NOVEL NEXT Chapter 351: The Style Went Off the Rails
Many spectators initially had the same thought as the commentator, but precisely because what he said seemed so reasonable, the subsequent bizarre turn of events made his jinx seem all the more potent!
In the Devon Cup, Bella and Justin's coordination was nowhere near its current level. The changes within the Starlight and Frost team were not something outsiders could see.
So, the commentator's original judgment was perfectly in line with public perception.
But then, some unexpected variables appeared.
It made people want to shout, "The Great Sage Hwang's magic is boundless!"
Even his on-air partner teased him, "Maybe you should just not talk for the rest of this."
"..."
After this round, the overall score was now 6-2.
If they were playing by the old rules, Starlight and Frost would have already secured the victory.
But the new rules left room for a comeback.
If the Otter Team could win the next doubles match, and then create a two-point difference in the captain's battle, the outcome of this competition would still be up in the air.
For the final doubles match, the Starlight and Frost team naturally sent out the team's little bosses: the sisters, Ivy and Bianca.
And they were facing the Otter Team's newly reinforced rain-and-thunder combo.
The current rain-and-thunder combo usually consists of a Raichu paired with a Politoed. Of course, the damage dealer could also be a Kingdra instead of a Raichu, but they didn't make that switch for this match.
On Ivy and Bianca's side, it was still their Ninetales and Froslass combination.
The moment the match started, both sides went at it with fierce intensity!
Because the very first strategic point was to fight for the weather!
Both sides had a Pokémon that could summon dark clouds with its ability. The sky above the arena was instantly covered by two cloud masses.
On the left, it was raining. On the right, it was snowing.
Then, as the two clouds drew closer and began to clash, the field was soon covered in a mix of rain and snow.
And due to the intense clash between the two clouds, the energy within was released rapidly, and the scale of the sleet was astonishing.
It got to the point where both commentators had to wipe their faces mid-sentence.
At the same time, both sides issued their opening commands with lightning speed!
"Ninetales, Aurora Veil!"
"Froslass, use Hail!"
"Raichu, Thunder!"
"Politoed, use Rain Dance!"
Each side had one Pokémon responsible for charging their respective clouds, simultaneously using a pseudo-weather move to fight for dominance over the weather.
And their partners took the opportunity to start their offense and defense!
However, Ninetales's Aurora Veil was flickering in and out due to the interference of the rain and snow, like an old TV with a bad signal.
And Raichu's Thunder, because the two clouds were clashing, was no longer as swift as it used to be.
The arc of lightning traveled through the clouds at an erratic pace.
It was this one-second delay that gave the two sisters a chance to react.
"Go underground, Froslass!"
"Provide cover, Ninetales!"
Raichu's primary target for the lightning strike was the Froslass in the rear that was fighting for the weather. But because the lightning wasn't fast enough, it gave Froslass time to prepare. She used her innate ghostly ability to turn intangible and遁入地下.
At the same time, Ninetales rushed to provide cover, taking the full force of the lightning with its Aurora Veil.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, the signal for the Aurora Veil stabilized and didn't lag, causing the ultimate move's effect to fall far short of expectations.
But the Otter Team's rain-and-thunder combo didn't just sit back and wait.
"Raichu, attack!"
The opposing team gave a command that was completely different from their style in previous years.
The changes to the rain-and-thunder combo this year weren't just about getting a new weather-setter. Their core damage dealer, Yujin, after a quiet season last year, had finally made a major change to his personal playstyle!
Now, he was no longer as heavily reliant on Thunder for his damage output.
Although Raichu still kept Thunder as its trump card, in some situations, it was no longer afraid of a conventional fight.
"Use Iron Tail!"
Targeting Ninetales's weakness, he used the doubly super-effective Steel-type move, Iron Tail!
But Ivy was not afraid of him.
"Ninetales, use Psyshock!"
The moment Yujin had commanded his Raichu to press forward, Ivy had already guessed that he was planning to exploit Ninetales's weakness with a dirty trick. So her command came a beat before his.
Arthur wasn't the only one who could read his opponents.
Ninetales's eyes glowed, and a torrent of psychic power, condensed into physical bullets, rained down on Raichu!
Although Psyshock is a special attack, it deals physical damage, which greatly interfered with Raichu's tail-swinging motion.
Ninetales seized the opportunity to duck its head, dodging the opponent's Iron Tail.
Then, Ninetales retreated, and Froslass moved forward. The two Pokémon executed a perfect give-and-go.
At first, Yujin was still not afraid.
Froslass had just been fighting with Politoed for the weather and was still in its cooldown period. Neither of them had any moves.
And because of the interference of the rain and snow, Froslass's Snow Cloak ability was also unstable, its optical camouflage flickering in and out, like a high-ping player with a bad internet connection.
"Raichu, continue the attack!" Yujin commanded with full confidence.
He believed that this time, he would surely prove himself. Even without the rain and lightning, his Raichu was still a hero!
But in the next second, Yujin's smile froze.
He watched, dumbfounded, as his Raichu, having just landed after its missed tail whip, before it could even adjust its stance or get its little hands into a boxing pose, was met by the charging Froslass. It grabbed one of Raichu's hands, spun around, and executed a clean and crisp shoulder throw!
"BAM!"
Raichu flipped nearly 270 degrees in the air and was slammed onto its back on the ground. For a moment, its mind went completely blank.
It was filled with the confusion of Who am I? Where am I? What just happened?
The commentators were so shocked they wiped their faces again and shouted with excitement.
"My heavens! Did I see that right?! Is—is that really a Froslass? Bianca's Froslass just took down the Otter Team's Raichu with a single blow!"
Froslass's image is that of a girl in a kimono.
In various ancient snow mountain legends, they also mostly appear as beautiful, ethereal snow maidens who like to lure travelers.
No matter the time, this Pokémon always looks so gentle and quiet, like a snow lotus blooming silently on a mountaintop.
A Pokémon with such a demeanor should be better at special attacks!
Not to mention, its Snow Cloak ability is famous for being tricky and unpredictable.
So why did this happen?
Why would a Froslass use such a skilled and violent shoulder throw?!
Raichu was stunned. Yujin was also stunned.
But on the sidelines, it was Luna who reacted first, slapping a hand to her own face.
This abnormal style… it instantly made her think of one person.
She felt that if this continued, the entire style and attitude of the Starlight and Frost team would be led astray by that one rookie!
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