The curtain of rain was like a loom, shrouding the entire final arena of the Ever Grande Conference in a damp, cold atmosphere.
Raindrops as large as beans pelted the energy shield, creating a dense pitter-patter sound, then converged into streams that slid down the curve of the shield, pooling into a shallow ring of water at the edge of the arena.
The red light of the Poké Ball returning Weavile appeared somewhat dim amidst the torrential rain.
Ariel's fingers swept across the Poké Balls at his waist; without a moment's hesitation, he gripped one and threw it out with a flick of his wrist.
"Roar!"
Accompanied by a rough roar, a sturdy, red-and-black Pokémon slammed heavily into the muddy arena, splashing up a large amount of muddy water.
It was none other than Krookodile!
Underneath its signature black "sunglasses" keratin layer, its eyes were fierce as it scanned its surroundings, showing obvious discomfort in this pouring rain.
It had a double weakness to Water-type moves.
Facing such rainy weather and a predatory Kingdra, sending out Krookodile was no different than throwing a sponge into the water.
A low uproar instantly erupted in the spectator stands; many people could not understand this choice.
"In front of Kingdra, in rainy weather, he switched in a Krookodile that is weak to Water-type moves? Is contestant Ariel... giving up?"
"No, that's not it. Krookodile can learn Sandstorm! He wants to seize control of the weather!"
Experienced Trainers immediately grasped Ariel's intention, but it was followed by even deeper confusion.
This was tantamount to the most reckless charge. The opposing commander was Lance—would he give you such an opportunity?
Sure enough.
On the high platform opposite, Lance didn't even twitch an eyebrow.
His sharp eyes merely flashed with a hint of realization the moment Krookodile appeared.
"Trying to seize the weather?"
Just like a master of chess, the moment an opponent made a move, he had already anticipated the intentions three or four steps ahead.
This boy named Ariel indeed had some guts.
But that was all.
"Kingdra, Hydro Pump."
Lance's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable penetrating power, clearly overriding the sound of rain and the noise at the scene.
His command was concise to the extreme, without any unnecessary tactical arrangements.
Because it wasn't needed.
In the face of absolute advantages in speed and power, any complex tactic seemed flashy.
"Ooooo—!"
Kingdra's response was a long dragon's roar. Its cannon-like mouth snapped open, and a deep blue water orb condensed and compressed in an instant.
The rain seemed to be summoned, frantically converging toward that water orb, causing its volume and energy level to surge at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The entire process took less than a second.
This is Kingdra in the rain!
The increasingly terrifying blue Energy Ball was reflected in Ariel's pupils. He could even feel the vast Water-type energy contained within it, making the surrounding air become thick and heavy.
Take it head-on?
A Hydro Pump in rainy weather, plus a double effectiveness—wouldn't that mean certain death or severe injury?
"Dig!"
Without using his voice, Ariel's command was branded directly into Krookodile's mind via Psychic.
Almost at the same moment Kingdra was condensing its Hydro Pump, Krookodile's sturdy limbs dug fiercely into the damp, soft arena. With a twist of its body, it vanished instantly from the ground, leaving behind only a pit that bubbled with mud.
Boom—!
The next second, a terrifyingly thick water column, carrying destructive power, struck precisely at the spot where Krookodile had disappeared.
Soil, turf, and rainwater were all swept into mid-air, forming a spectacular waterfall of mud.
The remaining power of the Hydro Pump plowed a deep trench into the arena, which muddy rainwater quickly filled, forming a sizeable pond.
The power of a single strike was truly terrifying.
The entire arena was silent for a moment, then erupted with earth-shattering exclamations.
"That was close! Just a split second!"
"Contestant Lance's command was too decisive; he didn't give contestant Ariel any chance at all!"
The host's high-pitched voice rang out at the perfect moment, and he used all his strength to stir up the atmosphere:
"A perfect prediction! A perfect attack! Contestant Lance has utilized Kingdra's speed advantage in the rain to the extreme! Now, contestant Ariel's Krookodile is lurking underground, having temporarily escaped disaster, but he has also lost the initiative to trigger the Sandstorm weather! As soon as Krookodile shows its head, it will inevitably face a storm-like barrage from Kingdra! Contestant Ariel has fallen into an absolute disadvantage!"
