Chapter Fifty-four: Delachion!

“I’m counting on you, Gyarados. Duraludon is no longer able to fight.” Zhao Fang gripped the Poké Ball tightly in his hand, then hurled it forward with all his strength. Gyarados burst from the ball, appearing above the battlefield.

With a thunderous roar, the battle resumed.

“Gyarados? That’s a formidable Pokémon indeed, but against my Nosepass, you hold no advantage! Nosepass, use Thunder Wave!” Du Juan admired the mighty Gyarados before her; it looked robust and powerful, surely not to be underestimated.

“Gyarados, dodge Thunder Wave and use Water Pulse!” Zhao Fang issued his command. The lesson from Duraludon’s defeat was still fresh—Nosepass clearly possessed some ability to disrupt the surrounding magnetic fields, which had interfered with Duraludon’s surprise attack.

A deep blue light gathered in Gyarados’s jaws, and a column of water shot out, surging straight toward Nosepass.

Nosepass was, after all, a Rock-type Pokémon; if it took a direct hit from Water Pulse, it would suffer severe damage.

“Good! Use this chance—strike the water column with Shock Wave!” To Zhao Fang’s surprise, Du Juan didn’t try to evade, but instead commanded Nosepass to unleash an electric attack.

“No! Gyarados, stop the Water Pulse—now!” Zhao Fang realized, almost too late, what Du Juan was planning. If Gyarados kept channeling Water Pulse, the electric energy would travel back along the water and hit Gyarados hard, causing serious harm.

He had never expected Du Juan to know such tactics.

“So you stopped it? What a pity. Nosepass, use Rock Slide.” Unbothered, Du Juan gave her next command. If Shock Wave had landed, even if Gyarados stayed in the fight, it would no longer pose a threat.

At her order, Nosepass scooped up nearby rocks and hurled them at Gyarados.

“Gyarados, dodge the falling rocks and use Dragon Rage!” Zhao Fang called out. Gyarados’s mouth flared with light, then spat a wave of energy.

“That won’t be enough to defeat me! Nosepass, use Shock Wave on Gyarados!” Du Juan made no attempt to dodge; she let the Dragon Rage hit Nosepass full on. As smoke billowed, a streak of lightning shot out, swift as thunder. Fortunately, Gyarados twisted its body just in time and evaded the attack.

When the smoke cleared and Nosepass stood unscathed, Zhao Fang felt a headache coming on. Rock-type Pokémon truly boasted remarkable defenses; without a move that was super effective, victory would be hard-won.

But now, Gyarados’s only Water-type move was Water Pulse, and Du Juan’s Nosepass was clearly ready to counter with Shock Wave. Zhao Fang dared not gamble on whether Gyarados could withstand such a blow. He needed another strategy.

“Gyarados, remember the technique you practiced yesterday? Use Splash to quickly approach the enemy!” Zhao Fang gritted his teeth and issued the order. With Water Pulse too risky, he had to try something else.

Du Juan raised her eyebrows. Splash?

The referee uncle on the sidelines chuckled; he’d seen Gyarados’s Splash before, back when it was just a Magikarp—it had even forced him to reveal one of his own moves. Now, with no good way for Nosepass to hold Gyarados back, it all came down to Du Juan’s judgment.

Gyarados bellowed, slamming its tail hard against the ground, propelling its massive body across the field at startling speed. Du Juan’s eyes widened in amazement. Achieving that effect without a Flying move?

“Seize the moment, Gyarados! Use Iron Head!” Zhao Fang’s large hand swept forward, and Gyarados charged at great speed, its head shining with a metallic gleam.

“Iron Head? Didn’t you learn from last time? Nosepass, use Zap Cannon!” Du Juan watched Gyarados bear down on them, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. She’d thought this Pokédex holder was a worthy opponent, but perhaps she’d overestimated.

“I know full well, but I trust in my Pokémon even more. Gyarados, show the results of your training!” Zhao Fang clenched his fist. A Gyarados nourished by stat-boosting food was a far cry from an ordinary one.

As Gyarados neared Nosepass, its speed was finally checked. Nosepass fired off Zap Cannon. Just as the attack was about to hit, Gyarados slammed its tail into the ground with tremendous force—so hard its tail fin tore. With this burst of power, Gyarados dodged Zap Cannon and crashed headlong into Nosepass’s prominent nose.

The nose of a Nosepass is a vital organ, used to sense magnetism and electricity. After taking a Steel-type Iron Head to the face, the whole Pokémon reeled.

Nosepass lifted its stubby arms, trying to touch its nose, only to find its arms too short. Then a wave of vertigo overtook it. Before Du Juan could issue another command, Nosepass collapsed, unmoving.

“Nosepass is unable to battle. Du Juan, please send out your next Pokémon.” The referee hurried over, checked the Pokémon, and announced the result with a grin.

Gyarados stood tall and proud, its triumphant roar echoing across the field. The referee uncle beamed and gave Zhao Fang a thumbs up.

“Well done, young man! You actually beat the Nosepass my daughter raised. That stubborn girl never stops bragging about how great it is—ha ha ha! Now she’ll see there’s always someone better out there.” Watching him grow more gleeful by the second, Zhao Fang wished Gyarados could slap a tail over his mouth. Couldn’t he see how dark Du Juan’s expression had grown?

“Overconfidence… A truly formidable Gyarados… Hehehe… My father certainly has high hopes for you, Zhao Fang!” When Du Juan said his name, she pronounced each syllable with icy deliberation, making Zhao Fang swallow nervously.

This was disaster without warning!

“Now, let me show you my true strength. Terrakion, I choose you!” Du Juan hurled a luxury ball with force.

“Huh?” Zhao Fang was dumbfounded. Had he arrived in the wrong world? Du Juan was sending out Terrakion? Was this some kind of legendary battle? Should he have started with a Rayquaza?

But then, Zhao Fang saw the Pokémon on the field—it wasn’t Terrakion. It was a Graveler, its gaze full of resignation.

Seeing the weary look in Graveler’s eyes, Zhao Fang suddenly felt sorry for it. How could Du Juan nickname it Terrakion? Yet in the next instant, he was hit by a wave of pressure.

After all, a Graveler was nothing like a mere Geodude.