As Silas blamed himself, the grim expression on his face eased somewhat.
Servine's small body expanded and elongated continuously within the white light. Before long, its upright height was nearly equal to that of Scyther.
Through the brilliance of the light, its red eyes glared imperiously at Scyther.
Silently, Scyther raised its scythes, ready to face the true battle ahead.
"Serperior~!"
With a crisp cry, the white light vanished.
What appeared before Silas and the other Trainers was a Pokémon with a long, serpentine light-green body — Serperior.
Just as described before, after evolution, Serperior lost its hind limbs, its forelimbs reduced to small leafy ornaments, and three large dark-green leaves had grown near the tip of its tail.
Golden, elegant patterns adorned its body like the marks of royalty.
The leafy collar that Servine once had had now extended into two long, curling vines resembling the sleeves and collar of a suit.
The evolution chain of Pokémon truly mirrored the evolutionary patterns of animals from Silas's past life — the Serperior line resembled the evolution of squamates, from the lizard suborder with limbs to the limbless snakes and worm lizards.
Watching the noble Serperior raise its head high, Silas's gaze grew distant.
"Alright, that concludes today's little segment on Serperior. Thank you for watching!"
"Now, to summarize Serperior… let's see… ah, yes—
'Noble Serperior,
A proud snort,
Composed and calm.'
This haiku about Serperior perfectly describes it!"
In Silas's mind, Professor Oak's lecture outro echoed repeatedly.
But now was no time for sentimentality.
Evolution restored only limited stamina. After taking two powerful Bug-type attacks, Serperior was still in poor condition.
Silas's thoughts raced.
Whether as a Servine or now as a Serperior, it remained a pure Grass-type Pokémon — facing Scyther, a Bug/Flying type, was an enormous disadvantage.
In both type matchups and skill mastery, Serperior was at a severe disadvantage, with few countermeasures available.
Worse still, Silas's earlier mistake had greatly hindered Serperior's performance.
"Serperior~"
Facing away from Silas, Serperior let out a proud cry that tone of haughtiness somehow put Silas at ease.
"Alright then, don't hesitate use Leer!"
Silas smiled and gave Serperior its first command after evolution.
Surrendering was not an option. Though his Serperior's personality wasn't unbearably arrogant, simply giving up because of exhaustion? That would surely provoke its temper later.
That was this species' unchangeable nature nor did it need to be changed.
"Double Team!" Rain abandoned the plan to press the attack.
Though its stamina hadn't improved much, Serperior's size certainly had.
Scyther, standing at 1.6 meters, had once been a giant compared to the 0.9-meter Servine — but now, the average 3.3-meter-long Serperior dwarfed it completely.
And Silas's Serperior was clearly larger than average.
Serperior suddenly opened its red eyes wide, unleashing a fearsome glare.
As a fearless warrior among Bug-types, Scyther didn't retreat, matching Serperior's intensity with its own.
Yet that courage betrayed it — the momentary distraction allowed Serperior's Leer to disrupt its focus. Though not afraid, Scyther instinctively stepped back half a pace, failing to execute Double Team in time.
"Wrap!"
That single backward step was all it took. Two vines extended from Serperior's sides, coiling swiftly.
Once, twice, thrice—
Layer upon layer of vines wound around Scyther's body, then tightened.
"Scyther~!"
Scyther cried out in pain.
Though delivered through Serperior's vines, Wrap was a pure Normal-type physical move Scyther's Bug/Flying typing offered no resistance against it.
Silas grinned in satisfaction.
After evolving, Serperior's vine extension speed, accuracy, length, strength, and toughness had all improved dramatically.
This was the inevitable result of evolving into its "perfect form."
After all, there was a reason so many Trainers pursued evolution few Pokémon in unevolved states could ever surpass a fully evolved form.
A final evolution usually meant all-around superiority.
"Now — use Nature Power!"
Watching the struggling Scyther, Silas issued his next command.
