"Quicksand Hell!"
With Baimu's command.
Vast tides of quicksand poured forth from the Mega Steelix's breath and transformed into a fierce sandstorm tornado as the steel bones rotated, roaring toward Xiaogang's Steelix.
Rumble——!!
The sandstorm whipped and rubbed against the air, producing muffled rumblings.
Though Steelix is a Ground Attribute Pokémon, its Steel Attribute makes Ground-type attacks exceptionally effective against it.
In the face of the approaching storm of sand and gravel, Xiaogang remained calm and instructed Steelix to use Spiral Ball.
"Roar!"
Steelix growled, its two horizontal steel bones furiously spinning like blender blades, emitting piercing shrieks that stirred up a breeze before quickly forming two bright silver halos.
At that moment, the sandstorm tornado struck!
Boom!
The silver halo of Gyro Ball collided explosively with Quicksand Hell. The seemingly ferocious sand couldn't penetrate through the wind circle formed by Gyro Ball, slowly dissipating upon impact.
"Digging!"
Xiaogang waved his hand, and Steelix leapt forward, diving with a thud into the earth, disappearing from sight.
The ground trembled incessantly, signaling Steelix's movement underground.
However.
Baimu had already anticipated Xiaogang's combo moves and instructed the Mega Steelix to use Electromagnetic Levitation right after Quicksand Hell had stopped.
The massive form transformed into an aerial battleship, casting a cold gaze down below.
"Pay attention to the ground!"
"Well… Electromagnetic Levitation, huh."
Xiaogang was a bit surprised, yet his face showed no signs of disappointment from his plan failing; rather, he smiled.
In the next moment.
Thud!
The glimmering Steelix burst forth, sand and dust flying as its two horizontal steel bones spun, giving it exaggerated jumping power!
"Hit its head with Iron Tail!"
"Tie Tight!"
Baimu and Xiaogang's commands rang out simultaneously, and the sky-dominating Mega Steelix immediately swung its hammer-like tail toward Steelix!
Thwang!
Iron Tail hit accurately, yet it couldn't strike Steelix's head as intended but instead landed in its open mouth.
The deafening metallic clang made both sides cover their ears. Then a rumble, and both Steelix fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
As the dust settled, Baimu saw Xiaogang's Steelix biting the Mega Steelix's tail, climbing swiftly and entangling with it.
Although its size was relatively smaller, Xiaogang's Steelix, through its understanding of joint structures, immobilized the Mega Steelix.
The latter's strength was inferior, resistance at the joints produced a crunching sound. Steelix seized the vulnerability, slowly tightening, making it appear more agonized.
"Roar——"
"Hahaha, using the body to bind enemies is innate for Onix and Steelix. It's a technique continuously used since birth; don't underestimate it because it seems powerless!" Xiaogang laughed heartily.
"Use Dragon Breath to spray it!"
Baimu searched for a counterattack. Alas, though the Mega Steelix had a physical advantage, its battle experience paled compared to Xiaogang's Steelix.
Not to mention the hardness of the surface steel.
In this tying phase, Xiaogang's Steelix applied slight force, causing the Mega Steelix's surface to dent. But the latter remained indented.
"Roar!"
The Mega Steelix twisted its head in difficulty; fortunately, it was long enough not to be fully restrained. Raising its head, it released a cerulean breath toward Steelix.
"Dragon Breath from our side too!" Xiaogang continued steadily.
Steelix loosened its grip on the Mega Steelix's tail, releasing a torrent of cerulean airflow.
Boom——!!
The two streams collided and merged, neither yielding to the other.
Even though Steelix acted second, it managed to suppress the former, forcing the Mega Steelix's Dragon Breath to retreat until it was hit squarely!
Boom!
"Roar!"
The Mega Steelix let out another muffled cry of pain——
"That's enough!"
Xiaogang timely halted the match before it continued further.
Steelix slowly released the Mega Steelix, stepping back to maintain distance, calm and composed, neither boasting over suppressing its opponent nor lamenting not thoroughly defeating a larger foe.
The demeanor of a Hall Master's Pokémon surfaced naturally.
Freed Mega Steelix gave it a wary glance, retreating slowly behind its trainer.
"I lost."
Baimu sighed, shaking hands with Xiaogang.
Steelix, Xiaogang's first Pokémon, had experienced countless battles, while the Mega Steelix lagged significantly.
Indeed.
The gap between trainers exists too; his understanding of Steelix-type Pokémon fell short compared to Xiaogang. He couldn't exploit Steelix's physical attributes, battling rigidly.
"Winning or losing doesn't matter much." Xiaogang smiled softly, "It seems you and Steelix lack synergy; you haven't had it for long, right?"
"Yes, a little over a month."
Baimu calculated the timeframe.
"Over a month..."
Xiaogang approached the Mega Steelix, observing its condition, "Henious fields await development between you two and Steelix itself."
——
The disparity between two Steelix reflects in all aspects.
Critical areas a Breeder can address include the maintenance of the metal surface and joint connections of Steelix.
"Steelix's power points lie in these joints. If you don't properly nurture them, even if it could exert ten tons of strength originally, it might only use one ton."
With a brush, Xiaogang continually prodded the joints of the Mega Steelix, nourishing fluid cleansing its body, evoking a moan-like low roar.
"Look here, the uneven spots on the joint are results of incorrect digging posture, accumulating dust friction, similar to human hunchback and pigeon-toed issues; you must pay heed."
"Yup yup!"
Baimu nodded profusely. Uncle Ranch's health management chapter was effective, but not detailed for each Pokémon.
To uncover these "secrets," one must ask and learn from more specialized experts.
Xiaogang, open and exhaustive, personally teaching, genuinely moved Baimu.
"Regarding surface steel strength, let me see its diet... ah, indeed, the alloy supplement is insufficient. Your iron ore ratio is too high. Adjust it appropriately, and increase proportions of chromium, molybdenum, and nickel."
"Understood!"
"Ah! Why aren't you feeding tungsten?"
"Well, I saw online saying it's unnecessary... too much can cause illness."
"Just reduce the quantity. For Steelix, properly supplementing metal elements is crucial; any imbalance can decline its body's rigidity."
"Duly noted!"