"Then next, we'll leave the battle in your hands."
At the same time, Cain also removed a Poké Ball from his waist and threw it.
This time, both of them summoned their Pokémon at the same time.
Bang—bang!
Two enormous concrete pillars fell heavily onto the ground along with the appearance of that Pokémon.
It was still a Pokémon from the Unova region: Conkeldurr.
Conkeldurr had a grayish-brown body surrounded by pink muscles that looked like rings. Above its white and black eyes was a wrinkle like a frown, in the center of its face was a round red nose, and on its chin was a small gray beard. It held two concrete pillars and rested them on the ground.
And the Pokémon Cain summoned was...
"Blaazk!!"
Blaziken!
Choosing which Pokémon to send out at different moments and against different opponents was, for every trainer, a true art.
Without showing anything on his face, Cain scanned the data of that Conkeldurr.
When two trainers were at a similar level, the one who mastered the opponent's information could undoubtedly gain a great advantage.
Pokémon: Conkeldurr (Purple)
Gender: Male
Level: 90
Type: Fighting
Ability: Guts
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Counter, Foresight, Reversal, Mach Punch
Basic Moves: Pound, Leer, Focus Energy, Bide, Low Kick, Rock Throw, Wake-Up Slap, Chip Away, Bulk Up, Rock Slide, Dynamic Punch, Scary Face, Hammer Arm, Focus Punch
Learned Moves: Ice Punch, Drain Punch, Fire Punch, Block, Snore, Knock Off, Superpower, Thunder Punch, Stomping Tantrum, Helping Hand
TM Moves: Work Up, Taunt, Protect, Smack Down, Earthquake, Brick Break, Double Team, Rock Tomb, Facade, Low Sweep, Brutal Swing, Stone Edge, Bulldoze, Substitute
"At last he's sent out a Pokémon truly worthy of a regional Champion... a level ninety Conkeldurr!" Cain thought silently when he saw the data of that Conkeldurr.
It was inevitable that Alder, as Unova's recognized Champion, would have a Pokémon with such strength!
After all, he had become Champion more than ten years ago!
Although the death of his companion Pokémon back then had dealt him a huge blow, causing him to remain completely dispirited for a long time and even want to give up his position as Champion.
Even so, the Unova League at the time had not agreed, precisely because there was no one who could replace him; there was no one whose strength was more suitable to occupy his position.
And even now, there was still no one capable of temporarily approaching his position.
Alder's existence was quite special. While in other regions everyone suffered over the problem of a successor to the Champion position, and several regions were experiencing a certain lack of generational replacement, Unova was the only region where the transition of the Champion could be considered perfect.
The current Alder was in the prime of his life; he could still remain in the position of Champion for another ten years or more. Even if among this generation of Unova talents no one could shoulder the responsibility of Champion, they could still wait calmly for the next generation.
"Blaziken! Mega Evolve!" Cain, seeing Conkeldurr's strength, raised his right hand and shouted in a low voice.
"BLAAZZKK!!!"
Only through Mega Evolution did Blaziken have some chance of trying.
"Here it comes!! Here it comes!!! As the discoverer of Mega Evolution, Champion Cain has finally used it! Let us welcome... Mega Blaziken!"
Alder watched the Pokémon that appeared when the energy of Mega Evolution dissipated: Mega Blaziken!
"So this is Mega Evolution? With just one Mega Evolution, its aura has changed so much!"
But a smile appeared on Alder's face. "That's more like it. Now this is interesting!"
Cain looked at Mega Blaziken, and the frown on his face did not relax, because even now Blaziken was still, to a certain extent, below Conkeldurr in strength.
Pokémon: Blaziken (Dark Purple) — Mega Form
Gender: Male
Level: 87 (89)
Types: Fire + Fighting
Ability: Speed Boost
Held Item: Blazikenite
Egg Moves: Flame Burst, Agility, Last Resort, Feint
Basic Moves: Scratch, Growl, Ember, Sand Attack, Peck, Double Kick, Flame Charge, Quick Attack, Bulk Up, Blaze Kick, Flare Blitz, Fire Punch, High Jump Kick, Focus Energy, Slash, Brave Bird, Sky Uppercut
Learned Moves: Heat Wave, Low Kick, Laser Focus, Sacred Fire (imperfect version), Thunder Punch, Superpower, Snore, Bounce, Blast Burn, Focus Punch, Knock Off, Defog, Role Play, Dual Chop
TM Moves: Protect, Earthquake, Flamethrower, Aerial Ace, Low Sweep, Stone Edge, Swords Dance, Double Team, Rock Tomb, Will-O-Wisp
The difference in brute strength was obvious. Blaziken's original strength was not enough for its power, after Mega Evolution, to rise to the second threshold of the Champion level.
After all, the higher the level, the less obvious the increase from Mega Evolution became.
But it was not as though it had no chance to fight.
Because Blaziken's ability, after a prolonged battle, gave it a tremendous advantage, and moreover, its flames were not ordinary flames.
"Conkeldurr, Bulk Up!" Alder gave the order in a low voice.
He was not going to underestimate his opponent's Pokémon just because he had the advantage in strength.
"If that's the case, Blaziken, Swords Dance!" Cain, seeing that the opponent did not attack immediately, knew that was good news for him.
The boost provided by Swords Dance and the Speed Boost ability was greater than what Bulk Up granted.
When Alder noticed the move Mega Blaziken was using, his expression changed slightly, and he immediately altered his tactics.
"Conkeldurr! Don't waste time, rush forward and fight hand-to-hand!"
The longer the time dragged on, the more variables would appear for him, because he did not know exactly what characteristics Mega Blaziken had, and he was at an informational disadvantage.
Under Alder's command, Conkeldurr immediately grabbed one of its concrete pillars with a single hand and strode toward Blaziken in large steps. It was not slow at all, and the two columns did not make it look clumsy.
Cain narrowed his eyes when he saw Conkeldurr charge toward Blaziken. They could not face it head-on now!
"Blaziken, Double Team, and then keep using Swords Dance." Cain's voice echoed in Mega Blaziken's mind.
After receiving the order, Blaziken almost completely understood Cain's tactic.
"Blaazk!"
Multiple overlapping voices sounded, and Mega Blaziken immediately began to move. One after another, its shadows appeared around Conkeldurr, completely surrounding it.
Then, all of those Blaziken shadows made exactly the same movement: Swords Dance!
Alder's expression changed.
Cain wanted to buy time, use the boost from Swords Dance on Mega Blaziken, and thus allow it, after powering up, to face Conkeldurr directly.
"Conkeldurr! Brutal Swing! Don't give Mega Blaziken the chance to use Swords Dance! Find the real body and don't let it get out of your attack range!" Alder reacted instantly.
Conkeldurr was seen grasping one end of one of its concrete pillars with one hand and beginning to spin it frantically while using its own body as the center.
Wherever the pillar passed, Mega Blaziken's shadows disappeared one after another.
After one full rotation of the attack, it very quickly found Mega Blaziken's real body.
(End of Chapter)