Chapter 1226: Qualifying Round
In the afternoon, the second half of the qualifying rounds continued.
When it came to the twenty-eighth match, Erika suddenly faced her opponent.
Her opponent was a young woman slightly older than her, tall, with dark green hair and matching green eyes.
The opponent's two Pokémon were Ferrothorn and Serperior, both distinctively characteristic of the Unova region, which was indeed where she was from.
Erika's Pokémon, on the other hand, were a combination of Bellossom and Vileplume.
As soon as the four Pokémon entered the battlefield, the first to act was the green-haired woman's Serperior.
However, this Serperior's Ability wasn't Contrary; it was the standard Overgrow. Its first move was the signature Grass-type starter attack, Grass Pledge.
A green glow spread from beneath Serperior and rapidly extended toward Bellossom's position.
Seeing this, Erika shouted, "Bellossom, dodge the attack quickly!"
Bellossom reacted swiftly, somersaulting out of the way.
The moment Bellossom leapt, a pillar of green light burst violently from the spot where it had been standing, nearly engulfing it.
Vileplume, seeing its partner under attack, released a barrage of purple liquid from the flower atop its head, targeting the Serperior that had attacked Bellossom.
At that moment, Ferrothorn descended from above. The three arm-like appendages on its head swung rapidly, deflecting all the poison droplets with ease.
Ferrothorn, being both Grass and Steel type, was completely immune to poison.
After clearing the poison, Ferrothorn didn't stop its spinning motion. Its entire body began to rotate, and it charged rapidly toward Vileplume.
This was Gyro Ball, a move whose power increases the slower the user is compared to the target. For Ferrothorn, it could unleash this move to its full potential.
Seeing this, Vileplume used Grass Knot. Suddenly, a thin vine sprouted from the ground, growing rapidly and binding the charging Ferrothorn, bringing it to an abrupt halt.
At this moment, Bellossom appeared on Ferrothorn's right side, raising its fist and using Drain Punch to strike it hard.
Ferrothorn's numerous resistances and overall toughness, especially against Grass-type moves, made it a challenging opponent. This left Bellossom and Vileplume in a highly disadvantageous position. Drain Punch was the only move in Bellossom's arsenal capable of effectively countering Ferrothorn.
Bellossom's soft but precise punch landed squarely on Ferrothorn, skillfully avoiding its spiked exterior. Ferrothorn was instantly sent flying.
Bellossom had no idea that Serperior had already maneuvered behind it. Erika and Vileplume tried to warn it, but it was too late. Serperior coiled its body around Bellossom, tightly binding it, and used Wrap.
The unique feature of Wrap is that the more HP the target has, the more powerful it becomes. At this moment, Bellossom was at full health, so Serperior unleashed Bind to its full potential.
Vileplume immediately prepared to use Sludge Bomb to attack, but Serperior seemed to have anticipated this. It turned its head and unleashed a Dragon Pulse, a wave of dragon-shaped energy, which engulfed Vileplume.
The Dragon Pulse struck before Vileplume could launch its Sludge Bomb, interrupting the move mid-charge.
Bellossom, being a delicate and small Pokémon not known for its physical strength, struggled in vain to break free from Serperior's grip.
Even though this was only a qualifying match and Erika wasn't going all out, she hadn't expected to encounter such a formidable opponent so early on.
"This young woman is really strong! She's even forcing Erika into such a tough spot. Does anyone know her background?"
From the referee's stand, Yuga turned to the other referees and asked.
"I do!" Caitlin raised her hand. "This lady comes from a Grass-type specialist family in Unova. Their expertise in breeding Grass-type Pokémon is unparalleled."
The woman on the field was older than Caitlin, so calling her "sister" was entirely appropriate.
"Oh, and by the way, do you know Burgh from the Castelia Gym? He's related to this lady," Caitlin added.
"So that's it—an inherited legacy of skill," Yuga nodded. Still, wasn't Burgh a Bug-type Gym Leader? How was he related to a family specializing in Grass-types?
The match on the field continued. Erika knew that Bellossom couldn't break free from Serperior's Wrap through sheer force, so she shouted loudly, "Bellossom, Giga Drain!"
Hearing the command, Bellossom stopped struggling and instead clung tightly to Serperior's body. A green glow enveloped Bellossom as tendrils of energy extended from the light, piercing into Serperior's body.
