Bang!
Mega Blaziken immediately abandoned the use of Swords Dance and crossed its arms in front of its chest to block Conkeldurr's concrete attack, but even so it was still knocked back by a single blow.
"Conkeldurr, don't let your guard down! Follow it and use Mach Punch!"
If they allowed Mega Blaziken to act freely, it was highly likely that it would find another chance to use Swords Dance. And once it stacked several layers, not even Conkeldurr could be sure of being able to withstand it.
Although the first use of Swords Dance was when its boosting effect was strongest and most obvious, that alone was still not enough to rival Conkeldurr.
But now, the fact that Mega Blaziken could to a certain extent tangle with Conkeldurr was precisely because of the boost it had received from Swords Dance.
Upon hearing Alder's order, Conkeldurr lunged at it, swung both concrete pillars with one motion, and rested them on its shoulders. Clenching its fists, it began punching directly toward Mega Blaziken's face.
Curiously, although the two enormous pillars were no longer being held in its hands, they still remained resting on its shoulders without falling.
The two Fighting-type Pokémon were then locked in combat. Conkeldurr launched offense after offense without pause, while Mega Blaziken kept dodging without stop.
It used every part of its body to defend itself: palms, elbows, legs, knees, shoulders... any part could be used to block Conkeldurr's attacks, and at the same time, thanks to the agility of its body, it could also dodge.
First it would dodge, but when it could not, it would use those parts of its body to block.
Among all of Cain's current Pokémon, Blaziken was the one who possessed the strongest combat techniques and martial skills. There was no dispute about that.
Even Lucario, whose strength had been increasing little by little, still had many things to learn from Blaziken!
Seeing that its attacks still were not producing results, Conkeldurr frowned. After turning the matter over in its mind, it directly threw off the two concrete pillars from its shoulders.
In truth, the material of Conkeldurr's two concrete pillars was rather special, and their hardness could not be compared with that of ordinary concrete.
Those two pillars were not only its offensive weapons, but also its defensive weapons.
But now, Alder's Conkeldurr had voluntarily given up those two concrete pillars, thereby choosing to abandon part of its defensive capability.
However, the concrete pillars were help, but also a burden. After discarding them, Conkeldurr's speed increased, and the speed and power of its punches also became greater.
Conkeldurr's callus-covered hands came together in front of its chest and launched a combined strike toward Mega Blaziken.
The sudden increase in speed caused Mega Blaziken to fail to react in time, lose the best moment to defend itself, and be sent flying by a single punch.
Cain narrowed his eyes; he had not expected Conkeldurr to still have a trump card like that in reserve.
"Press the advantage, Rock Tomb! Close in and use Dynamic Punch!" Alder shouted in a low voice.
Upon hearing the command, Conkeldurr stomped hard on the ground and lunged toward Blaziken, while two chains formed from rocks revolved around Mega Blaziken, following the trajectory of its backward flight with the intention of binding it.
Once it was trapped, even if Mega Blaziken managed to break free instantly, Conkeldurr's attack would still fall.
With Mega Blaziken's physical durability, taking a direct hit from Conkeldurr was probably not something it could withstand easily.
But neither Cain nor Blaziken became too tense, because... the moment had almost arrived!
Do not forget that both Blaziken and Mega Blaziken have the ability Speed Boost.
As time passed, Mega Blaziken's speed would become higher and higher. Before, it had not been too obvious because it had been fighting at close range against Conkeldurr, but now this was indeed the proper moment.
Conkeldurr was still advancing without pause, but just as Rock Tomb was about to immobilize Mega Blaziken, it flipped in midair, bent its knees, and, forcing its body against the inertia of the previous blow, drew two long marks across the ground.
But thanks to that, Mega Blaziken managed to stop itself.
Its legs tensed instantly and it shot forward like a bullet, charging head-on toward Conkeldurr.
"So fast!" Seeing that Mega Blaziken did not retreat but instead advanced, Alder's pupils contracted. He finally felt that something was wrong: that speed was far too high! It was not at all on the same level as before.
In barely a thought, Alder understood it: that Mega Blaziken's ability was none other than Speed Boost!
But by the time he understood, Mega Blaziken was already right in front of Conkeldurr.
Fire Punch!
After clashing once against Conkeldurr's fist, it did not remain locked there, but instead perfectly chained into Aerial Ace, spinning three hundred and sixty degrees around Conkeldurr, avoiding being entangled and opening distance.
Swords Dance!
Seeing Mega Blaziken's movements and speed, Alder knew that, with Conkeldurr's current speed, it could no longer catch up. Then the only thing left for him was to look for a chance to counterattack when the opponent attacked; perhaps he would still have an opportunity.
At that moment, the initiative of the battle was no longer on his side, but in the hands of the opponent.
Conkeldurr returned to its concrete pillars, grasped both with both hands, hoisted them onto its shoulders, and while looking at Mega Blaziken using Swords Dance, also used Bulk Up.
Mega Blaziken directly used Swords Dance to bring its boosts to the maximum, and then immediately charged toward Conkeldurr. This was the moment when it had the greatest chance of winning; it had to seize it now.
As it advanced, it spat red-gold flames from its mouth.
Conkeldurr spun the concrete pillars with both hands and blocked the flames outside its body.
But Mega Blaziken had never truly expected Flamethrower to have any effect; what it wanted most was to block the opponent's vision.
Pierce through the flames!
Aerial Ace!
It spun and appeared behind Conkeldurr, bent its knees, leaned its body forward, and threw a punch.
Sky Uppercut!
With a single strike it launched Conkeldurr into the sky, and instantly its knees also tensed; the explosive force of its legs violently propelled it upward, kicking up a cloud of dust from the already battered ground.
In the blink of an eye, Mega Blaziken jumped even higher than Conkeldurr.
This was Blaziken's strongest solo combo!
It raised one leg, pure golden flames condensed upon it, and from above it kicked down toward Conkeldurr.
"Now is the moment! Conkeldurr!" Alder's eyes, which had remained narrowed the entire time, opened abruptly. He had caught the most dangerous instant, but also the most precise one.
Because with this attack from Mega Blaziken, it was not going to dodge!
Although Conkeldurr was in the air, a milky white aura shone over its fist: Focus Punch!
It had already begun condensing Focus Punch while it was blocking Mega Blaziken's Flamethrower.
(End of Chapter)