Chapter 333: Ninetales vs. Hippowdon
"He-ma!!! —"
Hippowdon let out a guttural roar, and its Sand Stream ability activated once again, instantly transforming the lush field back into a desolate, grit-filled desert.
"Ninetales!! Fire Spin!"
"Mo..."
Ninetales's ruby-red eye flashed. In the next heartbeat, a ring of intense flames erupted around Hippowdon.
The heat was blistering, causing the yellow sand beneath the giant's feet to pop and sizzle.
Hippowdon let out a pained bellow. With its base Speed being a pitiful 47, it had zero hope of outrunning the vortex.
While Fire Spin wasn't a high-damage move by itself, the Special Attack boost from Bellossom's three Quiver Dances made the flames hit like a furnace.
And although Hippowdon was physically tanky, its base Special Defense was only 72.
Under the influence of the Baton Pass buffs, even a minor move like Fire Spin had the giant reeling in agony.
Hu Ren's expression grew grave. Hippowdon's stat distribution was a death sentence in this matchup. Low Speed and low Special Defense meant it couldn't evade or withstand Ninetales's assault. Its high physical Defense was useless against a Special Attacker.
With 108 base HP, Hippowdon was essentially just a very durable sandbag for Ninetales to punch. And with its 112 Attack hampered by its speed, hitting the nimble fox was a pipe dream.
Furthermore, Hippowdon was primarily a weather setter; its raw combat power was never meant to solo a buffed-up monster.
"He-ma!!! —"
Despite the slim odds, Hippowdon wasn't going to roll over. Its Ground and Rock-type moves were 2x super-effective against the Fire-type fox. One good hit could turn the tide.
With a roar, Hippowdon summoned a swarm of boulders into the air, raining them down on Ninetales.
Rock Slide!!
"Mo..."
Facing the falling rocks, Ninetales didn't even bother to dodge. Its blue eye flared with a psychic light.
Suddenly, the rapidly descending boulders froze in mid-air, hovering just above Ninetales's head.
Each stone was enveloped in a faint blue glow.
Extrasensory!!!
Although Ninetales wasn't a Psychic-type, its mastery over the element was equal to its mastery over fire.
"He-ma!!! —"
Seeing its Rock Slide neutralized so effortlessly, Hippowdon didn't stop. It shifted to Stone Edge, launching sharp pillars of stone directly at Ninetales.
SWISH SWISH SWISH...
The jagged stones rocketed toward the fox.
With a flick of its will, Ninetales used its telekinetic hold on the hovering Rock Slide boulders and launched them at the incoming Stone Edge.
While Psychic-types weren't always the strongest in the games, they were absolute terrors in real-world combat. Their utility was unmatched, and their high intelligence allowed them to manipulate the battlefield in ways other types couldn't dream of.
BANG BANG BANG!!!
A series of explosions filled the air as the stones collided and shattered.
Using the dust from the pulverized rock as cover, Ninetales used Teleport, vanishing and reappearing inches from Hippowdon's face.
Its heterochromatic eyes locked onto the giant. The blue eye pulsed with a rhythmic, hypnotic wave, dredging up the exhaustion buried in Hippowdon's subconscious.
Hypnosis!!!
Hippowdon never expected a mid-range fighter to warp into melee range just to put it to sleep. Caught off guard, it had no defenses ready.
Its heavy eyelids began to droop. The battle spirit was drained from its mind as it succumbed to a sudden, overwhelming drowsiness.
"Hippowdon!! Wake up!! SNAP OUT OF IT!!"
Hu Ren screamed from the sidelines.
The bond between trainer and Pokémon provided a small spark of resistance. Hippowdon's eyes fluttered, its will fighting the psychic pull.
But it was only a brief struggle. With a thunderous THUD, the giant collapsed onto the sand, snoring loudly.
Facing the sleeping beast, Ninetales didn't attack immediately. Instead, it glided back to a safe distance and used the opening to cast Nasty Plot, further sky-rocketing its already massive Special Attack.
Under the constant damage from Fire Spin and Hu Ren's frantic shouting, the sleep didn't last long. By the time Ninetales finished its boost, Hippowdon was already blinking its eyes open.
But even awake, its morale was crushed. Combat spirit is a massive factor in battle, and Hippowdon was now rattled.
And Ninetales, now sitting at effectively +5 Special Attack (+3 from Quiver Dance, +2 from Nasty Plot), was no longer just a threat. It was a force of nature.
"Mo..."
Ninetales let out a haunting howl. In an instant, it split into a dozen identical illusions.
The clones circled Hippowdon, charging in from every direction.
Hippowdon opened its maw, unleashing a terrifying wall of sound.
Hyper Voice!!!
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