"Vacuum Wave!" Chris took the lead.
This time, he didn't start with Fake Out. Both Pokémon on the field had slow movement speed, so rushing in wasn't ideal. The first to engage in a melee would give their opponent time to prepare a buff.
In battles , the one who attacks first often falls at a disadvantage.
Different rivals require different strategies. Sticking to a single approach only makes it easier for opponents to predict your moves.
Hariyama reached out with its right hand, forming a swirling cyclone of energy. Compared to the last time it battled Amy, the flow of Vacuum Wave was faster and more stable.
When the speed of Vacuum Wave reaches a new level, and the power of aura can be condensed within it without dispersing, the development of Aura Sphere will be complete!
Hariyama hurled the cyclone forward, which spiraled through the air, releasing a white shock wave.
"Avoid it!" Noah commanded, aware that Hariyama's Vacuum Wave had a wide range.
Throh quickly sidestepped to dodge.
Then it noticed that the large Hariyama was charging forward, its heavy steps like a collapsing mountain. Though its speed wasn't fast, the sheer weight behind it made the approach feel oppressive, like a slow-moving tank.
Noah couldn't help but think, *It's like facing a meat bomb!*
"Rock Smash!" Chris called out. The Vacuum Wave was merely a setup, forcing Throh to act and allowing Hariyama to close in.
As soon as the Vacuum Wave dissipated, Hariyama was upon Throh. Its massive fist clenched, glinting with silver light as it struck with Rock Smash.
While Rock Smash itself isn't incredibly powerful, if it lands, it can lower the opponent's defense!
"Counter with Vital Throw!" Noah ordered, quickly launching a counteroffensive.
As Hariyama's fist came crashing down, Throh skillfully slapped it away with one hand—this was a unique technique Noah's Throh had mastered.
Slapping away the attack wasn't just deflecting Rock Smash—it also triggered Vital Throw's guaranteed hit, redirecting the force to avoid taking serious damage.
In previous battles, whenever Throh got in close, it always performed well!
With a dull thud, Throh's palm deflected Hariyama's fist, the force redirected.
Once it knocked Hariyama's fist aside, Throh crouched and lunged forward, preparing to grab its massive opponent and hurl it to the ground.
For an experienced wrestling Pokémon like Throh, once it grabbed hold, it could chain throws, potentially incapacitating its rival.
Despite Hariyama's half-ton weight, Throh saw it as just a heavier sandbag. After all, Throh had thrown plenty of rivals of similar size.
But something unexpected happened this time. Fınd the newest release on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮※𝓷𝓮𝓽
Throh slapped Hariyama's Rock Smash away, but before it could follow through, the left palm that had deflected the attack was hit with an overwhelming force.
With immense force, Hariyama's powerful palm connected with Throh's body, blasting it uncontrollably into the wall behind Noah with a heavy thud.
"Rock Smash combined with Force Palm!"
This was a skill Chris had developed for his Hariyama. Hariyama had mastered this move even before Chris's Combusken!
"Finish it with Arm Thrust!" Chris ordered.
Hariyama surged forward, its massive palms moving with blinding speed.
The shadows of its hands rained down! In the games, Arm Thrust hits 2-5 times, but in reality, it was a barrage—five hits? If the opponent couldn't dodge, it could be more like fifty!
"Wide Guard!" Noah called out calmly.
Throh quickly spread its arms, and a large khaki-colored Barrier rose from the ground, poised to block all incoming attacks.
However, the seemingly solid barrier held for only three seconds before it was shattered under Hariyama's relentless assault. The wide wall crumbled, and Hariyama's palm strikes landed relentlessly on Throh's body.
Throh trembled violently, like a target being pummeled by a rapid-fire barrage.
Each slap from Hariyama's Arm Thrust was infused with the power of Force Palm, slightly slowing the strikes but greatly amplifying their power. The combination turned Arm Thrust into a doubled assault, both rapid and brutal.
Ten seconds later, Hariyama withdrew its palms and stepped back.
The wall behind Noah was riddled with dents, and Throh, embedded in it, seemed fused to the surface. The fine cracks surrounding Throh showed it had been driven into the wall as if hammered in by Hariyama's brutal assault.
"Throh is unable to battle! Hariyama is the winner!" the referee declared.
The crowd reacted with a mix of boos and murmurs.
"Seriously? The battle department's sophomore chief just got wrecked by a freshman? I could've done better!" one senior from the breeding department scoffed.
A few skeptical onlookers even whispered about potential match-fixing, but those familiar with battling knew better.
Noah hadn't earned his top rank through handouts. He had fought countless tough Pokémon battles to get where he was. Still, seeing him lose to a freshman was a shock, and many in the crowd struggled to believe it.
"Maybe the battle department is going soft on the breeding department?" someone speculated wildly.
But trainers with a deep understanding of the match realized that Noah's loss made sense. Both Hariyama and Throh were power-type Pokémon, but Chris had never allowed Noah a chance to gain the upper hand. Hariyama's relentless offense kept Throh pinned down throughout the battle.
Even when Throh tried to counter, Hariyama's strange strength overwhelmed it, leaving no opportunity for a comeback. It was a decisive and well-earned victory for Chris.
"Chief, what are you doing?" one of the battle club members whispered to Noah, visibly concerned after the defeat.
"Watch," Noah responded coldly.
The battle club members fell silent.
On the battlefield, Noah quietly recalled his fainted Throh and tossed his second Poké Ball into the air.
The ball opened mid-flight.
"Roar!!!" A thunderous roar echoed across the arena as Charizard appeared, its flames blazing fiercely.