty of time to cry later.

At this moment, Steven Stone didn't know that Bai Feng was plotting something mischievous. He ordered Cradily, "Cradily, Power Whip!"

The Earth suddenly vibrated violently, and thick brown Tree Roots broke through the ground one by one, whipping towards Primarina like giant pythons.

Just as the Tree Roots were about to strike Primarina, Bai Feng said, "Primarina, Disarming Voice!"

Angel-like beautiful singing echoed throughout the Field. Cradily's action of attacking Primarina suddenly stopped. Immediately, everyone was surprised to see that Cradily actually controlled the Power Whip to whip itself.

It turned out it had fallen into the Confused state.

*Clap clap clap*~~~

Again and again, Cradily's head was almost whipped crooked by itself.

It turned out the singing Primarina had just sung was Disarming Voice. Its effect is that while dealing damage to the opponent, it confuses Pokémon whose stats have been boosted.

Cradily's Special Defense and Physical Defense had both been boosted, so it naturally couldn't avoid falling into the Confused state.

As for the damage caused by Disarming Voice? Sorry, there was none. It was still because of the Ability Liquid Voice. The Fairy Type Disarming Voice had become Water Type, so it naturally couldn't damage a Pokémon with the Water Absorb Ability.

Fortunately, its additional effect didn't disappear because of this.

If another Pokémon used this Move, when there's no damage, it definitely wouldn't trigger the additional effect. But Primarina is different. It has trained its Sound-based moves to the extreme, that's why it could do it!

"Cradily! Cradily!" Steven Stone frantically called out Cradily's name, but unfortunately, Cradily remained unresponsive.

"Our Opportunity has come, Primarina, Ice Beam!" Bai Feng said with a smile.

"Woo~~"

Primarina let out a soft cry, opened its mouth, and swept out a blue-white beam of light.

*Crackling*~~

The Field began to freeze. Even Cradily and the Tree Roots it created were frozen together.

Under the Attack of successive Ice Beams, Cradily was completely frozen.

Steven Stone felt extremely frustrated. He had saved the three uses of Stockpile, originally intending to use Swallow to recover when Cradily took fatal damage. But because it was continuously frozen, Cradily couldn't use any Moves at all!

Looking at the immobile Cradily, the Referee announced, "Cradily is Fainted, Primarina wins. Please, Competitor Steven Stone, release your second Pokémon."

Steven Stone contemplated while taking out a Poké Ball to recall Cradily.

Primarina's Special Defense had been boosted to the extreme. It would be unwise to release a Special Attacking Pokémon at this time.

After thinking for a while, he released his second Pokémon. It was Skarmory!

Skarmory, the Armor Bird Pokémon, Steel type and Flying type. Its sharp Feathers are even sharper than swords and are often used to make swords. It likes to compete with Corviknight for Territory.

This Skarmory was Steven Stone's old partner and had very rich Battle experience. As soon as it appeared, it circled above Primarina, letting out an unpleasant cry, as if it was showing off to Primarina.

"Skarmory, Stealth Rock!" Steven Stone said to Skarmory.

"Gaga~~~"

Skarmory screamed twice, and its Wings flapped rapidly. Countless sharp spikes scattered on the Ground, covering the entire Field.

Seeing this, Bai Feng said, "Primarina, since its cry is so unpleasant, let's use singing to cleanse everyone's ears!"

"Woo~~~"

A clear, melodious singing suddenly rang out, and immediately the Audience Members saw transparent blue Bubbles floating up on the Field one by one.

Primarina's Signature Move—Sparkling Aria!

Seeing this scene, Steven Stone thought to himself, "Not good!" He had witnessed the special nature of this Primarina. That Sparkling Aria was simply the bane of Physical Attacking Pokémon.

"I was careless!" Steven Stone was annoyed.

"Skarmory, Drill Peck!"

As Steven Stone's words fell, Skarmory's Body began to spin rapidly, and its sharp beak fiercely stabbed towards the surrounding Bubbles.

With Skarmory's Strength, it could indeed pop the Bubbles, but there were too many Bubbles. It stabbed for a long time but only popped a few. The Effect it had was very limited.

Under the control of Primarina's singing, all the Bubbles began to gather towards Skarmory.

Steven Stone shouted, "Skarmory, Quick, dodge!"

But where could it dodge? Skarmory went to the right, and Bubbles immediately surged up from the right. Skarmory went to the left, and Bubbles also immediately surged up from the left. The same was true for above, below, front, and back.

Ultimately, Skarmory was still surrounded by Bubbles from all directions.

Bai Feng said, "Explode!"

Immediately, bursts of Loud Noise came. All the Bubbles burst simultaneously. Skarmory, caught within them, was blasted tumbling up, down, left, and right like a rag doll.

Boom!

The Explosion ended, and Skarmory fell to the Ground, kicking up dust everywhere.

"Skarmory is Fainted, Primarina wins. Please, Competitor Steven Stone, release your third Pokémon!" the Referee announced.

Steven Stone shook his head with a wry smile. "I knew it!"

Saying this, he took out a Poké Ball and recalled Skarmory, then released his third Pokémon.

Since conventional methods were already difficult to defeat Bai Feng's Primarina, let's use some unconventional methods!

The third Pokémon Steven Stone released was Aegislash.

Aegislash, the Royal Sword Pokémon, Steel type and Ghost type, Doublade's Evolutionary Form, Honedge's Final Evolution Stage. It possesses both Shield and Blade forms. Legend has it that the person it recognizes will eventually become "King"!

Looking at this Pokémon, Bai Feng fell into doubt. Aegislash could only be considered part of the Second Team among Steven Stone's many Pokémon. Why would it be released in this kind of situation?

Carrying this doubt, Bai Feng said to Primarina, "Primarina, Sparkling Aria!"

The previous scene reappeared. Countless Bubbles surrounded Aegislash.

"Aegislash, Sacred Sword!"

As Steven Stone's words fell, Aegislash drew its blade. The blade shone with Radiance, and a giant sword swept out. For a moment, quite a few Bubbles were indeed cut in half by it.

But losing those few Bubbles didn't change anything.

"Explode!"

As Bai Feng's words fell, the Bubbles began to explode one after another.

The moment Aegislash was submerged by the Bubbles, it shone with a flash of Light.

After seeing this scene, Bai Feng thought to himself, "Not good!" But it was already too late.

Primarina cried out miserably, then softly fell to the Ground.

Looking again at Aegislash, as expected, it also was Fainted.

At this moment, what else did Bai Feng not understand? Steven Stone had only one purpose in releasing Aegislash: to use Destiny Bond to take down the troublesome Primarina.

But did he think that Primarina was troublesome and Bai Feng's other Pokémon weren't troublesome? How many more times could this kind of Move be used?

The Referee announced, "Primarina and Aegislash are Fainted simultaneously. Please, both Competitors, release your next Pokémon."

