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Chris retrieved the fainted Blaziken into its Poké Ball.
He couldn't help but marvel at the overwhelming power of Norman's Slaking. Despite watching the battle closely, Chris still couldn't decipher the reason behind Slaking's terrifying strength. Whatever the secret was, its destructive power was undeniable.
But to uncover this mystery, Chris knew he had to defeat it first.
He reached for another Poké Ball on his belt and threw it into the battlefield.
Chris's second Pokémon was Greninja.
Against a powerhouse like Slaking, which could seemingly take down an entire team single-handedly, Chris knew better than to rely on Hariyama. That would only lead to a swift defeat before Hariyama could even land a hit. Even a Pokémon with a type advantage would likely be crushed by this monstrous opponent.
As for Garchomp, Chris decided it would be wiser to deploy Greninja instead—a speed-focused Pokémon that might outmaneuver Slaking's raw power.
Standing with its arms crossed, Greninja studied its opponent. From inside its Poké Ball, it had seen every moment of the previous battle. This Slaking was unlike any foe it had ever faced—stronger even than the likes of Tyranitar or Mega Camerupt.
Blaziken had fallen. Now, it was up to Greninja to secure victory for its Trainer.
"Greninja, use Substitute and then Water Shuriken!" Chris commanded, taking the offensive.
Greninja folded its hands in front of its face, its form flickering as it created a duplicate. The real Greninja and its Substitute now stood side by side, mirroring each other. It resembled a technique straight out of a ninja anime.
Both Greninja unleashed a flurry of Water Shuriken, creating streams of spinning water projectiles that darted toward Slaking.
"Arm Hammer!" Norman called out.
Slaking stood unshaken by the incoming attack. It took a step forward, absorbing the Water Shuriken directly with its sturdy body. Closing the distance to Greninja, Slaking raised its massive fist and leapt into the air, slamming down with tremendous force.
"Dodge to the sides!" Chris shouted.
Greninja and its Substitute split in opposite directions, leaping away just in time.
BOOM! Slaking's fist struck the ground with a deafening crash.
The impact devastated the battlefield, sending shockwaves through the arena. The protective barriers around Chris's position held firm, but everything else—the battlefield, walls, and nearby structures—crumbled and cracked under the force.
Chris glanced around, already picturing the aftermath. Renovations wouldn't cut it this time. Norman might need to call a full construction team to rebuild the place from scratch.
Spectators, including several trainers-in-training, peeked out from nearby rooms, drawn by the commotion. They couldn't believe their eyes.
Was Norman, the Gym Leader, going all out against his own son?
Fortunately, Chris had ordered Greninja to jump rather than run. The arm hammer's residual force alone might have ended the battle if Greninja hadn't avoided it entirely.
"Water Shuriken again!" Chris commanded.
Both Greninja and its Substitute leapt onto the walls of the shattered arena, running along the edges. In perfect unison, they unleashed another barrage of Water Shuriken, aiming to wear down the powerful Slaking.
"Mat Block!" Norman countered.
The command raised eyebrows.
Mat Block was supposed to be a Greninja-exclusive move. Yet Slaking suddenly crouched, thrust its massive hands into the ground, and wrenched up a slab of rock—a three-meter-wide, six-meter-long, one-meter-thick plate of stone. It hoisted the slab upright, creating an improvised shield.
Chris's mouth twitched in disbelief.
"Mat Block? More like grave-robbing or lifting floor tiles!" he muttered under his breath.
But Slaking's movements were slow. While it raised the stone slab to block, Greninja's Water Shuriken were too fast. Every projectile hit its mark before Slaking could fully position its defense.
The battle was far from over.
Chris frowned deeply. Slaking's actions made it clear—it wasn't trying to hide behind the massive rock slab at all. Instead, it was gripping the slab like a weapon, staring at it with an unnervingly calculating look in its eyes.
"Fury Attack!" Norman commanded.
Slaking's eyes locked onto Greninja, and it swung the rock slab with devastating force.
Chris could only mutter under his breath, "You've got to be kidding me…"
Other trainers used Mat Block for defense, but Norman's Slaking? It weaponized it. This wasn't just bending the rules—it was smashing them entirely.
The massive rock slab sliced through the air, aimed directly at Greninja. With its sheer size and speed, dodging was impossible.
BOOM!
The gym's wall, along with Greninja, was obliterated as the rock slab crashed through. The debris settled in the forest behind the gym, sparing nearby buildings from further destruction.
Chris winced as he surveyed the damage. This wasn't the first wall to fall; an earlier match had left one side demolished thanks to an enraged Kangaskhan. Now, Slaking's slab strike had taken out the adjoining wall. With two connected walls gone, the roof had nothing left to support it.
CRACK!
The gym's roof began to collapse. Jasmine, who was serving as referee, acted quickly. She tossed a Poké Ball into the air.
"Steelix, go!" Jasmine shouted.
Her Steelix, an enormous twenty-meter-long serpent of metal, emerged from the ball. The Steel-type Pokémon immediately braced the collapsing roof, holding it up with its immense strength.
"Thanks, Jasmine," Norman said casually. "Chris, you good with the roof gone?"
Chris shook his head in disbelief. "No complaints here. Slaking's not going to fly away, anyway."
Jasmine nodded. "Steelix, use Iron Tail!"
With a swift motion, Steelix used its Iron Tail to lift the broken roof entirely, clearing the battlefield. Sunlight poured in, illuminating the devastation. The arena now felt more like an open-air battleground.
Jasmine returned Steelix to its Poké Ball and officially declared, "Greninja is unable to battle. Slaking wins!"
Chris silently recalled Greninja into its Poké Ball, frustration gnawing at him. Bad luck had played a big part—Slaking's attack had struck the real Greninja, not its Substitute. Usually, opponents were deceived into targeting the Substitute first, thanks to Greninja's clever feints and misdirection.
But Slaking's tactics were entirely unpredictable. By turning the floor itself into a weapon and attacking based purely on instinct, it had ignored Greninja's strategy entirely. With a 50/50 chance, it had hit the main body.
Still, Greninja had done its part. Despite the loss, it had dealt significant damage. Chris knew that Slaking's immense physical strength was counterbalanced by its low special defense. Greninja's Water Shuriken had inflicted meaningful damage, even if Slaking didn't show it outwardly.
This was it—Chris's final chance to win.
He reached for his last Poké Ball and threw it onto the battlefield. As it opened, a graceful Gardevoir emerged, landing lightly on the ground.
"Garde~~" Gardevoir called, her voice calm and melodic, yet brimming with determination.
Chris steadied himself. This was his last Pokémon, his trump card. The battle wasn't over yet.