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Blaziken was four levels higher than Onix and launched Close Combat with twice the restraint and 120 power (reduced to 100 in the Arceus version).
Any Pokémon, even a legendary, struck by this blow in a defenseless Contest Condition would be, at the very least, seriously injured.
Yet, Chris's Diamond Onix was unscathed. A faint white mark was the only evidence left on its gem-like surface.
What incredible defense!
Everyone, including flannery, was stunned.
"Why is a Fighting-type move ineffective against Rock-type Onix?" she wondered aloud.
In her mind, it was easier to believe that Chris's Onix had used some technique that nullified the impact rather than accept that her Blaziken hadn't even scratched it.
"Because your Blaziken's attack power is too weak," Chris mocked, pulling out a Rock Horn and directing Onix to use Rock Slide.
Close Combat is a powerful attack in the game, but in real battles, it's a series of intense punches. Onix's Broken Armor Ability was triggered repeatedly. Though the hits looked harmless now, Onix would likely start showing wear soon enough.
How resilient could Onix be? It seemed unbreakable, but it wouldn't last forever.
Rocks hurtled down from above like a storm.
Against a Fighting-type like Blaziken, a Ground-type move would actually be more effective, delivering double damage. But the Ground-type moves Onix knew, Sand Tomb and Dig, were far too slow to catch the swift Blaziken.
Rock Slide was the only viable option.
And thanks to the Rock Horn, the rocks Onix called weren't basketball-sized—they were as big as wagon wheels!
Blaziken, in the "defensive drop" Condition after using Close Combat, was now taking 1.5 times the usual attack damage.
This 1.5x damage plus the 50% boost from the Rock Horn meant Rock Slide's unrestrained power was now a massive force!
The actual damage effect went beyond doubling. Combining these multipliers, the final blow packed about 2.25 times the strength.
Several rocks struck Blaziken simultaneously, smashing it to the ground.
Blaziken was defeated!
flannery had hoped to take Onix out instantly, but the situation had flipped: Onix had taken down Blaziken in an instant.
flannery's mouth fell open. "Are you sure that's an Onix? Or is it actually Regirock?"
Onix seemed to have the same thought. Blaziken made the first move—why blame me? Without Close Combat, I wouldn't have been able to knock it out so quickly.
"It's just an ordinary Onix," Chris replied, not expecting the battle to go this smoothly. Based on Blaziken's performance, he wondered if flannery needed to rethink her training strategy.
flannery rolled her eyes.
This diamond-armored Onix… ordinary? Really?
She sighed and returned Blaziken to its Poké Ball before sending out her last Pokémon.
Arcanine, Level 42.
"Arrroo~~!" Arcanine let out a powerful howl, radiating a fierce energy as it entered the field, triggering its Intimidate Ability.
Although Onix wasn't scared, its attack power was still reduced by Arcanine's presence.
Chris couldn't help but admire Arcanine. With its excellent base stats, Intimidate Ability, and imposing appearance, it would make a perfect addition to any team—not to mention its suitability as a mount. Who wouldn't want a strong, majestic big dog? If possible, Chris would happily take two: a classic Arcanine and an Arcanine from the Hisui region.
Unfortunately, the standard Emerald region didn't have habitats for Growlithe or Arcanine, and in the real world, Growlithe were almost exclusively used by police forces. With government-controlled nurseries and only rare instances of Growlithe available to the public, wild Growlithe sightings were even scarcer.
"Arcanine! Use Play Rough!" flannery commanded, her voice filled with determination, though the situation was getting tense.
Arcanine's moves weren't effective against Onix, and if even Blaziken's powerful attacks barely left a scratch, Chris's words about Arcanine's own moves being resisted might just hold true. Still, Play Rough was Arcanine's best shot.
Arcanine charged at Onix with powerful strides.
"Onix, use Rock Slide!" Chris called.
Rocks began raining down from above like a torrent.
The outcome was clear: Arcanine, a pure Fire-type, was weak against Rock moves, and Rock Slide's area damage sealed the deal. Without needing the boost from the Rock Horn, Chris's Rock Slide quickly took down Arcanine.
flannery had considered using the Fighting-type move Reversal, hoping it would cause some damage. But even that wasn't enough.
As the battle concluded, Chris returned to his room, feeling both satisfaction and a touch of surprise. His Shiny Onix was indeed something special. Had flannery known about its Broken Armor Ability, a few repeated hits from something like Double Slap might have done the trick, chipping away at Onix's defenses. But Blaziken's Close Combat had only enhanced Onix's durability.
With a base defense stat of 160, plus the added effect of the Rock Horn, Onix's effective defense had reached a formidable level, bolstered by its diamond-like body.
Chris could already envision future battles where Onix's nearly unbreakable defense would make opponents lose hope.
Wait, why did this feel so familiar?
The last time he'd seen such resilience was with a certain Wobbuffet! Back then, he'd recreated the legend of the "Mirror Coat" master; now, he was seeing the glory of Onix.
Well, perhaps this was Onix's last win, as it was almost ready to evolve into Steelix.