"Giant Swamp Monster, be careful, the opponent is very strong!"
After Garchomp lost, Tao Shengjie quickly sent out his second Pokemon, which was also his Beginner Elf, the Giant Swamp Monster!
Giant Swamp Monster, the final evolution of Mudkip, resembles a swamp fish, with a blue body, immense strength, and the capability to smash giant rocks to bits with a simple wave of its rock-hard arms.
By this time, the rain had already lessened, but it was still falling.
The Giant Swamp Monster's fins trembled slightly, sensing the subtle changes in the wind.
"Rawr!" Dragonite, sensing that its opponent was a strength-based contestant, roared with fighting spirit.
Instantaneously, the dark clouds dissipated.
At the same time, the muscles in the Giant Swamp Monster's limbs bulged with veins.
Boom!
With a powerful stomp, the Giant Swamp Monster exerted force from its entire body, charging towards Dragonite at great speed.
Tao Shengjie clenched his teeth... Heat Wave and Blizzard were forgivable, but he didn't believe this Dragonite could use Flying Leaf Storm as well!
The Giant Swamp Monster was strong, but its speed didn't fall short; its strength transformed into explosive power, propelling its speed!
Facing the oncoming assailant, Dragonite did not sit idle; it flapped its wings in preparation to take to the sky and stirred up Fujin to cause interference.
However, faced with several Fujin, the Giant Swamp Monster didn't even bother dodging and took them head-on, roaring as it burst forth with even greater speed, rapidly reaching Dragonite's side.
"It's a Patient Style move," the masters recognized the status of the Giant Swamp Monster.
Patient Style moves, enduring attacks forcibly, then transforming the received damage into power. Any Pokemon daring to use this move is undoubtedly equipped with exceptional physical qualities and a fierce battle style!
"Ice Punch!"
The instant it reached Dragonite, the Giant Swamp Monster's entire arm was enshrouded in blue light. The Ice Punch rapidly formed, frost bursting forth, carrying a powerful force towards Dragonite!
Whoom!
Feeling the surge in the air, Dragonite's reaction speed peaked, it sidestepped, dodging the lethal punch. However, a flash of light in the Giant Swamp Monster's eyes meant it quickly caught up to Dragonite's speed, using Recognize to predict Dragonite's evasive action.
The right fist missed, but the left fist surged forward with force!
Bang!
Yet the attack didn't catch Fang Yuan and Dragonite off guard as Tao Shengjie had imagined.
Dragonite's Perception Skills were about controlling the bigger picture. As the Giant Swamp Monster released the chill from its left fist, Dragonite quickly reacted.
Its fist shot forward, red energy swirling around it, condensing the Heat Wave Move into this punch, forming a Fire Punch, clashing with the Ice Punch.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The collision of fists caused a mass of white fog between ice and fire. Within the fog, both Pokemon were pushed back several steps.
Dragonite took two steps back,
Giant Swamp Monster took five steps back.
It was immediately clear who was stronger and who was weaker.
"The reaction speed and strength are also so astonishing," Tao Shengjie's pupils shrank; this Dragonite was not just like a wind mage but also terribly like a wind assassin, a wind warrior.
It had actually forced back his Giant Swamp Monster... Is this Pokemon a monster…?
"Want a brawl?" Fang Yuan gave the command, "Dragonite, Wing Attack!"
"Rawr!" Hearing Fang Yuan's command, Dragonite understood his intention, aiming to defeat the opponent in what it does best!
The currents swirled around, Tailwind was activated, enhancing speed. With the air currents under control, Dragonite moved with high-speed movement, flying low towards the Giant Swamp Monster.
Seeing the rapidly approaching Dragonite, the Giant Swamp Monster looked grave, feeling immense pressure.
With a "thump," Dragonite dodged the Giant Swamp Monster's Ice Punch and then the terrible Hurricane swirling around its wings flung the Giant Swamp Monster flying!
Dragonite's assault did not cease; with a flap of its wings and a shift of its gaze, it followed the direction in which the Giant Swamp Monster was sent flying.
In the process, Dragonite, aiming for efficiency, decided to take hits like the Giant Swamp Monster, launching attacks without the Patient Style, which made its fighting style seem even more ferocious than the Giant Swamp Monster's recent display!
"This..."
The ferocious style of Dragonite turned Tao Shengjie's face dark with fear; damn, that's terrifying.
"Dragon Claw!"
As he issued the command, Fang Yuan chuckled inwardly.
If Dragonite had just straightforwardly used Heat Wave, Blizzard, and Hurricane, the Giant Swamp Monster might not have suffered so badly.
Because… Dragonite's body was like a treasure chest, a Pandora's box.
When opened, the limits it burst with were unpredictable, even to Fang Yuan.
Remember, when facing a sleepwalking Dragonite, Monferno, in its Lightning Armor state, was sprinting towards it and was nearly killed by a Wing Attack the instant it got near!
At that time, Dragonite's close combat capability was absolutely at the master level.
Even now in an awake state, Dragonite's physical condition is still there.
How could a body that can withstand such a level of strength possibly be weak?
As for how strong Dragonite's physical condition is, it might be tougher than Monferno.
The most direct method to awaken a sleepwalking Dragonite is to fight it awake. On Dragon Island, Fang Yuan didn't know how many times the Quick Dragon Envoy was woken up by a group of master level spirits, but during the hundred days of special training, Fang Yuan did provide special training to Dragonite.
