The ability to use two moves at once...
Sandshrew had already demonstrated it in his very first battle against Alex Baxter, so Ethan Black had never paid much attention to it, believing it was something simple.
And as for control over Sand Attack, Sandshrew already possessed outstanding mastery of it, so it was only natural for him to apply multiple variations of the move. Ethan Black didn't think that was anything special either.
In fact, it was that precise control over Sand Attack that allowed Sandshrew to perform two moves at the same time.
If he had tried to combine Rapid Spin with another move, like Rollout, the result would have been completely different—Sandshrew wouldn't have been able to pull it off!
Ethan Black had even attempted to combine Rollout with Rapid Spin to create the combined move Spin Drive, but he had made no progress.
In short: for Sandshrew to execute that combined move of Rapid Spin plus Sand Attack, both Ethan Black's training and the Pokémon's innate talent were required.
And it was that natural talent that was the most decisive factor! If it had been any other Pokémon, it never would have been able to perform the move so easily.
"It was indeed impressive," commented Tyrant, the Ground-type trainer. "But it also has very obvious flaws."
"The first is its high energy consumption. Since it's a combined move of two moves with such precise execution, the drain must be immense. Who knows if that Sandshrew could even use it a second time!"
"And secondly, that move is not as powerful as you all think. Scyther was caught because it got overconfident. If it had been prepared from the start, it could have easily dodged the sandstorm."
"And even if it hadn't dodged, it could also have broken free by force. As long as it wasn't struck by the final whip, there was no real danger."
Tyrant calmly explained the pros and cons of the move, making the rest of the leaders in the room breathe easier.
Just as he said, Scyther lost because it let its guard down, underestimated its opponent, and tried to mock it. If it had fought seriously from the very beginning, it wouldn't have been defeated so humiliatingly.
Even so, Sandshrew's natural talent left everyone astonished. Combining moves sounds easy, but putting it into practice is a whole different story.
This combined move of Rapid Spin plus Sand Attack, for example—though the principle is simple, copying it would be extremely difficult. Not only proper training is required, but also talent.
"Phew... we finally did it," Ethan Black sighed.
"That Scyther was incredibly fast. If not for the surprise factor, Sandshrew wouldn't have had any chance against it."
"I still have a long road ahead of me."
Ethan Black finally relaxed, seeing that everything was over.
If Scyther had been just a bit faster, or had taken the battle more seriously, the result might have been different.
As Tyrant said, this move consumed too much energy. Even for Sandshrew, it could only be used once. If in that attempt Scyther had managed to escape, Sandshrew would have lost!
Fortunately, there was no "what if." His secret card had worked perfectly, bringing him victory.
He had successfully defended the title!
"Ohhhhhhh! We have a winner!"
"Incredible! Sandshrew turned the battle around with his mastery over moves and defeated Scyther in one strike!"
"Congratulations to the defending champion for keeping his position! He's the first successful champion in the last six months!"
"Let's celebrate with a thunderous round of applause!"
The presenter, who had been stunned for a moment, snapped back to his senses and quickly grabbed the microphone to ignite the crowd.
And upon hearing his words, the entire stadium erupted in cheers. This battle had been spectacular, a true visual feast.
When the match ended, Ethan Black left the stage to a shower of applause.
Backstage, he was greeted by the director of the Pokémon Nightstar Club: a middle-aged man with a prominent belly, dressed in traditional robes. Despite his appearance, he seemed very energetic.
"A talented young man! Congratulations on defending your title. Here are the 10,000 Pokédollars prize and this Honorary Membership Card. For one year, all expenses in the club will be free."
The director went straight to the point, handing him a bank card and the membership card, while explaining their benefits.
Ethan Black, somewhat emotional, immediately thanked him and accepted both cards. Looking at the membership card, he couldn't help but sigh.
At first, he had thought he could keep earning money by participating in the club's ring, but the reality was different.
According to the club's rules, a challenger who has defended his title or defeated ten ring leaders can no longer participate. This membership card was a sort of compensation.
"Young man, would you be interested in joining our club?"
"Your talent is the best I've seen among all challengers. If you join us, we will support you to the fullest."
"With the club's help, you will no doubt become a distinguished trainer. When I retire, perhaps you'll be the one to inherit my position!"
After concluding the tournament matters, the director directly offered him a place in the club, making all the advantages clear. It was a very tempting invitation.
"Join the club?"
Ethan Black was a little surprised, but didn't answer right away. He fell into thought.
In truth, the offer was very attractive. If the club really provided him resources, his progress would skyrocket.
But it also came with a price: freedom. Joining the club meant losing his independence. He would become like the club's ring leaders, forced to step into the arena and fight every day.
After thinking it over, Ethan Black finally shook his head and declined the offer. At this point in his life, he wasn't ready to sell himself yet.
Though, if one day he ever reached that point... he wouldn't hesitate to do it.
(End of Chapter)