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he knowes pokemon more than i know _Chapter_429_en
Chapter 429
Chapter 424: Full Battle! The Weak Overcoming the Strong!
*(I wrote a level classification at the beginning of the book. Feel free to check it out, but it might not be entirely accurate.)*
*(Don't be fooled by Metapod's early appearance; I've set its potential very high. For comparison, its Realm is about the level of a Primal Kyogre's Water Spout, but its Level itself is lacking. Rounding it off, it's currently at the level of a 0 IV Groudon using Precipice Blades.)*
*(Hmm, I don't know how this battle suddenly got so long. I'll try to condense it.)*
In Perfect Ultra Instinct, every second was spent at his absolute limit. Ash didn't dare to delay for even a moment.
At this moment, his Bond Power was also pushed to its maximum load. It was as if a giant hammer was constantly pounding inside his head, creating a deafening buzz. An ordinary person would have fainted long ago.
"Metapod, end this quickly!"
He could only roar out loud. In this state, the level difference for Metapod no longer mattered.
"Pod!"
Metapod understood. Its silver body flashed and instantly vanished, leaving only a faint silver stream of light in the battle arena. Its form was completely gone, its speed even more terrifying than the move Extreme Speed.
At the center of it all, Incineroar and the Masked Man were in complete disarray. Ultra Instinct was absurd enough, and now you're telling me this isn't even the final realm?
Where in the world did he pick up this god-like Metapod? A garbage can?!
"Roar—"
Incineroar focused its eyes but couldn't catch the slightest trace of its opponent's figure. It began to sweat profusely, its eyes darting around anxiously.
"Calm down!"
The Masked Man shouted urgently. Although his own mind was in turmoil, if the trainer also panicked in this situation, it would truly be over.
He didn't know what was happening, but he understood one thing: Metapod couldn't maintain its previous state for long, which meant it could sustain this current state for an even shorter period.
No matter how strong it was, as long as he could endure this period, he would win!
Unconsciously, he had reversed their positions, placing himself in the role of the underdog while viewing Ash and Metapod as an invincible boss. His mind was a raging storm, desperately searching for any strategy that could defeat an enemy several levels above him.
But in reality, this was a situation that should have been happening to Ash.
"Incineroar, use Flare Blitz on the ground!"
After a moment of thought, the Masked Man had an answer. This move wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; it was a strategy he had considered during his mental battle simulations.
Yesterday, while watching the recordings of the preliminary rounds, he had already prepared for the worst-case scenario...
It was just that the current situation seemed even worse than the worst.
"Tig-ROAR!"
Although its heart was in chaos, Incineroar was a seasoned veteran of countless battles. It immediately gathered all its strength. Its flame belt flashed, and its body erupted in terrifying crimson flames. The flames burned violently, their color shifting from the initial red to a deep crimson, before suddenly changing again into silent, dreadful blue flames, completely losing their physical form and leaving only azure energy.
Finally, Incineroar concentrated all the blue flames into its fists. It bent its body, and channeling the power through its tiger fists, slammed them heavily onto the ground.
"RUMBLE...!"
In the next second, the entire venue began to tremble violently. The battle arena, half the size of a soccer field, instantly disintegrated, turning into a complete ruin of shattered rock.
Countless bits of rubble and clouds of dust were blasted into mid-air. Shattered rock rained down everywhere.
*After all, Metapod can't fly. Its high-speed movement relies on physical contact with the ground. So, I'll just destroy the entire ground, leaving it with nowhere to land!*
But in the next second, the Masked Man's expression changed drastically once again.
"Pod..."
The silver Metapod had indeed reappeared, but this time, it was nimbly using the sky-filling debris to move through the air.
A dense shower of rubble and dust filled the air above the entire arena. The debris itself wasn't moving fast, yet it seemed to flow around Metapod, never touching its body.
It was like a miracle.
"Just what kind of power is this..."
The Masked Man's worldview was starting to shatter.
He had originally thought that even if he wasn't a top-level expert, he could at least be considered an overlord. But today, battling a junior, it seemed he had drawn out something incredible.