As the Referee's voice fell, Bai Feng and Steven Stone immediately had two more Poké Balls in their hands.

With a flash of Light, two behemoths faced off on the Field. The Pressure they generated made the Referee instinctively back away.

However, Bai Feng's Pokémon's face twisted slightly as it entered the Field, because the Stealth Rock that Skarmory had scattered earlier was still on the Field.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 442: Hidden Card and Ace

Steven Stone's fourth Pokémon was one of his signature Pokémon, Aggron.

Aggron, the Iron Armor Pokémon, Steel/Rock dual-type, the Evolutionary Form of Lairon, and the Final Evolution Stage of Aron. Its body armor grants it powerful Attack and Defense. They often smash through hard rock beds with their steel horns while digging Tunnel to find iron ore as food, making them very formidable Pokémon.

Bai Feng's Pokémon entering the field was Tyranitar, also a behemoth, whose ferocity was even greater than Aggron's.

"Roar!!!"

"Roar!!!"

As soon as the two Pokémon appeared, they roared at each other, and waves of pressure spread out from them.

"We really are on the same wavelength!" Steven Stone said with a smile.

"Is that so? Then I won't hold back?" Bai Feng replied.

"Tyranitar, Brick Break!"

"Aggron, Iron Head!"

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

With a tremor of the ground, the two behemoths charged towards each other with heavy steps.

Boom!!!

With a loud noise, they collided, kicking up airwaves.

Aggron was knocked back a distance by Tyranitar's collision.

Although Aggron had a type advantage, in a pure strength contest, it lost out.

The two Pokémon didn't use any other tricks. After colliding, they began a close-quarters brawl, trading punches and kicks, locked in a fierce struggle.

Bai Feng and Steven Stone watched quietly, not interjecting casually.

As time passed, the difference in level between Aggron and Tyranitar became apparent. Aggron was struck down by a Brick Break from Tyranitar and couldn't get up for a long time.

After gasping for breath and getting back up from the ground, Aggron immediately used Heavy Slam, charging fiercely towards Tyranitar, clearly intending to decide the final win with it.

Tyranitar, of course, was ready to fight to the end. It used the Ground-type move Earthquake, stomping its feet heavily on the ground. The Earth instantly cracked inch by inch, and terrifying Earthquake waves surged towards Aggron.

Aggron was hit by the Earthquake waves before it could even reach Tyranitar. It stumbled twice and fell to the ground, unable to stand up again.

The Referee stepped forward for an inspection and announced: "Aggron is fainted! Tyranitar wins! Competitor Steven Stone, please release your next Pokémon!"

Steven Stone seemed to have anticipated this result. He calmly took out a Poké Ball, recalled Aggron, and then released his fifth Pokémon.

As soon as this Pokémon appeared, the Audience Member Outside the Field gasped in surprise, and Bai Feng also showed a look of astonishment.

It was Cobalion!

Cobalion, the Iron Will Pokémon, Steel/Fighting dual-type, a Legendary Pokémon from the Unova Region. Along with Terrakion and Virizion, they are collectively known as the Swords of Justice. It is born with extraordinary leadership qualities; even rough Pokémon will instinctively become docile in its presence, or even bow down!

"I didn't expect this!" Bai Feng exclaimed. "You were hiding such a trump card!"

Steven Stone smiled and said, "My opponent is you, after all. If I didn't bring out some Hidden cards, I wouldn't dare to enter the field."

"In that case... let's begin!" Bai Feng said.

"Tyranitar, Stone Edge!"

"Cobalion, Sacred Sword!"

As Bai Feng finished speaking, Tyranitar swung its arms, and countless sharp stone pillars appeared out of thin air, assaulting Cobalion like a barrage.

On Steven Stone's side, under his instruction, the long horn on Cobalion's head emitted a dazzling radiance, and a long sword suddenly appeared, instantly shattering the stone pillars fired by Tyranitar into pieces.

While defending against Stone Edge, Cobalion continuously approached Tyranitar using its speed advantage.

In an instant, Cobalion was already behind Tyranitar. It raised its leg and used Double Kick on Tyranitar's back.

"Tyranitar!"

Bai Feng called out, and Tyranitar quickly turned to defend itself.

Bang!

Tyranitar's raised arms blocked Cobalion's attack, but it was still kicked back repeatedly by Cobalion.

Cobalion didn't kick Tyranitar back all at once; its speed was extremely fast, delivering several kicks in almost an instant.

However, in a strength contest, even as a Legendary Pokémon, Cobalion could hardly compare to Tyranitar. But its strength lay in its excellent use of finesse.

Moreover, Cobalion didn't linger in the battle. After attacking, it instantly disappeared from its Original spot. With Tyranitar's clumsy movements, it couldn't possibly keep up.

"Cobalion, Flash Cannon!"

After moving away from Tyranitar, Steven Stone had Cobalion use a ranged attack to harass.

"Tyranitar, Dark Pulse."

Bai Feng was not to be outdone, also using a ranged attack to counterattack.

The silver beam and the black energy wave collided, causing a fierce explosion.

The silver beam and the black energy ring were in a stalemate for a while before being overwhelmed. Clearly, even compared to Tyranitar's relatively weaker Special Attack, Cobalion was slightly inferior.

After Tyranitar's Dark Pulse overwhelmed Cobalion's Flash Cannon, it continued to sweep towards Cobalion with an imposing posture.

But Cobalion was agile, and no matter how hard Tyranitar tried, it couldn't hit the opponent, especially since the opponent was constantly dodging attacks while also using the enhancement move Work Up.

Work Up: Inspires the user, raising its Special Attack and Attack!

Finally, Bai Feng realized it would be very bad if Cobalion continued to boost itself, so he said to Tyranitar: "Tyranitar, Scary Face!"

As Bai Feng finished speaking, a giant, pitch-black face appeared above Cobalion's head. Feeling the pressure transmitted by the face, Cobalion instinctively paused its movements for a moment.

Almost without Bai Feng's command, Tyranitar used Earthquake to attack.

Boom!

Amidst the ground shaking, Cobalion trembled all over, clearly taking significant injury. If it hadn't possessed excellent Defense, it might have already fallen fainted.

As the climbing Cobalion got up, an intensely dazzling beam suddenly condensed above its head, aimed at Tyranitar.

Seeing this, Bai Feng thought inwardly, 'Not good,' and quickly shouted: "Tyranitar, Stone Edge!"

Buzz~~~

With a hum, Cobalion fired a bright light pillar, heading straight for Tyranitar.

That was the Steel-type Special Attack ultimate move, Steel Beam!

At the same time, Tyranitar also fired Stone Edge.

Stone Edge and Steel Beam collided. At this point, Cobalion's Special Attack, after multiple boosts from Work Up, was incomparable to before, overwhelming Tyranitar's Stone Edge almost instantly.

Boom!

After a loud noise, Tyranitar was knocked to the ground.

