On the field.
The Tera Dark Tyranitar and the Bond Phenomenon Greninja faced off.
Tyranitar's eyes grew fiercer, its aura magnificent and domineering, yet Ash-Greninja seemed oblivious, remaining expressionless with its arms crossed.
"Ash-Greninja is a high-speed mixed attacker type."
Mammon slightly narrowed his eyes. He remembered clearly that Ash-Greninja was a mixed-attacker Pokémon.
Normally, Mega Evolution increases base stats by 100 points, while Bond Phenomenon increases them by 110 points.
In the games, Ash-Greninja's additional 110 base stats are almost entirely allocated to Physical Attack and Special Attack, with only ten points going to Speed.
As for HP, Physical Defense, and Special Defense, they received no boost at all.
Therefore, Ash-Greninja is a complete high-speed mixed-attacker burst-type Pokémon.
This is yet another Pokémon of the same type as Lucario and Sceptile.
When it comes to speed, even with three speed boosts, it would probably still be very difficult for Tyranitar to catch up to Greninja.
In that case, they could only rely on counter-attacking.
Mammon finalized his battle plan.
"Greninja! Water Shuriken!" Ash was the first to give the command to Ash-Greninja.
He was a Trainer who liked to take the initiative; that was simply his style, and passive combat was not to his liking.
Greninja took the giant Water Shuriken hanging on its back and gripped it. Its legs bent slightly, and then it instantly shot out, charging toward Tyranitar.
While sprinting, Greninja swung its arm, sending small Water Shuriken flying out.
The Water-type Water Shuriken is a move that only Greninja and Accelgor can learn.
The Water Shuriken arrived incredibly fast, too quick for the naked eye to track.
Because this was inherently a priority attack.
"BAN!!"
Tyranitar did not dodge but raised its thick arms to block in front of itself.
Bang, bang, bang!
The small Water Shuriken continuously struck Tyranitar's armor, bursting open like water pellets.
The damage from these Water Shuriken was not high; Tyranitar felt a slight sting, but that was all.
Its fierce eyes remained fixed on the approaching dark blue figure.
Ash-Greninja remained silent, simply rushing forward at high speed. Upon approaching Tyranitar, it raised the giant Water Shuriken held in its right hand.
"Grab it!"
Mammon finally spoke.
Tyranitar let out a low roar. Its strong, powerful right claw seemed slow but was actually fast, fiercely swiping toward Ash-Greninja.
Tyranitar was very confident; it had anticipated Greninja's next movement.
However... Tear!
Greninja suddenly slid into a crouch, ducking under Tyranitar's right arm. At the same time, the giant Water Shuriken flashed a blue water trace, slicing across Tyranitar's right leg.
"BAN!" Tyranitar roared in pain. This slash from the Water Shuriken hurt far more than the previous small Water Shuriken.
"Payback!"
Mammon narrowed his eyes.
Tyranitar's massive tail glowed black and fiercely swept toward Greninja behind him.
"Greninja! Dodge!" Ash immediately shouted.
Greninja quickly stood up and performed a handsome backflip, its movements clean and without any wasted effort.
At the same time, Greninja, while airborne, threw the giant Water Shuriken in its hand toward Tyranitar.
Bang!
The giant Water Shuriken directly hit Tyranitar's back and then exploded.
Tyranitar staggered, but the next second, it turned around, its violent eyes chilling to the bone.
"Rock Slide."
Tyranitar roared furiously. Boulders appeared in front of him, shooting at high speed toward Greninja, who had yet to land.
Greninja clapped its hands together, and another giant Water Shuriken appeared in its grasp. Greninja held the giant Water Shuriken in front of itself as a shield.
The Rock Slide boulders struck, heavily smashing against the giant Water Shuriken. Under the immense impact, Greninja used the force to retreat.
Because the giant Water Shuriken defended against the attack, the Rock Slide did not cause any significant damage to it.
Greninja, retreating with the momentum of the impact, landed lightly and deftly. The moment it landed, it quickly performed several more backflips, avoiding another wave of Rock Slide boulders launched by Tyranitar.
Tyranitar roared again in anger. This fellow was truly good at dodging! It was frustrating that he couldn't hit him!
Its consistently cool, expressionless demeanor and swift, handsome movements drew gasps from many spectators.
"He's so cool, Steven~!"
Wallace's eyes were sparkling. Although Greninja didn't immediately fit his aesthetic preference when he first saw it.
However, the intense exchange just now allowed Wallace to grasp Greninja's charm.
"Then you should go catch one too," Steven replied noncommittally. He still preferred Pokémon that were big and powerful.
Or Diancie... Wallace nodded repeatedly. He thought so too; he just didn't know if a Greninja he caught could achieve Bond Phenomenon like Ash's.
On the field.
"You're doing great, Greninja!"
Seeing the ideal battle situation emerge, Ash excitedly clenched his fist.
Just like that!
Fight using swift movements. As long as he could continuously hit Tyranitar and avoid Tyranitar's attacks, wouldn't he win?
Although Ash-Greninja's attacks currently didn't seem to deal much damage to Tyranitar, it didn't matter; he could defeat Tyranitar eventually.
"Water Shuriken!"
Ash then continued to have Ash-Greninja launch the offense.
For Greninja, Tyranitar was truly a bit cumbersome, even though its reaction speed wasn't slow.
But Greninja's reaction speed was even faster!
Under Greninja's control, the Water Shuriken continuously sliced across Tyranitar's armor. Due to the Tera Dark typing, Tyranitar was not weak to Water.
Therefore, the Water Shuriken's damage to Tyranitar was not very high, but Greninja kept slicing quickly.
