Heracross thrust its sharp claws into the ground, heaving massive rocks infused with Rock-type energy. The stones hurtled toward Sceptile with a piercing whistle.
"Scep!"
Sceptile met the onslaught with its Grass-type scythes, wielding Leaf Blade with sweeping precision. Each incoming rock was cleaved apart.
Xia Yu frowned slightly. This Sceptile lacked tactical finesse, but its raw power was formidable, making the battle a stalemate. He needed a way to break through.
Bridging the speed gap was critical. Xia Yu longed for moves like Dragon Dance or Agility to boost speed, but Heracross was incompatible with them. Megahorn, a priority move, was only usable upon entering battle, leaving the current situation tricky.
Then it hit him—Heracross had another move.
"Heracross, Aqua Jet!"
[**Aqua Jet**: A Water-type physical move that strikes with lightning speed, always hitting first.]
Aqua Jet was a low-power priority move. While Water-type attacks were less effective against Grass-type Sceptile, its speed was unmatched.
At Xia Yu's command, Heracross unleashed a torrent of water from its back. Propelled by the recoil, it rocketed toward Sceptile.
*Bang!*
In a mere breath, Heracross closed the gap. Sceptile, caught off guard by the blazing speed, was slammed head-on, staggering back two steps.
Post-Swords Dance, Heracross's attack was terrifying. Even halved against Sceptile's Grass typing, Aqua Jet dealt noticeable damage.
More crucially, Aqua Jet brought Heracross into close quarters, nullifying Sceptile's speed advantage.
In melee range, Heracross's overwhelming attack power made it unstoppable.
"Heracross, Leech Life!"
Seizing the moment, Xia Yu ordered Leech Life. The Bug-type move, super-effective against Grass and boosted by same-type attack bonus, was poised to devastate Sceptile if it landed.
Heracross didn't disappoint. At such close range, Sceptile had no time to dodge. The Bug-type needle struck true, dealing a crushing blow far surpassing Aqua Jet's impact.
"Scep."
Despite the damage, Sceptile refused to yield, launching a fierce counterattack.
In response to Leech Life, Sceptile unleashed a potent Grass-type move: Leaf Storm!
[**Leaf Storm**: Summons a storm of sharp leaves to attack. The recoil sharply lowers the user's Special Attack.]
Leaf Storm was a Grass-type ultimate move, boasting immense power but a steep cost—dropping Special Attack by two stages. Typically, it was a finishing move to sweep the field. Serperior, with its Contrary ability, could turn this drawback into a strength, gaining two stages of Special Attack instead, growing stronger with each use. But Sceptile lacked such an advantage.
Seeing Sceptile use Leaf Storm, Xia Yu was thrilled. The move was powerful, but Heracross could endure it. Once Sceptile's Special Attack plummeted, it would be no match for Heracross.
Especially since his father's Heracross had been taught a costly move: Protect.
"Heracross, Protect!"
[**Protect**: Completely blocks an opponent's attack. Successive uses are less reliable.]
In the games, Protect was a god-tier move, blocking any attack regardless of level or species—even Rayquaza's strikes were stopped by a Caterpie's Protect.
Reality was different. Protect could only block attacks from opponents of similar strength. Against a vast power gap, the shield would shatter.
But with Heracross and Sceptile evenly matched, Xia Yu had no concerns.
Heracross surged with Normal-type energy, forming a transparent shield before it.
Leaf Storm roared, a green tempest of Grass-type energy engulfing Heracross. Sharp leaves slashed at the shield relentlessly.
The attack was awe-inspiring, but it couldn't breach Heracross's barrier.
Xia Yu smirked. This was the difference between wild and trained Pokémon. Wild Pokémon, despite their strength, were limited by shallow move pools. Without Move Tutors, they couldn't learn moves like Protect.
Lacking versatile moves and tactics, wild Pokémon struggled against trained ones of equal strength.
"Scep."
Reeling from Leaf Storm's recoil, Sceptile's Special Attack plummeted, creating the perfect opening for Heracross.
"Heracross, Leech Life!"
Heracross charged, Bug-type energy erupting as it fired a needle into Sceptile's body.
The surging Bug-type energy dealt another heavy blow, the needle channeling vitality back to heal Heracross's wounds.
"Press the attack! Don't give it a breather!"
After several exchanges, Heracross held a clear advantage, while Sceptile was on the ropes.
Had Sceptile leveraged the jungle's terrain for hit-and-run tactics, using special moves like Energy Ball, it might have outmaneuvered Heracross. But without a trainer's guidance, it relied on brute force, no match for Heracross's strategy.
"Heracross, finish Sceptile!"
"Scep!"
Heracross unleashed Leech Life again. Simultaneously, Sceptile's wrists glowed with emerald Grass-type energy, launching Leaf Blade in a desperate final stand.
"Heracross, Sucker Punch!"
Facing Sceptile's last-ditch effort, Xia Yu chose Sucker Punch.
[**Sucker Punch**: Strikes before the opponent, but fails if the foe's move isn't an attack.]
Dark-type energy cloaked Heracross's claws. Striking first, its sharp claws raked Sceptile's body.
At the same time, Sceptile's Leaf Blade sliced into Heracross, carving a deep gash in its sturdy shell.
Both attacks landed. Heracross's shell mitigated the damage, leaving it less injured. Sceptile, unprotected and battered by two Leech Life hits, was at its limit, panting heavily.
"You've lost."