Nature Power is a move whose effect changes depending on the surroundings. In this indoor rock-based arena, it would likely manifest as either Rock Slide or Power Gem.
Since the area was surrounded by stone structures, it wouldn't trigger Normal-type moves like Tri Attack or Swift.
"Steel Wing! Break the vines!"
Rain also knew the risk, quickly ordering Scyther to free itself.
Whether it was Rock Slide or Power Gem, both were 4× super effective. Even without same-type attack bonus, such attacks would deal devastating damage to a Pokémon with low Defense like Scyther.
"Bzzzz~~~"
The sound of rapidly vibrating wings filled the air.
Through the gaps between the vines, white light shimmered from Scyther's back.
"Shhh—"
A teeth-grinding screech followed.
Yet, to Rain and Scyther's horror, only a small portion of the vines broke — most merely cracked slightly.
And those gaps were instantly re-bound as Serperior adjusted its grip.
Silas chuckled softly.
Even before evolving, Servine's vines were sturdy enough to block Scyther's slashes — it simply hadn't had the chance to prove it. Now, as Serperior, its strength was on a completely different level.
Even enhanced by Steel Wing, Scyther's bladed wings — sharper than its arm scythes — couldn't easily sever the constricting vines while restricted.
In truth, the ideal counter for Scyther here would have been Swords Dance.
Even the preparatory spinning motion could shift its body and disrupt Serperior's balance, forcing it to release its grip.
Then, Rain's goal would have been achieved Scyther could have used its agility to evade the follow-up.
Unfortunately, Swords Dance was a high-difficulty move, and Rain's Scyther had yet to master it.
Before long, a medium-sized rock formed before Serperior it was Rock Slide, not Power Gem.
Not that the 5-point difference in base power mattered much.
Due to inexperience, Serperior's casting speed was a little slow.
Scyther was still struggling desperately.
"Chuu~!"
Serperior let out a proud snort, and in the next instant, the stone shot forward at high speed toward Scyther.
The bug warrior refused to yield — its wings beat furiously again and again.
If it could just break free, its speed might still allow it to dodge.
But the boulder loomed closer — nearly half Scyther's own size.
"Come on, Scyther!" Rain's face went pale.
The rock's sheer size and the whistling sound it made through the air heralded disaster.
"Scyther~!"
Scyther cried out with all its strength, its green face flushed red.
It looked strange — red and green should mix into yellow, yet Scyther's blush stayed crimson.
Silas couldn't help but be distracted by that odd thought.
Then he realized it wasn't strange at all — every Pokémon could blush, regardless of color. Even bright-red Fire-types could flush when exhausted or strained.
"Boom—!"
The deafening sound of rock smashing into Scyther's body quickly pulled him back to reality.
On the battlefield, Serperior, which had wrapped its vines tightly around Scyther to ensure it took the full force of the impact, was also forced slightly forward by the shockwave of the collision.
Scyther was still breathing raggedly, barely staying upright.
Silas raised an eyebrow. Impressive—after taking a direct hit from Rock Slide, it still hadn't gone down.
Even Serperior's usually cold, elegant eyes revealed a hint of acknowledgment. Then, its vines suddenly tightened, digging deep into Scyther's shell-like armor.
"Crackkk—!"
A splintering sound filled the air, and Scyther's face twisted in pain.
Rain clenched her teeth, but there was little she could do now.
That's the nature of battle—one mistake, and the opponent seizes it, leading to an avalanche of consequences.
"Reversal!"
Sensing that her Scyther's condition was worsening by the second, Rain made one final gamble.
"Scyther"
Scyther let out a strained cry, its scythes trembling as it forced them apart to carve out space for its attack.
Serperior's breathing grew heavier, and the vines holding Scyther visibly loosened.
Its earlier stamina loss wasn't a lie. The only reason it had been able to wrestle with Scyther this long was because of the energy restored through evolution—but even that recovery had reached its limit.
