In the Combat Hall,
A constant buzz of discussions filled the air, creating quite an uproar, but Kalia remained unfazed.
Having advanced to the finals meant that her next battle would be against Aurora in the ultimate showdown for the championship title of this double battle competition.
This was Kalia's closest moment to claiming victory; if she could defeat Aurora and take that decisive step, she would become the champion of the double battle tournament.
Kalia didn't particularly like Aurora's personality, and considering Aurora hailed partly from the Ellie Region, winning might lead her to belittle Sebas region trainers before proudly departing with arrogance.
As a true representative of the Sebas region, Kalia couldn't allow Aurora to claim the championship. Initially, Kalia hadn't expected to reach this stage, assuming other Trainers would step up, making her feel relatively relaxed.
However, now, Kalia felt the pressure mounting—she absolutely had to win, without any room for losing!
After taking some time to rest and restore her Pokemon's condition, the final match quickly commenced amidst the excited chatter of spectators.
"I can't believe it! The final is between a beginner and a mid-level trainer!"
"Go, Kalia! Beat her down!"
"...
This was Kalia's first time experiencing such immense pressure; although she had always taken every battle seriously before, her mindset remained relaxed, accepting victory or defeat as it came.
But now, with all the spectators' hopes resting on her shoulders, maintaining composure became challenging. She needed to approach this fight with unwavering determination to win at any cost.
Feeling uneasy yet aware of her responsibility as a Trainer from the Sebas region, Kalia knew she must emerge victorious.
As she stepped onto the battlefield, Kalia pondered how best to strategize and secure a win.
"You haven't disappointed me; I remember you now - you were the external aid for the mid-level class at the Pokemon Academy, weren't you?" Aurora spoke confidently.
Kalia nodded silently.
"The mid-level students engage in mere child's play," Aurora boasted arrogantly. "The advanced class holds the true prodigies, and I am a peak unattainable by you."
Kalia remained quiet, knowing that strength would speak volumes; if she lost, there would be nothing left to say.
With the referee's signal, Kalia skillfully retrieved two Poké Balls, holding one in each hand before tossing them skyward. With twin pops, the Poké Balls automatically opened.
Charizard and Ninetales descended onto the battlefield.
Facing Aurora's lineup, Kalia knew she had to deploy Charizard with its No Guard Ability to effectively counter Bouffalant's attacks.
However, even then, Charizard remained vulnerable due to Machamp's potential use of Rock-type moves. If combined with the Lock-On effect from No Guard, it would be disastrous. Therefore, regardless of which Pokemon Aurora sent out first, Kalia needed to eliminate Machamp immediately.
Without the influence of the No Guard Ability, Aurora's Pokemon wouldn't pose as much threat. Although Kalia's Pokemon could also benefit from such abilities, being her opponent's strengths meant that Aurora's Pokemon likely utilized them more proficiently than Charizard and others.
This was akin to the previous Gravity scenario; while both sides were affected, Raticate, having been specifically trained for it, adapted better, minimizing the impact on its speed.
As Lian and Ninetales entered the battlefield, Aurora deployed her Pokemon: Chandelure and Machamp. With Sunny Day enhancing Chandelure's Fire-type moves, Aurora clearly wouldn't pass up this advantage.
The combination of Chandelure's No Guard and Machamp's Infiltrator Abilities allowed Chandelure to bypass all defensive moves except Protect, making it a formidable duo.
With moves like Light Screen, Substitute, and Double Team rendered useless, combined with Chandelure's exceptional special attack power, this showcased the strength of a student from the advanced class at the Pokemon Academy.
"Charizard, use Heat Wave! Ninetales, target Machamp with Flamethrower!" Kalia swiftly issued her commands, knowing the first wave of attacks was crucial, aiming to defeat Machamp instantly.
The No Guard Ability eliminated concerns about accuracy, allowing their Pokemon to launch fearless offensive maneuvers without hesitation.
Kalia opted not to use Air Slash due to the risk of Protect being employed by the opponent; even with No Guard, Protect could still counter such moves effectively.
Heat Wave would efficiently damage both opponents simultaneously, while Ninetales had mastered Flamethrower quite early on. However, Kalia chose to reveal it now, feeling there was no need to conceal it any longer.
Lian hovered in mid-air, flapping his wings but refraining from immediately using Heat Wave. He suspected that Machamp might know Wide Guard, a move similar to Protect.
Unlike Protect, Wide Guard specifically defends against area-of-effect moves like Earthquake, Surf, and Heat Wave, including certain status moves affecting all opponents.
Since individual moves cannot be blocked by Wide Guard, Lian decided to take a gamble and unleash Flame Spiral. If he could anticipate Aurora's command for Machamp to use Wide Guard, it might directly defeat Machamp.
As Lian prepared to release Flame Spiral, Aurora confidently gave her order, "Chandelure, use Shadow Ball! Machamp, defend with full force!"
Aurora didn't specify a particular move for Machamp, only instructing it to fully defend. Both Pokemon immediately sprang into action.
Lian disregarded what specific move Aurora commanded Machamp to use; his focus remained on Flame Spiral. Using Heat Wave against Wide Guard would have been futile anyway.
It was a calculated risk—if successful, Machamp would be instantly defeated. Even if unsuccessful, there wasn't much loss since without No Guard, evading Shadow Ball would still be impossible. By taking this gamble, winning meant significant advantage.
Following Aurora's command, Lian decisively unleashed Flame Spiral. Changing a Trainer's orders isn't inherently wrong; what matters is the outcome—any positive result counts as a gain.
Moreover, even if Machamp had used Protect while Lian employed Heat Wave, the damage inflicted on Chandelure would likely be less than from Air Slash.
In the next instant, swirling orange-red flames erupted from Lian's mouth as a Flame Spiral, shooting through the air directly towards Machamp.
"No!" Aurora was taken aback, her eyes wide with shock at the sight of Lian releasing the Flame Spiral against his Trainer's command.
Pokemon executing moves contrary to their Trainer's instructions is not uncommon; some Trainers intentionally exploit this information gap to catch opponents off guard. However, it often backfires due to the inability for Trainers to understand and communicate effectively with their Pokemon.
Honestly, even Aurora believed using Heat Wave would be best for Charizard, as it could damage both opposing Pokemon simultaneously. Yet, surprisingly, Charizard took the risk and employed Flame Spiral instead.
If Machamp had used Protect, Kalia's strategy might have yielded no significant advantage. Unfortunately, there were no "ifs" in battle.
Machamp did not use Protect but Wide Guard, following the pre-determined command with no time left to change course.
At that moment, Aurora felt Kalia truly struck gold by sheer luck. She dared to gamble, focusing both Pokemon's attacks on Machamp, and remarkably, her bet paid off.