The names of the finalists appeared on the large screen above the battlefield. When the name "Fumino Huang" lit up, a wave of whispers immediately broke out in the stands.
"He's from the Wen Ye Family?"
"That famous Wen Ye Family from Mauville City?"
"Now things are getting interesting. I heard the Trainers from the Wen Ye Family are all quite overbearing."
The discussions weren't loud, yet they reached every corner clearly.
The atmosphere in the audience became somewhat subtle. The looks directed at Jiang Han now held a bit more sympathy and the expectation of watching a spectacle.
Jiang Han turned a deaf ear to these voices, his gaze calmly falling on the yellow-haired youth across from him.
So his name was Fumino Huang—a name that sounded like it matched his hair color perfectly.
Family power? For the people around to be gossiping like this, they likely held some renown in Mauville City.
The surrounding cheers seemed to help him regain his confidence.
Fumino Huang clearly enjoyed being the center of attention. He puffed out his chest and tilted his chin up slightly, looking at Jiang Han with a condescending posture.
"The finals begin now!" the referee shouted, waving the flags.
"I'll go first! Let me show you the strength of our Wen Ye Family! Go, Magnemite!" Fumino Huang threw his Poké Ball with high spirits.
With a flash of white light, a Magnemite appeared floating in mid-air. It was Level 22, the Magnets on both sides of its body gleaming with a metallic luster, and the screw on its head spinning slightly, emitting a buzzing electrical sound.
Jiang Han's expression remained unchanged as he also tossed a Poké Ball. "Inkay, I'm counting on you."
Inkay landed lightly on the ground. The luminous organs on its head flickered as its two large eyes curiously sized up its opponent, looking somewhat cute and dazed.
Seeing the Pokémon Jiang Han sent out, Fumino Huang was first stunned, then, as if he had heard the world's biggest joke, he clutched his stomach and burst out laughing.
"Huh? A Psychic-type? Have you not even memorized the type effectiveness chart? A Magnemite's Steel typing resists Psychic-type attacks! Kid, it's not too late to surrender now, lest you lose too embarrassingly later!"
Nurse Joy stood at the edge of the field, her beautiful brow furrowing slightly, unable to help but break into a cold sweat for Jiang Han.
While she didn't understand battling, she knew the importance of type advantages.
Jiang Han seemed not to hear anything. His eyes were as calm as water as he simply uttered two words: "Psycho Cut."
"Bring it on! I'll show you the meaning of despair! Magnemite, don't dodge! Meet it head-on and take the hit, then use Thunder Wave at close range!" A cruel smile hung on Fumino Huang's face.
He had already planned it out: endure this attack that would have its power greatly reduced by the Steel-type resistance, then rely on the high accuracy of a close-range Thunder Wave to paralyze Inkay. After that, it would be a one-sided slaughter.
The luminous organs on Inkay's head suddenly lit up, and powerful Psychic energy gathered. An energy blade, more solid than any before and shimmering with purple light, formed out of thin air!
During this time, Inkay hadn't been consuming those psychic miracle stones for nothing.
The Psychic energy within its body had long since undergone a qualitative change. The power of this Psycho Cut was far beyond what any other Inkay of the same level could produce!
*Swoosh!*
The purple blade sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, instantly slashing toward Magnemite.
Before the smile could even fade from Fumino Huang's face, he saw the Psycho Cut strike Magnemite heavily.
*Bang!*
A dull, heavy sound echoed.
The expected scene of an insignificant scratch did not happen.
The metallic shell on Magnemite's body actually dented the moment it touched the blade. Its entire body was sent flying back as if struck by a heavy hammer!
"How can this be?" The smile on Fumino Huang's face froze.
Like a kite with its string cut, Magnemite traced a parabola through the air and smashed violently into the far wall of the battlefield with a loud crash!
"Now, Inkay! Finish it with Dark Pulse!"
Following Jiang Han's command, Inkay condensed a Dark Pulse!
Although its use of this newly learned skill was slightly unrefined, it did not diminish its formidable power!
As the Dark Pulse hit its mark, Magnemite was once again embedded into the wall. Its eyes turned into spirals, clearly indicating it had lost the ability to battle!
The entire venue fell into a dead silence.
At this moment, the spectators in the stands were all wide-eyed and slack-jawed, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads.
Fumino Huang stood there dazed, his mind a complete blank.
"Steel... isn't Steel supposed to resist Psychic? Why was it still so powerful?" he murmured to himself, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Jiang Han looked at him with only a two-word evaluation in his heart: A reckless fool.
Battling wasn't just talk on paper; data and theory were always just references.
Facing an enemy's attack and not thinking of dodging or defending, but instead commanding a Pokémon to take it head-on—this kind of reckless commanding would have led to death ten thousand times over in a real life-and-death struggle.
"Come back, Inkay." Jiang Han recalled Inkay without any extra expression.
The referee took a few seconds to react before raising the flag: "Magnemite is unable to battle! Will contestant Fumino Huang please send out his next Pokémon!"
"Damn it!" Fumino Huang snapped out of his shock, his face turning the color of pig liver. He felt as if everyone's gaze was mocking him.
He glared fiercely at Jiang Han and took another Poké Ball from his belt.
"Just you wait! I'm going to make you lose miserably! Come out, my ace, Manectric!"
With a roar, the Poké Ball opened, and a bolt of yellow lightning shot out, landing on the field.
It was a lithe and sturdy Manectric, covered in yellow fur with a row of spike-like manes on its back. Its limbs were bulging with muscle, full of explosive power. It let out a roar toward the sky, electricity flickering in its mouth, its powerful aura instantly sweeping across the field.
Manectric, Level 26!
"It's a Manectric! And looking at that aura, it just evolved recently!"
"Now that black-haired kid is in trouble. A Manectric's speed and attack power are nothing a Magnemite can compare to."
Seeing his ace take the stage, Fumino Huang finally regained some confidence. He stared viciously at Jiang Han: "This time, let's see how you win!"
Jiang Han's eyes finally showed a flicker of emotion. He looked at the Manectric, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
"Sandile."
He didn't take out a Poké Ball, merely calling out calmly.
A black shadow darted out from the shadow behind him, landing steadily on the field.
Sandile looked up, its crimson eyes filled with high battle spirit. It stared at the Manectric across from it and bared its sharp teeth in a grin.
Seeing Sandile take the stage, Fumino Huang's face instantly became uglier than if he had eaten filth.
That damned Ground-type!
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