Sam's Venusaur was indeed very strong. If Karen's judgment was correct, Venusaur would soon break through to the Elite level.
But compared to the other Pokémon in Sam's team, Venusaur still seemed slightly lacking.
From Karen's perspective, Sam only had a few truly powerful Pokémon. Gengar was clearly his strongest trump card.
If that was the case—
Then she would definitely win this final.
"Come out, Weavile."
Weavile appeared on the battlefield.
A red oval gem sat on its forehead. Its sharp eyes and exposed fangs gave it a naturally fierce expression.
Bright red feather-like crests formed a crown on its head, a collar around its neck, and decorations along its tail. Its body was mainly dark gray, while its eyes glowed red.
Its sharp claws and fangs were its deadliest weapons.
"It's Karen's Weavile!" the commentator exclaimed.
"This is bad news for Sam! Based on the previous matches, Weavile's strength appears to be higher than Venusaur's!"
"Not only that—Weavile's Dark/Ice typing gives it a major advantage against Venusaur!"
"Venusaur is in serious trouble in this round!"
The commentator clearly wasn't optimistic about Venusaur's chances.
If he weren't trying to remain neutral, he might have already declared the result.
---
At the guest table, Erika frowned slightly.
The others might not know, but she knew Sam's strength very well.
Sam definitely had more than three Elite-level Pokémon.
She had personally seen three of them:
Scyther – Mid Elite level
Gengar – High Elite level
Tyranitar – Mid Champion level
So why was Sam sending out Venusaur?
There was only one explanation.
"Sam wants Venusaur to break through to the Elite level during this battle," Erika murmured.
Realizing this, she couldn't help taking a deep breath.
She shook her head and smiled bitterly.
Sam was so confident that he was actually treating Karen as Venusaur's stepping stone.
---
Pokémon: Weavile
Type: Dark / Ice
Strength: Mid Elite Level
Potential: Elite Level
Sam had already analyzed Weavile's strength during Karen's earlier battles.
So detecting its mid-Elite level strength didn't surprise him at all.
Karen truly had the potential to become an Elite Four specialist in Dark-type Pokémon in the future.
---
"Are you scared of my Weavile?" Karen teased.
"Don't worry. It won't hurt too much."
"My Weavile will take care of your Venusaur very quickly."
From the moment the battle began, Karen tried to pressure Sam psychologically.
Sam ignored her completely.
He and Karen were thinking about entirely different things.
Karen only cared about winning.
But Sam cared about something else.
Could Venusaur complete its breakthrough on this stage?
That was what truly mattered.
A powerful opponent.
The highest stage of the tournament.
There would never be a better opportunity.
Come on, Venusaur.
---
"Venusaur, Grassy Terrain."
Venusaur finally moved.
The giant flower on its back released clouds of pollen and seeds that scattered across the battlefield.
Carried by the wind, the pollen and seeds spread everywhere.
Energy flowed from Venusaur into the earth.
Under the influence of that energy, the scattered seeds began to sprout and grow.
Grass forced its way through the ground.
In just moments, the entire battlefield was covered in lush green grass swaying beneath the stadium lights.
It looked almost like a miracle.
---
"Why didn't you stop it?" Sam asked curiously.
Setting up Grassy Terrain wasn't easy.
He had already prepared for Venusaur to endure several attacks from Weavile while using the move.
But Karen had allowed it to finish without interference.
Karen licked her lips slowly.
Under the night lights, the gesture looked strangely seductive.
"Why stop it?" she said with a smile.
"Because no matter what you do, the result won't change."
"And beating someone right when they feel the most hopeful…"
"That's what I enjoy the most."
She glanced at Weavile.
"And it's also Weavile's favorite kind of hunt."
---
"Let the hunt begin, Weavile."
The moment Karen gave the order, the previously still Weavile sprang into motion.
A cruel smile appeared on its face as it let out an excited cry.
Its hunting instincts had awakened.
"What incredible speed!"
Even though this battlefield favored Venusaur, Weavile's speed was still terrifying.
In the blink of an eye, it had already crossed half the distance between them.
It wouldn't take long before it reached Venusaur.
---
"Venusaur, Frenzy Plant," Sam said calmly.
With Grassy Terrain active, Venusaur's power had been greatly enhanced.
Its speed, strength, and energy output had all reached their peak.
The moment Sam finished speaking—
Massive tree roots burst from the ground directly in Weavile's path.
More roots erupted behind it as well, slamming down heavily.
For a moment, Weavile seemed trapped with no escape.
Many spectators believed it was finished.
Then Karen's cold voice rang out.
"You think such a small trick can defeat my Weavile?"
"Sam, you're being a little naive."
"Weavile… stop playing."
"Tear everything apart."
---
Sam noticed the same thing at that moment.
Weavile was smiling.
Dark energy surged from its body.
Black power wrapped around its claws, dyeing them completely dark.
The sinister aura made Weavile look even more terrifying.
Just as Karen had said—
The real performance was about to begin.
---
Faced with enormous roots attacking from every direction, Weavile suddenly began moving like a dancer.
Its body moved lightly and effortlessly.
It dashed through the forest of roots while slashing with its claws.
Every casual strike cut the plants into pieces.
The thick roots that looked so powerful were no tougher than tofu in front of Weavile's claws.
Within moments, all the obstacles were destroyed.
Karen smiled confidently.
"All the obstacles are gone, Sam."
"Now be careful."
"My Weavile's hunt is about to continue."
The moment she finished speaking—
Weavile vanished from sight.
And when it appeared again—
It was already behind Venusaur.
---------------Author---------------
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