Chapter 263: The Emotional Feedback Was…
This one round of fast-paced maneuvering would have likely decided the victor long ago on an amateur stage.
And yet, here on the professional battlefield, all four Pokémon were still standing!
This alone was enough to show that the level of professional competition was in a completely different league from the amateur scene!
With her double-super-effective Steel-type move, Little Lapras only needed two hits to heavily injure Ninetales, or even send it packing.
Smart Strike itself even had a certain locking and tracking effect; at close range, there was absolutely no possibility of missing!
But her opponent, far from collapsing, remained calm under pressure. After Ninetales was unexpectedly struck, they had been constantly fighting to save it, refusing to let their lines break.
Similarly, Arthur and Asher were countering every move, not just sitting back and watching the opponent put on a show.
Both sides were engaged in a high-level game of chess. One wrong move from either side would lead to utter disaster!
If Ivy was even slightly careless, her Ninetales would be finished.
But the pressure on Arthur's side was also immense. If they couldn't secure the win in one decisive push, the damage Weavile had taken could become the prelude to their defeat.
To help stop Ninetales from recovering, Weavile had sacrificed a lot. Its already large head was now even more swollen from Froslass's kisses…
And for that reason, they had to win!
"Maintain the water arrow suppression while you pursue!"
Arthur was calm. Even at this critical, life-or-death moment, his commands were steady and orderly, without a hint of panic.
He didn't blindly rush to use Smart Strike.
The element of surprise only works once.
Following up with a direct frontal assault wouldn't be as easy, especially since Pokémon have the god-tier defensive move, Protect!
His continuous suppression with smaller moves was precisely to guard against Protect.
Protect's energy shield was ridiculously powerful, capable of blocking even strong attacks from much more powerful foes. But the move had its flaws. For example, it couldn't be used consecutively, and its defense was based on a single hit.
A high-frequency, multi-hit attack could quickly break through this energy shield, even if the power of each individual hit was low.
Little Lapras's continuous suppression with the fast-recharging Water Gun made Ninetales wary, preventing it from daring to use Protect.
Just as she was about to be caught, Froslass suddenly abandoned Weavile—who was nearly dazed from her passionate red lips—and appeared in front of Little Lapras in a flash.
The effect of Taunt was still active, so she couldn't use any of her more devious moves, but she could still—
"Froslass, use Astonish!"
At Bianca's command, Froslass's eyes suddenly glowed. It opened its mouth wide, letting out an unsettling shriek while glaring at Little Lapras with blood-red eyes!
The Ghost-type move: Astonish. True to its name, it startles the enemy with sound and illusions, dealing psychological damage with a chance to make the enemy flinch and become unable to act.
The move's damage was low, but its added effect was very potent.
While under the effect of Taunt, this was perhaps the most useful move Froslass could find to stall for time.
However, what Bianca never expected was—
Faced with this brilliant play that even the commentators were praising, Arthur just smiled faintly and replied.
"Ignore her. Continue the pursuit!"
Ignore her…
Ignore…
No need…
And the situation unfolded exactly as Arthur had predicted. Little Lapras paid Froslass no mind at all.
Blood-red eyes?
A terrifying shriek?
A horrifying illusion?
Is that it?
With a flick of her flippers, Little Lapras executed a drift turn and went right around Froslass, showing no signs of being startled whatsoever.
During her regular training, she was frequently drilled by two century-old ghosts. And she had a master who could make demons cry and hold ghosts in his hand, leaving them too scared to make a sound, watching her every day!
Did the opponent really think that she, having survived such hellish training, would be afraid of such a childish illusion?
In that brief moment, Little Lapras even felt that the demon Froslass had conjured to scare her was a bit pathetic.
It wasn't even as scary as those Stitched Shadow Army cadre Pokémon she had encountered in the Star Brilliance Alliance.
If my master punched a ghost like that, it would probably cry for a long time—that was Little Lapras's most honest thought at that moment.
Froslass, who vaguely received some of this emotional feedback, was completely bewildered.
In her entire unrestrained life of loving to scare others, this was the first time the emotional feedback she received after scaring someone was… pity?
Are you freaking kidding me???
But no matter how crushed Froslass's spirit was, the fact remained.
She had failed to stop Lapras.
"Ninetales, use Substitute!"
Forced into a corner, Ninetales had to continue saving itself.
The opponent was clearly guarding against Protect, so Ivy had no choice but to opt for Substitute.
But this time, Asher reacted quickly.
"Use Agility to get over there and tackle the substitute!"
The substitute had no attack power, but it could be used to block hits.
A substitute was much more durable than a Double Team clone.
Weavile didn't have any Steel-type moves, so it couldn't help Little Lapras quickly get rid of the substitute.
But it could rush over at top speed and get rid of it in a more… direct way.
For example, tackling it and then rolling away with it.
With Weavile clearing the obstacle, Arthur could finally give the command—
"Use Smart Strike!"
Ninetales was out of moves.
Smart Strike could finally be unleashed again!
Even the short-range teleportation effect of the Substitute move was useless. The moment Smart Strike was activated, Little Lapras lowered her head. A silver line of energy instantly connected the tip of her horn to Ninetales's body. The line flashed and disappeared, but it was like a thread of destiny connecting the two!
Smart Strike had a target-locking and tracking effect.
At close range, this move was a guaranteed hit!
All Little Lapras had to do now was entrust her body to the move's guidance.
Driven by the energy, her body would automatically follow the connection line, charging forward at full speed!
It was like a warrior's charge in a video game after locking onto a target—it would follow relentlessly until it hit!
And at this point, Ninetales no longer had a chance to use Protect!
Similarly, it would be useless for Froslass, now free from Taunt, to use a retreat move.
As long as the connection line wasn't broken, Smart Strike's auto-navigation wouldn't stop!
"Run! Ninetales, run!"
At this point, Ivy had no better counter. After teleporting with Substitute, all Ninetales could do was run for its life. Though it couldn't escape the pursuit, it could at least buy some time.
At least until Froslass's cooldown was over!
"Froslass, Reflect!"
At the last moment, Froslass broke free from Taunt's control and finally used a support move, erecting a physical barrier in Little Lapras's path!
"BANG!"
With her head down and horn forward, Little Lapras was like a rampaging battle tank. She smashed through the hastily erected Reflect, then pierced through the soft armor-like Aurora Veil around Ninetales, and finally, her horn struck Ninetales's body!
Weakened by multiple layers of defense, this hit, at least, didn't knock Ninetales out on the spot.
But seeing its injuries were now critical, Ivy suddenly became ruthless!
Ninetales only had one move slot left.
But at this moment, Ivy decisively gave up on trying to survive.
The moment its cooldown was over, she shouted loudly: "Use Freeze-Dry!"
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