"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang…"
"Clang!!"
After continuously suffering attacks of this intensity, even Aegislash could not help letting out cries of pain.
"Pidgeot!!"
Having finally inflicted effective damage on Aegislash after Mega Evolving, Pidgeot let out a clear, soaring cry of exhilaration from high above the battlefield.
However, unlike Ash and Pidgeot, who were feeling triumphant, Wikstrom's expression had become increasingly solemn.
He knew very well just how powerful Mega Evolution was. The moment Pidgeot activated Mega Evolution, he had already become twelve times more vigilant and serious about the battle. Yet after witnessing the situation unfolding before his eyes, Wikstrom realized that he had still underestimated Ash and his Pidgeot.
After Mega Evolution, Pidgeot's strength had skyrocketed. It was not merely its offensive power that had increased, even its speed had received an enormous boost.
Its ferocious assault came down like a violent storm, raining attacks upon Aegislash so rapidly that the latter simply had no opportunity to counterattack or resist.
Although Aegislash could cancel out part of Pidgeot's attacks, the attacks that actually struck its body did not cause devastating damage for the time being, thanks to Aegislash's excellent defenses and resistances.
But if this continued, Aegislash would eventually be worn down and defeated by Pidgeot.
The situation on the battlefield immediately reminded Wikstrom of his previous battle against Clemont.
Karrablast—no, Escavalier—had possessed the fatal weakness of poor movement speed. Clemont had seized upon that weakness and exploited Heliolisk's superior speed, keeping it at a safe distance while using Aura Sphere to gradually wear Escavalier down…
The situation unfolding now was astonishingly similar to that previous battle and in some ways, it was an even more extreme version of it.
Pidgeot could fly, giving it an even greater speed advantage than Heliolisk had possessed in the previous battle. Although Aegislash, as a Ghost-type Pokémon, could also float and fly through the air, it simply could not catch up with Pidgeot.
There was another crucial difference.
In the previous battle, because of Heliolisk's limited strength, even though Aura Sphere had a type advantage over Escavalier, it had been difficult for Heliolisk to inflict heavy damage. It could only slowly chip away at Escavalier's HP.
But Ash's Pidgeot was much stronger.
After Mega Evolution, Pidgeot's strength had exploded upward. It was directly suppressing Aegislash, and every attack striking Aegislash was dealing substantial damage.
If this continued, it would not be long before Aegislash inevitably fell.
"The situation on the field is almost identical to when Clemont and Heliolisk established their tactical loop in the previous battle. But although Pidgeot is stronger than Heliolisk and has an even greater advantage, our Aegislash is also stronger than the Escavalier from that battle."
"In the previous match, when Escavalier was trapped in Heliolisk's long-range attrition strategy, it used Smart Strike to extend the length of its weapon and break the deadlock. There's no reason Aegislash can't do the same."
"If defense cannot withstand the attacks, and passive defense is destined to result in defeat, then we shall use offense to break this deadlock."
Looking at Aegislash struggling to withstand Pidgeot's relentless assault, Wikstrom finally made his decision.
He suddenly raised his head and stared toward the battlefield. Facing Aegislash, which was struggling beneath Pidgeot's violent barrage, Wikstrom shouted in a powerful voice:
"Aegislash! Since defense isn't working, then we'll attack!"
"Cancel Power Trick, then use Sacred Sword!!"
Wikstrom swept his arm forward as he gave the command.
"Clang, clang~!"
Receiving Wikstrom's order, Aegislash swung its sword in a powerful horizontal slash, temporarily clearing away the attacks raining down upon it.
Then its blade struck against its shield.
With a swift spin, Aegislash actively canceled Power Trick, restoring the original offensive and defensive properties of its Blade Forme.
[Shield Forme]
Attack: 50
Defense: 140
Special Attack: 50
Special Defense: 140
[Blade Forme]
Attack: 140
Defense: 50
Special Attack: 140
Special Defense: 50
Previously, when facing Mega Pidgeot's attacks, the primary reason Aegislash had struggled to defend itself was that it had used Power Trick to swap its offensive and defensive capabilities.
Although it was in Blade Forme, it had possessed the attributes of Shield Forme. Its offensive stats had been extremely low, while its defensive stats had been exceptionally high.
Now that Power Trick had been canceled, the swapped offensive and defensive stats returned to normal.
Its 140 defensive stats became 50. Once Pidgeot's attacks struck its body, the damage Aegislash received would be roughly three times greater.
However, its original 50 offensive stats had now returned to 140.
With its offensive power nearly tripling, the same barrage of attacks that had previously overwhelmed Aegislash was suddenly much easier for it to withstand. As its sword energy swept through the air, Aegislash seemed capable of effortlessly cutting apart and deflecting the incoming attacks.
The situation on the battlefield had begun to change.
Wikstrom's aura also became sharper and more imposing.
"Aegislash! Use Sacred Sword!!"
"Clang~!"
The moment the blade was drawn, sword energy immediately soared into the sky.
In the previous battle, Escavalier had wielded two knightly Holy Lances stretching seven or eight meters long.
But now, on this battlefield, Aegislash had drawn a gigantic Holy Sword more than ten meters in length!
Whether it was the Holy Lances wielded by Escavalier through the properties of Smart Strike in the previous battle, or the gigantic Holy Sword Aegislash was wielding now, they shared one extremely obvious characteristic.
They were cool.
They were flashy.
They were spectacular.
The instant such an enormous weapon was drawn, regardless of whether its wielder was currently at an advantage or disadvantage, it could instantly ignite the emotions of everyone watching.
It was as though a magnificent and stirring battle anthem had suddenly begun playing beside their ears.
And the sudden eruption of cheers from the spectators proved exactly that.
"Whoa!!"
"Awesome!!"
"Wikstrom!! Wikstrom!!"
"Wikstrom!! Wikstrom!!"
"Aegislash!! Aegislash!!"
"Aegislash!! Aegislash!!"
"Sacred Sword?"
"By extending its weapon and expanding its attack range, that strategy defeated Clemont's Heliolisk. But will it also be enough to defeat Ash's Pidgeot?"
Across the battlefield, the spectators were already caught up in the excitement.
But Ash did not lose his rhythm.
"Pidgeot, stop attacking. Let the opponent witness your evasion speed. Use Tailwind!"
Ash snapped his fingers crisply.
The battle anthem had begun playing on Wikstrom and Aegislash's side.
But Ash had not been thrown off rhythm in the slightest.
On the contrary—
The raging winds sweeping across the battlefield were his battle anthem.
The song belonging to Ash and Pidgeot—
The Symphony of Raging Winds.
It had already begun playing from the very start of the battle.
From the moment Mega Evolution was activated, it had entered its climax.
Silent yet thunderous.
Invisible yet overwhelming.
And it was not something Wikstrom and Aegislash could simply interrupt or disrupt.