Chapter 42 Watershed Moment, Level Suppression
"Good! Lucario, Aura Sphere, take this!"
Xia Mu shouted, issuing the command.
'Lucario~!' (Yes, Xia Mu-sama.)
Lucario gathered its aura in its palms, forming a blue Rasengan, which it hurled at the oncoming Water Pulse.
'BOOM!!!'
A massive explosion occurred, sending up thick steam and smoke.
The clash between high-level opponents was so direct that even the onlookers were somewhat affected.
Of course, it didn't affect the battle itself.
"Using the smoke from the explosion, use High Speed Spin."
Xiao Tian, "as expected of a top-four trainer, made the decision immediately.
Her command was measured, and her attack was tactically sound.
Blastoise, upon hearing the command, immediately took to the air and began a high-speed spin, breaking through the smoke unexpectedly.
An ordinary Pokémon would definitely be intimidated by such a powerful offensive.
But Xia Mu and Lucario weren't.
On one hand, their mental fortitude was impeccable; on the other hand, the aura power enveloped the entire area, allowing both Xia Mu and Lucario to pinpoint Blastoise's exact location in real time.
As the high-speed spin attacked, Xia Mu and Lucario, in perfect unison, dodged the direct assault without verbal command.
Simultaneously, Lucario conjured a resilient Bone Rush in its hand.
This was a flurry of Bone Rush strikes; while not particularly powerful, it was designed for continuous attacks, effectively targeting Blastoise.
Facing the re-spinning Blastoise, a deafening 'Boom!' resounded.
Under Lucario's barrage of Bone Rush strikes, Blastoise's high-speed spin was visibly disrupted, "losing its rhythm and finally stopping as it landed on the ground, landing on the ground.
Lucario was also struck by the recoil, its Bone Rush shattering and dissipating into starlight.
"Although it can stop high-speed spinning, my Blastoise has extremely high defense. That attack was nothing to it,"
Xiao Tian said confidently. "Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!"
'Kame~!' Blastoise's short-range explosive power was astonishing.
If Xia Mu hadn't maxed out Lucario's Speed EVs, it wouldn't have been able to dodge in time.
With a narrow escape, Lucario cleverly used its agility to dodge the attack.
But Blastoise clearly wasn't going to give up, charging again, while Lucario retreated and sidestepped repeatedly.
This combination of attack and evasion was extremely dangerous.
Ordinary people were already exclaiming in amazement, because this battle was a high-level contest, already quite exciting from the very beginning.
Facing the relentless pursuit, Xia Mu felt the greatest pressure he had ever experienced.
This level of suppression and move counterplay was incredibly difficult to overcome.
Last night's battles taught Xia Mu a lot; he nearly lost several matches.
But even the most difficult battles yesterday paled in comparison to what he was facing now.
The Pokémon and trainers were different.
[Substitute! Then find an opportunity to flank.] A cunning glint flashed in Xia Mu's eyes as he silently recited this.
Winning against a higher-level opponent was incredibly difficult.
However, the rules didn't forbid using Aura to control Lucario, so he had to exploit this loophole.
Lucario immediately understood, casting Substitute while dodging, its main body disappearing briefly from sight as if invisible.
'Boom!!'
The Substitute was hit, and everyone was terrified by Blastoise's immense power.
A hint of smugness flashed across Xiao Tian's face, but it quickly faded.
The substitute, attacked, collapsed and vanished as a phantom.
Immediately afterward, Lucario's true form appeared behind Blastoise and leaped into the air.
"Now! Thunder Punch!" With a shout, Xia Mu's eyes sharpened.
'Lucario~ Roar~'
Lightning power erupted, gathering in its fist.
'Boom!!!'
A deafening roar resounded.
Blastoise let out a painful scream, its massive body lurching forward from the force.
"Blastoise!" Xiao Tian called out worriedly.
"Before she could react, Xia Mu continued his attack: "Now! Another Thunder Punch!"
Of all the moves Lucario knew, only Thunder Punch could counter Water-types.
"Retract into its shell!" Xiao Tian's voice rang out.
Blastoise, experienced in battle, instinctively retreated into its shell to increase its defense upon taking the attack.
"A wise move! But this way, Blastoise loses its offensive capabilities," Xia Mu laughed.
A standing turtle is incredibly threatening, while a lying turtle can only take hits.
Let's see how many Thunder Punches you can withstand!
Even the highest level has its limits, and Xia Mu wouldn't hold back.
Just after the second Thunder Punch, as Xia Mu was preparing to have Lucario use Thunder Punch again, Xiao Tian had already prepared her response: "High-Speed Spin and Jump, create distance!"
Although Blastoise was in pain, its fighting power remained undiminished, even growing stronger.
Lying on the ground, it let out a roar, then spun and jumped back into Xiao Tian's battle area.
This was the first time Xia Mu had seen this, and he was somewhat stunned.
Indeed, it couldn't be analyzed using common sense.
"Although I don't know what that move was all about, once you've been tricked, you won't fall for it again! Blastoise, long-range attack, Hydro Pump!" Xiao Tian's fighting spirit ignited along with Blastoise's.
The ultimate attack was unleashed in an instant, its speed unbelievable.
Did it even need time to gather?
"[Dodge!] Xia Mu shouted mentally.
Lucario did indeed dodge the water cannon just as it approached.
However, the water cannon's power was immense, blasting a large crater in the battlefield. The exploding water and debris struck Lucario, causing damage.
"Such formidable power." Cold sweat trickled down his face.
While it wasn't the first time he'd seen a move with a power value exceeding 100, the power, combined with level, was far beyond what a level 40-something move could achieve.
Level 50 should be the turning point, right?
[After this battle, I'll have to consider teaching the four little ones some moves with power values exceeding 100.] He thought to himself.
Although expensive, they were indispensable in high-level battles.
He couldn't always rely solely on tactics and strategy, cleverly using low-level moves to win.
Often, level advantage and the ability to unleash powerful attacks are the key to victory.
Take this Water Cannon, for example; if Lucario weren't incredibly fast and had exceptionally good reflexes, it would have been instantly defeated.
Even if it could fight again, it would be severely weakened.
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(End of Chapter)