Chapter 276: Ice Beam

The straightforward Salamence never expected that the Dragonite, which had been clashing moves with it the entire time, would suddenly resort to underhanded tactics.

Thunder Wave itself didn't deal much damage, but its paralyzing effect was the real game-changer.

Once paralyzed, there was always a chance of a move failing to execute.

Salamence: "You're despicable."

Dragonite: "You're just too dumb."

Dragonite didn't see itself as despicable at all—it was clearly Salamence's fault for being so straightforward. In a battle, how could you fight without any tricks? Adaptability was key.

Salamence: "I'll destroy you!"

Seeing that Dragonite not only refused to admit fault but also insulted it, Salamence was so furious that it nearly burst a vein. Its roar was accompanied by a powerful shockwave, and its aura surged dramatically.

It was using Focus Energy.

With a beat of its wings, several Air Slashes formed, slicing through the air in sharp arcs.

Dragonite looked over at Julian with a face that said, 'As expected'

Julian's expression stiffened as he muttered, "It's obviously your bad luck"

Damn it—Salamence was paralyzed, yet it managed to successfully unleash two moves in a row! Was its luck off the charts or what?

"Protect!"

The green shield of Protect blocked several Air Slashes, but the final one shattered the shield. Following that, Salamence launched a Hydro Pump.

"Dragon Rush!"

Despite being paralyzed, Salamence seemed completely unaffected. Its paralysis appeared purely decorative, with zero actual impact.

Julian silently repeated to himself: 'I'm not cursed. I'm not cursed'

'Wait a second, don't I still have a Basic Luck Card?'

As he was pondering, Dragonite's Dragon Rush collided fiercely with Salamence's Hydro Pump. The intense impact initially stalled Dragonite's charge.

But in the next second, Dragonite broke through the Hydro Pump, surging forward with overwhelming power like a falling meteor. It smashed into Salamence with incredible force.

Salamence's massive body was slammed into the ground, creating a deep crater upon impact. The shockwave caused the surrounding ground to crack like a spiderweb, with countless small rocks shooting out from the fissures.

As the energy surrounding Dragonite dissipated after Dragon Rush, Salamence, enduring excruciating pain, tried to counter with a Flamethrower.

However, the electric current coursing through its body caused the move to fail.

Julian: 'Go ahead—let's see you resist the paralysis effect forever!'

Salamence's expression shifted instantly. A move failing at this critical moment meant it had missed its best chance to counterattack.

Sure enough, in the next second, Salamence saw Dragonite's fist, crackling with electricity, rapidly enlarging in its vision.

With a resounding BAM, Dragonite's Thunder Punch landed squarely on Salamence's head.

It wasn't clear if the paralysis effect was at work, but Salamence felt that this Thunder Punch was much stronger than the previous ones.

The electrical currents coursed through Salamence's entire body, and the sheer force of Thunder Punch felt no less powerful than a Mega Punch.

Salamence: 'Outrage, activate!'

A violent surge of energy erupted within Salamence, spreading through its entire body. A massive wave of Dragon-type energy shot skyward, and the lingering electricity on its body was completely dispersed.

The paralysis was gone.

"We'll use Outrage too!"

'Oh, you think only you can open the floodgates? Watch this'

At this point, the Peak Elite Experience Card had three minutes left before expiring.

Now both Dragonite and Salamence had entered Outrage.

Rampant Dragon energy coursed through their bodies, replacing rational thought with raw power. However, there was still a sliver of clarity in their minds.

Outrage was a double-edged sword. Used correctly, it could turn the tide of battle. But if used for too long, a Pokémon could lose its sense of reason and attack indiscriminately.

Some unfortunate trainers had even been killed by their own Pokémon after prolonged use of Outrage.

With its paralysis gone, Salamence's advantage returned, while Dragonite's edge disappeared.

Julian had hoped to win using underhanded tactics, but that plan was clearly out the window.

In its Outrage state, Salamence's crimson wings glowed even brighter, as if they could drip blood. The eerie brilliance was both mesmerizing and chilling.

Steel Wing sliced at Dragonite's stomach like a sharp blade, leaving a deep gash on its rounded belly.

Yet Dragonite seemed unfazed by the pain. As Salamence's Steel Wing struck again, Dragonite raised its arms to block. Though its palms were sliced open and blood streamed down, it refused to let go.

Salamence slammed Dragonite into the mountainside of Dragon Mountain. The impact created a crater dozens of meters deep.

At the moment of collision, Dragonite's vision went black, and its grip loosened.

Just as Salamence prepared to finish the battle with a Dragon Pulse, Dragonite's figure suddenly began to fade and then disappeared entirely.

Substitute

The real Dragonite had appeared behind Salamence, unleashing a Ice Beam it had been charging for a while. The freezing cold, almost capable of freezing time itself, enveloped Salamence before it could turn around.

The beam struck, encasing Salamence in a block of ice. Everything around it—mountain walls, rocks, and trees—froze as well.

The once-vibrant battlefield became a frozen landscape.

"Huff... huff..."

Dragonite landed heavily, panting hard.

Using Substitute had consumed half its stamina, leaving it severely drained.

But the move had created the perfect opportunity, deceiving Salamence and allowing Dragonite to deliver the decisive blow.

Salamence had a 4x weakness to Ice, and this Ice Beam had been fully charged before firing, making it even more powerful.

"Crack... crack..."

Just as Julian thought Salamence was finished, cracks suddenly began to form on the icy sculpture. The sound of shattering ice grew louder and more frequent.

The relief on Julian's face vanished, replaced by alarm. He shouted, "Dragonite, keep using Ice Beam!"

He didn't even need to say it—Dragonite had already begun firing another Ice Beam the moment the cracks appeared.

Dragonite's energy reserves were nearly depleted, and it could feel that the foreign power within it was fading fast.

If Salamence wasn't taken out now, Dragonite knew it would be the one to fall.

Putting all its remaining strength and willpower into the Ice Beam, Dragonite aimed directly at the cracking ice sculpture.

"BANG!"

The sculpture shattered completely.

"ROAR!"

Julian closed his eyes briefly: 'It's over'

The Elite Experience Card's time had run out.

'Is it still possible to surrender now?'

But to his surprise, the freed Salamence didn't counterattack or dodge. Instead, it took the full brunt of the Ice Beam head-on and froze again, becoming an ice sculpture once more.

Salamence: 'Damn it... I'm out of energy'

Breaking free from the first ice prison had drained the very last remnants of Salamence's strength. The 4x damage from Ice Beam was no joke, and its escape had been fueled solely by the final surge of Outrage's power.

Now that power was gone, Salamence could only be frozen again, entirely spent.

And so—

"We won"

Julian exhaled the words softly.

Dragonite collapsed onto the ground, utterly exhausted. At this point, it didn't even have the strength to lift a finger.