Cynthia held Eevee with a reluctant expression and took a seat on the field for a display battle.
Haunter, eager to participate, playfully pinched Cynthia's shoulder, unfazed by the intense gaze from Garchomp.
Unable to resist her curiosity, Claire cleared her throat and asked, "Ms. Cynthia, how did you manage to invite... Lu, Teacher Luke?"
"I stayed over at his place last night and then came here together," Cynthia replied nonchalantly.
"Huh? ∑(っ°Д°;)っ"
Being quite uninformed about such matters, Cynthia was puzzled by Claire's reaction. "Is something wrong?"
Claire shook her head vigorously and stammered, "Let's... let's just focus on the match first!"
Cynthia nodded gently, her attention fixed on the two Trainers on the field.
Teacher Luke's prowess... I should be able to gauge it after a few rounds!
...
On the field, having just engaged in a battle, Luke squinted and focused entirely on the upcoming showdown.
This Trainer had received Red's high praise.
Though this was a loan battle, it would still put both participants' in-the-moment decision-making abilities to the test.
Lance hailed from the esteemed Dragon Tamer Clan, making him well-acquainted with Claire's Dragon Type Pokémon and capable of handling them adeptly.
However, Teacher Luke... Would Cynthia's Pokémon truly follow his commands?
They were the Pokémon of a Champion Trainer, after all!
Should the Pokémon fail to heed the instructions, it would reflect Trainer's inadequacy, making this battle irrelevant!
Lance furrowed his brows, somewhat concerned.
Luke, on the other hand, was anxious about Spiritomb getting hurt.
"If things get tough, you can always play possum. I'm just an amateur, so don't exert yourself!" Luke whispered to Spiritomb.
"Crack..." The design on Spiritomb's fan-like appendage took on a faint reddish hue and wavered slightly.
Claire took on the role of referee, snapping her whip and striking the ground with a sharp crack.
"The match begins!"
Lance's cloak fluttered as he released a Poké Ball, declaring, "Go, Druddigon!"
"Hoo!"
Druddigon, with its dark green scales and red head, stood firmly on two legs and let out a fierce roar.
Luke raised an eyebrow as he observed this formidable Druddigon.
Though it was indeed one of Claire's trump cards...
Druddigon was the disgrace of Dragon Type Pokémon!
Even though Garchomp, an Earth Dragon, could fly, the winged Druddigon couldn't. It was downright ironic!
Despite its laughable appearance, Druddigon's forced ability still granted it considerable attacking power.
Checking the moves in the Pokédex, Luke noticed that Druddigon was capable of attacking with fierce moves. If Spiritomb's Foul Play connected, it might even secure victory.
Seeing Spiritomb obediently following commands, Luke nodded to himself.
"Is the Ghost Type going to demonstrate some future tactics to Haunter?" Lance inquired, causing Haunter's eyes to light up as it became engrossed in observing.
Luke:...
I didn't plan on it. Don't jump to conclusions!
Although I managed to defeat Cynthia in a game...
This is different from the game; it's a real contest against a Champion-level Trainer.
Luke took a deep breath, gradually calming his nerves as his gaze turned sharper.
So, you're finally taking this seriously?
Lance's lips curled slightly, and he spoke coldly, "Druddigon, use Dragon Claw!"
"Roar——!!!"
With a fierce roar, Druddigon brandished its dark green claws, charging towards Spiritomb on the open field like a war chariot.
Given Spiritomb's lack of mobility, it was relying solely on its defensive attributes.
"Spiritomb, hold your ground!"
Spiritomb's fan-like appendage snapped shut.
As Druddigon closed in, Luke's voice rang out, "Foul Play!"
The fan-like appendage opened abruptly, casting an eerie light upon Spiritomb's green eyes.
Foul Play: It utilized the opponent's power to replace its own in an attack. The greater the opponent's attack, the higher the damage inflicted!
Yet, just as the eerie light blossomed, Druddigon vanished underground before Spiritomb, causing the Foul Play to miss its target.
Du smiled subtly. "Bite the dust! Use Earthquake!"
Hong long!
Emerging from beneath Spiritomb's feet, Druddigon crashed into it, serving as a buffer to draw Spiritomb closer to the ground with force!
...
"Lance just anticipated Spiritomb's Foul Play," Claire muttered from the sidelines.
Cynthia propped her cheek on her hand, noting, "Once the weak spot is exposed, Lance's assault will likely prove unstoppable."
"Unless..." Cynthia squinted her eyes thoughtfully.
Just as Druddigon and Spiritomb were about to hit the ground, Luke's voice turned icy. "Now, Sucker Punch!"
If the opponent initiated an offensive move, Sucker Punch would strike first.
