Sam was a little shocked.
Was this some kind of battle between gods and monsters? Could a single Razor Leaf really defeat Slaking?
Or was Slaking's incredible defense the result of one of its abilities or moves, and now that the effect had ended, it could no longer maintain that level of durability?
Sam pondered the possibilities.
But in reality, all of his theories were completely off the mark.
There was only one reason Slaking had fallen.
It simply didn't want to fight anymore.
Slaking lay flat on the ground and let out a huge yawn, looking as lazy as ever.
Norman laughed.
"Sam, it looks like you're pretty lucky. Slaking doesn't want to continue battling. He's decided to admit defeat, so this match is yours."
After speaking, Norman stepped forward and handed Sam a Badge—the Bide Badge.
Only then did Sam finally understand what had happened.
So Slaking had been taking it easy the entire time.
Fortunately, he had still earned the Bide Badge and accomplished his goal. Although he felt slightly guilty about the victory, the Pokémon he planned to use in the Masters Tournament certainly wouldn't be limited to Venusaur's level.
Next came Sabrina's battle against Norman.
Sabrina once again chose Alakazam, while Norman switched Pokémon because Slaking absolutely refused to battle again.
This time, Norman sent out Chansey.
Pokémon: Chansey
Type: Normal
Category: Egg Pokémon
Ability: Natural Cure
Hidden Ability: Healer
Strength: Elite Beginner Level
A cute pink Pokémon appeared on the battlefield.
Standing beside the stern-looking Alakazam, Chansey looked completely out of place. Alakazam stood calmly holding its spoon, while Chansey bounced around curiously, its large eyes fixed on its opponent.
Norman scratched his head awkwardly.
"I only brought two Pokémon today. Chansey is a pure support Pokémon, so this battle probably won't fully demonstrate your true strength."
That was certainly true.
The image of Alakazam battling such a cute little Pokémon felt almost surreal.
However, the rules required challengers to defeat Norman in order to earn the Bide Badge, so the battle still had to continue.
Alakazam moved first.
Using Kinesis, it bent its spoon into the shape of a boomerang before throwing it.
The spinning spoon sliced through the air and flew directly toward Chansey.
Although Chansey looked chubby, it was surprisingly agile.
With a quick hop, it easily avoided the attack.
Then Chansey's body suddenly curled into a pink ball.
With a cheerful cry, it bounced across the battlefield and charged straight at Alakazam.
This was a combination of Defense Curl and Double-Edge.
While it wasn't as devastating as attacks from heavily armored Pokémon, it still carried considerable power.
Alakazam remained calm.
It caught the returning spoon and swung it like a baseball bat, sending Chansey flying away.
However, Chansey's round body bounced off the ground and came right back.
Another charge followed immediately.
Alakazam responded with Ally Switch, instantly swapping positions and avoiding the attack.
Then another swing of the spoon sent Chansey flying again.
Yet once more, Chansey bounced back toward its opponent.
It was becoming clear that physical attacks weren't very effective against Chansey in this form.
Psychic attacks would be necessary.
Psychic energy gathered in Alakazam's hand before it unleashed Psycho Cut.
This time, Chansey didn't bounce back.
The psychic attack struck directly.
Chansey's inflated body suddenly seemed to lose all its air.
Like a deflating balloon, it drifted through the air before dropping heavily onto the battlefield.
The attack had clearly been effective.
As expected, psychic attacks worked much better against Chansey.
Alakazam intended to press its advantage.
However, a Light Screen suddenly appeared around Chansey, forming a protective barrier.
At the same time, Chansey used Refresh, combining it with its healing abilities to recover its condition.
After all, Chansey was primarily a support Pokémon.
Most of its moves focused on healing and recovery.
Although Chansey lacked the offensive power to threaten Alakazam directly, its recovery abilities were troublesome. If the battle continued like this, Alakazam's stamina would gradually be worn down until it eventually lost.
That couldn't continue.
Suddenly, Alakazam activated another move.
Miracle Eye!
This move significantly increased the effectiveness of its psychic abilities.
Combined with Calm Mind, which greatly boosted its psychic power reserves, Alakazam's combat strength rose dramatically.
Under these conditions, Alakazam's overall battle power increased by several levels.
Sabrina clearly intended to end the battle quickly, overwhelming Chansey with powerful attacks before it could heal itself again.