It was also thanks to Tyranitar's decent Special Defense that it wasn't immediately knocked out.

However, just as Tyranitar got back up, Cobalion arrived beside it in an instant and initiated close combat. Caught off guard, Tyranitar immediately fell fainted.

The Referee stepped forward for an inspection and announced: "Tyranitar is fainted! Cobalion wins! Competitor Bai Feng, please release your next Pokémon!"

Bai Feng took out a Poké Ball, recalled Tyranitar, and thought for a while before sending out his third Pokémon.

Steel-type Pokémon have too many resistances, and Cobalion is a Legendary Pokémon, so this Pokémon had to be chosen carefully.

With a flash of radiance, Bai Feng's Pokémon appeared on the field – it was Delphox!

To deal with Steel-type Pokémon, of course, a Fire-type Pokémon should enter the field!

Moreover, Delphox wasn't afraid of Cobalion's speed because its move usage speed was also fast, something even its senior, Tyranitar, couldn't compare to. Even just acting as a stationary attacker or turret, Delphox had a significant advantage.

Indeed, as soon as Delphox appeared, it quickly waved its wooden staff, firing out spiral flames like they cost nothing, forcing Cobalion to scramble around, completely losing the effortless ease it had when facing Tyranitar. It couldn't even get close to Delphox.

"Cobalion, Flash Cannon!" Steven Stone commanded Cobalion to counterattack.

A silver beam shot out from the sharp horn on Cobalion's head and collided with Delphox's Mystical Fire, causing a fierce explosion in the air.

Delphox's move usage speed was too fast. Immediately after finishing clashing with Cobalion, its next Mystical Fire followed closely and was fired out again.

Seeing this, Cobalion quickly dodged, but as soon as it lifted its foot, it found that the dirt beneath its feet began to sink uncontrollably. It looked down and saw that the dirt had turned into scalding sand at some point.

The scorching temperature spread up its limbs, and then it fell into the burn status.

It turned out that the Mystical Fire Delphox had just fired was merely an illusion technique; its real attack was this Scorching Sands.

Fire-type moves counter Cobalion, and Ground-type moves counter it as well. Furthermore, Scorching Sands also comes with the effect of a Fire-type move.

Limited by the speed of the sand and dirt beneath its feet, Cobalion's movements slowed down for an instant. How could Delphox not seize this opportunity?

Countless surging scarlet flames appeared out of thin air, engulfing Cobalion like a sea wave.

By the time the flames dissipated, Cobalion had fallen fainted.

Delphox used the Fire-type ultimate move Blast Burn, which has immense power. Its drawback is that after using it, the user becomes immobile for a period.

But it didn't matter. After this move, Cobalion couldn't possibly stand up again. During the interval while Steven Stone switched Pokémon, Delphox's immobility had already ended.

Bai Feng could be said to have exploited a small loophole in the battle rules.

Seeing this, the Referee reminded: "Cobalion is fainted! Delphox wins! Competitor Steven Stone, please release your last Pokémon!"

"As expected, even a Legendary Pokémon can only gain a very limited advantage against you!" After recalling Cobalion, Steven Stone shook his head and said, "You really show no mercy!" As he spoke, the last Poké Ball appeared in his hand.

"Let's go all out, Metagross!"

With a flash of radiance, Steven Stone's last Pokémon—Metagross—appeared on the field.

When Metagross landed, a heavy sound rang out, showing its weight.

Steven Stone's ace Pokémon had finally made its appearance!

Metagross, the Iron Leg Pokémon, Steel/Psychic dual-type, the Evolutionary Form of Metang, and the Final Evolution Stage of Beldum. It is said to possess a brain comparable to a supercomputer and is a very intelligent Pokémon!

At the same time, the moment Metagross appeared, Delphox's immobility also ended.

Knowing the strength of Steven Stone's Metagross very well, Bai Feng adopted the strategy of striking first.

A surging spiral fire pillar shot towards Metagross. Metagross is also a Steel-type Pokémon, so it is naturally also countered by Fire-type moves.

"Metagross, Light Screen!"

Just as the fire pillar was about to hit Metagross, a transparent barrier suddenly erected in front of Metagross, easily blocking Delphox's attack.

Bai Feng then commanded: "Delphox, Will-O'-Wisp!"

Will-O'-Wisp is a status move; Light Screen cannot block it.

As Bai Feng finished speaking, Delphox lightly waved its wooden staff, and one by one, azure flames bloomed around it like lotus flowers.

It pointed its wooden staff, and immediately all the Will-O'-Wisps rushed towards Metagross.

Once hit by Will-O'-Wisp, Metagross would not only fall into the burn status, but the power of its physical moves would also be greatly reduced.

However, just as the Will-O'-Wisps were about to hit Metagross, all of them strangely levitated in mid-air, stopping completely.

Sharp-eyed people were surprised to find that Metagross's eyes were flashing with a strange light at this moment. Clearly, it had directly used Psychic power to control the Will-O'-Wisps.

"Delphox!" Bai Feng called out to Delphox.

Delphox nodded lightly, and its eyes also began flashing with flickering light. The stopped Will-O'-Wisps immediately began to tremble violently, leaning towards Delphox one moment and towards Metagross the next.

Delphox and Metagross, these two Psychic-type Pokémon, had their Psychic power entangled, contending for control over the Will-O'-Wisps.

As time passed, the expressions of both Delphox and Metagross became distorted.

Whoosh~~

Suddenly, all the Will-O'-Wisps extinguished amidst the violent trembling. Ultimately, neither of the two Psychic-type Pokémon gained an advantage.

Actually, as a Psychic, Bai Feng could use psychic assistance to help Delphox in the battle. This was within the allowed scope of the competition; Sabrina and Caitlin always did this.

But he didn't.

It wasn't that he was aloof; he just felt it wasn't necessary. He was confident that he and his Pokémon could defeat Steven Stone.

"Metagross, Agility!"

As soon as Steven Stone finished speaking, Metagross suddenly disappeared from its Original spot, rushing towards Delphox, leaving behind afterimages along the way.

"Delphox, Mystical Fire!" Bai Feng quickly had Delphox stop Metagross from approaching.

However, although Metagross's speed wasn't considered particularly fast, not even as fast as the previous Cobalion, its extremely strong Psychic power granted it keen perception. It precisely dodged all of Delphox's attacks.

In an instant, Metagross arrived opposite Delphox.

"Metagross, Shadow Claw!"

"Delphox, Reflect!"

The moment Metagross reached for Delphox, Delphox also erected a barrier in front of itself.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 443: Top 4

Delphox used Psychic to push the Reflect forward, trying to force Metagross away from itself. However, it was surprised to find that the Reflect didn't move forward at all; instead, it was slowly being pushed back.

"Meta~~"

Metagross cried out and increased its strength.

Crackling~~

Under Metagross's immensely powerful strike, fine cracks appeared in the Reflect.