"Pod."
Metapod's expression was unchanged, as if its soul had already transcended, its body moving on instinct alone.
And at the very tip of its tail, an incredibly terrifying, sharp light had begun to glow. The energy was so powerful that the entire venue faintly trembled along with it, as if it could pierce through the void and anything in its path, unstoppable.
The Masked Man had seen the Island Guardian Deities of the Alola Region, but not even they could unleash such power...
If Champion Lance was also at this level, the Masked Man wouldn't have even boasted about challenging him to a battle; he would have turned and run immediately...
Locked on by the attack, Incineroar's face changed abruptly. Although the attack's speed wasn't fast, it knew it absolutely could not dodge this move...
And it absolutely could not block this move...
Certain death!
"Incineroar, use that move!"
Just as everyone stared with wide eyes, thinking the outcome was decided, the Masked Man suddenly roared.
Incineroar instantly came to its senses. It pulled its limbs together, curling its body into a ball. After being enveloped in a layer of green light, it slammed into the air in front of it and was instantly sent flying backward as a streak of red light. The Masked Man had already raised his left hand, a Poké Ball in his palm.
U-Turn!
Of course, Incineroar didn't dare to U-Turn into Metapod; a head-on collision would probably finish it on the spot. It could only choose to hit the air.
This set of maneuvers stunned Ash.
But Metapod continued to advance, unable to pull back its power. *If you recall Incineroar now, you, the trainer, will be the one to die.*
But the Masked Man seemed to have been prepared. As his left hand retracted, his right hand was already raised, holding a new Poké Ball.
"Come out, Empoleon! Use Steel Wing to block this attack!"
"Empol!"
Red light flashed, and Empoleon appeared in the spot Incineroar had just occupied. Without a second thought, it immediately raised its two steel wings, forming a metal shield, and thrust them fiercely into the ground before it, bracing its entire body for defense.
The Masked Man's switching between the two Pokémon was as smooth as flowing water, as if it had been rehearsed long ago.
The next second, that transcendent power, which was above the ultimate state, slammed into Empoleon's two steel shields. A deafening boom erupted across the battle arena, like a crack of thunder. At the point of impact, a terrifying energy explosion was triggered.
"BOOM BOOM BOOM!"
In just an instant, Empoleon could no longer withstand the immense force. Its figure was violently blasted out of the explosion, shooting out of the battle arena like a cannonball.
Its flying form was covered in Wounds. Its Steel Wing wings were visibly dented. It had clearly taken immense Damage.
In a single exchange, it had gone from healthy green HP to a near-death state, a candle flickering in the wind.
But Empoleon had not yet lost the ability to battle. It trembled as it pushed itself up from the ground, its eyes wide.
"Em...po...leon..."
I swear on my Arceus, that was definitely the most ferocious attack it had ever defended against in its life!
"So, he managed to block it..."
The Masked Man was also shocked by the blow. Had it been Incineroar, it would have fainted on the spot. On his team, perhaps only the Steel-type Empoleon could have barely withstood that attack...
But looking at the Metapod before him, which, despite still glowing silver, had an aura that was no longer as stable as it was at the beginning, the Masked Man raised his arm and recalled Empoleon.
The Indigo League Conference has a rule: if the opponent hasn't switched their Pokémon, you can only switch once. However, U-Turn doesn't count as that one switch.
"I'm sorry, Ash. No matter the method, I must defeat this Metapod of yours..."
It was just like when Ash faced an opponent whose level was far superior to his own; no matter how dirty the tactics, as long as it could defeat a strong enemy, it was worth trying.
Because as long as the weak can overcome the strong, victory is everything.
The Masked Man had now placed this Metapod on the same level as Champion Lance, or perhaps even higher...
He then retracted his left hand and raised his right, which held a new Poké Ball.
"Come out, Incineroar!"
Red light flashed, and in the next second, Incineroar's black-and-red figure appeared in the battle arena once again. Upon entering, it let out a heavenward roar, its terrifying aura spreading out, striking fear into all.
Ability—Intimidate activates!
