"As I thought... the most important ability of aura power is detection. Moreover, with the ability Inner Focus and the move Calm Mind, Lucario's mental strength is not inferior to that of any Psychic-type Pokémon."
Ethan smiled slightly and looked at Zoroark.
The move Aura Sphere, as a long-range special attack, empowered by Lucario's enormous mental strength and high Special Attack, had truly terrifying power.
Therefore, after taking Lucario's Aura Sphere head-on, Zoroark suffered injuries that were far from light.
"Again, Aura Sphere!"
Lucario raised his hand and launched another sphere that whistled through the air.
"Zoroark, Night Daze!"
Zoroark quickly got up from the ground and, opening its mouth, fired a dark wave as well.
In an instant, both attacks collided in the air and canceled each other out.
"As I thought, this Zoroark's training is focused on illusions. Although its illusory power is at the Quasi-Elite level, its other abilities barely reach the professional level."
Seeing this, Ethan's eyes lit up. His biggest concern was that Lucario's direct combat power had not yet been fully developed.
Although aura power countered illusions, he feared that in a frontal fight it might lose.
Now, after confirming Zoroark's true level, he finally relaxed and began to direct Lucario seriously.
With aura power as an "external advantage," Zoroark gradually began to be suppressed.
"That Lucario... are you sure it isn't a Psychic-type?"
The spectators were becoming increasingly surprised. Being a Fighting-type, Lucario was fighting almost exclusively with long-range moves, as if it were a Psychic-type Pokémon!
A Fighting-type Pokémon using the combat style of a Psychic-type... it was something that broke all conventions.
And the hardest thing to accept was that, after focusing on Special Attack, its power seemed even more terrifying than that of a conventional Lucario.
No matter how good the training was, this was far too contrary to common sense!
"This really is... If the elders of the family saw this, I don't know what kind of expression they would make."
"Riolu's original flaw, in Ethan's hands, seems to have been completely exploited until it became its greatest advantage. But I suppose only Ethan can achieve something like this. Riolu chose its trainer well."
Lucas sighed. That scene was something no one would have believed possible.
"Return, Zoroark."
Realizing that his Zoroark was completely countered, Jorge withdrew it.
Even the guests exchanged glances and smiled bitterly.
Since the appearance of Vibrava, the situation had completely escaped their predictions.
First they marveled at Vibrava's strength.
Then, when Zoroark defeated it with illusions, they thought it had simply been countered.
But now, a Quasi-Elite level Zoroark was being suppressed by a Lucario that was barely at the professional level. Once again they were left stunned.
They no longer dared to make rash predictions. Reality had "slapped them in the face" too many times.
"Which Pokémon will be next?"
The audience's excitement was at its peak.
Accustomed to more linear battles, this constant exchange of strategies was even more thrilling.
Finally, under the expectant gazes, Jorge released his last Pokémon: Blaziken.
With this, his team was defined: Dragonite, Swampert, Venusaur, Kommo-o, Zoroark, and Blaziken. With remaining combat capability, only Zoroark and Blaziken were left.
"Blaziken... certainly counters Lucario well."
Ethan quickly withdrew Lucario and released his final Pokémon.
"That is... Meltan?"
Seeing Meltan appear, the audience was surprised.
After realizing that Lucario's Steel typing was countered, Ethan sent out... another Steel-type.
No one understood his intentions.
But after so many surprising plays, no one dared to judge prematurely anymore.
Meltan, upon seeing its opponent, showed a serious expression.
Last time it had lost to a Blaziken with the Speed Boost ability. Now its fighting spirit burned fiercely.
Ethan smiled slightly. Besides strategy, he also wanted to give Meltan the chance for a rematch.
Although sending out Slowking, with type advantage, would also have been a good option.
Thus, Ethan's team consisted of Tyranitar, Cacturne, Sandslash, Vibrava, Lucario, and Meltan. With remaining combat capability were Sandslash, Lucario, and Meltan.
On paper, Ethan had a clear advantage, but everything depended on the final result.
"Blaziken, move."
Blaziken began to move swiftly across the field.
"What speed... if it has the Speed Boost ability, it will be even more troublesome."
Ethan narrowed his eyes. Regardless of its real ability, it was safer to assume it had Speed Boost.
"Go, Meltan!"
"Zzzt!"
Meltan emitted a low sound.
Suddenly, countless drops of mercury separated from its body, transforming into steel spheres that floated around it.
Electric sparks ran through its body, enveloping all the spheres, which began spinning rapidly to form a magnetic field.
"What is that?"
"Blaziken, Flamethrower!"
Blaziken stopped abruptly and spat out an intense stream of flames.
Whoosh!
At that moment, a whistling sound cut through the air.
An electrically charged steel sphere struck the column of fire.
Boom!
The explosion dispersed the Flamethrower into the air.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Three more projectiles shot out.
Three explosions lifted dust from the ground: they had struck directly.
"What speed! Are those bullets?"
The audience opened their mouths in astonishment. Meltan looked like a machine gun.
Then Blaziken emerged from the smoke and landed, looking at Meltan cautiously.
After the dust dissipated, three enormous craters became visible, created by the electric spheres.
"Blaziken is injured!"
A spectator pointed at a wound on its abdomen, probably caused when one of the shots grazed it.
"It can't dodge all of them?"
"Then... Meltan, full power! Burst Electromagnetic Cannon!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
This time, Meltan unleashed all its power.
The spheres spun around it and, under its control, accelerated abruptly, shooting out like bursts of laser fire.
It was its improved ultimate technique: the Burst Electromagnetic Cannon.
The spheres were weakened versions of the move Substitute, created thanks to its peculiar body structure.
Now, as they spun within the magnetic field, each projectile reached maximum speed, with greater power and firing rate than before.
The barrage of more than a dozen shots completely enveloped Blaziken.
Boom, boom, boom!
The speed was overwhelming, like machine-gun fire, raising a massive cloud of dust.
Electric crackles rang out.
After executing this extreme technique, Meltan's consumption was enormous. It slowly descended and sat heavily on the ground.
After all, each Substitute clone consumed energy. Even if they were weakened versions, splitting into more than ten at once was exhausting.
Thus, one could also appreciate how terrifying it was that Litwick could split into dozens of clones at once, and that all of them were complete versions!
"This is like it got machine-gunned!"
"Blaziken... will it be okay? It didn't get turned into a sieve, did it?"
One spectator looked at Meltan with lingering fear and then turned their gaze toward the dust cloud covering much of the battlefield.
The others swallowed and, without saying a word, fixed their eyes on the smoke that was beginning to dissipate.
Little by little, the dust faded.
And then the figure of Blaziken appeared, collapsed inside an enormous crater.
From the blackened ground it could be seen that, when facing the barrage of the Electromagnetic Cannon, Blaziken had tried to resist using flames.
But in the end it failed to defend itself and was defeated in a single blow, leaving everyone deeply shocked.
Judging by the strength shown by both Pokémon, they were clearly not at the same level, which led the audience to debate Meltan's true power.
(End of chapter)