Buzz…
In the second battleground, the man wearing a floral shirt with a roguish demeanor slowly opened his eyes.
He watched as the handsome young man with silver-blue hair, dressed in a sharp black suit, took his position at the opposing Trainer's spot.
"Are you ready to experience the aesthetics of evil?"
Sidney smirked as he casually tossed a Poké Ball in his hand.
Sidney wasn't completely bald; a distinctive tuft of red hair crowned his forehead. His appearance resembled that of a biker gang member from the Hoenn Region. In fact, Sidney's past did involve a stint as a delinquent.
"Please, Elite Sidney. Bring it on."
Steven's expression remained calm, his hand gripping a Poké Ball tightly.
"Hmph!" Sidney snorted, hurling the Poké Ball skyward.
"Offense is the best defense!"
Bang!
An orange lizard Pokémon with a mohawk-like crest materialized on the battlefield. It held up its loose pants with both hands, appearing rather lethargic.
It was Scrafty, a Dark and Fighting-type Pokémon!
"Go, Skarmory!" Steven's palm opened, releasing his Poké Ball.
Skarmory spread its metallic wings and took to the air.
"Stealth Rock!"
As soon as Skarmory appeared, it scattered pointed rocks across the battlefield.
However, when Sidney witnessed this, he unhurriedly revealed a cunning smile. They hadn't been idle while waiting in the back room. This chamber had 360-degree surveillance with no blind spots, allowing them to observe the challengers' battles.
"Flamethrower!"
"What?!"
Steven's eyes widened in surprise. The opponent's Scrafty opened its mouth and released a stream of fire that rapidly streaked toward the airborne Skarmory.
"Agility! Dodge it!"
Skarmory's speed surged. Though it managed to dodge sideways, the flames still grazed its steel body. Skarmory gritted its beak and endured the pain; being grazed was far better than taking the full brunt of the attack.
But how could Scrafty possibly use Flamethrower?!
Steven's gaze sharpened as understanding dawned on him. He withdrew a Poké Ball and recalled Skarmory.
It was fortunate that Steven didn't have the habit of tossing his Poké Balls too far; otherwise, had the distance been shorter, Skarmory would have taken the full force of that Flamethrower.
Since the opponent possessed Flamethrower, continuing to lay hazards and apply pressure with Skarmory wouldn't be ideal.
"Lucario!"
"Lucario!"
With a simple scan using its Aura, Lucario immediately understood the situation.
The Scrafty standing before it wasn't actually a Scrafty at all!
It was an illusion created by a Pokémon using its ability.
"Again! Flamethrower!" Sidney already knew that Steven's team consisted primarily of Steel-type Pokémon.
The "Scrafty" unleashed another Flamethrower.
Radial flames surged toward Lucario.
"Aura Sphere! Block it!"
Lucario thrust its palms forward, launching a blue sphere of energy.
Bang!
Flamethrower and Aura Sphere collided, neutralizing each other.
The clash of the two moves stirred up thick black smoke that drifted across the battlefield.
"Nasty Plot!"
Both Trainers shouted simultaneously.
Both Pokémon began powering up with Nasty Plot, which also confirmed Steven's suspicions about his opponent's Pokémon.
A Dark-type fox Pokémon with the Illusion ability.
Zoroark!
Subsequently, both powered-up Pokémon used Flamethrower and Aura Sphere once again.
As the two attacks collided, the black smoke that had just begun to dissipate became even thicker, obscuring visibility on both sides.
"Quick Attack!"
Lucario closed its eyes, fully immersing itself in the application of Aura.
Through the coverage of its Aura Power, Lucario precisely locked onto Zoroark's position.
Its figure shot forward, cutting through the black smoke!
It appeared before Zoroark as if teleporting.
With a swift pivot, Lucario delivered a powerful kick to the chest of the Zoroark disguised as Scrafty.
Bang!
Zoroark skidded backward several steps, its form twisting and reverting to its true appearance.
Deep red fur covered its back and head, with dark gray fur mixed throughout. Near the end of its mane was a blue, pearl-like ornament that resembled a hair accessory. Zoroark's black fur on its chest extended to its shoulders. Its claws and ears were red, as was the fur around its mouth and eyes.
Despite being struck by Quick Attack, a cunning smile still played across its face.
"U-turn!"
Zoroark lunged forward aggressively, swinging a claw at Lucario.
Lucario quickly raised both arms defensively, blocking Zoroark's attack at its chest.
Zoroark flashed a sly grin before transforming into red light and returning to its Poké Ball.
In its place, Shiftry was sent out!
The moment Shiftry materialized, the Stealth Rock that had been lying in wait sprang to life, flying toward the Grass and Dark-type Pokémon.
Caught off guard, Shiftry was struck by several rock spikes.
Fortunately, being a Grass-type meant that Stealth Rock dealt minimal damage.