If this continued, Tyranitar would eventually be defeated. Tyranitar was already growing increasingly irritable.
Because Greninja had repeatedly sliced him several times with that giant Water Shuriken.
But... "Screech!"
Just as Greninja approached Tyranitar once more, and the giant Water Shuriken was about to strike Tyranitar, Mammon spoke again.
Tyranitar immediately let out an ear-splitting roar. The almost materialized noise caused the unsuspecting Greninja's movements to abruptly halt.
That piercing sound was unbearable to the ears.
Under the effect of Screech, a layer of white light dispersed from Ash-Greninja's body. Screech drastically lowers the opponent's Defense.
"Thunder Wave!"
Golden electricity crackled on Tyranitar's body, and the Thunder Wave shot toward Greninja.
"Greninja! Hurry and dodge!"
Ash's pupils contracted.
Greninja forced itself to focus. The Screech had been too sudden, causing Greninja to be briefly stunned for a second.
It was just like how Paul's Aggron's Metal Sound'stunned' Pikachu for a moment in the anime. Without preparation, the irritation these noise-based moves inflict on the eardrums is unimaginable.
As the Thunder Wave approached, Greninja immediately rolled sideways, attempting to evade, and managed to narrowly dodge the Thunder Wave.
Ash broke out in a cold sweat. If Thunder Wave had actually hit and Greninja was paralyzed, it would truly be over.
But Tyranitar's offensive was not finished.
"Earth Power!" Mammon's lips curved upward.
The ground beneath Greninja began to glow with an earthy yellow light.
"Greninja! Below you!"
Ash quickly warned him.
Greninja noticed it too, but having just regained its footing, trying to dodge now was too late.
Boom!
Surging ground energy burst forth, hitting Greninja squarely. Earth Power violently battered Greninja's entire body.
Ash-Greninja let out a painful cry, and Ash felt the same pain.
Ash clutched his arms, cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead, and he gritted his teeth tightly against the pain.
With a tremendous explosion, Earth Power burst, and smoke and dust billowed up.
"Thunder Punch!"
Tyranitar's claws glowed with electricity as he strode toward Greninja's location. Under its heavy tonnage, the charging Tyranitar resembled a heavy armored vehicle.
But Tyranitar's speed was not slow!
Two Max Airstreams plus one Dragon Dance—three speed boosts—meant Tyranitar's speed was actually quite fast.
"Greninja! Hurry and dodge!"
Ash ignored the pain in his body and quickly shouted at Greninja.
The Electric-type Thunder Punch was super effective against Greninja, and combined with the Defense drop from Screech and Tyranitar's strength, if this Thunder Punch hit...
Ash didn't dare imagine how severe the blow to Greninja would be.
In the smoke, Greninja suppressed the pain, bent its knees, and exerted force, ready to leap backward and increase the distance from Tyranitar.
Although Earth Power had hit, it wasn't enough to prevent Greninja from reacting immediately.
Greninja's jumping ability was undoubtedly excellent. It leaped backward, creating distance before Tyranitar could reach him.
However, Mammon smiled instead.
"Thunder Wave."
Tyranitar did not stop moving but simply raised its arm and aimed at Greninja in the air, firing crackling golden electricity toward Greninja.
"How could that be!!" Ash was startled. How was that Thunder Wave so fast?
It was as if... it had been prepared in advance!
"Greninja! Protect!"
But now was not the time to think about that. If he couldn't block this Thunder Wave, Greninja would be finished.
Greninja immediately tried to deploy the Protect barrier, but it was too slow.
The current from the Thunder Wave directly hit Greninja, and golden electricity flashed across Greninja's body.
The next moment, the stiffened Greninja fell directly from the air, crashing onto the ground.
As long as Thunder Wave hits, the opponent will inevitably be paralyzed!
Ash had only one thought in his heart right now.
It's over... "Thunder Punch!"
Tyranitar, rapidly closing in on Greninja, raised its lightning-flashing claw and fiercely brought it down onto Greninja.
Boom!
The powerful fist slammed heavily onto Greninja, and fierce electric light burst open.
"...Ugh!"
Ash let out a painful groan, tightly clenching his jaw, desperately holding back.
Otherwise, he was afraid he would cry out. Pain! It was too painful!
Pikachu looked worriedly at its Trainer, unsure of what to do.
If Ash was affected like this, let alone Ash-Greninja. Due to Screech, its already low Physical Defense was now truly terrible.
This Thunder Punch hit was devastating.
"Thunderbolt."
Mammon commanded the final blow.
Electric light flashed on Tyranitar's body, and golden current shot out again.
Mammon gave no opportunity whatsoever, otherwise Ash's rallying cry might have allowed Greninja to struggle back up again.
Just like Charizard Y.
Boom!
Thunderbolt exploded. When the smoke cleared, Greninja had reverted from its Bond form and was lying unconscious in a crater.
"Hoo... hoo..."
Ash's face was pale, and he involuntarily slumped onto the ground, gasping for breath.
"This..."
Wallace watched the battle, which had suddenly become one-sided and ended so quickly, a bit stunned.
"This is the drawback of high-speed burst-type Pokémon. Once the opponent seizes an opportunity, there is no room for error, not at all."
Steven didn't seem surprised, shaking his head as he spoke.
Yes, this was one of the reasons why he liked big, powerful Pokémon.
If it had been his Metagross on the field, even if Tyranitar had found an opportunity to land a combination of attacks, Metagross definitely wouldn't have been chased down and knocked out immediately.
But Greninja couldn't handle it. A Pokémon like Greninja has weak defenses and was taken out in just a few hits.
Especially since Tyranitar's attacks were so powerful, the margin for error was even smaller.