Once Sceptile entered the battlefield, Lian felt reassured. Sceptile's strength had significantly improved compared to before, although still far below his own capabilities. However, it was more than sufficient to handle Pokemon from a one-star Gym Leader.
Equipped with the Float Stone, Sceptile exhibited exceptional agility and speed. Its evasive skills, honed through combat training, became remarkably superior, making it nearly impossible to hit except for guaranteed-hit moves.
Unless opponents could predict its movements, Sceptile would consistently detect and dodge attacks ahead of time. Only high-level Trainers' Pokemon typically possess such predictive abilities, as intermediate-level Pokemon generally haven't reached that proficiency yet.
As a result, against intermediate-level Pokemon, Sceptile was virtually unbeatable due to its extraordinary evasion prowess, even surpassing Lian's own evasiveness at times.
Upon seeing Sceptile enter the field, Lith frowned slightly but decided not to switch his Pokemon. He wanted to give it a try since Sceptile seemed specialized in Special Attack moves, while Snorlax is renowned for its high Special Defense.
Therefore, Sceptile might not be a match for Snorlax. If he could defeat this Sceptile, the opponent would only have three Pokemon left, including a severely injured Blaziken.
"Snorlax, seize this opportunity and use Fire Punch!" Lith commanded, leaving it to Snorlax's performance now. With Snorlax's attack capability, a well-landed Fire Punch on Sceptile would leave it severely injured even if it could withstand the impact.
However, Lith underestimated Sceptile's strength. As soon as the battle commenced, Sceptile engaged in close combat. Initially, Lith was pleased, thinking Sceptile had abandoned its ranged advantage, but his expression quickly turned dumbfounded.
Sceptile seemed almost cheat-like, unleashing a barrage of moves continuously against Snorlax. These included not only Brick Break but also various other attacks, raining down like a storm upon Snorlax's body.
In contrast, Snorlax's punches barely reached Sceptile, consistently missing each time. Sceptile moved around Snorlax effortlessly, treating it like a game, while continually executing different moves.
Although Snorlax is known for its tough exterior, it couldn't withstand such relentless pounding from Sceptile. Moreover, with Lian having maximized Sceptile's attack ability value, the damage dealt by its offensive moves was formidable.
After this intense battle, Sceptile gracefully withdrew from combat. With just a slight panting, its eyes brimmed with eagerness for more, showing no visible signs of injury.
In contrast, Snorlax bore numerous marks from the relentless attacks, including Brick Break and Fury Cutter strikes. Despite Snorlax's high Stamina ability value, it appeared overwhelmed and struggling to endure further.
"How is this possible?" Lith was stunned. This Sceptile far surpassed the previous Blaziken in strength; while Blaziken could exchange blows evenly with Snorlax, Sceptile effortlessly dominated the match.
Although Sceptile lacked explosive power, its exceptional evasive capabilities allowed for sustained offensive prowess. It seemed perpetually on the attack, leaving its opponent unable to even touch a single leaf.
Sceptile caught its breath momentarily before advancing again. With one final Brick Break move, it leaped, executed a forward somersault, and descended like a sharp blade, aiming directly at Snorlax's body.
In the next instant, Snorlax fell unconscious, unable to continue the fight. It became the first defeated Pokemon.
Snorlax was one of Lith's primary Pokemon, and its swift defeat significantly diminished his confidence; Sceptile proved to be exceptionally powerful.
"Alright, you're up, Slaking."
Feeling helpless, Lith had no choice but to send out his strongest Pokémon, Slaking. Despite being notoriously lazy even during battles, his Slaking had been well-trained.
Although it was impossible to completely overcome the Truant Ability, significant progress had been made. His Slaking took only brief moments off before re-engaging swiftly in combat.
Additionally, through Lith's strategic commands, he could minimize the negative effects of Slaking's laziness, allowing it to showcase its formidable strength effectively.
However, once the battle commenced, it quickly became another solo performance by Sceptile. Although Slaking was considerably faster than Snorlax, it still paled in comparison to Sceptile's speed.
Sceptile maintained its agility, effortlessly evading Slaking's attacks just as easily as it did against Snorlax earlier.
Despite Slaking's considerable power, boasting the highest base stats among regular-type Pokémon, its Truant Ability proved detrimental. Facing Sceptile, even those few seconds of slacking were magnified significantly.
Even Lith couldn't do much, watching helplessly as Sceptile relentlessly attacked Slaking without sustaining any damage. However, compared to Snorlax, Slaking had even greater resilience.
Despite enduring prolonged attacks from Sceptile, it eventually managed to narrowly defeat Slaking. During this battle, Lith attempted to have Slaking use the Rest move for stamina recovery, but unfortunately, it proved ineffective.
Sceptile's offensive power was average, but its attack rhythm was relentless, akin to a fierce storm once unleashed. It never paused and simultaneously dodged incoming moves, making it nearly unstoppable.
In the end, Lith could only watch as Sceptile defeated Slaking, seemingly helpless. Nonetheless, he noticed that Sceptile's extended assault also consumed significant energy.
A Pokemon's Stamina ability directly correlates with its physical endurance, similar to having a health bar. If a Pokemon sustains too much damage during battle, their health bar depletes, rendering them unable to continue fighting.
However, apart from Stamina, Pokemon possess inherent vigor. With Sceptile executing numerous moves, it naturally expended a considerable amount of energy.
Sceptile panted heavily; under normal circumstances, it would not stand a chance against Slaking due to inferior base stats and level disparity.
However, relying on its exceptional evasive skills and blending advanced combat moves, Sceptile defeated Slaking at a significant cost: rapid depletion of energy.
During the intense battle, even Sceptile couldn't keep track of how many attacks it had unleashed - just too many. It barely managed to defeat Slaking, consuming vast amounts of strength in the process.
As a result, Sceptile's energy reserves were now significantly depleted. If given time to recover, it could continue fighting, but Lith wouldn't miss this opportunity, leaving little chance for respite.
"No matter how strong your evasion is, without formidable offensive power, it won't suffice." Observing Sceptile's condition, Lith felt a surge of optimism.
Despite having only two Pokemon left, he recognized that Sceptile was undoubtedly Kalia's strongest. Once this Sceptile fell, the rest of the battle would be easier for him.
"Sceptile, use Giga Drain repeatedly."
Seeing Sceptile's state, Kalia quickly adjusted her strategy. It's crucial not to forget that Sceptile excels in Special Attack moves, and her Sceptile's prowess in this area is equally impressive.
Although low stamina hindered Sceptile, making close combat less feasible, it still possessed ample energy for effective ranged battles.