"Pod..."
Intimidate failed to activate.
(end of chapter)
*(I wrote a level classification at the beginning of the book. Feel free to check it out, but it might not be entirely accurate.)*
*(Don't be fooled by Metapod's early appearance; I've set its potential very high. For comparison, its Realm is about the level of a Primal Kyogre's Water Spout, but its Level itself is lacking. Rounding it off, it's currently at the level of a 0 IV Groudon using Precipice Blades.)*
*(Hmm, I don't know how this battle suddenly got so long. I'll try to condense it.)*
In Perfect Ultra Instinct, every second was spent at his absolute limit. Ash didn't dare to delay for even a moment.
At this moment, his Bond Power was also pushed to its maximum load. It was as if a giant hammer was constantly pounding inside his head, creating a deafening buzz. An ordinary person would have fainted long ago.
"Metapod, end this quickly!"
He could only roar out loud. In this state, the level difference for Metapod no longer mattered.
"Pod!"
Metapod understood. Its silver body flashed and instantly vanished, leaving only a faint silver stream of light in the battle arena. Its form was completely gone, its speed even more terrifying than the move Extreme Speed.
At the center of it all, Incineroar and the Masked Man were in complete disarray. Ultra Instinct was absurd enough, and now you're telling me this isn't even the final realm?
Where in the world did he pick up this god-like Metapod? A garbage can?!
"Roar—"
Incineroar focused its eyes but couldn't catch the slightest trace of its opponent's figure. It began to sweat profusely, its eyes darting around anxiously.
"Calm down!"
The Masked Man shouted urgently. Although his own mind was in turmoil, if the trainer also panicked in this situation, it would truly be over.
He didn't know what was happening, but he understood one thing: Metapod couldn't maintain its previous state for long, which meant it could sustain this current state for an even shorter period.
No matter how strong it was, as long as he could endure this period, he would win!
Unconsciously, he had reversed their positions, placing himself in the role of the underdog while viewing Ash and Metapod as an invincible boss. His mind was a raging storm, desperately searching for any strategy that could defeat an enemy several levels above him.
But in reality, this was a situation that should have been happening to Ash.
"Incineroar, use Flare Blitz on the ground!"
After a moment of thought, the Masked Man had an answer. This move wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; it was a strategy he had considered during his mental battle simulations.
Yesterday, while watching the recordings of the preliminary rounds, he had already prepared for the worst-case scenario...
It was just that the current situation seemed even worse than the worst.
"Tig-ROAR!"
Although its heart was in chaos, Incineroar was a seasoned veteran of countless battles. It immediately gathered all its strength. Its flame belt flashed, and its body erupted in terrifying crimson flames. The flames burned violently, their color shifting from the initial red to a deep crimson, before suddenly changing again into silent, dreadful blue flames, completely losing their physical form and leaving only azure energy.
Finally, Incineroar concentrated all the blue flames into its fists. It bent its body, and channeling the power through its tiger fists, slammed them heavily onto the ground.
"RUMBLE...!"
In the next second, the entire venue began to tremble violently. The battle arena, half the size of a soccer field, instantly disintegrated, turning into a complete ruin of shattered rock.
Countless bits of rubble and clouds of dust were blasted into mid-air. Shattered rock rained down everywhere.
*After all, Metapod can't fly. Its high-speed movement relies on physical contact with the ground. So, I'll just destroy the entire ground, leaving it with nowhere to land!*
But in the next second, the Masked Man's expression changed drastically once again.
"Pod..."
The silver Metapod had indeed reappeared, but this time, it was nimbly using the sky-filling debris to move through the air.
A dense shower of rubble and dust filled the air above the entire arena. The debris itself wasn't moving fast, yet it seemed to flow around Metapod, never touching its body.
It was like a miracle.
"Just what kind of power is this..."
The Masked Man's worldview was starting to shatter.
He had originally thought that even if he wasn't a top-level expert, he could at least be considered an overlord. But today, battling a junior, it seemed he had drawn out something incredible.
"Pod."
