Crobat received the order and rapidly flapped its four wings; four white slashes of air shot out from them and flew toward Aggron.
The four cuts were practically chained together, lined up one after another to form a long row.
Aggron crossed both arms in front of its body, preparing to take the attack head-on.
Bang!
The first slash struck the metallic armor on Aggron's arms, producing a dull sound. Immediately afterward, Aggron's expression changed.
Although the sensation was not very obvious, it felt a slight pain.
Pain?
Had just the first slash already caused it pain?
There was no time to think about it further, because the second slash arrived immediately afterward.
Bang!
Aggron managed to endure the second attack as well, but this time the change in its expression was much clearer. The two slashes had struck almost exactly the same spot, so the damage stacked, and it was not a simple case of one plus one equaling two.
Bang!
The third slash finally caused a change in Aggron's stance. After withstanding so many rock attacks without taking a single step back, now, with only the third air slash, it was forced to retreat—not of its own will, but pushed back by the force of the attack.
Bang!
The fourth air slash!
Aggron failed to block it. Its arms, trembling slightly, dropped, and the fourth slash struck directly against its body, leaving a white mark.
It should be known that the outer layer of Aggron's metallic armor was comparable to diamond; it was no easy feat to leave a mark on it.
Not to mention the internal impact that air slash caused to its body.
Aggron staggered back five or six steps, nearly falling to the ground, and looked at the Crobat in the air in astonishment, its eyes shining with a sharp gaze.
Cain was also surprised. Under normal circumstances, even if Crobat had a higher level, it should not have been able to almost completely negate Aggron's defense with a single attack.
Upon observing more closely, he realized that the problem lay in the held item.
The item Crobat was carrying was a Choice Band!
This was a special item with a simple and unique effect: it increased the power of the first move the Pokémon used after entering battle by 50%. In other words, the Air Slash that Aggron had just taken was boosted by the Choice Band, and moreover, it stacked four times, leaving Aggron practically without the ability to resist.
However, the effect of the Choice Band only activates upon entering battle; on the second attack, it no longer has any effect.
Even so, Koga was not satisfied with that first Air Slash attack, because Aggron had not entered a flinching state.
After all, the move Air Slash has roughly a 30% chance to make the opponent flinch.
"In that case, Crobat! U-turn!" Koga ordered.
In the next instant, Crobat, flying in the air, made its eyes shine with a red light and charged at full speed toward Aggron, whose guard was open.
Bang!
Its sharp fangs slammed directly into Aggron's body. This attack also hurt, but it was not as powerful as the previous Air Slash.
However, the effect of the move U-turn is that after attacking, the user quickly returns to its trainer's side. That is to say, after using U-turn, Crobat returned to Koga's hand. When it was summoned again, the Choice Band could be activated once more. This combination of move and item was truly irritating.
And if he wanted to make it even more annoying...
Koga smiled as he put away Crobat's Poké Ball and took another one from his belt.
"Go, Venomoth!"
Just as expected.
Cain's eyebrows arched slightly. If Koga used this kind of tactic, with Aggron's slow speed, it would indeed be very difficult to win.
The purpose of sending out Venomoth was to use the move Quiver Dance and then the move Baton Pass. If a good opportunity arose, it could use Quiver Dance several times and then pass the boosts to Crobat with Baton Pass, allowing it to unleash its power. If the opportunity was not so good, it would be enough to use Quiver Dance once or twice; at most, Crobat could use U-turn again and call Venomoth back out.
In this way, the moves Quiver Dance, Baton Pass, Air Slash, U-turn, and the Choice Band were fully combined. This was a clear example of how a trainer designed a special tactic by combining the characteristics of their Pokémon, their moves, and their items.
If luck also favored him and the effect of Air Slash triggered more frequently, causing the opponent to flinch, Crobat could unleash even stronger attacks.
Next, just as Cain had anticipated, Venomoth's strategy was very conservative: it used Quiver Dance only once and then directly used Baton Pass.
When Crobat returned to the battle, it inherited the boosts from Quiver Dance and, in addition, once again benefited from the first-move boost granted by the Choice Band. The Air Slash it launched this time was not only impossible for Aggron to block, but it also caused it to enter a flinching state.
In such a situation, according to the rules, Cain could not withdraw Aggron, so he could only watch as Aggron lost its ability to fight under Crobat's attacks.
A colossus of enormous size and overwhelming defense fell before the opponent's refined tactics; there was no other choice.
Because, strictly speaking, Aggron was not fighting against a single Pokémon, but against the combination of two, and moreover, the opponent had clearly seen that although Aggron was very strong in physical defense, its special defense left much to be desired.
Cain took out his Poké Ball and recalled Aggron.
"You did very well, Aggron!"
With that said, Cain put the Poké Ball back on his belt. If the opponent wanted to fight this way, Cain was not without methods to counter it.
Aggron's defeat was not in vain.
Without hesitating for even an instant, without stopping to think too much, he threw another Poké Ball.
"!!!Kekekeke!!!"
Accompanied by exaggerated laughter, Cain summoned Gengar.
Cain's Gengar was much stronger than Koga's, and even slightly surpassed the Crobat he was using at that moment.
Pokémon: Gengar (Purple)
Gender: Male
Level: 84
Type: Ghost + Poison
Ability: Cursed Body
Held Item: Toxic Orb, Gengarite
Egg Moves: Fire Punch, Scary Face, Haze
Basic Moves: Hypnosis, Lick, Spite, Mean Look, Curse, Night Shade, Confuse Ray, Sucker Punch, Payback, Shadow Punch, Dream Eater, Dark Pulse, Destiny Bond, Hex, Nightmare
Learned Moves: Rest, Shadow Ball, Psychic, Skill Swap, Snore, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Perish Song, Role Play
TM Moves: Protect, Hidden Power (Grass), Sleep Talk, Toxic, Taunt, Poison Jab, Thunderbolt, Venoshock
After entering the battle, Gengar did not attack immediately. Following Cain's order, it used the move Mean Look on Crobat.
In this way, Crobat could no longer use the move U-turn to switch Pokémon, and the Choice Band was rendered completely useless.
(End of chapter)