Then, a surge of strength erupted from Scyther's body, pulling at the vines and dragging Serperior toward it, leaving a deep trail across the rocky floor.
Silas watched the scene calmly.
The two Pokémon were closing in—only a few feet apart now.
"Now! Release the vines—use Aerial Ace!"
He gave his order without hesitation.
Aerial Ace had never been exclusive to Flying-type Pokémon. The Pokédex described it as a swift, deceptive movement followed by a precise slash—it was simply that Flying-types were naturally adept at using it, leaving a lasting impression on Trainers.
Silas's Blaziken, for example, was also highly skilled with Aerial Ace, though it rarely needed to use it; Fire- and Fighting-type moves were usually enough.
After its evolution, Serperior's agility was no weaker than Scyther's, a Pokémon renowned for its speed. Naturally, the move's effect would be just as formidable.
Upon hearing Silas's command, Serperior's vines retracted smoothly, like the nimble arms it once had as a Servine, pulling back in a fluid motion.
Then, using Scyther's pulling force to propel itself, Serperior glided swiftly across the rocky battlefield.
As for Scyther—its constant exertion, combined with the sudden release of the vines, caused it to stumble forward.
Though it regained its footing quickly, Serperior was already upon it.
A cold gleam flashed across Scyther's eyes and its blade-like arms—it was ready.
Given the current state of both Pokémon, this was a duel of single decisive strikes.
"Scyther!"
With a sharp cry, Scyther crossed its twin scythes—one in a diagonal slash, the other in a vertical cut—locking down all of Serperior's escape routes.
In Serperior's crimson eyes, Scyther's figure was reflected with eerie calm.
Its body twisted, swayed, and vanished from sight for a moment—moving with a contorted, almost serpentine grace that no one in the audience could fully comprehend. In a flash of white light, Serperior reappeared behind Scyther.
At that instant, Scyther's old strength had faded, and new power hadn't yet surged forth. Its balance was completely gone.
That was the inherent flaw of Reversal—a technique that pushed its user to the absolute limit.
When used while exhausted, the follow-up actions could no longer be controlled—not even a Legendary Pokémon could change that.
After all, its very nature was "to find life only through death." Holding back would be the greatest disrespect to the move itself.
Of course, as in Scyther's case, that often led to situations like this.
Serperior, glowing faintly white, didn't hesitate—it rammed into Scyther with full force.
The blow sent Scyther flying forward, crashing heavily to the ground. It lay there motionless, fainted.
"To find life through death—except you have to not die first… hmm, that sounds rather contradictory," Silas murmured.
Serperior raised its elegant head proudly, its breathing ragged but its gaze filled with confidence.
"Scyther is unable to battle! Serperior wins!"
The referee announced the result mechanically.
A mid-battle evolution followed by a complete comeback—he tried to sound unfazed, but of course he was shocked.
There went his hopes for a quiet afternoon again.
Silas alone battled as frequently as three or four other challengers combined.
But the Trainer's next words brought a faint smile to the referee's face.
"Well then, the next challenger can take over as the arena leader. Sorry—Serperior and I both need some rest."
Silas smiled as he spoke to the circle of nearby Trainers.
"Congratulations! That Serperior is amazing!"
"Congrats, Silas! Let's battle sometime when you've recovered."
The other Trainers greeted him warmly.
Although it was unfortunate they hadn't gotten to face him themselves, there was no need to force it—there would always be another chance.
Silas returned their smiles, then walked toward Nurse Joy with Serperior at his side.
The newly evolved Pokémon clearly had no intention of returning to its Poké Ball so soon—it wanted to show off for a bit.
Looking at the countless scratches and bruises across its body, Silas could only shake his head helplessly. Oh well, it wasn't a big deal.
The Trainer and Pokémon strolled down the corridor together as the midday sunlight poured down.
Serperior narrowed its eyes contentedly, basking in the warmth.