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Ding!
The system's familiar tone echoed in Kael's mind, but he had no time to check it his next opponent had already taken the field.
A hard purple shell glistened with droplets, two razor-sharp spikes digging into the rocky platform for balance.
The dark body inside was tucked securely away, only a pink tongue flicking out to taste the humidity in the air.
Cloyster, Kael thought, sizing up the Gym Leader's second choice. Its shell alone screamed trouble.
"Flaaffy uses Thunder Shock again!" Lanny's voice rang out from behind him.
That suited Kael just fine. He still didn't know exactly where his limits were after the recent training session, and a defensive opponent like this was the perfect test.
Goldeen earlier had been too weak to push him this Cloyster, though… this might be worth going all out.
Bzzzt!
Electricity roared to life, coiling around his body in snapping arcs.
Misty's eyes widened. She had never seen a Flaaffy produce voltage like this.
"Cloyster! Withdraw then freeze the surface water on your shell!"
The twin halves of Cloyster's armor clamped shut with a heavy clack, a faint violet shimmer rippling over its surface as its defenses spiked.
Cold mist curled outward as Ice-type energy seeped through the shell, freezing the thin layer of water coating it into a solid frost.
The air chilled.
CRACK!
Kael's thunderbolt smashed down, shattering the ice in a burst of steam before coursing violently over Cloyster's armor.
Electric serpents searched for any weakness, but Cloyster's training and Misty's skill left none to be found.
After several seconds, the arcs sputtered out, leaving the shell scorched but intact.
Misty let out a quiet breath of relief. That had been closer than she'd admit out loud.
Lanny, however, adjusted immediately. "Flaaffy close in and use Thunder Punch!"
Kael lunged forward—
"Not so fast! Cloyster, Whirlpool!"
From within its shell, Cloyster unleashed a spiraling torrent of water.
The vortex roared to life, a miniature waterspout that swallowed Kael before he could dodge.
The world spun violently. Pressure crushed against him from all sides, the current tossing him like laundry in a wash cycle.
Each gasp dragged water into his lungs.
'Too reckless… should have played it safer' Lanny thought grimly from the sidelines, regret sour in his stomach.
Misty's lips curled into a sharp smile. "Cloyster tighten it, and spin it upward!"
Cloyster's control was frighteningly precise the raging funnel of water narrowed, tightening its grip around Kael while pushing the column higher and higher.
From the stands, it looked as though a massive pillar of water had erupted from the pool, reaching for the gym's glass ceiling.
Then, with a sudden command, Misty cut it off.
The Whirlpool collapsed into a drenching downpour, but Kael, flung skyward by the last surge, was now falling fast.
From that height, the impact wouldn't be fatal, but it would be more than enough to knock him out of the fight.
Lanny's chest tightened. His poor call had put the rented Flaaffy in real danger.
Misty, confident in her strategy, watched as Kael plummeted only for his tail orb to suddenly blaze with brilliant blue light.
A powerful electromagnetic field erupted outward, rippling through the entire arena.
To everyone's shock, Kael's descent slowed midair and then stopped completely, hovering as if gravity no longer applied.
"What—!? That's impossible!" Misty took two quick steps forward, disbelief etched across her face.
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