In no time, Serperior began to feel its strength being gradually drained, and the grip around Bellossom started to loosen.
At the same time, the injuries on Bellossom's body were slowly healing.
Now trapped in Bellossom's Giga Drain, Serperior tried to shake it off but found it impossible.
Seeing this, Ferrothorn attempted to rush over and save Serperior, but it was intercepted by Vileplume using Dazzling Gleam.
In a desperate attempt to free itself, Serperior began rolling on the ground, completely shedding its previously graceful and elegant demeanor.
As Serperior's body rolled against the ground, Bellossom sustained numerous small injuries. However, Bellossom remained unfazed, as the energy it was draining from Serperior was enough to heal its wounds.
No one knew how long the struggle lasted, but Serperior's resistance gradually weakened. Finally, when its last ounce of strength was drained, it lay motionless on the ground.
With Serperior out of the match, Ferrothorn now faced a two-on-one situation. Even with its strong resistance to Grass-type moves, it lacked the strength to take on two opponents at once.
Moreover, Ferrothorn's specialty was defense, not offense, and it quickly fell to the combined efforts of Bellossom and Vileplume.
As Ferrothorn collapsed, Erika wiped the sweat from her brow and muttered, "Whew, that was close. Almost lost it."
The green-haired woman recalled her Pokémon and smiled graciously at Erika. "I hope we get to battle again someday."
Erika returned the smile warmly. "I'm sure we will."
With her strength, the green-haired woman could have easily made it to the finals and earned a respectable ranking. Unfortunately, she had the misfortune of encountering an even stronger opponent like Erika.
As they say, luck is also a part of strength!
Ash was scheduled to battle later in the second half of the round, and his opponent turned out to be a surprising elderly woman.
Although the Grass-type Pokémon Duel Tournament didn't impose any age restrictions, it was still surprising—but not entirely unexpected—to see an elderly participant.
Yuga recognized the elderly woman; she lived in the retirement home in Verdanturf Town and often shopped at YoYo Day Care, making her a frequent customer.
Coincidentally, both the elderly woman's and Ash's teams included a Meganium.
The elderly woman's second Pokémon was a Shiftry, while Ash's was a Sceptile.
As soon as the Pokémon entered the battlefield, the two Meganium immediately clashed, ramming into each other with all their might. Meganium's considerable weight caused the ground to tremble, and Yuga could feel the vibrations even from a distance.
Meanwhile, Shiftry squared off against Sceptile.
The Shiftry waved its fans, sending a fierce gust of wind toward Sceptile, but Sceptile was no pushover. With a single strike of its Leaf Blade, it sliced through the whirlwind, splitting it in half and dispersing it.
The elderly woman, despite her age, had the advantage of experience. Both of her Pokémon were well-trained, making the battle with Ash's Meganium and Sceptile evenly matched for a time.
After a bout of intense struggle, Shiftry began to lose ground. It lacked the agility of Sceptile and was soon struck down by a decisive blow from Sceptile's Leaf Blade.
Seeing its ally injured, the elderly woman's Meganium took a heavy hit from Ash's Meganium but retaliated by stomping its front legs forcefully onto the ground, unleashing an Earthquake to drive Sceptile away from Shiftry.
Cracks spread across the battlefield, and the ground beneath Sceptile began to collapse. It leaped onto a chunk of debris, attempting to evade the tremors, but still suffered from the lingering aftereffects.
Using the opportunity, the elderly woman's Meganium healed Shiftry with Heal Pulse, a move it had inherited.
Sceptile was wounded, and since Ash's Meganium didn't have access to Heal Pulse, it took the Meganium to launch an attack on the opposing Meganium, hitting it with an Energy Ball.
Once Shiftry's injuries had been healed, it immediately jumped to its feet and distanced itself from Sceptile, retreating to stand alongside both Meganium.
Seeing Shiftry return, the elderly woman's Meganium began to heal itself using Synthesis.
Ash's Meganium retaliated with a well-aimed Toxic, spraying venom onto Shiftry's face, poisoning it. The corrosive effect made Shiftry cry out in pain, but instead of retreating, it became enraged. Ignoring the venom on its face, it raised its fans and struck Ash's Meganium with another X-Scissor.
At the critical moment, Sceptile appeared in front of Meganium, crossing its arms and using Leaf Blade to block Shiftry's X-Scissor. With a powerful shove, it pushed Shiftry backward.
