Soon, the geyser's eruption came to an end, and the white steam blanketing the battlefield rapidly dissipated. The battle situation, which Flannery and Mr. Moore had been unable to observe clearly, was finally revealed in full.
"Talonflame is unable to battle. Kadabra wins."
Seeing Talonflame collapse to the ground, Flannery immediately announced the result without hesitation.
"Kid, did you use the geyser to your advantage?"
Looking at the soaking-wet Talonflame lying on the battlefield, Mr. Moore raised his head and asked Sato.
Sato didn't deny it. He nodded openly and admitted that he had used the geyser as part of Kadabra's strategy to secure victory.
"Sigh, I really am getting old. My thinking wasn't thorough enough. I knew you were a Psychic too—I should have guarded against a move like that. I was careless."
After hearing Sato's admission, Mr. Moore sighed, recalled Talonflame into its PokeBall, and spoke with some regret.
"You flatter me, sir. If the geyser hadn't appeared when it did, my Kadabra would probably have lost to your Talonflame. I've never seen a Pokémon with such sharp battle instincts before."
Sato shook his head and honestly stated that luck had played a huge role in his victory.
And it truly had been luck.
Kadabra's condition was terrible. Although it hadn't fainted, it wasn't far from doing so.
Its psychic power reserves were nearly exhausted, and after repeatedly using Recover, its body had become noticeably thinner. It was obvious that it could no longer continue using such a powerful healing move without risking permanent damage.
If the geyser hadn't appeared in time, Sato had already been considering forfeiting the match.
So in his own view, Kadabra's victory had indeed been a fortunate one.
"Hah! You certainly know how to talk. A win is a win—there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Being able to use the terrain against me is your own skill."
"Still, don't underestimate Trainers who aren't Psychics. Psychic-type Pokémon with Teleport certainly have a huge advantage in battle, but you've seen today that it's not impossible to counter. As long as the opponent is fast enough and seizes the right timing, there's no reason they can't land a hit."
Mr. Moore waved his hand, rejecting Sato's claim that it was merely luck, but took the opportunity to offer some advice.
Naturally, Sato listened attentively and nodded repeatedly.
"I'll definitely remember that."
The battle continued.
This time, Mr. Moore once again sent out a Fire-type Pokémon.
It was Torkoal.
Its Ability was obviously Drought. The moment it appeared, Sato immediately felt the sunlight intensify, the temperature rise sharply, and the concentration of Fire-type energy in the surroundings increase dramatically.
Considering that Torkoal was Level 50, Sato decided to send out Pikachu, whose aerial mobility would give him an advantage.
"Pika pika!"
The moment Pikachu heard he was being chosen, his previously lethargic expression from the heat vanished instantly.
Filled with fighting spirit, he flew into the air and shouted provocatively at the Torkoal standing on the opposite side of the battlefield with its head and limbs withdrawn into its shell.
"Interesting, very interesting. A Pikachu that has trained Magnet Rise into an instinctive ability. And its fighting spirit is impressive too."
"Torkoal, let's greet him with Flamethrower."
Mr. Moore's eyes lit up as he watched Pikachu maneuver skillfully through the air.
The instant he finished speaking, Torkoal extended its head and limbs from its shell.
The vents on its shell glowed a scorching red, and then a massive pale-white pillar of fire erupted toward Pikachu.
Before the flames even reached him, Pikachu felt a wave of heat crash into his face. His cheeks stung from the scorching air alone.
Immediately abandoning the idea of meeting it head-on with Thunderbolt, he hurriedly dodged to the side.
However, Torkoal's reserves of fire seemed endless.
Unlike ordinary Fire-type Pokémon, it didn't need to stop and recover. The Flamethrower continued uninterrupted.
Without even waiting for instructions from Mr. Moore, Torkoal simply swung its head, and the gigantic pillar of fire followed Pikachu's evasive path.
Pikachu had no choice but to keep retreating.
Fortunately, he displayed excellent aerial maneuverability, weaving gracefully through the sky to avoid the flames while gradually closing the distance.
Yet no matter how elegantly he dodged, he remained completely on the defensive.
He couldn't find even a moment to stop and launch a ranged Electric-type attack.
Meanwhile, the battlefield was already sweltering due to the desert environment and Torkoal's Drought Ability. The continuous Flamethrower pushed the temperature even higher.
Soon, Pikachu was drenched in sweat.
Before long, dehydration left him panting heavily.
"Get back on the ground for now. Use those rock formations as cover and approach it from there."
Seeing that Torkoal had maintained its Flamethrower for nearly an entire minute while Pikachu was already exhausted, Sato immediately sensed danger and issued a new command.
Pikachu complied at once.
Ending his Magnet Rise, he descended rapidly and hid behind a nearby rock pillar.
"Heheheh, can't take it anymore, can you?"
"Torkoal's body structure is unique. It's constantly burning coal inside its body, allowing it to store several times more fire than ordinary Fire-type Pokémon."
"My Torkoal can keep up a continuous Flamethrower for a full two minutes. If your Pikachu had stubbornly stayed in the air, he would've collapsed from dehydration sooner or later even if he was never hit."
"Never underestimate the power of fire. Even if it doesn't burn you directly, the heat alone can kill."
Seeing Sato finally recognize the problem and order Pikachu to take cover, Mr. Moore chuckled.
Sato didn't argue.
A blue glow flashed in his eyes as he began directing Pikachu through telepathy.
The tactic worked well.
Having temporarily lost sight of Pikachu, Torkoal stopped using Flamethrower and began searching the battlefield.
After taking a brief rest, Pikachu moved under Sato's instructions.
Using Double Team, he created numerous copies of himself. The clones confused Torkoal's vision while Pikachu used the rocky terrain to gradually close in.
Before long, he successfully circled around behind Torkoal.
Then—
A terrifying black bolt of lightning erupted from his body.
Pikachu intended to finish the battle with a single devastating strike.
But before the lightning could fully descend, Torkoal sensed the danger.
Its limbs suddenly sank deep into the ground.
Using the earth beneath its feet as a conductor, it redirected much of the electricity underground, drastically reducing the destructive power of Pikachu's Thunderbolt.
When Pikachu finally finished his attack, panting heavily from the effort, Torkoal had suffered only minor injuries.
"That's some incredible power. The electricity has even turned black."
"But the earth beneath our feet is the natural enemy of all Electric-type attacks."
"Kid, don't think that a Pikachu holding a Lightning Orb can defeat my Torkoal in a single blow."
"If you want to win, you'll need to combine different kinds of power."
"Relying on only one strength won't keep winning forever."
Looking at Sato, whose expression had become noticeably grim, Mr. Moore smiled once again.