Chapter 741: The Earth Hammer!
"Cain!" From the stands, spectators enthusiastically shouted upon seeing the Pokémon Cain had called into battle.
Swampert!
The first Pokémon Cain used was none other than Swampert, who had recently evolved.
As one of the most prominent representatives of the Hoenn region, it was only natural for Cain to use one of the region's iconic starters: the aquatic colossus, Swampert.
There is no Pokémon that represents a region better than its starters.
Although the leaders of the previous regional teams had also put on exciting battles, none had used the starters of their respective regions, making Cain the first to do so.
Of course, this ignited the fervor of Hoenn fans.
However, upon seeing Cain's Swampert, Aji, the trainer from the Johto region, showed a worried expression.
Taking a deep breath to calm his unease, Aji threw a Poké Ball, revealing a Houndoom onto the battlefield.
A Fire-type Pokémon... No wonder he looked so uncomfortable facing Swampert.
Swampert, upon seeing his opponent was a Houndoom, showed a peculiar expression.
At home, there was a group of Houndoom that acted as guard dogs...
They were frequently shaken up by their leader, Honchkrow.
That group of Pokémon had always seemed extremely weak to him.
That was Swampert's subjective opinion.
However, now he was on a battlefield. Swampert quickly hid his expression, but Houndoom managed to catch his brief look of disdain.
This enraged Houndoom.
Cain used his system to scan Houndoom's information: Level 36, Dark Green quality, and well-trained.
Unfortunately, he was at a complete type disadvantage against Swampert.
"Houndoom, use Howl and then charge in with Thunder Fang," Aji commanded.
Houndoom obeyed his trainer's orders, letting out a powerful howl directed at Swampert, raising his morale and increasing his attack strength.
"Swampert, Frozen Tail (Aqua Tail + Ice-type energy)," Cain ordered.
Houndoom accelerated with force, kicking up dust as he charged forward. His fangs crackled with a bright electric current. The Electric-type energy gathered, ready to strike.
Meanwhile, Swampert, upon hearing Cain's command, moved his body like a fish swimming. A large amount of Water-type energy enveloped him, forming a torrent that concentrated in his tail.
Soon, a powerful Aqua Tail took shape. But Swampert didn't stop there—Ice-type energy flowed into his tail, solidifying the attack.
As Houndoom closed in, Swampert swung his body violently. The massive Aqua Tail transformed into an Ice Tail in the process.
Boom!
Electric energy transmits through water, but ice is another story.
Houndoom took the hit directly, getting slammed to the ground.
This combination of Water- and Ice-type moves was something Cain had been training with Swampert since his Marshtomp stage. After evolving, the move had been perfected.
Although the control was not yet flawless, it was close.
Houndoom, knocked down, had not yet finished suffering.
"Swampert, Earth Hammer (Hammer Arm + Earthquake)!" Cain shouted.
The Earth Hammer move was a combination Cain designed for Swampert after he learned Hammer Arm upon evolving. Although its mastery was not as advanced as Frozen Tail, the impact was devastating.
Swampert pushed off with all four limbs, leaping into the air with full force. He raised both arms above his head, tensing his muscles to the limit. Ground-type energy enveloped his fists.
Combining the acceleration from his fall, the impact power of Hammer Arm (100 base power), and the strength of Earthquake (100 base power), the attack was unstoppable even in its early development stage.
Boom!
"Awooo!"
Houndoom whimpered in pain before losing consciousness.
Swampert had buried him into the ground with a colossal strike.
"That was it? I was just getting started," Swampert thought.
Honestly, Houndoom seemed more suited to guarding houses.
As Houndoom fell, the ground shook violently, forming a massive crater with cracks radiating outward.
The Earth Hammer move, in its first-ever battle appearance, demonstrated an overwhelming level of power.
"Swamp!!"
The Pokémon roared with excitement, responding to the cheers of the crowd.
The sheer force and explosiveness of the battle thrilled the audience.
"Swampert! Swampert! Swampert!" The spectators' chants echoed like crashing waves in the stadium.
Even though Swampert wasn't as strong as Steven's Pokémon, his fighting style was much more exhilarating.
Even Aggron couldn't compare.
"Swamp!" With his name being chanted, Swampert didn't shy away. Instead, he got even more excited, punching his fists together while acknowledging the crowd.
The officials and league leaders, seated in the VIP boxes, nodded in satisfaction.
Cain and his Pokémon knew how to stand out. From now on, Swampert would surely gain popularity among trainers.
Aji, with a gloomy expression, withdrew his Houndoom.
He had now become the background character in someone else's spectacle.
However, even being the backdrop in a battle like this was a way to gain recognition, better than being forgotten.
Aji threw another Poké Ball, revealing a Typhlosion.
One of Johto's starter Pokémon, specializing in Fire-type moves.
It was clear why Aji was so frustrated; his specialty in Fire-type Pokémon put him at an obvious disadvantage against Swampert.
Pokémon: Typhlosion (Dark Green)
Gender: Male
Level: 38
Type: Fire
Ability: Blaze
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Foresight, Crush Claw, Flame Burst
Basic Moves: Eruption, Double-Edge, Gyro Ball, Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen, Ember, Quick Attack, Flame Wheel, Defense Curl, Swift, Flame Charge
Learned Moves: Thunder Punch, Fire Punch, Throat Chop, Heat Wave
TM Moves: Protect, Flamethrower, Aerial Ace, Sleep Talk
This Typhlosion was also very strong, and being one of Johto's starter Pokémon, its stats were well-balanced.
Typhlosion's entrance was well received, though not as loudly as Swampert's. Still, as one of Johto's iconic Pokémon, the cheers were strong.
However, Aji's face remained grim.
There was nothing he could do—he was at a type disadvantage, and seeing how helpless Houndoom had been, it was unlikely Typhlosion would fare much better.
(End of Chapter)