Shiftry roared in frustration and collapsed. Meanwhile, the elderly woman's Meganium completed its Synthesis. Seeing Shiftry poisoned, it quickly attempted to use Aromatherapy to heal it.
However, Ash's Meganium, still vigilant, launched another Energy Ball at the opponent's Meganium, striking its neck and interrupting its attempt to use Aromatherapy.
The elderly woman noticed that Shiftry was growing more agitated from the pain. She tried to calm it down, but her efforts were in vain.
Shiftry began launching a frenzied assault on Sceptile. However, Ash didn't command Sceptile to counterattack, instead instructing it to rely on its superior speed to evade the attacks.
The elderly woman realized Ash's strategy and grew increasingly anxious, but Shiftry ignored her commands to calm down.
Before long, Shiftry became exhausted, and Sceptile defeated it effortlessly.
With Shiftry out of the fight, the Meganium, which excelled in support but lacked offensive power, was no match for Ash's team and was quickly defeated as well.
"Oh dear... I lost... I'm getting old," the elderly woman remarked while recalling her Pokémon.
Across from her, Ash gave her a thumbs-up and said, "You're not old at all, ma'am. That was an amazing battle."
The elderly woman was touched by Ash's enthusiasm, and her disappointment over losing quickly vanished. She gave him a thumbs-up in return. "Young man, you're pretty amazing yourself!"
After the woman's battle ended, the 40th match featured another elderly participant, this time an old man. Yuga recognized him immediately—it was the elderly woman's husband.
Yuga couldn't help but wonder why this couple had decided to join the competition. Could it be that life at the retirement home had gotten too dull?
The old man proved to be slightly stronger than his wife. Without encountering a challenging opponent like Ash, he easily defeated his opponent and advanced to the next round.
Anya's battle was scheduled toward the end of the day. With 50 groups of participants, she was in the 49th match.
For her battle, Anya brought out two Pokémon: Cacturne and Cherrim.
Cherrim, with its adorable appearance, is a staple in many Sunny Day teams. Its ability, Flower Gift, is excellent for supporting teammates.
True to form, Cherrim started the battle by using Sunny Day. As the sunny weather took effect, its petals unfurled, revealing its full cherry blossom form.
The sunny conditions activated Cherrim's Flower Gift ability, significantly boosting Cacturne's special defense and special attack.
Anya's opponent was a young man about her age, whose Pokémon were a Tropius and a Parasect.
The Tropius had the ability Solar Power, which greatly increased its special attack under sunny conditions. It flapped its wings and rose into the air, releasing two crossing Air Slashes aimed directly at Cherrim.
However, Cacturne's ability, Chlorophyll, doubled its speed in sunny weather. The moment Tropius attacked, Cacturne reacted swiftly, launching a massive Energy Ball that intercepted the Air Slashes.
The Energy Ball not only neutralized the Air Slashes but continued toward Tropius.
Boom!
Tropius wavered in mid-air after being struck.
Clearly, Cherrim's Flower Gift had provided Cacturne with a powerful boost.
While Cacturne dealt with Tropius, the Parasect rolled its eyes before swinging its large pincers, aiming a Cross Poison at Cacturne.
Cherrim quickly hopped in front of Cacturne and used Protect to block the attack. At the same time, it used Helping Hand on Cacturne.
The boost from Helping Hand increased Cacturne's attack power. It fired a Solar Beam at Tropius, trying to bring it down.
However, despite its seemingly sluggish demeanor, Parasect reacted swiftly, intercepting the Solar Beam with another Cross Poison, allowing Tropius to escape unscathed.
Cherrim used Helping Hand again on Cacturne, which then unleashed a Hyper Voice, targeting Parasect this time.
Cacturne's Hyper Voice was peculiar, as it used the sound of the bells inside its body. The resulting noise was a cacophony, so unbearable that even the audience covered their ears.
Hyper Voice was an area-of-effect move, and neither Parasect nor Tropius could avoid it. Parasect, being directly in the line of fire, was knocked unconscious almost instantly.
With Parasect out, Cacturne and Cherrim used the same strategy to defeat Tropius, securing victory for Anya and advancing her to the next round.
Anya's match marked the conclusion of this round of elimination battles, bringing the day's events to a close.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone