By the time the match was scheduled, afternoon had already arrived.
The arena was packed to capacity. The audience's eager eyes followed as Paul and Lucian stepped onto the battlefield.
The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers:
"Today's battle will be fought on a special Rock-type battlefield. Although it looks like an ordinary rocky terrain, both the ground and the stone are composed of reinforced rock."
"On this surface, using moves like Dig will be far more difficult. Let's see what kind of strategies our Trainers will bring to such a unique stage!"
Across the field, Lucian stood composed, adjusting his glasses with a serene smile.
"Your strength has impressed me," he said warmly. "But I've prepared as best I can. From here on, I'll give you everything I have."
"As you wish." Paul replied with a curt nod.
"Trainers, send out your Pokémon!" The referee declared.
"Go, Bronzong!" Lucian called.
"Froslass, battle ready!" Paul commanded.
Both Pokémon materialized on the field—Bronzong hovering ominously, while Froslass drifting forward like a ghostly snow spirit.
Almost simultaneously, both Trainers shouted:
"Bronzong, Imprison!"
"Froslass, Imprison!"
Neither Pokémon moved physically. Instead, eerie violet light flared from their bodies, etching strange seal-like patterns into the air.
Imprison: The user locks its own moves into a mystic seal, preventing the opponent from using any move it also knows.
With this, both sides completed their sealing incantations without so much as taking a step.
"…So it's like this, huh?" Paul muttered, brows furrowing.
Lucian too, gave a faint, and a knowing smile. Clearly, neither had expected the other to open with the exact same move.
Yet in this situation, the edge tilted toward Bronzong. After all, many of Froslass' offensive techniques overlapped with Bronzong's arsenal.
"Return." Paul said sharply, already raising Froslass' Poké Ball to withdraw her.
But Lucian's Bronzong anticipated the motion. Its arms spread wide, unleashing a shimmering barrier that intercepted the beam of red recall light midair.
The Poké Ball's command fizzled—withdrawal failed.
"How troublesome… interesting." Paul thought, his expression was unreadable. He didn't hesitate.
"Blizzard, then Double Team!"
The sky darkened instantly, snow whirling downward in a furious storm. Froslass spread her arms and seemed to dissolve into the snowfall, merging into countless flickering phantoms. Ghostly doubles swept across the battlefield, swirling around Bronzong in chaotic disarray.
The storm howled, icy winds battering Bronzong's metallic body.
"Proceed as planned." Lucian said calmly, eyes glinting with confidence.
Bronzong endured the freezing assault. Light burst from its form as it twisted the battlefield with a surge of psychic force.
In an instant, Trick Room enveloped the arena. The laws of speed inverted, while a sudden shift in gravity even forced Bronzong, with its Levitate ability, down to the rocky floor.
Around it, the storm still raged, but only the phantasmal images of Froslass remained airborne.
Bronzong, however, saw through the deception. Those false shades couldn't fool it. The real Froslass was somewhere on the ground… hiding.
"Excellent. Now—Earthquake!" Lucian commanded.
Bronzong lifted its massive body and slammed into the ground with crushing force.
The battlefield quaked violently. Tremors surged outward in every direction, rattling stone and shaking the arena itself.
"Aurora Veil!" Paul countered.
The quake rippled through the field, but strangely, the surface above showed no change.
And yet, in that very moment, the countless ghostly doubles above froze in place—suspended for the briefest instant.
"Mean Look!"
At Paul's command, an unseen force spread outward and bound Bronzong in place. The moment the effect settled, Bronzong's devastating Earthquake was successfully sealed away.
Without sealing that move, repeated Earthquakes alone would have been enough to overwhelm Froslass.
Yet Lucian showed no concern at all. His eyes glimmered behind his glasses.
"Excellent. I've found you. Heavy Slam!"
With the aid of its psychic senses, Bronzong could clearly detect where the seismic vibrations felt different. That tiny shift betrayed Froslass' hiding place.
The command barely left Lucian's lips before Bronzong spun in place, its heavy body whirling with startling speed under the effects of Trick Room. With a thunderous CRASH, it smashed through a stone pillar, shattering it to dust.
"BOOM!"
From the shower of splintered rock, a shimmering green barrier materialized out of nowhere—Protect. Froslass had been lurking there all along, and the shield absorbed Bronzong's crushing blow.
Though its attack was blocked, Bronzong showed no urgency.
Calmly, it shifted its angle, lowering its bronze body as energy gathered at its core.
The instant Protect vanished, a blazing Flash Cannon roared forth, engulfing Froslass completely.
"KABOOM!"
The beam detonated with a deafening blast. Froslass was struck cleanly, her cry cut short as she was hurled backward, collapsing against the rocky ground.
But then—her eyes flashed. A ball of eerie violet light surged from her body and struck Bronzong squarely.
Destiny Bond!
As the spectral energy linked their fates, Bronzong, too, fell silent. Its body froze mid-hover, tilting forward before slamming against the ground, unconscious.
"Bronzong and Froslass are both unable to battle!" The referee declared. "Trainers, send out your next Pokémon!"
From the spectator stands, commentary rose quickly.
"This Lucian guy's incredible." Barry blurted, wide-eyed. "He's actually pushing Paul back! No wonder even Paul admitted he's tough to deal with."
"Yeah… this is the first time I've seen Paul on the defensive in a challenge match." Dawn added, equally impressed. "Mr. Lucian really is strong."
But Lucas frowned thoughtfully. He knew better than to chalk it up to raw strength.
"Lucian is strong, sure—and his Pokémon aren't any weaker than Paul's. But what really lets him keep the upper hand isn't just levels. It's strategy."
The others turned to listen as Lucas explained:
"Look at Paul's team selection. He always balances his lineup between strong and weaker picks, and he never repeats the same Pokémon. That kind of pattern makes it easier for opponents to narrow down what he might bring."
"In other words, at least against Froslass and Drapion, Lucian already prepared solid tactics and counters ahead of time."
He paused, then added quietly, "And I think Paul realizes that too."
"Then his next choice… maybe Garchomp or Electivire?" Dawn suggested.
Lucas shook his head, but Barry immediately clenched his fists and shouted:
"No way! Paul will definitely use Drapion! If I were him, as long as I had the strength to guarantee I don't lose the match overall, I wouldn't care about dropping a single round!"
On the field, both Paul and Lucian hurled out their next Poké Balls at the same time.
"Drapion, battle ready!"
"Mr. Mime, to the stage!"
The monstrous, scorpion-like Drapion slammed onto the battlefield with a menacing screech, while Mr. Mime wobbled out, swaying comically as if mocking its foe.
"See! I told you!" Barry puffed his chest proudly. "Paul had to go with Drapion!"
"But… if he already knew Lucian would have prepared for Drapion, why risk using it?" Dawn asked, still puzzled.
Lucas replied, "I think Paul wants to see how Lucian plans to counter it.
(To be continued...)
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