Zoroark's Illusion ability allowed it to transform into any Pokémon it had observed, making it difficult to determine whether Sidney's next Pokémon would be genuine or another disguise.
(The Illusion ability differs from the game mechanics; its effect functions similarly to that demonstrated by the Phantom Champion.)
"Come back, Lucario."
"It's your turn, Scizor!"
Steven recalled Lucario and sent out Scizor.
Scizor's gaze remained calm, its metallic pincers crossed.
"Knock Off!"
Shiftry advanced swiftly, its leaf-like hands enveloped in a dark aura.
"Swords Dance."
Steven remained composed; he had confidence that this Shiftry couldn't break through Scizor's Counter Shield technique.
Four ethereal swords materialized around Scizor.
As the swords began rotating, Scizor spun with them.
A small whirlwind formed on the battlefield.
Clap!
Shiftry moved in to attack, but the descending leaf was immediately deflected by the whirlwind upon contact!
Shiftry's eyes widened in surprise as it retreated a short distance.
"Whirlwind!"
Shiftry rapidly flapped its leaf-like hands, generating gusts of wind that created a powerful gale throughout the chamber!
Despite the strong winds, Scizor's movements never faltered.
"No effect?!" Sidney was stunned, falling into momentary confusion.
"Come back, Shiftry!"
Recognizing the situation, Sidney immediately opted to switch Pokémon again.
A Pokémon with pristine white fur and grayish-blue skin appeared on the field.
Its crimson eyes appeared remarkably sharp, and a horn resembling a scythe blade protruded from the right side of its head.
Absol!
Stealth Rock quickly converged on Absol, attacking it from multiple directions.
After the assault ended, the rocks returned to their original positions and vanished.
"Flamethrower!"
"Absol!"
Absol raised its head, and scorching flames erupted from between its lips.
A searing pillar of fire shot directly toward Scizor.
Absol could naturally learn Flamethrower through the use of a TM.
It was difficult to determine whether this Absol was genuine or another illusion.
The flames washed over the whirlwind created by Swords Dance.
Although the rotating winds deflected most of the flames outward, the intense heat still penetrated through to the center.
"Disperse the flames! Quick Attack!"
Scizor, positioned at the center of the whirlwind, was sweating profusely. It abruptly stopped rotating and spread its pincers wide!
With the assistance of the lingering whirlwind, powerful air currents cut through the flames ahead!
Scizor's attack power, boosted significantly by Swords Dance, had now greatly increased.
Its eyes gleamed sharply as it propelled itself forward with explosive leg strength!
A red streak mixed with white light flashed across the battlefield.
Its massive pincer slammed into Absol's face.
Bang!
Absol slid backward more than ten meters, its form shifting to reveal the pained Zoroark.
Zoroark clutched its chest, breathing heavily.
That impact had been no joke.
"Brick Break!"
Scizor's speed was extraordinary; it had grown accustomed to combining its attacks with the incredible velocity of Quick Attack.
In the blink of an eye, Scizor raised its massive pincer and was already positioned before Zoroark.
Terror flashed across Zoroark's face as it hastily raised its hands.
Dark energy gathered between its palms.
Night Daze!
Boom!
Scizor's massive pincer struck the sphere of dark energy, detonating it instantly!
Zoroark was blown backward by the resulting shockwave, struggling to halt itself before Sidney.
Scizor was also pushed back, flapping its wing-like appendages to steady itself.
"Bug Bite!"
Scizor showed no unnecessary hesitation. The moment it landed and stabilized its footing, it rapidly dashed forward once more.
By the time Zoroark lifted its head, Scizor was already upon it.
Sidney's expression had darkened considerably.
The close-range presence of Scizor was putting tremendous pressure on him as well.
Scizor clamped Zoroark's neck with its massive pincer. Pain contorted Zoroark's face, but it couldn't produce any sound.
After struggling for only a few seconds, it lost consciousness.
Scizor released its grip, and Zoroark slumped limply to the ground.
Scizor retreated several steps, creating a small distance between itself and Sidney.
Sidney silently recalled Zoroark to its Poké Ball.
He then sent out his next Pokémon.
Bang!
The genuine Scrafty appeared on the field.
Sidney didn't have many Pokémon with Fire-type moves in his arsenal, nor did he possess any native Fire-type Pokémon.
And Scizor was only weak to Fire-type attacks!
A four-times weakness was essentially equivalent to having no weakness at all!
Sidney had no strategy for dealing with a Scizor that had accumulated a +4 boost in Attack power.
His only option was to stall until Scizor's stamina depleted, at which point he might have a chance to defeat it.
Scrafty, having been struck by Stealth Rock upon entry, glared fiercely at Scizor.
Intimidate activated!
However, Scizor's expression remained unchanged; it showed no signs of fear whatsoever.
Scizor regarded the Scrafty before it with confusion, unable to comprehend why it should be intimidated by this short opponent.
