With Slowking losing the ability to battle, the effect of the Curse move also vanished. Scizor, however, had very little stamina remaining. It stood in place, panting heavily, seizing this moment to recover as much energy as possible.
When the referee announced that Slowking was unable to battle, an uproar erupted throughout the venue.
Slowking lost just like that? This was way too fast.
From start to finish, the clash had lasted less than five minutes. Yet, these five minutes felt more dangerous and arduous than a battle lasting ten or twenty. This was especially true for Scizor; under the influence of Curse, if it hadn't defeated Slowking within that time frame, it would have been the loser.
Sitting in his seat, Tetsu relaxed his body slightly. He opened his clenched fists to find them soaked with sweat. "That was truly incredible," Tetsu sighed. "My palms are dripping."
Ami, sitting behind him, gave a bitter smile. "Watching the Class Rep's matches is just too nerve-wracking. During that last fight, I stared the whole time, terrified I'd miss the end if I even blinked."
Kosei added sheepishly, "Watching them makes me feel like a complete amateur. If I were up there, I'd probably lose within minutes."
Several people around them nodded in agreement. Among them, Matsumoto remained silent, his expression somewhat sour. He realized he had been too self-important, thinking that just because he had traveled for a while, he could look down on his classmates. Today, the match between Eichi and Asen taught him another lesson: Silver Academy wasn't the only place with people stronger than him—Indigo Academy had them too.
Asen silently recalled Slowking and pulled out a third Poké Ball, tossing it forward. The ball opened in mid-air, releasing a streak of white light that coalesced into a Pokémon.
It was a gray, prehistoric-looking creature with purple wing membranes. Resembling a pterosaur from the Cretaceous period, it boasted four sharp claws and serrated teeth.
"Wraoooh!!!"
It was an Aerodactyl. It let out a domineering roar and circled once through the air.
Eichi activated his Eye of the Bug Emperor. As expected, this Aerodactyl was an Elite rank Pokémon. Its talent grade was, naturally, Outstanding. Clearly, this was Asen's strongest Pokémon on the surface.
Scizor stared at Aerodactyl, sensing the startling pressure radiating from it. Its fighting spirit flared. However, since its stamina was low, Scizor pulled a Berry from its person and swallowed it whole, chewing a few times before it hit its stomach. One could visibly see its energy slowly returning.
The crowd didn't react much to Scizor eating the fruit. In competitive matches, Pokémon are permitted to consume Berries, provided they are carrying the items themselves.
Once the referee saw both sides were ready, he announced:
"Battle begin!"
In the sky, Aerodactyl glared down at Scizor, while Scizor buzzed its wings and took flight to meet it.
"Aerodactyl, Taunt!"
"Wraoooh!!!"
Aerodactyl roared loudly, seemingly mocking Scizor. Scizor felt the mockery deep in its core, and a surge of nameless rage rushed to its head. It wanted nothing more than to rush over and pummel Aerodactyl immediately.
Eichi knew that the effect of Taunt forced a Pokémon to only use attacking moves for three turns. That was the game rule, but in reality, it affected the Pokémon for a specific duration. A Pokémon that has just learned Taunt can force an opponent to use only attacking moves for about a minute. The higher the mastery, the longer the duration—though the effect weakens if the target's level is higher than the user's.
Aerodactyl's level was slightly higher than Scizor's, by about one or two levels. Therefore, the Taunt would likely last around two minutes. Eichi realized Asen wanted Scizor and Aerodactyl to clash head-on, banking on Scizor's low stamina.
Since that's what you want, we'll go head-on.
"Scizor, Bullet Punch!"
"Ha-sha!"
Scizor had been itching to strike. At Eichi's command, it shot forward like a sharp arrow. Seeing Scizor charge, Aerodactyl looked excited. It beat its wings, creating a gust of wind as it lunged forward.
"Aerodactyl, Steel Wing!"
"Wraoooh!!!"
Following a deafening roar, a brilliant white light erupted from Aerodactyl's wings. Opposite it, a similar white glow gathered on Scizor's claws. The atmosphere in the air turned murderous. In the blink of an eye, the two Pokémon collided.
Scizor swung its claws while Aerodactyl flapped its wings to parry the massive red pincers.
Ping! Pang!
The sounds of wings hitting claws rang out like metal clashing against metal. In the ensuing exchange, the two Pokémon traded blows in the sky. However, Scizor's attack speed was significantly faster. Most of the exchanges ended with Scizor landing hits on Aerodactyl.
Visible wounds began to appear on Aerodactyl's body. Of course, Scizor wasn't unscathed, but compared to Aerodactyl, its injuries seemed negligible.
Sensing the timing was right, Asen initiated his final assault on Scizor.
"Aerodactyl, Agility into Double Team, then prepare Flamethrower!"
Aerodactyl, currently trading blows with Scizor, suddenly beat its wings and retreated a large distance. Then, one became two, two became four, until countless clones surrounded Scizor. Energy began to gather in the mouths of every Aerodactyl clone.
Seeing this, Scizor closed its eyes and quickly sensed the real body. It buzzed its wings and charged toward one of the Aerodactyls.
Asen's lips curled into a slight smile. Seeing this, Eichi's mind raced. He suddenly realized what was happening.
"Scizor, come back!" Eichi shouted.
But he was too late. Scizor had already rushed in front of Aerodactyl. Hearing Eichi's voice, its body stiffened in hesitation. Taking advantage of that split second, Aerodactyl opened its maw and unleashed the gathered fire-red energy.
"Roar!!!"
A massive pillar of fire erupted. Feeling the searing heat, Scizor reacted by crossing its claws in front of its face to block. However, the power of the flames was too overwhelming.
"Ha-sha!"
With a shrill cry of pain, Scizor was engulfed in the fire. A few seconds later, Aerodactyl ceased its Flamethrower. As the flames died down, a battered Scizor was revealed. It had completely lost the ability to battle and fell from the sky, crashing into the ground and leaving a deep crater.