Don't think of it as a two-level gap like the one between them now. Back then, the gap was only one level on paper, but in truth, the two Pokémon had been separated by an entire tier, a difference far greater than a single level could show.
Now, even though Sceptile still trailed Hakamo-o by two levels, the two of them were finally standing on close to even ground. What mattered most was that Sceptile's aptitude had grown by leaps and bounds. The awakening of the Dragon bloodline within its body, the boost it had gained during the Dragon Festival, and the final push from the body-refining potion David had given it, all of these had carried its aptitude up to the deep purple level.
It could be said that this Sceptile had been reborn. A two-level gap was no longer enough to stand in the way of its victory. The gap in strength between the two sides was not so wide anymore. This was shaping up to be a real fight.
"Hakamo-o, Screech!"
Looking across the field at the opponent it had already beaten once, Hakamo-o felt the weight of that psychological edge and wasted no time. It threw back its head and let out a sharp, piercing cry that shot straight toward Sceptile.
Hakamo-o and the rest of its evolutionary line were unusually skilled with sound-based moves. Round, Roar, Uproar, it handled all of them with ease. This time, its Screech carried enough force behind it that it functioned almost like a direct attack.
Caught in the cry, Sceptile winced, its composure faltering as its defenses began to weaken.
"Ignore it, Sceptile! Quick Attack, close the gap!"
Willow had learned her lesson the hard way in their last battle. She hadn't forgotten that this Hakamo-o carried the Ability Bulletproof, which let it shrug off Sceptile's best weapons, moves like Bullet Seed and Energy Ball, without taking a scratch. She wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.
"Chamo!"
At its Trainer's call, Sceptile pushed through the lingering discomfort from Screech and launched into Quick Attack. Its whole body blurred into a streak of emerald green, tearing across the battlefield in an instant.
From the opposing platform, Josiah watched and smiled. He clearly doubted that Sceptile, however quick and agile, could hold its own against his Hakamo-o once the fight moved to close range.
Within two breaths, Sceptile had already closed the distance and was standing right beside Hakamo-o.
"Slash!"
The blades on Sceptile's wrists shot outward several inches, hardening into a pair of gleaming cutting edges. Determined to make up for its earlier loss, Sceptile held nothing back, driving a relentless string of Slash attacks toward every vital point it could find on Hakamo-o's body.
"Iron Defense!"
Hakamo-o didn't flinch under the assault. At its Trainer's word, a metallic sheen rippled across its scales, and it met Sceptile's onslaught head-on without retreating an inch. Hakamo-o's scales were tough even without help, and with Iron Defense layered on top, they turned nearly impenetrable. Sceptile's blades struck again and again, sparks all but flying off its hide, yet not one strike managed to draw blood.
"Hakamo-o, hit back with Dragon Tail!"
Even shielded by Iron Defense, being clawed at again and again by an opponent on equal footing had started to wear on Hakamo-o's patience, however light the damage. So when its Trainer called for a counterattack, it answered eagerly.
Dark purple energy wrapped around its tail in an instant, the dense weight of Dragon-type power staining every scale a deep violet. Hakamo-o swung its tail in a wide, crushing arc straight at Sceptile, the blow landing with the force of a heavy flail. The air split with a low, dull roar loud enough to make Sceptile break into a cold sweat.
"Leaf Blade!"
A glow of green light wrapped around Sceptile's twin blades. Rather than dodge the incoming Dragon Tail, Sceptile crossed its blades in front of itself and took the hit head-on.
"Oh no, the class monitor is about to take a real beating!"
Over in the waiting area, the crowd tensed at the sight, and Miles couldn't help but blurt it out loud. Sceptile's strength lay in its speed and agility, while Hakamo-o's lay in raw power and defense. Meeting that Dragon Tail head-on seemed like playing right into the opponent's hands.
Yet David stayed just as calm as before. Anyone who knew him well would have noticed the faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He already had a good idea of what Willow was planning, and that understanding was written plainly on his face.
Just as everyone had expected, the crushing weight of Dragon Tail bore down on Sceptile and pinned it in place, keeping its head bowed under the force. Josiah began to relax, certain the match was already his.
"Now! Sceptile, Dragon Pulse!"
Hakamo-o had been ready to grind its opponent down with brute strength, and it never saw the counter coming from a foe it thought it had already beaten. The Dragon Pulse caught it square in the face, and the burning surge of Dragon-type energy twisted Hakamo-o's expression into a grimace.
"Hakamo-o..."
Hakamo-o, which had stayed composed through every one of Sceptile's earlier attacks, could no longer hold that calm after taking the Dragon Pulse dead on. The pain, sharper than anything it had felt in a long while, was too much to ignore, and it lashed out with everything it had, sending Sceptile flying.
"Hakamo-o! Don't hold back, finish it off now!"
At the command, a pale aura wrapped around Hakamo-o's whole body, and it surged forward, rolling like a runaway tank. It was Giga Impact, the strongest move a Normal-type could unleash.
"Now that's a thought."
"Sceptile, Dragon Dance."
Seeing her opponent go all in, Willow's expression shifted, the calm from before giving way to something sharper. At her call, Sceptile shifted into a strange, flowing rhythm of steps. Wrapped in the surge of Dragon Dance, its body twisted with newfound speed, slipping easily out of the path of the incoming Giga Impact.
David narrowed his eyes.
"Looks like this match is about to be decided."