Eevee and Glutton ganged up to beat the sleepy Dragonite.
The Multiple Scales Dragonite already had astonishing defensive power.
In the hundred days of special training, the most common occurrence at the end, to awaken Dragonite, was Eevee and Glutton's barrage of attacks which merely woke Dragonite from its Rest state.
Besides that, the awake Dragonite didn't spar sparingly with Monferno, either.
With amazing defensive power, a good reaction speed, and the ability to fly, capable of both close and ranged combat, Dragonite's comprehensive abilities are not inferior to Eevee's. Maybe Dragonite's various powers in an awake state haven't reached the professional level's peak, but its comprehensive abilities allowed it to fight above its level, just like Eevee!
In battle, it's only others who get outclassed by Dragonite, and anyone wishing to outclass Dragonite would need Milotic's beauty.
Eventually, when Dragonite in an awake state masters Godspeed moves, combined with the flow perception skills, then in the professional field it would truly be a massacre...
Boom!!
Dragonite's current battle style has taken after Monferno, who could be considered its close combat mentor, with wing, tail, fist, claw—every powerful part has become a weapon for Dragonite. Its fierce Hurricane assault left the Giant Swamp Monster gasping for breath. Seizing the moment when the Giant Swamp Monster couldn't react, Dragonite delivered a Wing Attack and smacked it to the ground. Its combat skills were no longer those of the naive dragon that had just come from Dragon Island.
"Giant Swamp Monster has lost fighting capacity, Dragonite wins. Please, Tao Shengjie, send out your next Pokémon."
So strong!!
Seeing Dragonite so effortlessly defeat two of Tao Shengjie's Pokémon, many in the audience were shocked, and the professional coaches and master level trainers were also surprised by Fang Yuan's ferocity.
Both Milotic and Dragonite were trained by Fang Yuan to be very well-rounded. It would be too difficult for ordinary professional level trainers to defeat Fang Yuan.
"Does this Fang Yuan have a master?" On the main stand, after seeing Tao Shengjie send out his third Pokémon, the former Four Heavenly Kings member Yanhua asked curiously.
"Hahaha, he probably doesn't have a master, and now there are probably not many trainers who dare to be his master," answered Master Ma Chenzong of the Twelve Earthly Branches, watching the battle intensely.
The information he had gathered suggested that Fang Yuan's growth was almost entirely self-reliant, with school learning and dojo experiences, but only within normal teacher-student relationships, never having taken a specific master.
Now, probably no ordinary professional trainer would dare claim they could teach Fang Yuan. Even a one-star professional master would need to weigh their options, especially since Fang Yuan, apart from being a trainer, also held the title of senior researcher!
With these dual statuses, only trainers of the Twelve Earthly Branches level would dare to take on Fang Yuan as a disciple.
...
"In the semi-finals, Magical Fang Yuan once again sweeps with a one versus three approach, unstoppable in momentum!"
"The final battle between Magic University and Imperial University ends in a tragic defeat for Imperial University!"
"Zhuo Yue of Hua University chooses not to respond. Does this represent an admission of inferiority?"
Against an ordinary professional trainer like Tao Shengjie, Fang Yuan naturally won without difficulty. This guy's level was about the same as Ji Yan's.
If Fang Yuan hadn't held back at that time, he probably could have one versus three defeated Ji Yan as well.
Fang Yuan wasn't particularly interested in the media's portrayal of the feud between Magic University and Imperial University, but he was quite interested in the upcoming battle between Zhuo Yue and Ji Yan.
Perhaps due to a lack of confidence, Zhuo Yue didn't dare to lead with his ace, instead chose to follow Fang Yuan's rhythm and go for a one versus three; rather, he sent out his other strong Pokémon first, with Huge Gold Monster in reserve for last.
"This Zhuo Yue is very steady this time, and it's possible that the school has given him tactical guidance; otherwise, he could not have so easily beaten Ji Yan," Tang Sheng regretfully said in the Magic University audience seats after seeing the result of the other semi-final match.
Zhuo Yue was overall stronger than Ji Yan, and tactically flawless, ultimately Ji Yan was the one to lose.
Fang Yuan's prediction came true, except it was not Ji Yan throwing the match, but a genuine loss due to inferior skill.
"Anyway, just leave it to me for what's next; you guys just get ready for the third-place match and the team battle," Fang Yuan said.
"Do you want to respond to him first?" Tang Sheng referred to Zhuo Yue.
After defeating Ji Yan, Zhuo Yue immediately made a statement to the media explaining why he changed his battle style and why he didn't lead with Huge Gold Monster.
In response, Zhuo Yue said, "To find out who is stronger, we must battle. A one versus three does not prove anything. In this national competition, Hua University will win!!"
This was pretty much no different from a champion's declaration, and many schools that didn't make it to the main competition had made such statements just to boost morale, so it wasn't something to be concerned about.
However, just before the finals, Tang Sheng felt that a response from Fang Yuan might be more effective.
Tang Sheng had experienced Fang Yuan's trash talk firsthand and believed that Fang Yuan could massively boost Magic University's morale, which would also benefit their upcoming team battle.
"Sure," Fang Yuan said nonchalantly.
One hour later.
An extremely arrogant, supremely domineering statement that the media dubbed the strongest taunt in history appeared.
"In the finals, I will lead with Monferno."
Fang Yuan, directly informed his upcoming opponent of his lead Pokémon...