Chapter 109

Although Lian couldn't defeat Audino, managing to inflict damage at the last moment was still commendable.

Next up, he had to face Zangoose, and it would soon recover fully from its injuries. The Light Screen remained active but was close to dissipating, likely unable to significantly weaken much more incoming attacks.

Kalia commanded, "Grovyle, use Giga Drain." Despite knowing that Wish would heal Zangoose, they couldn't simply halt their offensive.

Tanner grabbed a Poké Ball and tossed it out. With a pop, Zangoose re-entered the battlefield, landing on the ground.

Zangoose appeared quite battered after enduring Lian's Flamethrower attack; its fur singed and disheveled.

Swirling light emerged above Zangoose's head—the manifestation of the healing energy from Wish. As it descended onto Zangoose, the glow enveloped its body, beginning the healing process.

Simultaneously, Grovyle extended its arms, unleashing Giga Drain. The powerful suction pierced through the fading Light Screen, directly targeting Zangoose.

As Zangoose's wounds healed momentarily, Grovyle's Giga Drain resumed continuously siphoning energy, drawing vital nutrients towards itself.

However, Giga Drain alone was insufficient to defeat Zangoose at this point, as Wish had already restored most of its injuries.

At that moment, the Light Screen dissipated, indicating that Grovyle's subsequent attacks would now have their full power without being weakened by the barrier.

"Zangoose, close in on Grovyle and use Fury Cutter," Tanner swiftly commanded. This time, he did not instruct Zangoose to employ Quick Attack but instead opted for Fury Cutter.

He needed Zangoose to quickly defeat Grovyle, considering it had just endured damage from Giga Drain and wasn't in optimal condition. While Quick Attack could rapidly approach the opponent, it wouldn't swiftly overpower Grovyle. He aimed to prevent further harm to Zangoose through direct moves.

"Grovyle, maintain distance and continue using Giga Drain."

Grovyle was currently in peak form, with no additional support moves available; most of its repertoire consisted of offensive strategies.

Zangoose moved swiftly; however, when it came to speed capabilities, Grovyle was undoubtedly faster, having already reached its maximum velocity.

As Grovyle began sprinting, without using Quick Attack, Zangoose clearly couldn't catch up. It continuously circled the battlefield, chasing after Grovyle.

"Now's the moment! Grovyle, use Giga Drain," Kalia seized the opportunity.

The distance between them had become suitable. Grovyle halted and unleashed Giga Drain on the approaching Zangoose.

Unable to dodge, Zangoose once again took the full impact of Giga Drain, causing its energy reserves to rapidly deplete.

Since Grovyle needed to stop to execute its moves, Zangoose gradually closed the gap, its black claws gleaming, ready to strike.

Given Zangoose's strength, Grovyle could not withstand this Fury Cutter attack. Its defense capability was inherently low, leaving it with no choice but to avoid attacks that were super effective against it.

Kalia, aware of this vulnerability, promptly warned, "Grovyle, quickly evade Zangoose's Fury Cutter!"

Grovyle ceased its Giga Drain move, confronting the incoming Zangoose with determination in its eyes. Drawing upon Kalia's taught evasion techniques, it began dodging Zangoose's attacks.

While close-range moves are challenging to evade, it's not entirely impossible, especially since Fury Cutter is primarily slashing-based.

As Zangoose approached, it leaped, aiming swift downward slashes with its dark claws at Grovyle below.

The attack concluded swiftly.

"Grovyle." Kalia watched helplessly as her Pokémon fell. Although Grovyle was no longer weak, compared to Charmeleon and Zangoose, the gap was significant.

The disparity between Red Star and Silver Rank abilities was vast. If not for Grovyle's exceptional speed potential, Zangoose would have overtaken and defeated it much earlier.

However, Grovyle did contribute; it successfully landed two Giga Drains on Zangoose, leaving the opponent somewhat weakened.

Unfortunately, Charmeleon's injuries were severe, making Kalia uncertain if they could still defeat Zangoose effectively.

Ultimately, Grovyle was defeated.

I still have to rely on myself.

Lian's greatest concern remained Zangoose due to its Quick Attack ability. In his current state, getting close to it would spell disaster for him.

"Great job, Grovyle."

Kalia recalled her Grovyle back into its Poké Ball. Although unable to dodge all the Fury Cutter strikes, it had done its best and contributed significantly.

Lian voluntarily emerged from the Poké Ball. Despite being near his limit, resting briefly inside allowed him to regain some strength.

"Charmeleon, it's up to you now! Go for it!" Kalia desperately wanted to win this battle, as Tanner's Pokémon were also in poor condition. Losing under these circumstances would be too unfortunate.

Tanner undoubtedly belonged to the elite group of Trainers found on the sixth floor of the Battle Tower. Defeating him would signify that Kalia had reached the caliber expected at that level, albeit considering their overall abilities.

"Zangoose, use Quick Attack!"

As anticipated, Tanner aimed to leave no chance for Kalia's counterattack, intending to swiftly defeat Charmeleon with Quick Attack.

