"I feel the same way. I also feel that I will definitely win," Zhang Tian smiled, matching Valerie's confidence with his own. He didn't need to be told the source of her confidence. Valerie was a Fairy-type specialist. To the outside world, he was a Dragon-type specialist. Fairy beat Dragon. In her mind, she had the advantage.
"So, you won't cry later?" Valerie asked, her tone tinged with mockery.
"As long as you don't cry, everything will be fine. I wouldn't want people to say I bully girls," he replied softly.
The live chat, predictably, exploded again.
"Valerie will definitely beat Zhang Tian!"
"That's right! She's a Fairy-type trainer! She counters the Dragon Boy!"
"Hey, Great Xia fans! Let's see you talk big after Zhang loses!"
"Go, Goddess Valerie! Crush him!"
"Pfft, that's what you said last time. Sit back and watch you get slapped in the face again."
"Zhang Tian is invincible! He's a future legend!"
Despite the brave words, many of the Great Xia netizens were worried. Type disadvantages were a huge factor in Pokémon battles. They had seen weaker trainers defeat stronger ones many times because of it.
Zhang Tian, don't lose! You're a future legend!
Because of Red's legendary status, the people of the Great Xia had a chip on their shoulder. In their eyes, the number one nation should have the number one trainer. Red, from the foreign Neon region, was just too strong, punching champions and kicking gods. It was unreasonable. Now, Zhang Tian was their hope to reclaim the top spot. Subconsciously, they had pinned all their national pride on him. If he lost, especially to a type disadvantage, it would mean the "legend" in the making had a lot of water in it, and was not comparable to Red at all.
"You two are very confident. In that case, let's begin," Iris said, starting the countdown. "30! 29..."
"3! 2! 1! Begin!"
"Go, Anjanath!"
"Go, Mr. Mime!"
A clown-like doll, 1.3 meters tall, appeared before Valerie. Before Zhang, the massive, twenty-meter-long Anjanath landed with a thud, carving a small pit in the ice.
Mr. Mime
Level: 50 (Quasi-Elite Four)Ability: SoundproofItem: Focus Sash
Anjanath
Level: 59 (Quasi-Elite Four)Ability: Rage BloodItem: Weakness Policy
Because Valerie specialized in Fairy-types, which countered his Dragon-types, Zhang had changed his Pokémon's held items. The Weakness Policy was the key. If Valerie's Pokémon hit his Anjanath with a super-effective move, like a Fairy-type attack, the item would activate, giving the Anjanath a +2 boost to both its Attack and Special Attack. As long as she couldn't one-shot him, his Anjanath's attack power would skyrocket.
Valerie's pupils shrank as she looked at the twenty-meter-long beast. She had seen Zhang's battles from a distance, even his Dynamaxed Legiana, but it was only now, facing this behemoth up close, that she felt a true, visceral fear. The terrifying stench of blood and the cold killing intent it radiated were overwhelming.
The audience, too, was in an uproar.
"Another huge Pokémon! Is this guy cheating? How many of these does he have?"
"I like this one! It looks way more domineering than the flying dragon!"
"So big! So shocking!"
"He's a legend, alright. His strength is unfathomable. One powerful Pokémon after another."
"It really is powerful. Even I feel a little afraid," Valerie whispered, her hand on her heart. "But victory will be mine!" Her eyes glowed pink as she used Mr. Mime's telepathy to give her first order. "Mr. Mime, Power Split!"
She had observed that Zhang's Pokémon were all incredibly powerful physical attackers. With Power Split, she could average their stats, turning his behemoth into a mediocrity.
"Anjanath, War Cry!" Zhang countered. He knew Mr. Mime had many tricky skills—Dazzling Gleam, Power Split, Trick Room—and he couldn't be sure which one she would use. In this case, weakening the opponent's attack was the best option. He couldn't attack directly; Mr. Mime had a Focus Sash. It wasn't worth trading a potential debuff for a single hit. He wasn't a brainless, reckless trainer. He was constantly learning, combining his game experience with real-world battle knowledge.
