Chapter 427: The Rage Phantom Takes the Field!
The battle against Li Xisheng was proving to be a different beast entirely
compared to the match with Yuna Su. Against Yuna, Kenji had the luxury of a hard
elemental counter. Against Li Xisheng's Fighting-type specialists, it was a
battle of raw grit and combat technique.
Still, taking down two of the Elite Four's veterans with a single Pokémon was a
massive achievement for Electivire.
The fifteen-minute intermission passed in a blur. When the two trainers returned
to their platforms, the atmosphere in the stadium had shifted. The air felt
heavy, charged with the anticipation of the final half.
"Go! Mienshao!"
"I'm counting on you! Annihilape!"
Both trainers hurled their Poké Balls simultaneously.
Li Xisheng opened the second half with Mienshao, a creature known for its fluid,
whip-like combat style. Kenji, however, released his newly ascended secret
weapon: the Level 86 Annihilape.
"ANN-HIIII!"
Annihilape materialized, its blood-red eyes scanning the arena with a look of
pure, unbridled malice. The wild, white hair on its head billowed like ghostly
smoke, a physical manifestation of its internal rage. It stood in an aggressive,
bow-legged power stance, its arms hanging loosely at its sides.
"An Annihilape?"
Li Xisheng and Rainey Chang both blinked in surprise. They were well aware that
Kenji possessed the "Rage Phantom," but based on the Huaxia League tournament
footage from six months ago, this Pokémon was a mid-tier combatant at best.
Kenji had mostly used it in the early rounds to save his aces for the finals.
Even with six months of specialized training, an Annihilape of that age
shouldn't have been able to bridge the gap to a Champion-tier veteran. Or so Li
Xisheng thought. But looking at the roiling, violet aura leaking from the
monkey's fur, he felt a sudden, cold prickle of intuition.
Don't take him lightly, he warned himself.
"Mienshao! Bounce!"
As a Ghost/Fighting type, Annihilape held a natural advantage over pure Fighting
types. Without the Scrappy ability, standard Fighting moves would pass right
through it. Li Xisheng had to rely on Mienshao's secondary coverage—Flying-type
moves.
"SHAA!"
Mienshao sprinted forward, its lithe body blurring as it launched itself high
into the air. It hung at the apex of its jump for a split second before
plummeting toward Annihilape, its leg coiled for a devastating, wind-infused
kick.
Annihilape looked up at the descending strike. It didn't dodge. It didn't block.
It didn't even move. It stood there with a look of utter contempt, watching the
kick get closer and closer.
BOOM!
CRACK!
A massive cloud of dust erupted as Mienshao's foot slammed directly into
Annihilape's face. The impact was so violent that the ground beneath the
monkey's feet shattered.
On the sidelines, Li Xisheng's expression went blank. What the hell kind of
tactic is that?
The dust hadn't even settled yet, but the strike had been clear as day.
Mienshao's foot had connected with 100% accuracy. Is the monkey an idiot?
Kenji, however, remained perfectly calm.
As the smoke cleared, the stadium went silent. Mienshao was still there, its
foot pressed firmly against Annihilape's cheek. But Annihilape hadn't moved an
inch.
One of the monkey's hands was clamped like a vice around Mienshao's ankle,
preventing it from retreating. Annihilape's other fist was pulled back, cocked
like a loaded shotgun.
A shimmering, dark veil flickered around its body—the Edge of Night had proc'd,
absorbing the worst of the impact and fueling the monkey's counter-attack. Its
red eyes glowed with a terrifying intensity, and the ghostly mist on its head
began to flare upward like a geyser of white flame.
If you looked closely, a faint, crimson steam was beginning to rise from
Annihilape's skin.
"SHI-FU?!" Mienshao let out a panicked lowing, its warrior instincts screaming
at it to flee. It struggled to pull its leg back, but Annihilape's grip was
absolute.
"Rage Fist." Kenji's voice was barely a whisper.
"ANN-HIIIIII!"
Annihilape lunged. As it threw the punch, it yanked Mienshao forward, doubling
the impact force. The fist, shrouded in a terrifying cloak of dark, concentrated
rage energy, slammed directly into Mienshao's solar plexus.
Rage Fist—a move that grows exponentially in power for every hit the user has
taken. By standing still and eating the Bounce, Annihilape had fully primed its
nuke.
BOOM!
The impact sounded like a cannon firing at point-blank range. Mienshao was
launched backward with such force that it became a white blur, skipping across
the arena floor before slamming into the containment barrier with a violent
thud.
THUD…
The Pokémon slid down the barrier and slumped onto its knees. Its eyes rolled
back, and it collapsed face-first into the dirt.
One shot? A Champion veteran... one-shotted?
Li Xisheng stared, his mouth slightly agape.
Annihilape casually shook out its fist, blowing a puff of red steam off its
knuckles. It reached up, flicking a stray strand of its white mane out of its
eyes, and let out a dismissive snort.
"Come back, Mienshao." Li Xisheng recalled his Pokémon, his face grim. He took a
deep breath and reached for his next ball. "I underestimated you, Kenji. That
ends now. Go! Sirfetch'd!"
"SIR-FETCH!"
The noble bird landed in the arena, wielding its massive leek-sword and
onion-shield with practiced ease. Its eyes were sharp, reflecting a warrior's
spirit that matched the high-intensity environment.
[Pokémon Status]
Target: Sirfetch'd (Champion Tier) Gender: Male Level: 97 Type: Fighting
Ability: Scrappy Potential: S-
This Sirfetch'd was Li Xisheng's secondary ace. It was Level 97—the same tier as
his Gallade. More importantly, its Scrappy ability meant that Annihilape's Ghost
typing wouldn't provide any immunity. In this match, every blow would land with
full weight.
Annihilape picked its nose with its pinky, looking at the bird with a lazy,
provocative gaze. Something about the bird's "noble" posture seemed to annoy the
monkey. Its anger, which had temporarily subsided after the OHKO, began to
bubble up again.
In any other Pokémon, unprovoked rage was a mental disorder. In an Annihilape,
it was a Tuesday.
"Let's go! Phantom Force!"
"ANN-HI!"
Annihilape kicked off the ground, turning into a gray, ghostly blur as it
charged. Despite its bulky, rounded shape, its speed—boosted by the Hedge Fund
investment—was terrifying. It reached the bird in an instant.
Just as it entered striking range, Annihilape vanished into thin air.
Phantom Force!
Sirfetch'd's warrior instincts flared. It didn't panic. It planted its feet and
swung its massive onion-shield behind its back, its surface glowing with a
metallic sheen.
"Iron Defense!"
BOOM!
Annihilape erupted from the shadows behind the bird, its fist slamming into the
shield. Sirfetch'd groaned as the sheer physical force of the blow traveled
through its arm, but the shield held.
Without missing a beat, the noble bird spun, its leek-sword glowing with a
sharp, white light as it slashed at the monkey's exposed flank.
Brick Break!
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