The water surged violently, and in the end, it was Gyarados' Water Pulse that proved stronger, driving the waves in the aquatic battlefield to crash toward Poliwrath.
"Poliwrath, dodge it with Bounce!"
Leaping out of the water, Poliwrath executed Bounce, soaring high into the air.
"Gyarados, use Dragon Rage to intercept Poliwrath!"
"Poliwrath, use Mind Reader to lock onto Gyarados!"
With Mind Reader activated, Poliwrath ensured that its next attack would hit its target without fail.
As the second phase of Bounce was unleashed, Poliwrath plummeted toward Gyarados with immense force.
"A direct clash? Gyarados, use Surf to block Poliwrath's attack!"
Seeing that Poliwrath had effortlessly nullified Dragon Rage, Ron hesitated for a moment before deciding against engaging in a direct confrontation.
Since Bounce had the potential to paralyze its target, Ron chose to play it safe by having Gyarados use Surf to avoid direct contact with Poliwrath.
After passing the preliminary rounds, Ron was now facing tougher opponents. While he was willing to give his adversaries a chance to showcase their skills, it didn't mean he would go easy on them.
The greatest form of respect for an opponent was to battle with full force—not to hold back deliberately. Anything less would not only dishonor the battle itself but also bring shame to his Pokémon!
As Poliwrath crashed into the waves of Surf, a massive spray of water erupted.
Despite suffering some damage from Dragon Rage earlier and being weaker than Gyarados, Poliwrath still managed to close the distance between them.
"Well done, Poliwrath! Close in and use Ice Punch!"
"Gyarados, counter with Aqua Tail!"
Cold air spread from Poliwrath's fist, freezing a thin layer of ice over the water's surface as it skimmed across.
Meanwhile, swirling currents coiled around Gyarados' tail. It twisted its massive body and lashed out, the attack forming a powerful waterspout that engulfed Poliwrath.
"Hang in there, Poliwrath! Use Water Pulse, then leap up and strike with Body Slam!"
"Gyarados, use Blizzard!"
A frigid storm swept through the battlefield, carrying ice and snow as it closed in on Poliwrath.
Not only did Blizzard instantly freeze Poliwrath's Water Pulse, but it also forced Poliwrath to halt mid-air, disrupting its attack.
As the water's surface froze once more, it unexpectedly provided Poliwrath with a stable platform to fight on.
"Poliwrath, use Belly Drum! Now, finish this with Body Slam!"
Following Lando's command, Poliwrath landed on the ice and pounded its belly forcefully. With Belly Drum draining half of its maximum HP, its attack power skyrocketed to its peak.
"Gyarados, use Dragon Rage three times, then follow up with Hydro Pump!"
Gyarados launched three consecutive bursts of Dragon Rage, aiming for the airborne Poliwrath.
But with its attack power maxed out, Poliwrath's Body Slam crashed down like an unstoppable force, breaking through Gyarados' Dragon Rage with ease.
Next, Gyarados fired Hydro Pump, barely managing to slow down Poliwrath's attack. However, it was only a temporary solution—it couldn't completely stop Poliwrath from descending.
"Gyarados, use Protect, then counter with Iron Tail!"
Realizing that even Hydro Pump couldn't fully halt Poliwrath's momentum, Ron had Gyarados activate Protect to block the remaining force of Body Slam.
The shimmering Protect barrier absorbed the attack, keeping Poliwrath at bay. As soon as Protect disappeared, Gyarados swiftly struck with Iron Tail, smashing Poliwrath in mid-air.
"One last attack, Gyarados! Use Waterfall!"
Leaping forward, Gyarados surged ahead with water swirling around its massive form, launching its final assault.
"Poliwrath, withstand it and counter with Protect!"
But the damage from Iron Tail was too much. Already weakened to below half health, Poliwrath struggled to stabilize itself and stop its backward momentum.
Before it could fully recover, Gyarados had already closed the gap.
Waterfall struck Poliwrath head-on, sending it flying out of the battlefield. As it crashed against the surrounding wall, Poliwrath lost consciousness, unable to continue fighting.
"Come back, Poliwrath! Now it's your turn, Blastoise!"
"Gyarados, attack with Waterfall!"
Seizing the moment when Lando was switching to his third Pokémon, Ron commanded Gyarados to press the offensive.
As Lando's strongest Pokémon, Blastoise stood at an impressive Level 46.
Given such a large level gap, Ron had to capitalize on every opportunity to strike if he wanted Gyarados to win.
"Blastoise, block it with Water Pulse!"
"Gyarados, use the momentum from Waterfall to turn and strike with Iron Tail!"
Twisting its massive body, Gyarados sent water scattering in all directions. Its tail, gleaming with metallic energy, shattered Blastoise's Water Pulse and smashed into its sturdy shell.
Even with its powerful defense, Blastoise couldn't help but wince in pain from the force of Iron Tail.
"Gyarados, use Crunch followed by Ice Fang!"
"Blastoise, fight back with Ice Punch!"
Taking advantage of the brief moment when Blastoise was caught off guard, Ron immediately commanded Gyarados to press the attack. Although Lando issued his command quickly, he couldn't prevent Gyarados' massive jaws from clamping down on Blastoise.
Both attacks landed simultaneously, but thanks to Gyarados' Intimidate ability, the power of Blastoise's Ice Punch was slightly weakened.
"Gyarados, throw Blastoise off!"
"Blastoise, seize the opportunity—use Flash Cannon!"
"Gyarados, Water Pulse!"
Steadying itself quickly, Blastoise unleashed its attack just as Gyarados fired its Water Pulse. The two moves clashed mid-air, with Blastoise's sheer strength compensating for the difference in power. Still, the force of the impact caused Blastoise to sink slightly into the water.
"Gyarados, use Waterfall and charge in!"
"Blastoise, counter with Hydro Pump!"
"Gyarados, dive underwater, then use Surf to strike back!"
Ron and Lando's commands came in rapid succession. Gyarados dove into the depths, evading Blastoise's Hydro Pump, then surged upward with a massive wave, attempting to engulf its opponent.
"Blastoise, rapid-fire Water Pulse! Trap Gyarados with Whirlpool!"
"Gyarados, use Blizzard!"
Blastoise unleashed a barrage of Water Pulses, breaking apart Gyarados' towering Surf attack. But as Whirlpool took effect, Gyarados retaliated with Blizzard.
In the blink of an eye, the battlefield was frozen solid, trapping Blastoise in ice.
"Break free, Blastoise!"
"Gyarados, control the water currents and reinforce the ice with Ice Beam—completely freeze Blastoise!"
Lando's voice rang out as cracks began forming in the ice.
However, the chilling waves surged, merging with Ice Beam to solidify the ice even further.
Gyarados poured every ounce of its strength into the attack, the icy prison around Blastoise growing larger and denser until it became a massive block of ice at the center of the aquatic battlefield.
In the end, the ice block became so heavy that it began sinking beneath the surface.
As Gyarados' onslaught concluded, the referee began a one-minute countdown. If Blastoise failed to break free, it would be declared unable to battle.
No matter how many commands Lando shouted, Blastoise remained trapped within the ice, unable to escape.
The moment the referee announced Gyarados as the winner, Gyarados, having reached its limit, also collapsed from exhaustion.
Still, it had managed to pull off an incredible one-versus-three victory.
Cheers erupted throughout the stadium—not just for Ron, but for Lando as well, who had given his all in delivering such a spectacular battle!
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