"Roar!" The Anjanath opened its mouth and let out a deafening roar. At the same time, a strange pink light flashed, and a white aura rose from both Mr. Mime and the Anjanath. Their Attack and Special Attack stats were being added together and then divided equally.
Anjanath's base Attack of 180 and Mr. Mime's 40 were averaged to 110. Their Special Attacks were averaged to 90. At the same time, the Anjanath's War Cry hit, lowering Mr. Mime's Attack and Special Attack by one stage.
Good command, Valerie thought. Everyone focuses on his Pokémon's power, but they ignore his command ability. If you underestimate him, you'll suffer.
"Mr. Mime, Encore!" she commanded telepathically, seeing her key to victory.
"Roar!" The Anjanath, on its own initiative, began to charge electricity in its mouth, preparing a Thunder Fang attack.
Trouble, Zhang thought, his brow furrowing slightly. He knew what Valerie was planning. If he were in command, he would have used War Cry again. But he couldn't communicate his orders that fast.
Gotcha, you reckless big fellow, Valerie smiled. Then she saw Zhang's expression and felt a wave of relief. He saw through my tactics. I'm lucky he can't use telepathy.
"Again!" Mr. Mime's hands glowed, and the electricity in the Anjanath's mouth was instantly interrupted. It was forced to use War Cry again. Mr. Mime's Attack and Special Attack were now at -2.
"The scales of victory have tilted in my favor! Mr. Mime, Power Swap!"
The debuffs on Mr. Mime vanished and were transferred to the Anjanath. This was her strategy. Among all the types, Psychic Pokémon were the best at turning the tables with strange and unpredictable skills.
"Roar!" The Anjanath, feeling it had been tricked, flew into a rage. Its Rage Blood ability activated, multiplying its attack power by 1.5.
"Mr. Mime, Calm Mind, then Baton Pass!" Valerie commanded.
One wrong move, and now I'm steps behind. Superpowers are really troublesome, Zhang thought, shaking his head. He looked at Valerie, who was now looking at him expectantly. She's guessing I'm going to Dynamax. She's right. It's my only option, unless I want to give up on the Anjanath.He smiled faintly and raised his Poké Ball. "Anjanath, Dynamax!"
His Dynamax Band glowed with a terrifying red light. "Then come on! Let me see your final strength after all this calculation!" A feverish fighting intent rose in his eyes. He was finally getting serious.
The red Dynamax energy flowed into the Poké Ball, and it instantly grew larger. At the same time, Mr. Mime finished its Calm Mind, boosting its Special Attack by one stage. Seeing Zhang's expression, Valerie felt a sense of unease.
He's serious now. Let me see your true strength, Zhang Tian, future legend!
"Go, Anjanath!" Zhang threw the giant ball. As he did, Mr. Mime used Baton Pass. It vanished, and Valerie's Mawile appeared in its place, inheriting the +1 Special Attack boost.
Mawile
Level: 51 (Quasi-Elite Four)Ability: IntimidateItem: Mawilite
BOOM!
The massive, mountain-like Dynamaxed Anjanath landed, shaking the ice. It was now over 200 meters long and 70 meters high, a walking aircraft carrier.
"Roar!" it bellowed, and the demons on the other side of the coast could hear it. The moment it appeared, Mawile's Intimidate ability activated, and the Anjanath's Attack dropped by one stage.
"What a powerful monster," Valerie sighed. "But victory will only be mine. Come on, Mawile! Mega Evolve!"
A terrifying light rose from the Mawile, and it transformed. It grew from 0.6 meters to a full meter, and its aura became incredibly fearsome. Mawile's base stats were low, only 380 total. But once it Mega Evolved, its ability changed to Huge Power, doubling its attack, and its base Attack stat jumped from 85 to 105. It was now a true horror.
The full story so far is available on Patreon!:
patreon.com/ Zefyrus