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"Caw~~!"
At Kuroishi's command, Fearow, nearly exhausted, let out a screech to rally his remaining energy. With one final burst, he dove toward Bellossom, determined to bring down this seemingly indomitable opponent.
"Now, Bellossom! This is our chance to counterattack! Jump into the water and use Nature Power!" Sato called out.
Watching his opponent, blinded by the illusion of victory, finally sense the shift in the battle, Sato swiftly issued Bellossom her next command. In this drawn-out "frog in warm water" battle, Fearow had unwittingly become the "frog." The pool, over ten meters deep, had hardly reached the boiling point Kuroishi had hoped to achieve with his non-Fire-type Fearow's Heat Wave attack.
It was a wildly ambitious strategy to use Heat Wave to bring this large pool—12 meters long, 6 meters wide, and several meters deep—to a boil to "steam" Bellossom into defeat. But credit was due: Kuroishi had trained his Fearow exceptionally well in both stamina and Heat Wave proficiency, almost succeeding in his plan.
Fortunately, Bellossom's resilience won out, allowing the battle's momentum to shift in her favor.
Fearow's last-ditch dive attack was no match for Bellossom, who had the advantage of steady recovery. Now moving slower than before, Fearow closed in on Bellossom, who, staying composed, followed Sato's orders. She endured the scorching water's pain and poured her energy into Nature Power.
In an instant, a massive water column shot upward, striking Fearow just as he swooped down, sending him crashing into the pool below.
While Bellossom submerged in the pool and unleashed Nature Power, the move transformed into a high-pressure Hydro Pump, launching a powerful blast of steaming water.
"Caw~~~!"
Fearow now felt the searing pain Bellossom had endured in the heated water, but as a creature of flesh and blood, his suffering was far more intense. He let out a heart-wrenching screech, only to faint from the sheer agony. Drifting on the water's surface, Fearow looked like a "cooked" bird, his body trembling slightly to show he was still conscious.
"Return, Fearow."
Before the referee could announce the results, Kuroishi, his expression dark, hurriedly recalled his Fearow and quickly left the arena. Despite his frustration, Kuroishi's care for his Pokémon was evident.
"Fearow is unable to battle, so the winner of this match is Sato and his Bellossom!"
With Kuroishi forfeiting, the referee raised his flag, officially ending this nearly half-hour endurance match.
"Clap, clap, clap~~~"
The audience, moved by Bellossom's comeback, erupted in enthusiastic applause, their cheers filling the stadium once more.
Despite the victory, Sato showed no sign of happiness on his face. He knew all too well how hard-fought this win had truly been.
The victory in this battle was largely due to the advantage of the terrain. Had it not been for the water field, Bellossom would have been defeated early on.
After all, Heat Wave is an area attack move that Bellossom couldn't simply dodge. It was only thanks to the ample water source in the field that Bellossom could endure until Fearow exhausted his energy.
For Sato, this Pokémon battle felt like a tough win.
Of course, to the spectators, Sato's command was highly commendable, as he turned the tide bit by bit using terrain and tactics. To manage a comeback against such a relentless strategy showcased his impressive skills.
Additionally, Bellossom's performance revealed Sato's unique training methods. It was not only his excellent direction but also Bellossom's resilience and Sato's effective training that laid the foundation for this victory.
After the battle, Sato discreetly gave Bellossom a gem-grade PokeBlock and recalled her with a PokeBall, swiftly leaving the battle platform.
He then entered the contestant passage and explained his purpose to the staff, who led him to the medical room in the battle facility.
Kuroishi was also there, asking a female doctor to have her Clefable use Heal Pulse on his Fearow. Under Clefable's gentle waves, Fearow's severe burns quickly started to heal, and the worsening injuries were brought under control and began to recover.
"You won't be so lucky next time. Remember that; I'll settle this on the battlefield sooner or later," Kuroishi said, his face dark, as he recalled Fearow with a PokeBall. He then prepared to head to a Pokémon Center with better treatment facilities for more comprehensive care for Fearow.
"I look forward to our next battle as well, but I assure you, next time, victory won't come this hard," Sato replied with an impassive expression. As he responded, he released Bellossom and asked the female doctor to treat her as well.
Without saying another word, Kuroishi shot Sato a final glare, then stormed out of the medical room.
After back-to-back victories against Taro Ishida and Kuroishi—both trainers with decent reputations in this facility—Sato was becoming well-known himself. Being good-natured, he drew a crowd of medical staff around him to discuss the recent battle while waiting for Bellossom's treatment to finish.
By 11:00 AM, Sato left the facility, having taken on seven more challengers during his time there.
Unlike his previous opponents, these seven trainers were relatively weaker, and Sato held the advantage in four of those matches. With Golbat and Bellossom's strong abilities, his system's detection feature, and his own strategic command, he managed to secure wins in these seven battles, extending his winning streak.
Through these intense, one-on-one encounters, Golbat and Bellossom gained significant battle experience. With the system's analysis, Sato noted that Golbat and Bellossom had leveled up to levels 28 and 29, respectively.
"It's true—only by battling opponents of the same level can Pokémon grow better. Constantly fighting weaker opponents would only hinder their progress," Sato thought to himself as he walked along the bustling street.