Seeing this scene, Delphox's face changed drastically, and it immediately wanted to retreat, but it was already too late.

Crackling~~

The Reflect completely shattered, and Metagross's fist heavily struck Delphox's abdomen. Delphox cried out in pain and was sent flying backward.

After all, Delphox had only been training for a short time, and there was still a slight gap in level compared to Steven Stone's Metagross.

The moment Delphox was sent flying, Metagross used Agility to accelerate, instantly arriving in front of it again, planning to use Shadow Claw to end the battle.

But Delphox's advantage was its quick reaction and quick moves. The moment Metagross closed in, it didn't hesitate to put up Reflect again.

Although it knew Reflect couldn't completely block Metagross's attack, the time it bought was enough for it to counterattack.

Watching Metagross being blocked by Reflect again, Delphox unleashed Fire Spin.

Blazing flames formed a circle surrounding Metagross, blocking it no matter which direction it tried to break through.

Seeing this, Steven Stone commanded Metagross: "Metagross, Psyshock!"

As Steven Stone's voice fell, a storm of psychic power spread out from Metagross as its center, gradually blowing away the Fire Spin.

Seeing this scene, Delphox was greatly alarmed. Seeing Metagross about to charge again, it seemed a little flustered.

"Delphox, calm down!" Bai Feng's voice echoed in its mind, "Use Mystical Fire!"

Delphox seemed to understand Bai Feng's thought. When Metagross attacked, it stood at the Original spot without moving, seemingly accumulating something again.

When Metagross was only inches away, red flames of jealousy burned in its eyes. The next second, blazing crimson flames poured out from its wooden staff. Unlike ordinary flames, these flames seemed to stir emotions, giving off an ominous aura.

This was Mystical Fire, the fire of jealousy!

Under the flames of jealousy, any Pokémon that had boosted its ability would fall into the burn status.

Metagross had used Agility to increase its speed several times before, so it was naturally within the effective range of Mystical Fire.

Because it was too close, Metagross charged directly into the Mystical Fire, and at the same time, it also slammed heavily into Delphox.

Delphox cried out in pain and fell to the Ground, while the fire of jealousy continued to burn fiercely. Metagross cried out strangely and darted out of the flames, but the flames clinging to its body showed that it had indeed fallen into the burn status.

The decrease in physical attack damage caused by the burn status could not be removed, even by its ability Clear Body.

When the Mystical Fire disappeared, the Referee stepped forward to check the situation and then announced: "Delphox is fainted, Metagross wins. Competitor Bai Feng, please send out your next Pokémon."

Bai Feng thought for a moment, took out a Poké Ball, and as radiance flashed, a dinosaur-like Pokémon appeared on the Field.

It was Meganium!

The moment Meganium appeared, saplings sprouted from the Ground within the Field. Before long, the entire Field transformed into a Jungle.

"Metagross, Meteor Mash!"

Under Steven Stone's command, Metagross quickly swung its comet-like fists, attempting to clear away the trees on the Field.

However, under the influence of the burn status, the damage it dealt with physical moves was far less than before, so it couldn't achieve its purpose at all.

No matter how many trees Metagross cleared, other trees would grow back in the Original spot, an endless supply.

"Metagross, fly up and get close to Meganium!"

With trees covering the entire Field, it was impossible for Metagross to approach Meganium from the Ground. The only way was to attack from the Sky.

Under Steven Stone's command, Metagross flew high into the Sky and then charged towards Meganium. However, perhaps it was its imagination, but the moment it flew up, it seemed to smell a sweet aroma filling the air.

This was certainly not its imagination. Not only did it smell it, but Steven Stone smelled it too.

The moment it smelled this aroma, Metagross's previously high fighting spirit instantly disappeared by more than half. It even had the thought that it shouldn't fight Meganium.

This was one of Meganium's innate abilities. The aroma it emitted could calm the fighting spirit of Pokémon.

Metagross shook its head hard, shaking off the unrealistic thoughts in its mind, and continued to dive down towards Meganium.

Seeing Metagross about to hit Meganium, Bai Feng said: "Meganium, Frenzy Plant!"

As his voice fell, all the trees on the Field seemed to come alive, growing rapidly, twisting, and turning into wooden snakes that swept towards Metagross. Metagross was greatly alarmed and quickly dodged.

Despite its best efforts, there were too many trees on the Field. Unless it left the Field, it simply couldn't dodge the Frenzy Plant that was reaching out everywhere.

Finally, Metagross was caught. The trees kept constricting, and it couldn't help but let out cries of agony.

It tried to bite through the entwining branches with Psychic Fangs, but it couldn't! Because of the burn status, its attack power was insufficient.

At this time, Bai Feng said again: "Meganium, Giga Drain!"

Meganium glowed with green light all over, and at the same time, the branches binding Metagross also began to glow green. Metagross's HP was absorbed little by little, and Metagross looked even more painful.

Seeing this situation, Steven Stone knew that if he didn't use his full strength, he would lose this competition. So he took out his Key Stone and shouted at Metagross:

"Radiance of stone, become our bond! Metagross, Mega Evolution."

As his voice fell, the Key Stone in his hand began to emit intense radiance, and at the same time, the Mega Stone on Metagross also burst forth with intense radiance.

When the radiance disappeared, Metagross had completely changed its form. Its four steel claws became larger and changed from pointing downward to pointing forward. At the same time, the cross mark on its face changed from silver to gold, and a sharp horn grew on its chin.

This was Mega Metagross.

Compared to Metagross, Mega Metagross looked even colder.

"Meta!!!"

With a roar, all the branches that Meganium had used to bind Metagross were torn apart. After Mega Evolution, Metagross's power increased greatly!

Seeing this, Bai Feng smiled and said to Meganium: "It seems we have to use our full strength too!"

"Garnyu~~~" Meganium responded excitedly to Bai Feng.

"Then let's begin too!"

Saying this, Bai Feng took out Meganium's Poké Ball again, while also revealing the Dynamax Band on his wrist.

After Bai Feng recalled Meganium into the Poké Ball, a large amount of purplish-red Dynamax energy surged out from the Dynamax Band, and the Poké Ball began to rapidly grow larger.

Bai Feng threw the enlarged Poké Ball out, and when Meganium emerged from the Poké Ball again, its size began to rapidly increase, while circles of Dynamax energy surrounded its body.

"Garnyu~~~"

After Dynamaxing, Meganium lifted its foot and instantly kicked up dust from the Ground. It looked down at Metagross, its gaze filled with fighting spirit.

Meanwhile, the aroma filling the air became even more intense.

"Metagross, Ice Punch!" Steven Stone commanded.

"Meta!"

Metagross roared, and a chilling aura emerged from its four steel claws, then it charged fiercely towards Meganium.

The Jungle Terrain was still on the Field. The moment Metagross attacked, Meganium used Stomping Tantrum, and countless trees began to grow wildly again, sweeping towards Metagross in the Sky.