Even though the Intimidate ability was supposed to make opponents feel apprehensive and reduce their attack power, Scizor's mind was as calm as still water—how could the effect trigger?
Scizor's mental fortitude was exceptionally strong. While this Scrafty wasn't weak, it simply couldn't make Scizor feel threatened.
If it couldn't even inspire wariness, how could it possibly Intimidate Scizor?
"Fire Punch!"
Left with no alternatives, Sidney had to press forward aggressively.
Scrafty held up its pants with one hand while raising the other, charging toward Scizor.
Scizor caught Scrafty's wrist with its massive pincer, halting the flame-wreathed fist mid-air.
Scrafty tugged several times, realizing its hand was completely immobilized!
Abandoning its pants, which were on the verge of falling, it used both hands to pull, but still couldn't break free from Scizor's grip.
Scizor's expression remained impassive. It lifted its massive pincer and slammed it downward!
Bang!
Scrafty's eyes bulged like saucers.
Several cracks appeared in the floor beneath its feet.
Scizor slowly released its pincer, and Scrafty collapsed to the ground.
Sidney quickly recalled Scrafty and released a Pokémon that resembled a vulture.
It had a ponytail of feathers on its head, secured with a bone-like hairpin, and wore a jawbone studded with sharp teeth around its waist like a skirt.
It was Mandibuzz, a Dark and Flying-type Pokémon!
The moment Mandibuzz appeared, it was struck by the waiting rock spikes, taking considerable damage.
These rock spikes seemed to pierce not only Sidney's Pokémon but also Sidney's heart.
The battle was already challenging enough—did they really need to keep inflicting additional damage?!
"Brave Bird!"
Mandibuzz spread its wings wide and dove downward.
As it descended, red flames enveloped its entire body.
As the distance to Scizor on the ground decreased, the red flames gradually transformed into golden aura!
"Quick Attack! Retreat!"
Scizor's form flickered as it retreated backward.
Mandibuzz had no choice but to adjust its trajectory and continue pursuing Scizor!
However, without the optimal diving angle, the power of Mandibuzz's Brave Bird was somewhat diminished.
"Iron Head!"
Scizor raised its massive pincer, intently watching the charging Mandibuzz.
Although the move was called Iron Head, Scizor's primary method of attack remained its massive pincers.
Scizor wouldn't use its head to ram opponents; instead, it would launch attacks with its powerful pincers.
Bang!
Scizor swung its massive pincer forcefully. The pincer collided with the charging Mandibuzz, producing a heavy thud!
Scizor slid backward several meters before stomping down hard to halt Mandibuzz's assault.
Immediately, it raised its other massive pincer and swiftly drove it upward into Mandibuzz's jaw.
Mandibuzz's vision shifted from Scizor to the ceiling; its head was somewhat dazed at that moment.
"Bullet Punch!"
Scizor's pincers gleamed with a metallic luster.
It unleashed rapid punches, furiously striking Mandibuzz's abdomen.
Bang bang bang—
Mandibuzz's eyes glazed over from the continuous assault. One of Scizor's pincers sent it flying.
Mandibuzz crashed to the ground, struggling to rise.
Scizor breathed heavily, looking down at its slightly trembling pincers.
Confusion appeared in its eyes.
The opponent's body wasn't particularly hard, so why were its pincers experiencing faint aches?
The boosted power also began to slowly diminish. Constantly maintaining peak strength was causing Scizor's stamina to drop rapidly.
"Quick Attack!"
Upon hearing the command, Scizor dismissed all other thoughts.
Its arms pulled back as it charged forward with explosive force.
A red streak of light flashed across the field!
Upon reaching Mandibuzz, Scizor drove a pincer into Mandibuzz's abdomen.
Whoosh—
Bang!
Mandibuzz was sent flying off the battlefield, crashing heavily into the wall.
It fell unconscious.
Sidney had now lost three Pokémon to Scizor.
Scizor's right pincer trembled slightly, which Steven immediately noticed.
"Mandibuzz's held item must have been Rocky Helmet." Steven's frown deepened.
Some items were integrated into the Pokémon's body, such as Assault Vest and Rocky Helmet, making them difficult to detect.
Other items were worn externally by Pokémon.
For example, a Mega Evolution Stone.
All of Scizor's attacks were physical contact moves, so it had sustained multiple instances of recoil damage.
Additionally, continuously exerting power beyond its normal capacity would naturally accelerate stamina consumption.
However, it appeared that Sidney had yet to deploy his ace Pokémon to counter this threat.
Given Scizor's current condition, defeating the next Pokémon shouldn't pose a problem.
However, defeating an Elite Four member single-handedly was impossible.
"Go, Absol!"
Sidney sent out his ace, Absol!
He intended to defeat the exhausted Scizor here!
Otherwise, his remaining two Pokémon would become easy prey for Scizor.
Having been struck by Stealth Rock, Absol's eyes gleamed sharply as it raised its head and released a long howl:
"Absol!"