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Around Kael, the charged [Cotton Spore]s drifted like glowing yellow stars in the night, pulsing faintly with power.
Bzzzt!
He guided the electricity with pinpoint precision, the currents spreading outward in a controlled ripple.
Vmm…
The air shimmered as the wave expanded, yellow arcs humming with a sharp crackle.
"[Thunder Wave]!"
The wave surged outward, sweeping the charged spores with it in a glittering swarm aimed directly at Xatu.
[Charge] + [Cotton Spore] + [Thunder Wave]—
It was a combo Kael had dreamed up back when he was still a Mareep. Only now, with his refined control over electricity, could he finally unleash it in full.
The move wasn't just about raw damage it was about control. Wide area coverage, heavy status pressure, and enough force to break an opponent's rhythm.
Step one: [Charge] to build a massive energy reserve.
Step two: [Cotton Spore], each one infused with paralyzing current. A touch would slow an opponent to a crawl while zapping them for bonus damage.
Step three: Use [Thunder Wave] to drive the spores outward in a controlled shockwave, increasing their spread and adding another layer of paralysis threat.
The arena lit up like a river of yellow stars sweeping across the battlefield.
Xatu's eyes narrowed. Its psychic energy had partially recovered, but pain still stabbed through its mind. Even so, it couldn't ignore this threat.
A pale blue barrier flared to life around it [Light Screen].
PAPAPAP!
The electrified spores slammed into the barrier in a relentless shower, like summer rain on glass. Cracks began to spider across the psychic shield.
Xatu felt its strength draining fast.
'I underestimated him…'
It closed its eyes for a split second.
Kael saw the moment of hesitation.
Time to finish this.
He drew on the last of the power left from [Charge] and hurled it forward in one final, devastating [Thunderbolt].
KRRAK-BOOM!
The bolt split the air. The barrier shattered with a sound like breaking ice, the electricity surging straight into Xatu's body.
A strangled cry and then the green bird plummeted, smoking faintly, hitting the floor with a dull thud.
Across the arena, Merg's eyes went hollow.
The pride he'd always carried was shattered in an instant.
Moving like a machine, he recalled Xatu to its Poké Ball without a word. Then, without looking at anyone, he walked out of the room.
On the other side of the field, Rynce's gaze lingered on Kael's still-glowing form, her eyes complicated.
That was no ordinary Flaaffy.
The raw power, the surgical control, the creativity in his combos if Kael had developed these tactics himself, then the organization might be looking at a future powerhouse capable of challenging even League Champions.
Meanwhile, Merg stumbled back to the Battle Tower's starting lobby and quietly signed the paperwork to withdraw from the challenge.
Nearby, a few other members who had failed in the upper floors were trading stories.
"Watch out for the Gengar on 8-F it's got nasty Poison moves."
"Don't pick 6-J unless you're ready for a pseudo-legendary. That Zweilous hits way harder than it should."
"7-A's Rhyperior is slow bring something fast to counter it."
Their chatter broke when one of them noticed Merg heading for the exit.
"Merg? Done already? What floor did you get to?"
The words, meant as friendly, felt like salt in a wound.
He stopped, turned, and said flatly:
"…Don't pick 3-C."
Without another word, he walked out.
The others blinked, puzzled.
"Why 3-C? That's only the third floor. Should be warm-up fights, right?"
"Maybe he's messing with us."
Then a voice piped up from the back:
"Only one way to find out."
The room went still for a heartbeat then erupted.
"Yeah! Let's try it ourselves."
"No way a third-floor room could be that bad."
"Let's go!"
One by one, the Dark Star members queued up, each requesting routes that coincidentally passed through 3-C.
The staff member processing the applications raised an eyebrow. Strange. They were all different routes, yet every one included that room. Was the guardian Pokémon in there particularly weak?
He shrugged. The Battle Tower was meant to test challengers, and those who hunted for easy fights usually learned the hard way.
Handing over the route tablets, he offered a single warning: "When you hit 3-C, give the guardian Pokémon at least a thirty-minute rest between battles."
"Got it!"
"Sure thing!"
Their cheerful replies echoed down the hallway as they marched toward the entrance.
The staffer shook his head with a small smile.
"…They'll figure it out soon enough."
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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