Because Metagross was affected by Meganium's peaceful aura, its fighting spirit experienced a momentary dip, and its mental state was momentarily distracted, so it was once again bound by the branches.

Metagross was about to break free when it heard Bai Feng say: "Meganium, Max Overgrowth!"

"Garnyu~~"

Meganium responded, its mouth glowing green. Immediately after, a green light beam was spat out, instantly engulfing Metagross.

The Jungle Terrain, which was about to lose its effect, regained its vitality.

The added effect of Max Overgrowth is to generate Grassy Terrain. For Bai Feng's Meganium, that meant generating Jungle Terrain.

However, surprisingly, after taking Meganium's full-power attack, Mega Metagross still broke free from the branches' restraint, charging out of the not-yet-dissipated green light with injuries, and slammed heavily into Meganium.

But thinking about it, Metagross not only had strong resistance to Grass-type moves.

Meganium's massive body swayed, almost being knocked to the Ground by one punch.

"Meganium, Max Darkness!"

As Bai Feng's voice sounded, Meganium opened its mouth and spat out a black light pillar towards Metagross.

At this time, Steven Stone also shouted simultaneously: "Metagross, Meteor Mash!"

So Metagross swung its four fists and charged towards the black light beam shot by Meganium.

Mega Evolved Metagross was indeed powerful. It actually managed to shatter the Max Darkness fired by Meganium with its four fists, and the black energy scattered across the Field like starlight.

Boom!

Metagross punched Meganium again, and then as the Jungle Terrain emitted waves of green, Meganium's injuries instantly recovered as before.

Seeing this scene, Steven Stone frowned. This was too difficult to deal with. The damage Metagross inflicted simply couldn't keep up with its recovery.

"Max Quake!"

After taking a punch from Metagross, Meganium used Max Quake, headbutting the nearby Metagross and sending it flying. Metagross slammed heavily into the Field's barrier.

As time passed, Metagross continued to lose HP due to the ongoing burn, coupled with successive attacks from Meganium, its HP was already in critical condition.

Looking at Metagross's constantly contorted face, Steven Stone said to it: "Metagross, unleash all your power, Zen Headbutt!"

"Meta!"

The next second, Metagross transformed into a purple streaking light and charged towards Meganium.

Meganium quickly controlled the trees on the Field to block, but the full-attack Metagross was extremely brave, smashing through all the branches. Left with no choice, Meganium put up Reflect.

However, Meganium was not a Psychic-type Pokémon. Although it could also use Reflect and Light Screen, they were definitely not as sturdy as Delphox's.

If Delphox's Reflect couldn't block Metagross's attack, much less could Meganium's.

Boom!

With a loud noise, Metagross slammed heavily into the Reflect.

Crackling~~~

Immediately after, cracks appeared in the Reflect, then it shattered, and Meganium was hit by Zen Headbutt.

Meganium cried out in pain and fell to the Ground. Although seriously injured, the Jungle Terrain immediately provided healing.

Before it could get up, Meganium seized the opportunity and launched Max Darkness at the nearby Metagross. This time, Metagross finally couldn't resist.

Metagross was sent flying backward, hitting the barrier, and then reverted from its Mega Evolution form.

Seeing this scene, the Referee quickly announced: "Metagross is fainted, Meganium wins. Since Competitor Steven Stone has lost all his Pokémon, the winner is Competitor Bai Feng!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the Outside the Field erupted in fierce cheers, some celebrating for Bai Feng, others applauding Steven Stone.

Each taking out their Poké Balls to recall their Pokémon, Steven Stone and Bai Feng walked to the center of the Battlefield. The two shook hands, and Steven Stone said:

"It was an honor to battle you. I learned a lot."

Bai Feng said: "Me too."

Steven Stone shook his head upon hearing this.

With this, the four Competitors vying for the title of Strongest Champion were all determined: Bai Feng, Lance, Cynthia, and Leon.

The next day, the competition schedule was immediately released.

Lance VS Leon.

Bai Feng VS Cynthia.

In the morning was the battle between Lance and Leon. Leon won the final victory with a slight advantage.

These two could be said to have contributed the most exciting, most intense, and most head-to-head battle since the tournament began.

They fought until only their last Pokémon remained, and both were Charizard. Lance used a Mega Evolved Charizard, while Leon used a Gigantamax Charizard. Ultimately, Leon's Charizard won.

In the afternoon, the competition between Bai Feng and Cynthia arrived as scheduled.

Standing opposite Bai Feng, Cynthia took a deep breath, then smiled and said: "I hope this will be a competition that satisfies both of us."

Bai Feng smiled and replied: "It will be."

At this time, the Referee reminded them, "Competitors, please release your Pokémon!"

Bai Feng and Cynthia nodded, and a Poké Ball appeared in each of their hands simultaneously. As radiance flashed, two Pokémon appeared on the Field.

Bai Feng's was Unfezant.

Cynthia's was Glaceon.

Seeing the Glaceon opposite, radiating a terrifying cold air, Bai Feng said with a smile: "I feel like I've been seen through."

A Flying type Unfezant facing Glaceon, the type matchup is very unfavorable!

Cynthia said speechlessly: "Stop talking nonsense, I just went with my feeling. Besides, you could have switched Pokémon!"

A terrifying feeling!

Bai Feng waved his hand and said: "Let's not talk about that then!"

"Begin the Competition!"

As the Referee's voice fell, Bai Feng and Cynthia simultaneously gave commands to their respective Pokémon.

"Heliolisk, Sunny Day!"

The weather, which was still snow, instantly turned sunny under Heliolisk's move.

Sunny Day could boost Heliolisk itself, and also boost the Roserade opposite. However, after much deliberation, Bai Feng still decided to use this move. Overall, using this move was more beneficial than detrimental for Heliolisk.

"Roserade, Grassy Terrain!"

Like Bai Feng, Cynthia had Roserade use a support move as its first move.

Then both of them simultaneously gave attack commands to their respective Pokémon.

"Heliolisk, Weather Ball!"

Similar to Glaceon's Weather Ball, under Sunny Day, the Normal type Weather Ball not only had its power greatly increased, but its type also changed to Fire type.

"Roserade, Energy Ball!"

Bang!

With a loud noise, the red Weather Ball and the green Energy Ball collided in the air, causing a violent explosion.

In the smokescreen, Heliolisk ran rapidly. Its speed was extremely fast. Without Roserade noticing at all, it had already approached its opponent.

A flash of crimson radiance passed, and Roserade was hit by Weather Ball, crying out in pain and being sent flying backward.

Because under Sunny Day, Heliolisk with the Solar Power ability would continuously lose HP while its Special Attack was boosted, it had to finish the battle quickly.

"Rose~~~"

Roserade endured the severe pain and quickly got up from the Ground. The two flowers in its hands emitted golden radiance, accumulating sunlight. In an instant, two golden light pillars swept out.