"Charmeleon, use Flamethrower!"

Kalia had almost lost hope at this point, relying solely on Charmeleon's performance now. It was a race to see who would defeat their opponent first, as Zangoose in its current state couldn't withstand Flamethrower.

At this moment, Lian didn't focus on specific moves; instead, his priority was to prevent Zangoose from getting close. He swiftly burst with speed, creating distance between them.

Zangoose charged rapidly, its body enveloped in white light, resembling a streak of brilliance moving faster than lightning.

However, despite Tanner's Quick Attack, intended for a short-term speed boost, Zangoose failed to catch up immediately. Instead, the gap between them continued to widen.

"How is that possible?" Tanner exclaimed in shock. Flamethrower should not have granted such incredible speed, let alone surpassing even Zangoose's pace.

Recalling earlier, when Zangoose used Comeuppance, this Charmeleon seemed to exhibit a similar sudden burst of speed, but due to the close proximity, it couldn't evade in time.

What kind of burst technique is this?

Tanner was certain that Charmeleon did not rely on any move's power but solely its own strength to achieve such explosive speed, making it truly terrifying.

"Charmeleon?"

Kalia had noticed before that Charmeleon occasionally displayed astonishing bursts of speed, but without comparison, she hadn't paid much attention, assuming it was just a typical surge.

Now, Kalia realized how incredibly fast these brief bursts were, even surpassing a Pokemon using Quick Attack.

Perhaps it's a natural talent.

Kalia had never taught Charmeleon this powerful technique; evidently, it must be an innate ability of Charmeleon. Many Pokemon possess unique talents, like some Psychic-types being able to disrupt opponents with their psychic powers during battles.

Lian didn't anticipate his burst of speed would actually outpace Zangoose. Had he known earlier, he would have immediately used this tactic instead of relying on Quick Attack. Initially, he believed he could instantly defeat Zangoose.

This Zangoose clearly exceeded Level 30, as otherwise, it wouldn't have been able to withstand Lian's Flamethrower so easily.

Now was the moment.

Lian sensed his burst speed nearing its end; once it faded, Zangoose would undoubtedly catch up. Without hesitation, he stopped and decisively unleashed Flamethrower.

Tanner didn't have time to react, as both Pokemon were moving too swiftly. Charmeleon instantly turned and released Flamethrower.

With Lian still in Blaze Mode, the flames erupted like a volcanic eruption, resembling a fiery dragon, heading straight towards Zangoose.

The roaring flames engulfed Zangoose, causing massive energy waves to spread out. Its fur instantly charred, transforming from white to black.

"Uh-oh." Kalia had underestimated the power of Flamethrower. Considering Charmeleon's Blaze ability, any misstep could result in severe, permanent damage to Zangoose.

However, using other moves wasn't without risk either. If they failed to defeat Zangoose, they would lose the battle. After being healed by Wish earlier, there was no telling how much more damage Zangoose could withstand. Kalia couldn't afford to hold back.

Seeing Zangoose defeated with serious injuries, Tanner looked anxious and hastily rushed onto the battlefield.

At this moment, medical personnel arrived promptly, as the Battle Tower prioritized Pokemon care. With Zangoose's severe injuries, immediate treatment was essential.

Zangoose was swiftly taken for healing. However, the battle wasn't over yet, as Tanner still had one remaining Pokémon, Audino.

Tanner looked visibly distressed; he hadn't anticipated such an intense fight, with his Zangoose defeated and only Audino left standing.

Lian glanced at Tanner, knowing that victory or defeat now hinged solely on this last Pokémon, Audino.

Shortly after, Audino re-entered the battlefield. To Lian's surprise, it appeared to have recovered significantly from its previous injuries.

The Regenerator Ability?

Lian was taken aback; Audino possessed the Regenerator Ability. This meant that upon returning to its Poké Ball, Audino regained a substantial amount of stamina due to Regenerator.

With no Light Screen present and Charmeleon being faster than Audino, Lian virtually had no chance of losing unless he voluntarily surrendered.

"Charmeleon, use Flamethrower and defeat Audino." Kalia noticed Audino's recovery as well, so there was no need for Charmeleon to employ any other moves; she aimed to end the battle swiftly with Flamethrower.

"Audino, use Disarming Voice."

The match had reached its final moments.

Without hesitation, Lian unleashed Flamethrower, while simultaneously, Audino sang out a captivating melody, akin to celestial music.

However, Flamethrower proved faster, striking first and causing Audino to collapse before it could fully release Disarming Voice.

"I lost."

Tanner recalled his unconscious Audino, preparing to leave the room. Before departing, he turned and said, "One loss doesn't matter. I'll continue challenging you in the future."

Kalia watched Tanner depart, acknowledging him as a formidable Trainer. Most importantly, his Pokemon roles were clearly defined - Zangoose for offense, Audino for support. She sensed that he likely had another primary Pokémon, possibly defensive, which did not appear in this battle.

"Charmeleon, great job! Tonight, we're treating ourselves to a feast." This battle provided Kalia with valuable insights, sparking numerous ideas in her mind.