Air Cutter

"Heh..." Shiro didn't pay much attention to Grant's arrogant and boastful words.

Although the opponent's Pokémon had taken the opportunity to boost its speed twice with the first move, it had also endured two attacks.

For a Pokémon like Rookidee, whose stamina was relatively weak, these two hits had already caused considerable damage.

Shiro could clearly see that each time the opposing Pokémon soared through the air, it was panting heavily.

The spectators outside the battlefield began discussing the match.

"Grant's Rookidee is fast, but its stamina is running low."

"True." An older man with gray-white hair nodded in agreement, focusing on the battle. He lowered his voice and said, "That guy Shiro's Pokémon is still in good shape. If he lands two more hits, he can win this fight."

"But can he keep landing hits?" someone else added.

The discussions from the onlookers didn't interfere with the battle in the arena.

Shiro understood that there was a huge speed gap between the two Pokémon. He ordered his Rookidee to hover in the air on his side of the field, waiting for the opponent to make a move.

If he forced his Rookidee to rush in while it was slower, his opponent would easily dodge and counterattack.

"Use Air Cutter!" Grant ordered. His Pokémon gathered flying-type energy in the air, and two light, white blades of wind shot toward Shiro's side.

"Dodge, then use Hone Claws!" Shiro's Rookidee reacted immediately to the command. It flapped its wings hard, dodging the Air Cutters.

The two Pokémon were now at opposite sides of the arena, with a good distance between them. Even though Grant's Rookidee was faster, it didn't mean that Shiro's was slow.

Air Cutter, being a straightforward attack, was easy to avoid.

At Shiro's command, Rookidee hovered in the air, its claws scratching together as a pale gray energy wrapped around its body.

By using Hone Claws, Rookidee boosts both its attack and accuracy, allowing it to anticipate the opponent's movements more effectively.

Grant quickly noticed Shiro's strategy and shouted commands at his Pokémon.

"Charge in, use Peck!"

His Pokémon disappeared from its spot with a quick flap of its wings, its sharp beak gleaming with a metallic sheen as it dived toward Shiro's Rookidee's wings.

Grant's Pokémon had gone through many battles against its own kind and was well-versed in the techniques taught by its trainer. For a Pokémon like Rookidee, the most important thing was its wings. Once the wings were injured, it would have almost no ability to fight back.

Grant's previous opponents lost battles for the same reason.

Just as Grant's Rookidee paused and lifted its head to use Peck, Shiro immediately shouted.

"Rookidee, attack!"

"Ki-dee!"

A gust of wind swept around Shiro's Rookidee as the Air Cutter, already charged, shot out from beneath its wings. It collided perfectly with Grant's Rookidee's head, which was aimed directly at its own wings.

"Rooki… Dee!"

Grant's Rookidee, already wounded, was momentarily dazed by the blow. It quickly flapped its wings and retreated. The speed was so fast that Shiro couldn't react in time to give an order to pursue.

Outside the battlefield, the trainers watching had started to chatter excitedly.

"Did it not use Hone Claws earlier?"

"Not possible! It's using it, that Rookidee has a glow of energy around it..."

"Could that be the glow of an Air Cutter?"

"Hmm... what do you think, old man?"

The surrounding trainers, puzzled, turned their attention to the older, more experienced gray-haired trainer. This veteran, known for his strength in the Hammerlocke Stadium, had been a formidable presence for years.

"Mm..." The old man thought for a moment before explaining, "It should be an Air Cutter. Not sure if you're aware, but a few days ago, this young man, Shiro, battled Rylan using his Gastly, relying on a clever deception strategy to gain the upper hand."

"Deception strategy?" Some trainers didn't quite understand.

"Rylan..." A few trainers who recognized Rylan fell into thought.

But most were still confused. They hadn't seen the battle between Shiro and Rylan, didn't understand the deception strategy, and didn't even know who Rylan was.

"It's the one with the Dragon Scale bet!" The old man, noting their confusion, reminded them.

"Oh!" Now the trainers understood.

It was the battle from a couple of days ago that had been making waves, where the prize was a Dragon Scale. The match between two Novice-level Pokémon had been incredible, with the fight being as intense as one between Beginner-level level Pokémon.

But some people cast subtle, unfriendly glances at Shiro.

So far, all Shiro had shown were his Gastly and Rookidee, both relatively weak Pokémon, though they had great potential. It was hard to tell whether he was training a second team of Pokémon.

Although Shiro appealed to be young, becoming a Pokémon trainer had nothing to do with age.

Maybe some three-year-old kid's father is a powerful trainer who raised a pseudo-legendary for him. The moment he starts his journey, he already has an Elite-level Pokémon.

There are plenty of wealthy trainers like that.

While the surrounding trainers outside the battlefield were lost in thought, inside, the two Rookidees clashed once again.

Grant knew that after falling into Shiro's trap, his Rookidee had taken serious damage. It wouldn't last much longer. He had to end this quickly.

'He actually managed to form this kind of bond with his Rookidee…' Grant gritted his teeth, his expression darkening. His eyes grew cold as he issued the command.

"Rookidee! Get in close and use Peck!"

Grant no longer dared to waste time talking big. His trash talk had only ever been a tactic to disrupt his opponent and secure a win. Now that he was at a disadvantage, it was useless. There was no point in saying anything unnecessary.

Shiro's Rookidee had gained a significant advantage thanks to its two early attacks and the tactics he had planned from the start. But he also understood that the opposing Rookidee still had a chance to turn things around.

The opponent was fast, and Rookidee as a Pokémon had obvious weaknesses and limited endurance.

A slower Rookidee was nothing more than a sitting target, making it even easier to strike its vulnerable areas.

If Shiro made a mistake and gave Grant an opening, his Rookidee could likely land a single blow strong enough to knock Shiro's Rookidee out of the fight, gradually draining its strength until defeat.

'The most likely spot… is the wings.'

Shiro's Rookidee had previously injured its wing, so he was very cautious and made sure to protect it well.

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