It was the ultimate Grass move, Solar Beam.

Because it was currently Sunny Day, Roserade could use Solar Beam instantaneously.

Golden light pillars were controlled by Roserade and swept out, blasting the entire Field into pits and craters, looking very terrifying. However, not a single attack managed to hit Heliolisk.

Heliolisk's speed was too fast; Roserade's attacks simply couldn't hit it!

At this time, Cynthia suddenly said: "Roserade, Sweet Scent."

As her voice fell, waves of pink aura drifted from the flowers on Roserade's arms. The sweet aroma filled the entire Field. After smelling this aroma, Heliolisk's movements visibly slowed down.

"Roserade, Solar Beam!"

Roserade's flowers began to absorb intense sunlight again, preparing to use Solar Beam.

Meanwhile, Bai Feng also gave a command to Heliolisk: "Heliolisk, Electrify."

Heliolisk's move execution speed was much faster than Roserade's, completing the Electrify move release first.

Immediately after, Roserade's Solar Beam blasted Heliolisk.

Cynthia originally thought that Heliolisk would definitely fall after taking this hit, but unexpectedly, although Heliolisk was covered in injuries, it still stood tall.

The reason was all due to the Electrify move.

Electrify: Before the opponent uses a move, if Electrify is used, the move the opponent subsequently uses will become Electric type.

In other words, the Solar Beam Roserade just released had become an Electric-type move.

Heliolisk already had strong resistance to Electric-type moves, and it also had the talent to convert sunlight into electrical energy. Therefore, this Electric-type move formed by Solar Beam caused very limited damage to it and instead replenished its electrical energy.

As the Solar Beam just dissipated, Heliolisk's entire body erupted with powerful electrical energy. Countless electric currents spread out from it as the center, cracking The Earth.

The Thunder move covered the entire Field; Roserade couldn't possibly dodge it!

Rumble!

Roserade was engulfed by the golden sea of lightning.

When the lightning disappeared, Roserade lay on the Ground, unconscious.

Although Grass-type Pokémon had strong resistance to Electric-type moves, Heliolisk's Thunder this time was extraordinary. Even with resistance, Roserade couldn't withstand it.

Besides, it had already taken a Fire type Weather Ball earlier.

The Referee stepped forward to check Roserade's condition and announced: "Roserade is fainted, Heliolisk..."

However, before he could finish his sentence, Heliolisk's body swayed, and then it fell to the Ground.

Bai Feng smiled wryly at the sight. Heliolisk was ultimately taken down by its own ability.

With the Solar Power ability, its burst power was indeed impeccable, but its stamina was somewhat lacking.

In a normal battle, Heliolisk could actually rely on its talent to absorb sunlight under Sunny Day to replenish HP, thereby slowing down the ability's HP loss.

But if the opponent was too powerful and didn't give it the opportunity to absorb sunlight to replenish HP, then the result was what everyone saw now.

The Referee announced again: "Roserade and Heliolisk have simultaneously lost their ability to battle! Competitors, please release your next Pokémon!"

This situation again! Cynthia shook her head, then took out her third Poké Ball, and Bai Feng did the same.

As two flashes of radiance passed, Bai Feng and Cynthia's third Pokémon appeared on the Field simultaneously.

Bai Feng's was Dragonite (originally the Giant Dragonite).

Cynthia's was Togekiss.

Black lines appeared on Bai Feng's forehead. He looked at Cynthia with a deep gaze and said: "You still say you can't read minds!"

Dragonite, a Dragon type, is severely countered by Togekiss, a Fairy type!

Cynthia said with a wry smile: "I really can't, I told you it was just a feeling!"

Bai Feng: "You terrifying woman!"

"Begin the Competition!"

As the Referee's voice fell, both Pokémon simultaneously launched their attacks. However, just as Togekiss was about to use a move, it was violently knocked away by Dragonite.

It turned out that the first move Dragonite used was the priority move Extreme Speed.

Actually, Cynthia's Togekiss also knew this move, but Togekiss was a Pokémon known for its Special Attack. It naturally couldn't be as proficient in the physical move Extreme Speed as Dragonite, so Dragonite gained the first move.

After being knocked away, Togekiss quickly stabilized itself in the air, then rapidly flapped its wings, and waves of pink Air Slash swept towards Dragonite.

This was the Fairy type Fairy Wind.

Dragonite was naturally not to be outdone, also rapidly flapping its wings and using the Flying type Hurricane.

Fairy Wind was no match for Hurricane, so it was quickly blown apart.

"Togekiss, Dazzling Gleam!" Cynthia commanded at this time.

As her voice fell, Togekiss's entire body burst forth with colorful radiance. The colorful radiance turned into a beam and shot towards Dragonite.

"Dragonite, Dragon Pulse!" Bai Feng commanded upon seeing this.

"Roar!!!"

Dragonite opened its mouth and spat out a dragon-shaped energy, roaring as it rushed towards Togekiss's colorful beam.

Boom!!!

With a loud noise, the two moves exploded in the air.

After firing Dragon Pulse, Dragonite's figure flashed, and it instantly arrived beside Togekiss.

"Dragonite, Ice Spinner!"

Dragonite suddenly began to spin rapidly, and ice blades immediately appeared, cutting towards Togekiss.

"Togekiss, Protect!"

As Cynthia's voice fell, a barrier appeared in front of Togekiss, timely blocking Dragonite's Ice Spinner attack.

Screeching!!!

The ice blades cut against the barrier, making a harsh sound, and ice shards flew everywhere.

Because Dragonite was spinning too fast and the ice blades generated too strong a cutting power, Togekiss was ultimately sent flying along with the barrier.

"Togekiss!" Cynthia shouted worriedly.

Dragonite used Agility again, its figure flashing as it arrived beside Togekiss, raising its chilling fist, planning to use Ice Punch to follow up its advantage.

However, at this time, Togekiss used Charm.

"Kiss~~~"

Togekiss looked at Dragonite with its round, watery eyes, putting on a pitiful, tearful appearance. Dragonite subconsciously stopped its movements.

What to do, it feels a little cute!

Charm could not only induce the opponent to be careless but also greatly reduce the opponent's Attack,

Taking advantage of Dragonite being confused, Togekiss unleashed a Dazzling Gleam, sending Dragonite flying instantly.

Fortunately, Dragonite's ability was Multiscale. The first time it took damage, the damage would be halved, otherwise, it would have been in trouble.

(End of Chapter)

## Chapter 444: Evenly Matched

After knocking Dragonite flying, Togekiss immediately shot out another Dazzling Gleam, seemingly wanting to press its advantage. However, Dragonite reacted quickly, firing a Thunderbolt that dissipated the seven-colored beam coming towards it.

Seeing this, Bai Feng commanded, "Dragonite, use Dragon Dance!"

"Dra!"

Dragonite responded, and its body began to spin rapidly. As it spun, streams of air appeared around it, rotating with it.