"Get out of the Earthquake's center!"
Just as the Earthquake was about to hit the ground nearby, Spiritomb broke free from Druddigon's grip, its body flickering and reappearing more than a meter away from Druddigon.
Lance bellowed, "Druddigon, keep using Earthquake!"
"Roar——!"
With a resounding crash, Druddigon landed on the ground, causing it to split open. A powerful shockwave surged toward Spiritomb, sending it hurtling into the air.
Lance wasted no time and quickly issued his next command: "Gunk Shot!"
A surge of deep purple Poison Type energy emanated from Druddigon's claws.
With a power of 120 and a formidable strength of 150 due to Druddigon's 'Sheer Force' ability, Gunk Shot was a deadly Poison Type physical attack move. The combination of this move, along with the earlier Earthquake and Dig, would undoubtedly incapacitate Spiritomb.
This bout illuminated the true strength of this group of Trainers for Luke.
Real battles with Elite Trainers left no room to catch one's breath. Every second was filled with instinctive tactical decisions.
Luke found himself pressed for time.
In a matter of minutes, Spiritomb's energy had dwindled like a candle in the wind.
Yet, Luke was taking a gamble.
He was wagering on Lance's refusal to settle for a tie.
"Spiritomb, use Destiny Bond!"
Lance narrowed his eyes and ordered, "Druddigon, maintain distance!"
This rare respite gave Luke a chance to breathe.
Destiny Bond's glow started to shimmer just as Gunk Shot approached. In a split second, Luke altered his command, "Evade! Use Pain Split!"
With an 80% hit rate, Gunk Shot was never a guaranteed hit, even without Druddigon dodging.
Being Cynthia's Pokémon, Spiritomb deftly dodged the attack mid-air, and as it landed, it stabilized its stance. Unexpectedly, a ghostly hand suddenly emerged!
This ghostly appendage extended, and with its Lock On like ability, it ensnared Druddigon's neck. The arm seemed like an umbilical cord, channeling energy into Spiritomb continuously.
Pain Split: Adds the physical strength of both parties and divides it equally.
"Roar——!!!"
Druddigon let out a pained roar as the spectral hand gradually dimmed before eventually disappearing.
...
In a dire situation, Luke forced Lance to expose a vulnerability.
Claire, with furrowed brows, couldn't help but nod in admiration.
This guy's real-time decision-making is truly masterful!
"It's a very risky move," Cynthia remarked, her brows knitted. "But... he's still at a disadvantage!"
...
Although Pain Split had landed, Luke couldn't afford to let his guard down.
Druddigon sprung into action, delivering a powerful blow to Spiritomb, sending it flying back more than three meters!
Lance, with arms raised, bellowed, "Druddigon, use Earthquake!"
Lance maintained the offensive momentum, making it nearly impossible for Spiritomb to recover. Despite the grim situation, Luke had to clench his teeth.
"Hypnosis!"
However, what happened next surprised everyone.
In this battered condition, Spiritomb managed to cast Hypnosis, causing Druddigon to halt mid-attack.
Even Luke couldn't help but mutter, "Impressive."
While others relied on luck, I'm striving to manipulate probabilities.
To everyone's astonishment, Cynthia smiled gently. "I have complete faith in Spiritomb."
Even Lance, his brows furrowed, muttered in a low voice, "Druddigon, use Sleep Talk!"
Sleep Talk allowed a sleeping Pokémon to randomly execute a move it had learned.
Druddigon's random move turned out to be Dragon Claw, boasting impressive strength even when asleep.
If Spiritomb had used Dream Eater, Druddigon would have been defeated right away. However, Sleep Talk disabled Druddigon from evading Destiny Bond.
Luke finally breathed a sigh of relief, nearly collapsing.
"Spiritomb, Destiny Bond."
Druddigon's Dragon Claw effortlessly tore through Spiritomb's defenses.
The eerie glow of Destiny Bond enveloped both Druddigon and Spiritomb, causing them to fall simultaneously.
Luke versus Dragon Tamer Lance.
It's a tie!
Upon reviewing the battle, Luke noted that only three rounds had transpired.
In no more than five minutes, Luke was drenched in sweat.
This experience reinforced Luke's belief that being a Trainer was no easy feat.
It's all about betting on mentality, probabilities, and strategic plays...
Without a strong resolve, the risk of losing a Pokémon suddenly was too great.
Luke couldn't help but curse the system for issuing such a challenging task.
If it hadn't been for the fortunate outcome of Hypnosis...
This reward would've been entirely out of reach!
Wiping his brow, Luke muttered to himself, "That was a close call... Thankfully, I have some useful skills!"