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Seeing that Mimikyu was completely unharmed, Ezra's eyes dulled with disbelief.
Aggron's ultimate explosive power, which had surpassed the A+ level limit, hadn't damaged this Pokémon at all?
Was it professional grade?
No, impossible.
Ezra immediately rejected this idea. If Mimikyu were professional-level, even with its weakness in direct confrontation, it could have crushed Aggron outright without needing to use indirect containment methods.
Even the weakest abilities of professional-level Pokémon could overwhelm the strengths of non-professional ones... The gap was simply that wide.
Since Mimikyu wasn't professional-level, there was still a chance for a comeback!
Ezra gripped his next Poké Ball tightly.
On the other side, seeing that his opponent wasn't discouraged, Roy smiled with interest.
...As expected of students from prestigious schools—they were all elites, and none of them gave up easily.
Though Mimikyu had avoided damage throughout the battle, that didn't mean its condition was perfect.
Using 'Substitute' consumed vitality, casting 'Curse' drained energy, and maintaining disguises also required strength. Mimikyu's self-created "infinite nesting doll" strategy was unpredictable and difficult to counter, often leaving opponents unable to land a direct hit.
But its weaknesses were also obvious.
—It consumed tremendous energy.
If not for the blessing of the 'Totem aura,' Mimikyu wouldn't have been able to perfect this set of tactics.
This weakness would be difficult to overcome until Roy completed his envisioned 'Moonlight perpetual motion machine' strategy.
Soon, Ezra's third Pokémon appeared.
This was another favorite among powerhouse trainers—the burly Nidoking.
The combination of Poison and Ground types had no type disadvantage against Mimikyu, and only carried double resistance against Fairy-type moves.
Seeing that Roy still had no plans to switch Pokémon, Ezra realized that this cunning trainer wanted to complete another "one versus three" feat, using him as mere backdrop for his achievement.
...I won't give you that chance!
Ezra gritted his teeth, and the moment the match started, he ordered in a deep voice:
"Nidoking, Sludge Wave!"
Nidoking suddenly lowered its head and opened its mouth, releasing purple venom like a toxic ocean that quickly spread across the entire battlefield.
Sludge Wave was a Poison-type move that covered the entire field. Unless you escaped from the stadium entirely, there was no avoiding it. If the user's poison mastery wasn't sufficient, even they would fall into a poisoned state, causing 800 damage to themselves and 1000 damage to the enemy.
Ezra's strategy was obvious—relying on Nidoking's full health, he would use this "mutual damage" move to defeat Mimikyu, shattering Roy's "one versus three" attempt and forcing out his second Pokémon!
Even if he couldn't win, he would force out another Pokémon, deplete its energy, and give his teammates an advantage.
It was impressive enough for a Pokémon to defeat three opponents.
But if Roy as a trainer completed a "one versus three" sweep, it would be simply...
Humiliating!
This year's college league highlights would certainly feature this infamous scene!
As the toxic wave approached, Roy showed no intention of having Mimikyu dodge. Instead, he gave a decisive command:
"Take the hit—Destiny Bond!"
At that moment, Ezra's face changed drastically.
Destiny Bond was the strangest and most frustrating move in the Ghost-type arsenal. If a Pokémon fell into a near-death condition within a few seconds of using Destiny Bond, it would drag its opponent down with it.
...a favorite strategy of "suicide ghosts."
Of course, this move wasn't without weaknesses.
First, it could only be used once per battle and couldn't be used repeatedly.
Second, within a few seconds of using Destiny Bond, the Pokémon couldn't use any other moves. As long as the opponent reacted quickly enough to cancel their attack, they could avoid the effect, or even use the opportunity to buff themselves.
Third, it had no effect on opponents with extremely high vitality (for example, Dynamaxed Pokémon).
But the current situation didn't fall into any of these categories.
It was too late to retreat.
Mimikyu plunged headlong into the poison without hesitation. While enduring the pain, it fixed its sharp eyes on Nidoking and cast Destiny Bond.
An invisible life channel connected the two Pokémon, ensuring that Mimikyu's "death" would be shared with Nidoking, draining its vitality as well.
Mimikyu passed out.
Simultaneously, Nidoking's eyes suddenly rolled back, foam bubbling from its mouth. After several convulsive struggles, Nidoking collapsed.
Ezra stood stunned for two seconds, then grabbed his head in frustration.
He had made a terrible decision.
Ghost-types were notorious "suicide tactics" specialists. When facing Ghost-type Pokémon, being wary of Destiny Bond was basic common sense for any trainer.
But Ezra had been too afraid of being swept "one versus three," and that fear had led to a fatal mistake.
...He had acted hastily and fallen right into the trap—there was nothing to say.
"Beautiful decision-making," Elon commented from the sidelines, unable to hide his admiration.
In today's match, Roy had truly surprised them, both with his Pokémon's strength and his own decision-making abilities.
There was no doubt that Roy was every bit as skilled as their team captain!
Mimikyu hadn't taken any damage in the first two battles, just expended considerable energy. If Roy were an ordinary trainer, he might have tried to continue battling normally. Few would have chosen Destiny Bond so decisively.
This decisiveness had exceeded both Ezra's and Elon's expectations.
And behind the decision to eliminate Nidoking so resolutely lay Roy's unwavering determination!
What determination?
To complete the one-versus-three sweep!
Now even the audience understood, discussing with excitement and amazement.
The stadium buzzed with noise, and the online comment sections were equally lively.
"Wow, is he really going for the sweep?"
"Come on, Eastbridge isn't a weak team, but Capital University..."
"Incredible! Are first-year students this fierce and crazy nowadays?"
"As a ten-year fan, let me tell you something you might not know—he's always been this crazy."
"Can't be helped, that's just how he is. They don't call him 'Crazy Roy' for nothing."
"Go, go, go!"
Ezra walked away from the player's seat in a daze and returned to his teammates.
Mateo silently hugged his shoulder in sympathy.
By now, the Eastbridge University team was no longer in the mood for jokes about "warming wine and slaying champions."
Being swept by a single Pokémon wasn't unheard of in competitions at any level. Most commonly, it happened when one's trump card was countered by an opponent's trump card, and when your own ace fell without containing the opponent's, it was easy to be swept away in a snowball effect.
But being swept by a trainer of equal standing carried a completely different meaning.
In ten years of high school leagues, such incidents could be counted on one hand. It would certainly become a legendary moment in competition history, one that would still be discussed years later. At the thought of becoming background characters in someone else's highlight reel for more than a decade, the Eastbridge University team members trembled with fear, all eyes turning to their third player.
Immense pressure fell upon their final hope, Luca.
"...Don't look at me like that."
Luca was a heavyset young man wearing glasses. He wiped away cold sweat, forced a smile, and said wryly:
"I'll do my best, I promise!"