Like Riolu, Scyther was a Pokémon renowned for its incredible speed.
Especially the swing speed of its scythes, which the Pokédex described in a single sentence:
—Movement too fast for the human eye to track.
The naked eyes of ordinary people couldn't keep up with Scyther's velocity at all. Spectators could only vaguely discern a green lightning bolt flashing across the low ceiling of the battlefield.
Almost at the exact moment Scyther attacked, Roy issued his command with perfect timing:
"Thunder Punch!"
Riolu threw a straight punch that collided directly with Scyther's scythe-hand.
Both Pokémon took a simultaneous step backward, seemingly matched in strength.
"Fury Cutter!" Duoduo shouted.
"Keep countering with Thunder Punch!" Roy responded immediately.
The gleam of Scyther's blades pierced the air as thunder and lightning crashed against them repeatedly.
In just a few seconds, dozens of power collisions occurred between the two Pokémon.
This was a high-speed offensive and defensive battle that didn't allow for even a moment's pause. The audience could see nothing but blurred afterimages dancing across the arena.
Under these conditions, neither side had time to execute setup moves.
He's trying to prevent my Agility and Electric Forge combo...
Roy understood his opponent's intentions perfectly.
A power-based fighting style didn't mean lacking strategy.
With Agility plus Electric Forge, Riolu under this double buff possessed explosive power beyond what most novice trainers could handle.
But that meant as long as Duoduo prevented Riolu from stacking those buffs, he'd be fine.
Much like how monsters never gave Ultraman Tiga a chance to transform, or the show would've ended immediately.
The high-speed exchange continued unabated. At this pace, neither trainer could do much except trust their Pokémon's instincts and training.
As physical exertion mounted, Riolu gradually switched from offense to defense, appearing increasingly pressured.
The commentator spoke rapidly: "Riolu's strength is gradually weakening. Scyther is using Bug-type Fury Cutter, which plays to its natural strengths, while Riolu frequently employs Electric-type moves outside its type specialization. The strain is becoming too great..."
Riolu's most proficient move, besides the Agility provided by Roy's system, was Rock Smash—a Fighting-type move.
Without the type disadvantage, Riolu could completely match Scyther in close combat using Rock Smash.
Duoduo and Scyther demonstrated clear tactical thinking—maintain high-speed close combat to stick to Riolu and maximize their type advantage.
"None of these recommended students are fools," Roy thought with a sigh.
Why did his rival have to be so clever?
His opponent had immediately targeted the information revealed in the previous round, giving them no opening whatsoever.
I failed to keep my trump card hidden until the finals.
Though disappointed, Roy issued his next command without hesitation.
"Riolu, release them!"
Finally receiving his trainer's permission, Riolu let out an excited growl. He crossed his arms to block a combo slash from Scyther, was forced back ten meters, performed a backflip to absorb the momentum, and landed firmly on his feet.
In each of Riolu's paws was a cloth bracelet.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Duoduo wondered aloud.
Scyther held its position, not immediately rushing forward.
At this distance, if Riolu attempted to use Electric Forge or Agility, Scyther could easily interrupt it.
Though confused about why Riolu had removed the bracelets, Duoduo decided it was better to let Scyther observe cautiously to prevent any surprises.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone in the arena, Riolu stretched his arms out to the sides and gently uncurled his fingers.
"BOOM!"
The bracelets hit the ground like boulders, smashing two deep craters into the battlefield floor. Dust clouds slowly rose from the impact points.
"Holy Arceus!!"
"What the—?!"
"What just happened? Those bracelets are weights?"
"Are those some kind of new items I've never seen before?!"
Many spectators were startled by the dramatic contrast, and a wave of amazed exclamations swept through the arena.
Roy himself was taken aback.
He remembered that when he had held the bracelets, he couldn't feel their weight at all. He had assumed the weighted bracelets only functioned when worn.
Could it be that the weight-bearing system didn't affect him as the host, but still worked on the bracelets themselves?
He hadn't expected such a dramatic reaction.
"There it is," Callan whispered excitedly, stomping his foot. His previous theory was confirmed.
Duoduo's eyes widened as he recalled details from the previous matches. He swallowed hard, his voice trembling:
"You... you've had Riolu fighting with those on the whole time?"
Roy completely ignored him and coldly ordered:
"It's time to end this match."
"Quick Attack."
Riolu bent forward slightly, took a single step, and launched forward.
His speed was now two full levels faster than before.
Scyther barely had time to raise its arms defensively before being struck by an overwhelming force that sent it flying.
After rolling across the ground for a distance of several dozen meters and creating several large impact craters, Scyther barely managed to stand.
At this distance...
It was over.
Duoduo felt a chill run down his spine.
As expected, Riolu immediately followed up with the explosive combination of Electric Forge and Agility.
"Crush him! Thunder Punch!"
What reached everyone's ears alongside Roy's command was the thunderous sound of Riolu's charge.
Some experienced trainers with well-trained dynamic vision could faintly see an invisible shock wave forming in front of Riolu.
The sound barrier!
It was the telltale sign of a Pokémon approaching the speed of sound.
Countless spectators were left in awe.
You call this a dark horse?
What a monster!
In a battle between novice trainers, they were witnessing a Pokémon breaking the sound barrier. What kind of joke was this?
The vast majority of second-year students would struggle to reach this level.
This unprecedented speed determined the outcome of the match.
Scyther couldn't even attempt to dodge. It took a supersonic Thunder Punch directly to its midsection.
The combination of double type damage and sonic kinetic energy plunged Scyther's consciousness into pitch-black darkness. The Bug Pokémon was sent flying into the wall at the edge of the arena, creating an enormous crater on impact.
Above the wall sat the audience, who screamed in terror. A child who had come to watch the match of the "big brothers and sisters" was even frightened to tears.
Such incidents rarely occurred even in senior league matches, where security measures were meticulously implemented.
But no one had expected such extraordinary combat power to emerge during an entrance examination.
"Scyther is... unable to battle. Riolu and Roy are the winners," the referee announced, his voice slightly unsteady.
How many matches had he officiated? How many battles had he witnessed? What scenes hadn't he encountered before?
Well, he hadn't seen anything like this.
The entire arena fell silent for a few seconds, and then—
Earth-shattering cheers and hoarse roars threatened to bring down the entire stadium.
Principal Finn and Professor Christian exchanged glances. While it was fortunate for the school to discover such excellent talent, they were momentarily speechless.
The Elite Four member remained silent, as if reaching some private decision.
In the competitors' waiting room, Cade, who had been watching Roy's rise with indifference for some time, now wore a completely serious expression.