However, now they have no time to praise Natsuhiko, as the battle has reached a fever pitch.
The atmosphere in the crowd is quite tense, with everyone clenching their fists, holding their breath, as if they were afraid that even saying a word might affect the match.
"Garchomp, Dragon Dive!"
Hilona's steady voice comes from the TV.
"Metagross, Telekinesis Headbutt!"
Flint is equally unyielding, choosing to confront Hilona's Garchomp head-on.
This moment.
This moment is truly a clash of the titans.
Boom!!!
The intense collision makes the entire venue emit a groan of unbearable strain.
"Is it really time to gamble on luck?" Natsuhiko squints, staring at the TV.
Both "Dragon Dive" and "Telekinesis Headbutt" have a certain probability of causing the opponent to fall into a state of "Wither".
Given the current situation, whoever has better luck and causes the opponent to "Wither" essentially secures the victory.
It has clearly turned from an intense battle into a game of chance.
Flint's Shiny Golem, as a Psychic-type Pokémon, might have a slight advantage in terms of willpower.
But Hilona's Garchomp has been trained and honed bit by bit in the icy conditions of Celestial Crown Mountain, making its resolve, due to training in the most uncomfortable freezing environment for Dragon-type Pokémon, equally formidable.
However, Natsuhiko noticed a detail that many others overlooked.
"It's over." Natsuhiko said slowly.
"Hmm?" Kona stared at the screen, filled with smoke and dust, "Senior Natsuhiko, can you see it?"
"No, it's the direction." Natsuhiko shook his head.
"Direction?"
Kona was slightly confused but then quickly caught on.
Garchomp was attacking from above downward, while the Shiny Golem was attacking from below upward. Though minor, an attack from above does have a bit of an advantage.
Most importantly...
The ground just made a rumbling sound.
"Garchomp, Earthquake!"
The sound of the ground shattering from the collision meant the two Pokémon had already reached the ground.
And the ground is Garchomp's home ground.
Boom boom boom!!!
With the venue once again groaning, the battle finally reached its end.
"Flint... ultimately lost due to the disadvantage of attributes."
To compete against Hilona up till the final clash despite the absolute attribute disadvantage, Flint's strength is indisputable.
If Flint could later capture a Cradily, the outcome of the battle might not be the same; he'd have more options with his Pokémon.
But now...
The dust gradually cleared.
Flint's Shiny Golem lay on the ground, while Hilona's Garchomp, though very tired and somewhat disheveled, stood proudly in the center of the field.
"The winner is decided! Advancing to the finals is Hilona!!!"
The announcer's voice, trembling with excitement, spread throughout the venue.
"Spectacular."
"Evenly matched."
"The most suspenseful match yet."
In the room, several people sighed with emotion.
Indeed.
Very spectacular.
On the TV, Hilona and Flint walked to the center of the field and shook hands.
"Congratulations." Flint said with a smile.
"A fluke." Hilona shook her head, truly feeling it was largely luck on her side.
"I'm even more looking forward to the battle between Natsuhiko and Lance."
Hilona gave a knowing smile, "Me too."
This battle is destined to stay on the league's homepage for a long time.
It seems the last time the homepage was taken over, it was also a showdown between Flint and Hilona.
They each have their wins and losses.
For their supporters, whether win or lose doesn't seem so hard to accept.
Flint's fans: After all, this is Sinnoh, let's give Hilona some favor for playing at home.
Hilona's fans: Sister Cabbage rules!
If others knew that after the battle ended, what they were truly anticipating was another battle, who knows what they'd think.
——————
PS: I thought about it and felt I wouldn't be able to finish Natsuhiko and Lance's story today, so I'll save it for tomorrow to avoid being accused of deliberately cutting off chapters again (ｐ・・q) (I'm really scared.jpg).
I need to think carefully about how to write it, hmm, it shouldn't be concluded hastily.
If finished tomorrow, I'll post it, but it shouldn't be updated too late (humble.jpg).