Seeing this, Cynthia quickly said, "Togekiss, stop it!"

"Kiss~~"

Togekiss responded and once again shot a Dazzling Gleam at Dragonite.

However, the moment the seven-colored beam hit Dragonite, it was bounced away by the swirling air currents around it!

It turned out that Dragonite wasn't just using Dragon Dance; it was also using Hurricane!

Hurricane formed a rapidly spinning wall of wind, firmly protecting Dragonite at its core. To attack Dragonite, one first had to break through that wall of wind.

"Kiss~ Kiss~~"

As time passed, Dragonite boosted itself more and more times, making Togekiss increasingly anxious. Once Dragonite boosted too much, it would become difficult to handle.

Togekiss fired Dazzling Gleam after Dazzling Gleam, but it still couldn't break through Hurricane's protection around Dragonite as it wished.

At this moment, Cynthia said, "In that case, Togekiss, let's boost ourselves too! Use Nasty Plot!"

Nasty Plot's effect in boosting Special Attack was much more efficient than Dragon Dance, which boosted both Speed and Attack.

"Kiss~~"

Togekiss responded, and a blue radiance lit up in its eyes. Immediately, its aura also began to soar.

When Dragonite completed its fourth Dragon Dance, Togekiss successfully completed its third Nasty Plot. Three Nasty Plots was the maximum for boosting Special Attack.

Just as Dragonite was about to perform its fifth Dragon Dance, Cynthia said to Togekiss, who had stopped boosting, "Togekiss, one more Dazzling Gleam!"

"Kiss!"

Togekiss responded, and a strong seven-colored radiance erupted around its body. The next second, a seven-colored beam was shot out, striking the wall of wind formed by Hurricane.

Boom!!!

Togekiss, with its Special Attack boosted to the extreme, was indeed terrifying. With a loud noise, the wall of wind shook violently, then suddenly burst apart. Dragonite, halfway through its Dragon Dance, flew out in a disheveled state.

Bai Feng sighed lightly. "Alright, four boosts were actually enough."

"Togekiss, Dazzling..."

Cynthia was about to command Togekiss to attack again when she saw Dragonite suddenly disappear from its Original spot. When it reappeared, it was already behind Togekiss.

"Thunder Punch!"

Dragonite raised its fist, golden lightning surging freely on its hand.

"Kiss~~"

With a scream, Togekiss fell towards the ground, creating a large pit in the ground.

However, Dragonite's figure flashed, and it appeared beside Togekiss again, directly lifting Togekiss up.

A scream came again, and Togekiss took another Thunder Punch.

Dragonite's speed was too fast; Togekiss couldn't dodge at all. The Special Attack boost was completely useless at this moment.

Dragon Dance needed six boosts to maximize Dragonite's Attack and Speed. Dragonite had only boosted four times.

But don't forget, Dragonite had already boosted its Speed with Agility before, so its Speed was already at its peak at this time.

After taking two Thunder Punches, Togekiss's body went limp and collapsed. Dragonite casually threw it aside, then let out a loud roar.

The Referee stepped forward and announced, "Togekiss is fainted! Dragonite wins! Competitor Cynthia, please release your next Pokémon."

Cynthia quickly recalled Togekiss and then released her fourth Pokémon, Lucario.

Lucario, the Aura Pokémon, a Fighting type and Steel type dual-type, the evolutionary form of Riolu. It possesses the ability to read and manipulate aura, allowing it to easily read and predict its opponent's thoughts and actions.

As soon as Lucario appeared, it used the priority move Extreme Speed. Dragonite was caught off guard and knocked flying.

Lucario's figure flashed, using Agility to approach Dragonite again. It raised its fist and used Ice Punch to strike Dragonite.

Dragonite's reaction speed was very fast. After taking one hit, it immediately adjusted its state. Seeing Lucario attack again, it raised its Fire Punch and slammed it forward.

Boom!!!

The fists collided, stirring up airwaves. After a stalemate for a while, Lucario was repelled.

Not to mention the level difference between Dragonite and Lucario, Dragonite's attack had been boosted by four rounds of Dragon Dance. Lucario naturally couldn't match it.

After being repelled, Lucario nimbly somersaulted in the air before landing steadily on the ground, showing no sign of being disheveled.

Dragonite's figure flashed, appearing beside Lucario again, and swung its fist towards Lucario. Its Speed was too fast; Lucario had no opportunity to dodge.

Of course, Lucario didn't shrink from the battle either. It also quickly swung its fists, engaging in close-quarters combat with Dragonite head-on.

One punch from you, one punch from me, punch after punch. In the blink of an eye, the two Pokémon had exchanged blows dozens of times.

Boom!

Lucario, whose strength was inferior to Dragonite's, was once again knocked flying by Dragonite. At this point, it was covered in injuries.

"Lucario, Swords Dance!"

As Cynthia's voice fell, long swords appeared around Lucario's body, spinning rapidly around it.

Strangely, at the same time the long swords appeared, streams of blue energy also circled around Lucario. As the long swords danced, that energy gradually formed a barrier.

Seeing this, Bai Feng commanded, "Dragonite, stop it quickly!"

"Dra!"

Dragonite responded, its figure flashing. It instantly arrived beside Lucario and slammed its Fire Punch forward.

However, unexpectedly, when Dragonite's fist struck the blue barrier, only ripples appeared on the barrier, while Lucario itself remained unharmed.

It turned out that Cynthia was inspired by Dragonite's previous Dragon Dance and had also improved Swords Dance. However, while Dragonite's Dragon Dance was combined with Hurricane, Lucario's Swords Dance utilized its innate talent—Aura.

That blue barrier was formed by Aura.

Lucario's control over its Aura ability allowed it to use this even without prior training.

Bai Feng looked surprised, sighing inwardly, *As expected of Cynthia!*

"Dragonite, Dragon Rush!"

As Bai Feng's voice fell, Dragonite flapped its Wings and flew up to High Altitude. Immediately, a terrifying killing aura erupted from its entire body, making Lucario, who was performing Swords Dance, feel its body stiffen.

The next second, Dragonite roared and swooped down, slamming fiercely into the barrier formed by Aura. After a tremor, the barrier was shattered with a loud noise, and Lucario was simultaneously swept away by the airwave and thrown flying.

"Lucario!" Cynthia called out worriedly.

Lucario quickly flipped over and got up from the ground, then assumed an attacking stance.

"Dragonite, Dragon Rush again!"

"Dra!"

Dragonite ascended into the air again, its aura fully unleashed, then transformed into a streaking light and swooped down, slamming fiercely towards Lucario.

The moment Dragonite was about to hit Lucario, Cynthia knew Lucario couldn't dodge, so she commanded, "Lucario, use Counter!"

"Luca!"

Lucario also unleashed its full aura upon hearing the command. The moment Dragonite collided with it, a radiance flashed on its body. Immediately, as Lucario was knocked flying, Dragonite also cried out and flew backward.

