Chapter 121: Luis: Lucario is the Trump Card

From 30 degrees Celsius to minus 10 degrees, the sudden drop in temperature would cause most people to suffer from hypothermia, and if they weren't careful, it could even lead to death.

Head teacher Frank kept a close eye on Julian, watching without blinking. If anything went wrong, he was ready to step in and rescue him immediately.

However, both Frank and Luis were shocked. Julian, standing in just a short-sleeved shirt, seemed completely unaffected by the biting cold that came from the Blizzard.

Meanwhile, Luis, despite wearing a thick cotton coat, was already trembling, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.

The strength granted by Julian's Mega Pallet Town physique gave him extraordinary abilities—greater speed, strength, and quick reactions. On top of that, it allowed him to withstand the harsh effects of elemental attacks such as fire, ice, and electricity.

Even though the temperature had plummeted to more than ten degrees below freezing, Julian could feel the cold, but it was nowhere near enough to harm him. It remained within the tolerable range. 

That said, if this were a concentrated attack like an Ice Beam instead of an area-wide move like Blizzard, Julian wouldn't have dared to stand so casually in the midst of it.

"Unbelievable... is he a martial artist?" Luis muttered to himself in disbelief.

It was common knowledge that only certain highly skilled martial artists could withstand such extreme temperatures by relying on their powerful internal energy and strong life force.

"He is indeed a martial artist," Shen said to her friend Kate to Luis's remark, Shen couldn't help but feel proud, "I taught him, after all."

"Froslass, use Ice Shard!"

With her Snow Cloak ability, Froslass moved through the storm with incredible speed. Blizzard gave her the perfect cover, making her seem like a phantom—just like the snow spirits from Babath kingdom's legends.

By now, the entire battlefield was covered with a thin layer of ice from the storm.

"Lucario, locate Froslass," Julian commanded in a calm voice.

Despite Froslass's evasive movements and near-invisibility in the storm, Lucario's aura flared to life.

In the midst of the howling wind and swirling snow, an Ice Shard, hidden by the storm, hurtled toward Lucario. But just as it was about to land, Lucario's eyes snapped open.

"Luca!"

With a swift movement, he crushed the shard with his fist.

Then, in an instant, Lucario vanished.

"Froslass, use Icy Wind!" 

Luis shouted, sensing danger.

Icy Wind, boosted by Blizzard, surged across the battlefield. The combination of the two was powerful, but it wasn't easy to control. The energy needed to be balanced perfectly; otherwise, both moves would weaken, or worse, backfire.

Blizzard surged, growing even more fierce, as Icy Wind intertwined with it.

The temperature dropped even further. Ice began to form on Lucario's body, and his movements slowed.

"Sure enough, except for Metagross, although the other Pokémon are powerful, but they are within the acceptable range" Yanis commented, watching Lucario struggle under the freezing conditions.

Tyler, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. He couldn't help but feel envious of Luis's strategy. He had cleverly avoided Metagross and was now successfully putting pressure on Lucario.

He exchanged glances with Yanis, both of them realizing they had underestimated Luis's battle tactics.

"If only I hadn't been the first to face Julian," Tyler muttered with regret. He knew that if Luis had gone up against Metagross instead, things might have turned out differently.

Yanis smirked slightly, knowing full well the tough time Tyler had. His own experience with Metagross had been humbling, but at least he wasn't taken down instantly. Still, he couldn't help but think that if Luis had faced Metagross instead, his Froslass would have been overwhelmed by now.

"Lucario's situation doesn't look good," Kate observed, concerned by Lucario's increasingly sluggish movements.

The freezing cold had begun to take its toll on him, and despite sensing Froslass's location, landing a hit seemed more and more difficult.

"Relax, Lucario's tough," Shen said with confidence, fully trusting in Julian and his Pokémon.

Luis's confidence was growing. He saw the signs of Lucario weakening and believed victory was within reach.

"Froslass, use Frost Breath!"

Blizzard + Icy Wind + Frost Breath—the combination of these three moves dropped the temperature even more, plunging it to a bone-chilling minus 50 degrees.

Luis, well-prepared for this situation, activated the electric heating function in his coat to keep himself warm.

However, amidst the thrill of the moment, a sudden realization struck him.

"Wait… Julian…" Luis muttered, his excitement fading. Julian was still standing out there, only wearing short sleeves.

He had only wanted to win the match—not kill Julian.

But because of the existence of Icy Wind and Frost Breath, Blizzard had become bigger, he could no longer see Julian on the opposite side, and had no idea whether Julian was frozen to death or not.

"Aura Sphere"

Julian's voice cut through the storm, calm and steady. A moment later, Froslass let out a pained cry.

"Froslass!" 

Luis shouted in panic. He cursed himself for being an idiot— Metagross was standing right behind Julian, There was no way Julian was in danger with that powerhouse by his side.

Though the Aura Sphere hadn't knocked Froslass out, the damage was done. Blizzard began to lose its intensity, and soon the storm had cleared.

Julian stood unscathed, a faint green barrier surrounding him—the protective handiwork of Metagross.

The temperature may have dropped to minus 50, but Julian could still have relied on Mega Pallet Town physique to resist, but there were many people around. He knew better than to reveal his abilities in such a public setting. As long as they were not idiots, everyone would instantly know something was wrong.

As the storm cleared, Froslass was panting heavily, struggling to stay upright. Lucario, though frosted over, was still standing strong.

"Ice Shard!" Luis shouted, desperate to make a last stand.

"Aura Sphere."

"Boom!"

The two moves clashed, but the result was clear. Froslass, unable to keep up any longer, collapsed.

"Froslass is unable to battle. Lucario wins!"

"Still lost huh.."

Luis recalled his Froslass, his expression a mixture of frustration and respect. He had lost, but he had given it his all.

"Lucario must be your Trump Card, huh? It's ridiculously strong," Luis said, his tone lighter, though still tinged with disappointment. "I threw everything at it, and it barely flinched."

'Huh, Shameless..'

Tyler and Yanis exchanged knowing glances. Both thought to themselves that Luis wasn't fooling anyone. They all knew that Metagross was Julian's true Trump Card.

"Sure, a chance for you to meet my other Trump Card."

Julian found Luis's character quite interesting.

Still, Luis's strength as a Trainer was undeniable. He had skillfully combined Icy Wind and Frost Breath with Blizzard, creating a powerful synergy that could overpower Pokémon ten levels higher than his.

Meanwhile, Yanis, also an ice-type Trainer, didn't seem nearly as impressive in comparison.

Julian's gaze shifted toward Yanis, and it didn't take long for Yanis to catch on. His expression quickly turned awkward.

'What's that look for? You think I'm not as good as him? You're not even comparing the same situations—look at his opponent and then look at mine.'

Metagross was still towering, while Lucario had calmly stepped aside.

*****

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