Metapod's expression was unchanged, as if its soul had already transcended, its body moving on instinct alone.
And at the very tip of its tail, an incredibly terrifying, sharp light had begun to glow. The energy was so powerful that the entire venue faintly trembled along with it, as if it could pierce through the void and anything in its path, unstoppable.
The Masked Man had seen the Island Guardian Deities of the Alola Region, but not even they could unleash such power...
If Champion Lance was also at this level, the Masked Man wouldn't have even boasted about challenging him to a battle; he would have turned and run immediately...
Locked on by the attack, Incineroar's face changed abruptly. Although the attack's speed wasn't fast, it knew it absolutely could not dodge this move...
And it absolutely could not block this move...
Certain death!
"Incineroar, use that move!"
Just as everyone stared with wide eyes, thinking the outcome was decided, the Masked Man suddenly roared.
Incineroar instantly came to its senses. It pulled its limbs together, curling its body into a ball. After being enveloped in a layer of green light, it slammed into the air in front of it and was instantly sent flying backward as a streak of red light. The Masked Man had already raised his left hand, a Poké Ball in his palm.
U-Turn!
Of course, Incineroar didn't dare to U-Turn into Metapod; a head-on collision would probably finish it on the spot. It could only choose to hit the air.
This set of maneuvers stunned Ash.
But Metapod continued to advance, unable to pull back its power. *If you recall Incineroar now, you, the trainer, will be the one to die.*
But the Masked Man seemed to have been prepared. As his left hand retracted, his right hand was already raised, holding a new Poké Ball.
"Come out, Empoleon! Use Steel Wing to block this attack!"
"Empol!"
Red light flashed, and Empoleon appeared in the spot Incineroar had just occupied. Without a second thought, it immediately raised its two steel wings, forming a metal shield, and thrust them fiercely into the ground before it, bracing its entire body for defense.
The Masked Man's switching between the two Pokémon was as smooth as flowing water, as if it had been rehearsed long ago.
The next second, that transcendent power, which was above the ultimate state, slammed into Empoleon's two steel shields. A deafening boom erupted across the battle arena, like a crack of thunder. At the point of impact, a terrifying energy explosion was triggered.
"BOOM BOOM BOOM!"
In just an instant, Empoleon could no longer withstand the immense force. Its figure was violently blasted out of the explosion, shooting out of the battle arena like a cannonball.
Its flying form was covered in Wounds. Its Steel Wing wings were visibly dented. It had clearly taken immense Damage.
In a single exchange, it had gone from healthy green HP to a near-death state, a candle flickering in the wind.
But Empoleon had not yet lost the ability to battle. It trembled as it pushed itself up from the ground, its eyes wide.
"Em...po...leon..."
I swear on my Arceus, that was definitely the most ferocious attack it had ever defended against in its life!
"So, he managed to block it..."
The Masked Man was also shocked by the blow. Had it been Incineroar, it would have fainted on the spot. On his team, perhaps only the Steel-type Empoleon could have barely withstood that attack...
But looking at the Metapod before him, which, despite still glowing silver, had an aura that was no longer as stable as it was at the beginning, the Masked Man raised his arm and recalled Empoleon.
The Indigo League Conference has a rule: if the opponent hasn't switched their Pokémon, you can only switch once. However, U-Turn doesn't count as that one switch.
"I'm sorry, Ash. No matter the method, I must defeat this Metapod of yours..."
It was just like when Ash faced an opponent whose level was far superior to his own; no matter how dirty the tactics, as long as it could defeat a strong enemy, it was worth trying.
Because as long as the weak can overcome the strong, victory is everything.
The Masked Man had now placed this Metapod on the same level as Champion Lance, or perhaps even higher...
He then retracted his left hand and raised his right, which held a new Poké Ball.
"Come out, Incineroar!"
Red light flashed, and in the next second, Incineroar's black-and-red figure appeared in the battle arena once again. Upon entering, it let out a heavenward roar, its terrifying aura spreading out, striking fear into all.
Ability—Intimidate activates!
"Pod..."
Intimidate failed to activate.
(end of chapter)
