Clair made a quick decision.
Taking out the Pokeball would recall the Charizard. Seeing Clair's movements, Aoki immediately understood the purpose of the Charizard. A smile appeared on his face again.
"Drapion, Toxic Spikes."
After the Charizard was recalled, Drapion scattered Toxic Spikes across Clair's side of the battlefield. There was no other choice—even if she had to endure the hazard damage, Clair had to make this move. Otherwise, once Aoki sent out his Florges, she would have no chance of winning.
However, not all Pokémon had to suffer from the Toxic Spikes.
The Pokémon she sent out next was a Flygon.
Pokémon: Flygon (Cyan)
Gender: Female
Level: 52
Type: Ground/Dragon
Ability: Levitate
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Quick Attack, Mud-Slap, Sand Tomb, Bug Bite
Basic Moves: Dragon Claw, Dragon Breath, Dragon Dance, Sand Attack, Supersonic, Feint, Protect, Mud-Slap, Stomp, Sand Tomb, Rock Slide, Screech, Earth Power, Dragon Tail, Earthquake, Sandstorm, Uproar, Hyper Beam, Dragon Rush
Learnt Moves: Draco Meteor, Iron Tail, Dragon Pulse, Thunder Punch, Fire Punch
TM Moves: Sand Tomb, Hidden Power (Fire), Roost, Earthquake, Fly, Rock Slide
Clair knew about Drapion and understood that its only weakness was Ground-type moves. But when she saw the Flygon, both Aoki and Drapion had strange expressions. They exchanged glances, a hint of amusement in their eyes.
Using Flygon against me? Do you really think my Drapion is a joke?
Drapion was extremely familiar with Pokémon like Flygon and Excadrill—after all, what could be more familiar than sparring against them for an entire month? Drapion knew Flygon's weaknesses inside and out and could exploit them even with its eyes closed.
As soon as Flygon appeared, it flapped its wings, hovering above the ground to avoid the Toxic Spikes. But before it could gain altitude, Drapion was already upon it.
The massive two-meter-tall Drapion, with its long reach, intercepted Flygon before it could take off. This was the downside of switching Pokémon mid-battle—the opponent could seize the initiative.
"Flygon, Earthquake!" Clair had anticipated this scenario and already had a countermeasure ready. Ground-type Pokémon using Earthquake dealt greater damage, and Drapion was weak to Ground-type moves.
"Drapion, Poison Tail, Ice Fang, Cross Poison! Triple Strike!" Aoki commanded immediately.
After extensive training under Aoki, Drapion had mastered the ability to execute three attacks simultaneously—using its claws, fangs, and tail at once. This required immense energy control, but Drapion had perfected it.
Flygon landed, channeling Ground-type energy beneath its feet, causing the earth to tremble violently. The shockwave hit Drapion at point-blank range, dealing massive damage.
But Drapion's three attacks didn't stop.
Its claws clamped onto Flygon's shoulders, while its Ice Fang, brimming with freezing energy, bit down on Flygon's neck—the most vulnerable spot Drapion had discovered through relentless training.
Most Dragon-type Pokémon had weak points around their necks, where their reverse scales grew. Though Flygon wasn't a pure Dragon-type, the effect was still devastating.
Two rows of fang marks appeared, followed by a thin layer of ice spreading across Flygon's neck.
Then, without pause, Drapion's claws glowed with venomous energy. Aoki had specifically trained Drapion's Poison-type moves, making Cross Poison and Poison Tail exceptionally fast.
CRACK!
The Poison Tail and Cross Poison struck simultaneously.
Sniper activated!
Flygon let out a pained screech.
This isn't fair! I hit once, and it hits me three times!
The pain was unbearable. The three critical strikes, all targeting vital points, nearly knocked Flygon out instantly. Only its rigorous physical training kept it standing.
Clair's expression darkened. Flygon was already on the verge of collapse—after just one exchange?
How terrifying was this Drapion's offensive power?
"Flygon, Fly!" Clair commanded desperately.
Flygon beat its wings furiously, kicking up dust, but Drapion's claw remained locked onto its shoulder. No matter how hard it struggled, Flygon couldn't break free.
Flygon's eyes widened in horror as it stared at Drapion's grinning face.
What kind of monstrous strength is this?! I'm a Dragon-type!
"Drapion, Double Ice Fang!"
Drapion roared in excitement, using its full strength to slam Flygon back onto the ground. Its jaws brimmed with freezing energy, forming razor-sharp fangs.
It bit down on Flygon's neck again.
At the same time, its other claw, now coated in ice, clamped down in the same spot.
CRUNCH.
Flygon whimpered weakly before collapsing, unconscious.
Drapion's Sniper ability, combined with the super-effective Ice Fang and the accumulated damage from the Triple Strike, had taken Flygon down in one brutal sequence.
Among Aoki's Pokémon, Drapion had the highest burst damage—especially against opponents whose weaknesses it knew intimately.
And Flygon? Drapion knew Flygon's weaknesses better than Flygon itself.
Clair stood frozen, barely registering that her Flygon had already fainted.
"Challenger Clair, please send out your next Pokémon," the referee reminded her.
Snapping back to reality, Clair recalled Flygon. She hesitated, unsure which Pokémon to send next.
Truthfully, she was now afraid of Drapion's Sniper ability. If it could land critical hits this consistently, the battle was already over.
Seeing the referee reach for his pocket, Clair knew she couldn't stall any longer.
No choice. I have to deal with this Drapion first.
She threw another Pokeball.
A serpentine body covered in sapphire-blue scales emerged, its underbelly a pristine white. A small white horn adorned its head, with two wing-like appendages on either side. Three blue orbs glowed along its body—one on its neck and two on its tail.
Another Dragon-type.
A true Dragon, through and through.
The Kanto pseudo-legendary—Dragonair!