Counter: Returns double the damage taken from the opponent's physical attack.

Dragonite was already heavily injured from the previous battle with Togekiss. How could it withstand this move?

Both Pokémon lay motionless on the ground. After checking them one by one, the Referee announced, "Dragonite and Lucario are both fainted! Please, both Competitors, release your next Pokémon."

Bai Feng and Cynthia simultaneously took out their Poké Balls to recall Dragonite and Lucario, then released their fourth and fifth Pokémon respectively.

Bai Feng's was Zarude.

Cynthia's was Milotic.

Milotic, the Tender Pokémon, a pure Water-type, the evolutionary form of Feebas. It is said to reside at the bottom of large lakes and appear when people are fighting, healing their restless hearts and calming disputes.

Meanwhile, at a Pokémon Center in a certain Town, Keke and her Zarude Abba were also watching the World Championships. When she saw Bai Feng release Zarude, Keke immediately excitedly pulled Abba's arm and said:

"Abba, Abba, look quickly! Bai Feng is using Zarude to battle!"

Zarude Abba also excitedly watched the television in the Pokémon Center.

"Abba, let's cheer for Bai Feng and Zarude together!"

"Zaru~ Zaru~"

Zarude Abba nodded.

This was Bai Feng's Zarude's first time participating in such a formal competition. Hearing the enthusiastic cheers Outside the Field, it looked around uneasily, seeming a bit nervous.

Bai Feng's voice sounded in its mind, "Zarude, don't be nervous. Just listen to my commands."

Bai Feng's voice successfully calmed Zarude. After nodding, it looked at the Milotic opposite.

"See, see! I told you I don't have mind reading or anything. This time, your Pokémon has the type advantage." Cynthia said with a smile.

"You never know," Bai Feng said. "Maybe you're deliberately showing weakness!"

"Nonsense!" Cynthia glared at Bai Feng.

As the Referee announced the Competition would resume, the two Pokémon Trainers each gave commands to their Pokémon.

"Zarude, Sunny Day!"

"Milotic, Rain Dance!"

Coincidentally, they both had their Pokémon use Weather moves at the same time.

Zarude raised its hand and threw a red beam towards High Altitude. Milotic opened its mouth and spat out a blue beam that rose into the Sky.

As the two light orbs burst in the air, the sun instantly became more scorching.

Clearly, Milotic couldn't win control over the weather against Zarude.

But that was normal. Zarude was a member of the Mythical Pokémon after all, and it had some advantage in this area. Losing to Milotic would be too embarrassing for a Mythical Pokémon.

Seeing that Rain Dance failed, Cynthia said to Milotic again, "Milotic, Coil!"

As her voice fell, Milotic coiled its body, concentrating intensely. Immediately, its aura began to rise.

Coil: Coils up to concentrate, raising the user's attack, defense, and accuracy.

"Zarude, Power Whip!"

As Bai Feng's voice fell, the green vines on Zarude's wrists began to grow rapidly, quickly transforming into two thick giant whips that lashed towards Milotic.

"Milotic, Aqua Tail." Cynthia quickly had Milotic counter.

"Milu~~"

Milotic let out a soft cry, raising its magnificent fan-like tail high, stirring up streams of water that tangled with Zarude's whips.

Once, twice, three times... Power Whip and Aqua Tail collided in the air repeatedly, splashing water everywhere.

"Zarude, Solar Blade!"

Suddenly, Bai Feng unexpectedly had Zarude change its move. Zarude roared, swinging its claws forcefully. Two huge golden light blades suddenly appeared out of thin air, slashing fiercely towards Milotic.

Solar Blade is an ultimate Grass move. Although its power is immense, it usually requires Stockpile to use, making it not very convenient. However, under Sunny Day, it doesn't require Stockpile to activate, naturally becoming a very practical ultimate killing move.

The first golden light blade shattered Milotic's Aqua Tail, and the second one struck Milotic directly.

"Milu~~"

Milotic screamed and fell heavily to the ground.

"Milotic, Recover!"

As soon as Cynthia said this, a radiance flashed on Milotic's body, and the injuries caused by the Solar Blade just now recovered by more than half instantly.

This Milotic of Cynthia's had trained together with Bai Feng's Deoxys, and its understanding of Recover was inherited from Deoxys, making it very difficult to deal with.

"This is really trouble!" Bai Feng couldn't help but say.

"Milotic, Coil!" Cynthia had Milotic boost itself again.

Bai Feng thought for a moment and said to Zarude, "Zarude, Taunt!"

"Zaru~"

Zarude suddenly turned around and patted its butt at Milotic, even giving it the middle finger. Its appearance was incredibly arrogant, and Milotic's usually calm face instantly turned gloomy.

Taunt: Makes the target angry, causing it to use only damaging moves for a certain amount of time.

This meant that for a period of time, Milotic would not be able to use Coil to boost itself.

If it hadn't used Coil to boost its defense earlier, Milotic wouldn't have recovered so easily with Recover after taking a Solar Blade.

So Bai Feng couldn't let Milotic continue to boost itself. Once its defense was boosted to the extreme, combined with Recover, what was the point of fighting?

"In that case, Milotic, Weather Ball!"

As Cynthia's voice fell, Milotic opened its mouth with a face full of anger and spat out a scorching Flamethrower towards Zarude.

A Water-type Pokémon actually using a Fire-type move was something you only see once in a lifetime.

Some Water-type Pokémon do have the possibility of learning Fire-type moves, for example, Gyarados can potentially learn Flamethrower.

But even with the conditions to learn this move, because of the opposing types, very few Water-type Pokémon can actually learn Fire-type moves. One could even say they are rare.

Milotic could use a Fire-type move not because it learned a Fire-type move, but because under Sunny Day, Weather Ball automatically transforms into a Fire-type move.

Looking at it this way, Zarude's Sunny Day actually helped Milotic. Fire-type moves are a counter to Grass-type Zarude, and the power of Weather Ball under Sunny Day is also quite impressive. It was very practical.

"Zarude, Power Whip."

Seeing this, Bai Feng quickly commanded Zarude to defend.

Zarude rapidly swung the green whips in its hands, almost creating afterimages in the air, shattering all the flames spat out by Milotic.

Boom!!!

As Zarude whipped, it suddenly found that its green whips had caught fire. The flames spread along the whips and soon reached Zarude.

Bai Feng quickly said, "Zarude, quickly cut off the whips!"

"Zaru~~"

Zarude responded and quickly swung its arms forcefully. The green whips on its wrists snapped in response.

These whips grew using Grass-type energy, so even if they broke, they didn't cause much injury to Zarude.

However, just as Zarude cut off the green whips, it was hit by another Weather Ball from Milotic, and raging flames engulfed it.

When the flames subsided, smoke billowed from Zarude's fur, showing that it was quite heavily injured.

(End of Chapter)