Just as the massive ice shards were about to rain down on the spectator stands, Lorelei moved.
"Come forth! Jynx, Slowbro, Slowking!"
The three Elite Four-level Pokémon combined their power, unleashing a tidal wave of psychic energy. The spectators gasped as they saw the jagged ice chunks, which were mere inches from their heads, frozen in mid-air by a vibrant blue psychic aura.
"Do not panic, everyone. The Elite Four are always here to ensure your safety," Lorelei said with a reassuring smile to the crowd.
"It's Lorelei! She's so beautiful!" "I thought I was a goner... Lorelei saved us!" "Goddess! Ice Goddess!" The crowd instantly transformed into a sea of fanatical supporters.
"We shall pause this match for a moment," Lorelei declared. "I see Niales is unable to battle. To ensure the safety of the public, we need to upgrade the arena's defensive barriers before someone gets seriously hurt."
"Understood, Lady Lorelei," the League staff replied respectfully.
"Return, Niales," Blue said, recalling his exhausted fire fox.
"Return, Gyarados," Feng Che followed suit. "That battle took a lot out of you; get some rest."
I can't believe the League's arena shielding is this flimsy, Feng Che grumbled internally. If Lorelei hadn't stepped in, the casualties would have been catastrophic. Instead of becoming a Gym Leader, I'd be heading straight to prison.
Of course, Feng Che only felt this way because he was determined not to expose Mewtwo's presence. He was genuinely grateful for Lorelei's intervention, as it allowed him to keep his trump cards hidden.
He glanced at Lorelei's Pokémon. Her Slowbro and Slowking were significantly more robust than average members of their species. Her Slowking stood tall, eyes gleaming with an almost unsettling level of wisdom, while the Slowbro maintained its characteristic vacant expression—though its raw power was undeniable.
"Feng Che, we must have a proper battle sometime," Lorelei said, walking past him with a smile. "Your Gyarados's iceberg trick gave me quite a bit of inspiration. If those icebergs could be made to shatter like a Rock Blast, the destructive power would be enough to level an entire district. I'll have to see if I can compress the volume to increase the explosive force when I get back to the Seafoam Islands."
"Look at them," Blaze whispered to Hagen. "Lorelei is chatting with him like an old friend. If you want to investigate him, you'd better have ironclad proof, or she'll veto your motion in a heartbeat."
Hagen's expression remained grim as he nodded slowly.
After a short delay, the League brought in a specialized squad of Elite-tier Psychic Pokémon to reinforce the barriers. Once the safety checks were complete, the referee signaled for the match to resume.
"This is my next partner!" Blue shouted, throwing a Poké Ball.
Out came a Scyther. Blue's Scyther was unusually large, its scythe-like claws gleaming with a cold, predatory light under the sun.
"A Scyther? Then I'll use this one," Feng Che replied. "Go, Scizor!"
"What is that? It looks like an armored Scyther," someone in the crowd yelled. "That's Scizor, the evolved form of Scyther! It's a Steel/Bug type." "I wonder if this round will be as intense as the last two."
Blue smirked. "A Scizor. It's an evolution, sure, but it's significantly slower than Scyther. I'll take this round, Feng Che! Scyther, use Cut!"
Scyther transformed into a green blur, its blades striking Scizor with a high-pitched clang. Scizor didn't even flinch. There wasn't a single scratch on its crimson armor.
"How is its defense this high?" Blue muttered. "Scyther's Cut can slice through solid boulders."
Feng Che smiled secretly. Of course you can't break it. My Scizor evolved using a top-tier Metal Coat—a custom alloy of Meteorite Iron, Ghost Iron, Ultra-Pure Steel, and Mana-Repellent Iron. That shell is nearly indestructible.
"Scyther, use Bug Buzz!" Blue commanded.
Scyther's wings vibrated, producing a jarring sound mixed with static noise, aimed at lowering Scizor's Special Defense.
"Scizor, Scary Face!"
Scizor raised its massive pincers. The patterns on the claws looked like two giant, glaring eyes. Scyther flinched, its buzzing cut short by sudden intimidation.
"Use Swords Dance and Focus Energy!" Blue countered. Scyther performed a series of rapid aerial maneuvers to boost its striking power.
Technician ability, Feng Che noted. He's going to use high-frequency, low-base-power moves to find a weak point.
"Scyther, use Air Slasher!"
Countless invisible wind blades rained down from the sky. Scizor continued to walk slowly across the arena, ignoring the attacks as if it were taking a stroll in the park.
[Scizor: Sigh. Even though I evolved, I feel like I'm still the weakest on the team. I can't compete with monsters like Incineroar or Zeraora... now I'm even falling behind the Niales newcomers. Sniff.]
[Mewtwo: Feng Che, that Scyther is specifically targeting four distinct points on Scizor's joints.]
"I see it," Feng Che replied mentally. "Blue thinks he can break the shell by concentrating fire on the weak spots. A logical strategy. But my Scizor is special. The Meteorite Iron in its armor has self-repairing 'memory' properties. Any damage is filled in almost instantly. That's why the Devon Corporation is so obsessed with Meteorite Iron."
"Now, let's end his hope," Feng Che grinned.
"Now, Scyther! Fast Spin!" Blue roared.
Scyther tucked its blades in and began to spin like a horizontal drill, descending from the sky with a roar of wind. It struck one of the joints with a shower of sparks so bright it blinded the front row. The friction made Scyther's claws glow red-hot.
"Keep going! We're almost through!" Blue cheered.
Up in the booth, Blaze's eyes widened. "Hagen... that defense... I have every reason to believe he's the one who stole the Heart of Steel now."
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