Chapter 199: Charizard X
Looking at Metagross's current state, it was clear it could continue into a fourth, fifth, or even sixth battle without much trouble.
Over on the Modu Academy side, an eerie silence hung in the air. Akira Ono walked off the field in dejection, but no one had time to comfort him.
"Teacher, why is his Metagross so strong?"
Akira couldn't help but ask. They were both using pseudo-legendaries. He was a 4th-year, while Julian was just a freshman. Yet his Goodra had been utterly crushed by Metagross.
The scene felt like a role reversal—this was how he had treated other trainers in the past.
This defeat had completely shaken his confidence.
Of course, he wasn't the only one feeling deflated. The two teammates who had battled before him were still sitting on the bench with dazed expressions, unable to wrap their heads around what had happened.
Before long, Akira joined them too.
"Sophia, send out Charizard and keep your distance—it's critical. That Metagross excels in close combat. If it uses Teleport, have Charizard immediately take flight," their teacher instructed seriously.
Sophia nodded. She was the only female member of the team.
While the mood at Modu Academy was heavy, the Imperial University team was all smiles.
Julian had secured three consecutive victories, and with Metagross in such good shape, it was likely to win another one or two rounds. That left the remaining four matches for their seven-member team—a nearly guaranteed win.
Sophia, the fourth representative from Modu Academy, stepped onto the battlefield and sent out her Charizard. It was Level 70, at the peak of pseudo-Elite stage.
Julian frowned slightly.
'Damn it, it's not a Dragon-type.'
(T/N: To me it is)
Missing out on a Dragon meant missing out on 1,000 bonus points.
"Charizard, Sunny Day!"
Right off the bat, Charizard created a weather condition that worked in its favor. A glowing orb shot into the air, forming a miniature sun that hovered overhead.
Previously, Metagross's Icy Wind had frozen most of the battlefield. But now, under the intense heat of Sunny Day, the ice began melting rapidly.
"Charizard, Heat Wave!"
Julian's eyes narrowed slightly. He had a good idea of what they were planning.
Due to the battlefield's protective barriers, all residual effects were contained within the arena.
Sunny Day had already raised the temperature significantly. Now, with Heat Wave, the trapped heat would be amplified even further.
For Metagross, a Steel-type, this high-temperature environment would cause it to lose stamina much faster.
"Teleport!"
"Fly!"
Metagross reappeared where Charizard had been, but the latter had already taken to the skies.
Teleport had been countered, at least for now.
"Not bad," Julian muttered under his breath. "At least, not completely clueless."
Sophia had just used the battlefield's protective barrier to her advantage, but this time, it also became a limitation for Charizard.
The barrier's height was restricted to about 50 meters, which happened to be the minimum required for Fly to be executed effectively.
While 50 meters was sufficient in theory, Charizard hadn't started Fly from the ground this time.
As a result, after dodging Metagross's Teleport, Charizard's altitude was abruptly capped by the barrier, forcing it to cut its flight short.
"Flash Cannon!"
Locking onto Charizard, a silvery-white beam shot forth from between Metagross's claws.
"Charizard, Overheat!" Sophia quickly ordered.
Charizard, unable to evade in time due to the forced halt in its flight, braced itself to counter the attack head-on with a powerful move.
Overheat was one of the strongest Fire-type moves, and under the Sunny Day conditions, its power was further amplified.
The deep crimson flames surged forward, almost tangible in their intensity. The superheated air caused visible distortions, making the scene blurry for both the cameras and the live audience.
"BOOM!!"
The silvery-white beam collided with the crimson flames, generating a massive shockwave that rippled outward and slammed into the protective barrier in waves.
For a brief moment, Overheat held its ground but was eventually overwhelmed by the sheer force of Flash Cannon.
Charizard took a direct hit. However, due to the energy consumed in breaking through Overheat, the attack wasn't enough to knock Charizard out of the fight.
"Metagross—"
"Charizard, Mega Evolve!"
Sophia's voice cut through as Charizard was enveloped in the radiant white glow of Mega Evolution.
In any official match, interrupting a Pokémon's evolution was strictly forbidden. If an attack caused an evolution to fail, the Pokémon would suffer severe evolutionary backlash, potentially crippling it permanently.
Violating this rule would result in the offending trainer being immediately disqualified and losing their trainer license.
Although Mega Evolution wasn't natural, it was still considered a form of evolution and thus fell under the same protection.
When the glow faded, Charizard X emerged on the field.
Its level rose from 70 to 73.
The leap from pseudo-Elite to Elite was a game-changer, marking a significant increase in its power.
"Why is your little brother smiling? His opponent just became an Elite. Shouldn't he be worried?" Faye asked, confused.
Thea rolled her eyes. "Julian's probably just happy that he gets to fight an Elite. He must think it's more satisfying."
The reason for Julian's excitement was indeed simple.
After Mega Evolution, Charizard's typing changed from Fire/Flying to Fire/Dragon.
Now, it was officially a Dragon-type.
Sophia knew that Julian's Metagross was also capable of Mega Evolution. If it did, her newfound advantage would vanish in an instant. She couldn't afford to give Metagross the chance.
Sitting on the bench, Owen watched as Charizard underwent Mega Evolution, and his expression grew even gloomier. His Salamence was also capable of Mega Evolution, but it had been defeated before he even had the chance to use it.
The difference between an Elite-level Pokémon and a pseudo-Elite wasn't just a single word—it was worlds apart in strength.
"Charizard X, Flamethrower!"
After Mega Evolution, Charizard X's flames had transformed from a fiery red to an eerie blue, resembling flames from the depths of hell.
"Giga Impact!"
'Elite? So what? It's not like I haven't beaten one before.'
Metagross : 'Below Elite, I am invincible. Above Elite? I am still invincible.'
(T/N: I alone am the honored one)
Under the onslaught of Giga Impact, Charizard X's Flamethrower was relentlessly pushed back, causing Sophia's eyes to widen in disbelief.
'What's going on? My Charizard is already an Elite. Why does it still feel like it's just a pseudo-Elite against this Metagross?'
"Mega Punch!"
In the brief moment when Flamethrower was overwhelmed, Charizard X struck out with its blazing left fist, directly intercepting Giga Impact.
Although the clash highlighted the significant boost in Charizard X's strength after Mega Evolution, the trembling in its arm and the searing pain of torn muscles were feelings only Charizard X itself could understand.
"Charizard X, Inferno!"
Inferno had the unique ability to inflict a burn upon landing, a status effect that could severely hinder Metagross's performance.
For Julian, who still had four more battles to fight, letting his Metagross be burned was absolutely not an option.
Metagross dodged effortlessly with a Teleport, completely avoiding the fiery trap.
"Fly—"
Sophia reflexively attempted to order Fly, but with the battlefield's protective barrier in place, Charizard X's current flight altitude was far too restricted for Fly to be executed properly.
And more importantly, Metagross had already Teleported right in front of Charizard X.
A dazzling, multicolored Meteor Mash greeted Charizard X squarely in the face.
*****
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