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From the earlier exchange, it seemed on the surface that Golbat was on the defensive. However, with his wealth of battle experience, Thomas knew that Pelipper had been at a disadvantage during the encounter.
As the aggressor, failing to land an attack was already a loss in itself.
Moreover, Golbat's effortless evasion of Pelipper's Hydro Pump and its ability to counterattack demonstrated its exceptional reflexes.
Combined with its superior mobility, it would likely be extremely difficult for Pelipper to land a hit in subsequent attacks.
Meanwhile, during the skirmish, Golbat had maneuvered skillfully, closing the gap to less than six meters from Pelipper.
"Whirlwind Shield -Triad!"
Sato, who had been carefully observing the distance between Golbat and Pelipper, quickly issued his command.
At Sato's signal, Golbat's eyes flashed sharply. Enveloped by a refined aura of Flying-type energy, its wings flapped powerfully forward, unleashing three spiraling white whirlwinds.
These whirlwinds spun outward from their center in reverse directions, forming a triangular formation that swiftly surrounded the unsuspecting Pelipper.
Under Golbat's control, the three whirlwinds converged rapidly. The outward force of the winds made it difficult for Pelipper to break free from the encirclement.
As the whirlwinds drew closer, their winds collided violently, forming three invisible, impenetrable wind walls. Pelipper, trapped in this prison of gales, struggled to escape but found itself unable to break free.
Simultaneously, countless fine wind blades shot out from the three whirlwinds. Pelipper, caught in the stormy prison, was bombarded by the relentless barrage of these wind blades.
Within seconds, Pelipper's body was riddled with numerous small wounds, and the injuries were rapidly accumulating.
Golbat's mastery of Gust had reached new heights thanks to its increased level, improved physical abilities, and refined technique.
It could now summon and control up to four whirlwinds simultaneously when using Gust.
If focused entirely on a single whirlwind, Golbat could even create a massive, three-meter-wide cyclone within a five-meter radius in no time.
However, to adapt to battle strategies, Sato had instructed Golbat to modify Gust from a straightforward offensive move. Simply directing a single whirlwind at the opponent was too predictable and easy to dodge.
Additionally, forming the whirlwind took time, and a vigilant opponent could easily escape before it fully formed.
With Golbat's ability to summon multiple whirlwinds now enhanced, Sato envisioned more advanced techniques for the move's evolution.
For example, the current Gust didn't aim to trap the opponent immediately within a single whirlwind. Instead, it encircled the enemy with three whirlwinds, using their combined wind forces to slow down any attempts at escape.
Once the whirlwinds converged into an equilateral triangular formation, they formed an invisible wind wall that made it even harder for the opponent to break free.
Gust's offensive capabilities didn't just rely on the wind blades released by the whirlwinds. The wind pressure generated by the collisions of the wind walls was also a formidable source of damage.
"Don't panic! Use Hurricane to tear it apart!"
Seeing Pelipper trapped within the whirlwinds, unable to escape, Thomas's face turned grim. He urgently commanded Pelipper to unleash a powerful Hurricane to break free of Golbat's control.
With no other options, Pelipper cloaked itself in Flying-type energy and furiously flapped its wings. In an instant, a massive whirlwind formed around Pelipper, rivaling the three whirlwinds controlled by Golbat.
With Pelipper giving its all, the Hurricane it summoned rapidly expanded, eventually overpowering and shattering Golbat's three whirlwinds.
Just as Pelipper managed to break free from the whirlwinds, Golbat, who had been lying in wait, immediately unleashed a basketball-sized Shadow Ball aimed directly at its target.
Having expended all its strength to execute the Hurricane move and escape the wind prison, Pelipper was left in a vulnerable state, unable to muster the energy to evade the incoming attack.
"Boom!"
A loud explosion echoed as the Shadow Ball struck Pelipper head-on. Like a kite with a severed string, Pelipper plummeted to the rocky battlefield below, creating a cloud of dust that obscured its figure.
"Impressive! His Golbat seems to be even stronger than Bellossom!"
Anna, who had somehow produced a small notebook, was busily scribbling down detailed notes while her face lit up with excitement as she observed Golbat's dominance over Pelipper, whose level was nearly the same.
"Interesting. A simple Gust turned into something so creative. His battle instincts are exceptional."
Rhodes, watching from a high vantage point, grew visibly more serious. His hands gripped the railing tightly as his gaze locked onto the battlefield.
Meanwhile, several trainers among the spectators lining the edges of the battlefield exchanged surprised looks. The advanced and unconventional use of Gust had left them both astonished and contemplative.
"This is amazing! The way he's trained his Golbat is incredible," Nurse Joy, watching from the medical center, remarked with awe as she stared at the wall-mounted TV broadcasting the battle.
"Follow up with another Shadow Ball! Finish it off!"
Sato seized the opportunity, instructing Golbat to press the attack. With its echolocation ability, Golbat could clearly sense Pelipper's location amidst the dusty haze, as though it were a beacon in the night.
Another basketball-sized Shadow Ball formed and launched from Golbat's mouth.
"Don't give up! Use Protect!"
Thomas, hearing Sato's decisive command, paled and hastily called for Pelipper to deploy its sole defensive move in a desperate bid to continue the fight.
"Whoosh!"
The Shadow Ball tore through the dust, carving a hole in the veil of debris, and smashed into the shimmering green energy shield surrounding Pelipper.
Though the Protect move successfully blocked the attack, sparing Pelipper from further critical damage, it was only a temporary reprieve.
Pelipper remained grounded, lying in a crater on the rocky terrain. Unable to take flight, it was still an easy target for Golbat's relentless assault.
At Sato's command of "Swift," a barrage of glowing yellow star-shaped projectiles shot from Golbat's mouth, homing in on Pelipper.
The stars struck the struggling Pelipper with precision just as it began to rise from the crater.
After enduring a series of devastating attacks from Golbat, Pelipper finally collapsed, its body limp and motionless in the rocky crater, unresponsive to Thomas's frantic commands.
With that, the first round of the match concluded, and Sato secured a resounding victory, his Golbat having overwhelmed the opponent in a near-dominant display of power and strategy.
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Happy New Year guys! I hope this new year brings all of you much closer to your dreams.
Also, I'd like to announce that you can now read (up to 35+ (previously 25) advance chapters of [Pokemon: The Legendary Trainer] and up to 25 (previously 20) chapters of [Pokemon: I refuse to be a supporting character!) exclusively on my Patreon!