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Chapter 158: The Final Battle
🕑 Added 2025-08-24 14:12:37 +0000 UTCChapter 158: The Final Battle
VWOOM!
The moment the referee declared the start of the match, without any command, Gardevoir's psychic power erupted, enveloping the entire field. It immediately tried to lock Excadrill in place, binding its movements.
"Drill Run!" Basalt commanded with a wave of his hand.
"Excaaa!"
With a sharp spin, Excadrill instantly broke free from the psychic hold. Its steel claws and head-blade merged into a single, massive drill as it shot forward, an unstoppable force.
But just then, a small crack appeared in the earth at Excadrill's feet. A vine with a small green sprout shot out as if it had a mind of its own, wrapping itself precisely around Excadrill's leg, trying to hold it back.
Grass Knot!
Unfortunately for Gardevoir, Excadrill's power was simply too immense. And since Gardevoir wasn't a Grass-type, the power of its Grass Knot was mediocre at best, completely incapable of stopping the powerhouse Excadrill.
WHIRRR!
With a familiar, yet even more piercing, grating sound, Excadrill tore through the vine and continued its charge towards Gardevoir. The sheer force of its spinning body kicked up the dust and sand from the ground, creating a small, localized sandstorm around it. This alone was a testament to its terrifying power.
"Damn it, this Excadrill was holding back in the semi-finals!" Iris's expression changed as she watched the speeding drill hurtle towards her. The Excadrill she was facing today was on a completely different level from the one she had watched yesterday.
But if Basalt thought he could hit her Gardevoir that easily, he was sorely mistaken.
WHOOSH!
With a flash of white light, Gardevoir vanished. The next moment, it reappeared in a corner of the field, completely unharmed.
Teleport.
The move was undeniably broken. As long as it wasn't a wide-ranging attack or its space wasn't locked down by psychic power, the user could dodge almost anything. Fortunately, Teleport also consumed a significant amount of mental energy, so it couldn't be spammed.
But this was all within Basalt's expectations. From his position, a small smile played on his lips. "Earthquake," he commanded.
RUMBLE!
Though its target had vanished, Excadrill's momentum didn't falter. With a slight adjustment, its drill slammed into the ground, and a massive wave of Ground-type energy erupted from its body. The earth rippled like water, the shockwaves spreading outwards. If you're going to use Teleport, I'll just have to use a move that covers the whole field.
But a Gardevoir that had made it this far was not without its own counters.
VWOOM!
Just as the earthquake was about to hit, Gardevoir's eyes flashed, and a transparent wall of psychic energy materialized before it, floating in the air. It leaped onto the floating platform, and the shockwaves passed harmlessly beneath it.
But Iris, having studied Basalt's tactics, knew that Earthquake wasn't just an attack. It also served to loosen the soil, making it easier for Excadrill to summon its Sandstorm. And once the Sandstorm was up, Excadrill's power would skyrocket. The Excadrill in a Sandstorm was the complete, and most terrifying, version of itself.
Iris knew she couldn't let it use Earthquake again.
"Gardevoir, Disable!" she called out.
Gardevoir's eyes glowed once more, and a strange energy enveloped Excadrill. The power didn't harm it, but when Excadrill tried to gather Ground-type energy to cause another tremor, the energy would interfere at the last second, neutralizing the attempt.
Disable was a move that prevented an opponent from using the last move it had just used.
Unfortunately for Iris, she had still underestimated Excadrill. Sand was already beginning to rise into the air, the storm growing larger and more intense with each passing second.
"My Excadrill doesn't need to loosen the soil to start a Sandstorm," Basalt thought, a smirk on his face as the storm engulfed the entire battlefield. That Smooth Rock Crystal wasn't for nothing.
"With the Sandstorm up, Gardevoir is in danger," the Chancellor of South River University commented from the VIP box, a pleased look on his face. Since Iris was unlikely to attend his university, he was naturally rooting for Basalt.
"Indeed," the League President added. "The intensity of that Sandstorm is nearly on par with a professional-level Pokémon's. I don't know how that Basalt kid trained it."
Even knowing that Basalt was being sponsored by the Weather Bureau, it still felt unreal. This kid was a real talent.
"However," the Champion interjected, his eyes fixed on the screen, "look at the girl's face. She's not panicking at all. I suspect she has a plan. Let's not jump to conclusions."
The others nodded in agreement.
On the field, Iris's eyes narrowed as the Sandstorm raged. Her plan had been to wear down Excadrill's energy a bit more, but the Sandstorm had arrived much earlier than she had anticipated. She would have to move her plan up. Gardevoir's physical defense was paper-thin; it couldn't withstand a prolonged assault from the sand. She had to end this quickly.
"Gardevoir, Disarming Voice!" she commanded.
"Excadrill, Screech!" Basalt countered. With sound-based attacks, it was often a matter of who was louder and more grating. And Excadrill's Screech had never let him down.
"SKREEEEE!"
A high-pitched, unbearable noise erupted, forming sonic waves that easily overpowered Gardevoir's charming cry.
Seeing this, Iris didn't look worried at all. In fact, a small smile played on her lips. Just as the sound waves were about to hit Gardevoir, she yelled, "Magic Coat!"
In an instant, a shimmering barrier appeared around Gardevoir. The sonic waves from Screech slammed into it and were reflected right back.
"Excaaa!" Excadrill cried out in surprise, clutching its head. A faint, dark light flashed over its body. Its defense had been sharply lowered.
"A trap?" Basalt's eyes widened, sensing a scheme. But he didn't understand. Gardevoir was a special attacker. Why would Iris set a trap to lower Excadrill's physical defense?
"Don't tell me," he thought, his brow furrowing in confusion, "this Gardevoir is actually a physical attacker?"
