Chen Shi didn't waste a single second.
He pulled out a Poké Ball and released his partner.
"Swampert!"
Swampert landed with a heavy thud and immediately let out an excited roar.
"Raa–chiii!"
He looked up at the roaring audience, then at the Blastoise standing opposite him—
and the blood in his veins began to boil.
A powerful opponent.
A battlefield full of cheering voices.
This—this was exactly the kind of fight Swampert lived for.
The referee raised both flags.
"This is a 3-on-3 unlimited rotation match.
The first trainer to lose three Pokémon will be eliminated.
Battle—begin!"
"Swampert, Waterfall Burst!"
"Blastoise, Withdraw!"
The moment the referee spoke, both commands fired out like gunshots.
"Swamp—!"
Swampert bent his knees—
and with an explosive bang, the ground beneath him cracked open.
He vanished.
A heartbeat later—
He reappeared right in front of Blastoise.
Siebold's pupils shrank sharply.
Even though he had watched Swampert use this move before,
experiencing it firsthand was something else entirely.
That speed…
That acceleration…
Monstrous.
This was precisely why Siebold had opened with Withdraw—
he knew Swampert possessed a terrifying Waterfall technique far beyond ordinary.
A thunderous BOOM erupted across the arena as Swampert slammed into Blastoise's shell, blasting a crater into the floor.
Siebold reacted immediately.
"Blastoise, up—Aqua Tail!"
"Blaaastoise!"
From inside the crater, Blastoise popped up, water surging around its tail.
It whipped the massive limb toward Swampert with fierce force.
Chen Shi's eyes narrowed.
So Waterfall barely scratched him…
And Withdraw raised his defense even higher.
Impressive.
"Swampert, Hammer Arm!"
"Swamp!"
Hammer Arm collided with Aqua Tail in a violent shockwave.
Both Pokémon staggered backward from the impact.
Viewing Room
Steven blinked, genuinely surprised.
"This Blastoise is… ridiculous.
It actually knocked Swampert backward in a power clash!"
Coming from Hoenn, Steven knew the Swampert line better than anyone.
Swampert prided itself on overwhelming physical strength—
very few Pokémon could match it head-on like this.
Cynthia's expression remained composed, but her eyes sharpened.
"Not just strength. Its defense and move activation are excellent too.
You saw it—after taking that Waterfall, it looked almost completely fine."
Back on the Field
Siebold followed up instantly.
"Blastoise, Aura Sphere!"
A crackling orb of fighting energy surged to life.
Chen Shi frowned for only a heartbeat—but reacted instantly.
"Swampert, Water Pulse!"
Two spheres—one shimmering blue, one rippling with aura—collided midair and detonated in a blast of mist.
"Swampert, Waterfall… into Hammer Arm!"
The moment Chen Shi shouted this, Siebold's expression changed completely.
"Blastoise, Protect!"
He didn't know what "Waterfall Hammer" was—
but the name alone told him it was dangerous.
And he was right.
Blastoise threw up a shimmering green barrier just as Swampert flashed into existence before him—
CRASH!
Swampert smashed into the barrier with such force that the barrier rippled violently, distorting under the impact"
Even through Protect, Blastoise was blasted backward across the arena.
Siebold let out a quiet breath of relief.
If that had landed directly…
Blastoise would've been in serious trouble.
Chen Shi clicked his tongue.
A bit disappointed—
but far from discouraged.
This technique—Waterfall Hammer—
was Swampert's strongest move, created from Mew's teachings and Chen Shi's own refinement:
Combining Waterfall's explosive acceleration
with Hammer Arm's crushing force.
Few could withstand it.
And even with Withdraw + Protect, Blastoise barely held on.
Swampert had proudly named it "Waterfall Hammer" after violently rejecting Chen Shi's original suggestion—
"Equality Punch."
(He refused. Aggressively.)
Blastoise staggered upright, trembling slightly.
Its tail had withdrawn, its breathing uneven.
Even through Protect…
that attack had hurt.
A spark flickered in Chen Shi's chest.
"Swampert—finish it! Earthquake!"
"SWAMP—TER!!"
Swampert slammed both fists into the ground.
The arena shattered, cracks erupting outward like lightning racing beneath the earth—
A tidal wave of ground-type energy surged violently toward Blastoise—
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