The host was more excited than ever before.
This was the final match of the Ever Grande Conference, and it required him to use his highest level of passion!
Moreover, the importance of this match was even greater than all the previous matches combined!
The big screen camera cut to Ariel's face at the right moment.
The boy stood in the rain, with rainwater dripping down his black hair tips and sliding across his sharp, angular cheeks.
He did not show the solemn or anxious expression that everyone expected.
He just quietly watched the large pit blasted out by the Hydro Pump on the arena, his eyes as calm as a bottomless lake.
Lance was also watching him.
Separated by a great distance and the hazy curtain of rain, their eyes met.
Lance could feel that the opponent's calmness was not a facade.
This caused the confidence in his heart that he had the victory in the bag to waver, for the first time, with an imperceptible tremor.
This guy, does he still have a backup plan?
Impossible. In such a situation, what means could he have to turn the tables?
"Kingdra, watch the ground. If there is any movement, use Hydro Pump immediately."
Lance gave the command again. His tactics were meticulous and ruthless, leaving the opponent not a shred of room to breathe.
He wanted to maintain this sense of oppression until his opponent collapsed.
The corners of Ariel's mouth suddenly twitched upward.
"Krookodile."
He just softly called this name in his heart.
But through that invisible mental bond, a command, far more complex and clearer than voice, had already been transmitted into the dark world underground.
The next moment.
Hum—
A low vibration, originating from the depths of the earth, abruptly sounded.
At first, the vibration was very slight, like a heavy freight train passing in the distance.
But soon, the tremors began to intensify rapidly!
"Hm?" Lance was the first to sense the abnormality under his feet; the metal platform beneath him began to emit a "clattering" trembling sound.
He looked down sharply at the arena.
He saw the entire battle arena, that patch of land soaked into a muddy mess by the rain, beginning to heave and tremble violently, as if it had come alive!
The water in the puddles that had accumulated at the edge of the arena jumped frantically, sending out circles of chaotic ripples!
The huge lighting equipment hanging above the stadium also began to sway under this strong vibration, and the cast light and shadows swept frantically back and forth across the arena.
"W-what's going on? Is it an Earthquake?!"
Screams of panic erupted from the spectator stands.
"Look! The arena is shaking!"
The host was also stunned. He held onto the constantly shaking commentary desk and shouted in a trembling voice:
"Good heavens! The entire battle platform is shaking! This power... this power is coming from underground! Could it be..."
Lance's expression finally changed.
He stared fixedly at the ground, which was undulating like waves, and an absurd yet singular possibility exploded in his mind.
"Using Earthquake... underground?!"
This thought made him shudder all over.
Earthquake is a powerful move that channels energy into the ground and then detonates it, causing indiscriminate attacks on all targets on the ground.
But right now, Krookodile itself was underground!
Detonating such vast Ground-type energy in that enclosed, narrow underground space meant that the force would act upon itself without reservation!
What a crazy idea!
Did he choose this strategy where both sides get hurt just so he wouldn't be the only one taking the attack?
This guy... is he a lunatic?!
Dealing a thousand damage to the enemy while taking eight hundred yourself?
No! This is more like a suicidal strategy of dealing eight hundred damage to the enemy while taking a thousand yourself!
A storm of shock surged in Lance's heart.
He had always thought he was facing an opponent who was talented and courageous, but whose tactics were still within the realm of understanding.
It was only at this moment that he realized he was wrong.
Ariel's tactics were sometimes very logical, but sometimes...
There was simply no method to them at all!
He didn't care about conventional exchanges of gains and losses; he only pursued final victory at any cost!
This fierce, primitive, and even slightly barbaric fighting style caused this confident genius to feel shock for the first time!
The vibration was still intensifying!
The entire Ever Grande Conference venue seemed to be trembling along with this anger coming from underground!
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