Not being at a disadvantage in terms of attributes already counts as a success for Lance.
However, although Kona's Cloyster does not have the "Continuous Attack" trait, it stealthily learned the "Hatching" technique thanks to Natsuhiko's suggestion, which gave Lance the first "surprise."
Adding to the good luck that caused Gyarados to freeze, Kona finally won the second match.
Kona also showed prudence, as she did not let the heavily injured Cloyster continue fighting but withdrew it instead.
Then the two summoned their Pokémon once again.
Of course, Lance called upon his strongest Pokémon at that moment, Dragonite!
As for Kona, she summoned her strongest Pokémon, Lapras.
Upon seeing Kona's Lapras battle against Dragonite, Natsuhiko couldn't help but smile again.
Under the confused gaze of Hilona and Flint, Natsuhiko finally disclosed a hint.
"Do you remember watching the exhibition match between Ghost-type Elite Four Agatha and Celestial King Liu Bo?" Natsuhiko hinted while watching Dragonite's large figure sway with the "Dragon Dance" on the screen.
"Of course, you predicted the result perfectly back then." Flint responded without any hesitation.
It was from that moment the two truly appreciated Natsuhiko's tactical comprehension ability.
"You mean..." Hilona seemed to have thought of something.
Natsuhiko nodded, "That's right."
Flint then carefully recalled a moment and vaguely sensed something.
"Perish...?"
"Lapras, Perish Song!" The sharp voice of Kona came from the television.
The ultimate exchange tactic, Song of Destruction Tactics!
It was through a battle mini-game when Kona and Natsuhiko first met that she learned of this tactic.
Later, she understood some details and necessary technique configurations from Natsuhiko.
Recently, she secretly practiced this tactic extensively!
"But the Song of Destruction tactic has significant limitations. Pokémon can be replaced to avoid it once recalled, and Lance's prior vigilance played its part, Charizard is still combat-ready, he can switch Pokémon." Flint mentioned.
"There is a technique called 'Blocking.'"
Just as Natsuhiko finished speaking, Kona's voice on the television echoed once again, "Lapras, Blocking!"
"Uh..."
The "Blocking" technique can prevent wild Pokémon from escaping and also prevent opponents in battle from switching Pokémon, similar to "Black Gaze."
However, the technique is rare, as not many people choose to invest the effort needed to learn it.
"Dragonite will have to go on the offensive now and defeat Lapras before 'Perish Song' takes effect, thus escaping 'Blocking' restriction," Hilona noted.
"'Substitute' plus 'Sleep,' worth considering."
Flint: "..."
Hilona: "..."
The two exchanged glances.
They finally understood why Natsuhiko wore that smile before Lance and Hilona commenced their battle.
This...
This was Kona's second "surprise" for Lance.
What does it mean to forcefully execute an exchange?
This is a forced exchange!
Exchanging Lapras for Dragonite, is it worth it?
Worth it!
Profitable?
Not necessarily.
Both are the main fighters in their respective teams, and even after the exchange, Lance still has a slightly higher overall strength than Kona.
However.
It is imaginable how much Kona, harboring a grudge, wanted Lance to taste adversity to deploy such a tactic.
But undoubtedly, the "Perish Song" tactic.
Became popular!
Presumably, even without speculating, many trainers will surely strive to emulate this tactic for a forced exchange in the future.
But unlike Kona, they might not use their strongest to exchange, instead trading someone slightly weaker.
Imagine a Quasi-God Pokémon, how terrifying its value, whereas a Pokémon that knows "Perish Song," like an Insect-type Kricketune, is just a few bucks?
Although the setup might not be as perfect as Lapras, if it comes down to the last round with the opponent's ace that cannot be switched, using Kricketune for a forced exchange isn't it delightful?
This is a typical Pokémon value game.
I'm sure that with the rise of the "Perish Song" tactic, the entire Pokémon Realm's battle format will undergo some changes.
And the battle where Kona's Lapras exchanged Lance's Dragonite is bound to be repeatedly watched and studied online.
"And isn't there... no solution?"
"Not exactly." Natsuhiko glanced at them and slowly said:
"If Lance allows Dragonite to use 'Dragon Tail,' it would solve it, or he could have his Pokémon learn techniques like 'Rapid Return,' 'Takeover,' 'Volt Switch,' or even 'Leave a Threat.'
Alternatively, he could learn techniques like 'Blow Away,' 'Roar,' 'Baton Pass,' or 'Dragon Tail' to swap out the opponent too.
If nothing helps, just carry a 'Beautiful Shell,' and it wouldn't be a big problem."
Regarding the "Perish Song" tactic, Natsuhiko could be considered a "founder-level" figure in the Pokémon Realm.
Actually, the "Perish Song" tactic in the Pokémon Realm was already beginning to take shape; it just had nobody doing in-depth research on it.
After all, not everyone has ample free time to invest in studying tactics.
The younger ones are busy enhancing their strength, while the older have aged; why pursue tactical research further?
"Moreover, the effectiveness of this tactic depends on who uses it; would it yield the same effect when a regular trainer and Kona use it? Battle rhythm and control over the battle situation matter too; one slip might cause the tactic to fail."