Kapitel 44: Chapter 44: You Expect a Poison-Type User to Play Fair?
"Belly Drum succeeded!"
The audience was in awe as they watched Snorlax, now radiating an overwhelmingly powerful aura.
In official battles, it's rare for a trainer to fully maximize their Pokémon's stats. But now, Red's Snorlax had done it!
"But the Toxic Spikes have been laid down again... and Snorlax has lost a lot of health using Belly Drum. If it can't land an attack on Drapion..."
Misty furrowed her delicate brows, analyzing the situation rationally.
Snorlax's physical attack power was now absurdly high, but Pokémon battles aren't just about comparing attack stats.
And let's not forget, Snorlax had already lost a significant amount of health before even starting the fight, all because of Belly Drum.
"Red's definitely got this!" Ash declared, full of faith in his brother. After all, Red had been his idol since childhood.
"You're right, though. It all depends on how well they command their Pokémon now."
Leah nodded in agreement with Misty's assessment. Though her skills as a trainer didn't match up to Dylan's or Red's, she was still far more experienced than Ash and his friends.
...
On the battlefield.
Drapion and Snorlax, both massive Pokémon, stared each other down from a distance, the tension between them palpable.
"Drapion, Pin Missile!"
Dylan was the first to act.
With a low growl, Drapion swung its massive pincers, unleashing a barrage of white, needle-like projectiles.
Snorlax is a pure Normal-type Pokémon, which is quite unique. Among the eighteen types, only Fighting-type is super effective against it, while Ghost-type attacks are completely ineffective. Everything else deals neutral damage.
Dylan didn't know Snorlax's ability, but it had to be one of three: Immunity, Thick Fat, or Gluttony.
(Note: As mentioned before, in official battles, Pokédexes are locked from showing abilities and moves during the battle, so earlier references to the Pokédex were from Ash and his friends using their own devices. Dylan doesn't know Snorlax's ability.)
Immunity would be the most troublesome, as it prevents the Pokémon from being poisoned.
Although a single layer of Toxic Spikes won't poison a Pokémon, the corrosive damage it causes is different from regular poison damage.
Poison-type Pokémon aren't immune to the damage from Toxic Spikes, but they do resist it. However, Dylan had previously tested that Poison-types don't take any damage from a single layer of Toxic Spikes, meaning they are completely immune to it.
So, there's a chance that Snorlax, if it has the Immunity ability, could be immune to the corrosive damage from a single layer of Toxic Spikes.
Dylan wasn't entirely sure, but it was necessary to find out. Laying down the Toxic Spikes was a way to test Snorlax's ability.
If Snorlax was immune to the Toxic Spikes, then it definitely had the Immunity ability!
But if it wasn't, it was likely to have either the Thick Fat or Gluttony ability. Either way, Dylan could still rely on the Toxic Spikes to wear Snorlax down!
Even though Snorlax's attack power was through the roof, it had lost a lot of health due to Belly Drum, leaving it in a less-than-ideal state.
"Snorlax, Fire Punch!"
Red lowered the brim of his hat and gave the command in a deep voice.
Snorlax stood its ground, its chubby fist igniting in flames, which it then swung with all its might at the incoming Pin Missile.
Boom!
The flames erupted violently, swallowing up all the Pin Missiles in their path.
The red flames painted the sky, reflecting in everyone's eyes.
What a powerful Fire Punch!
"Body Slam!"
Even before the flames had completely dissipated, Red immediately issued another command after shattering the Pin Missile.
Snorlax took a heavy step, preparing to charge at Drapion. But as it stepped forward, a sinister purple light enveloped Snorlax's entire body, covering its bulky frame.
The Toxic Spikes had kicked in!
Snorlax groaned in pain, the corrosive effect of the Toxic Spikes clearly taking its toll.
"Yikes!" Ash gasped at the sight.
"Those Toxic Spikes are really nasty!"
Ash didn't like this kind of battle. He preferred intense, all-out confrontations where both sides went at each other with everything they had—his ideal version of a Pokémon battle!
To him, the underhanded control tactics of Toxic Spikes felt like cheating!
"Yeah, it's a completely unfair control tactic."
Brock nodded in agreement. Of course, as a seasoned trainer, Brock didn't think there was anything wrong with using Toxic Spikes in battle; he was just amazed at how ruthless this move was!
How could such a strong move have gone unnoticed for so long?!
If you don't have moves like Haze or Rapid Spin to clear the field, and you can't finish the battle quickly, facing Toxic Spikes feels like a death sentence!
"It really is one of the best strategies for overcoming a stronger opponent," Brock thought to himself in amazement.
Of course, Brock didn't know that it wasn't just Haze and Rapid Spin that could clear Toxic Spikes...
The real world is full of surprises. Brock would never have guessed that the clueless guy next to him would one day have his Infernape dig underground to use Flare Blitz, using the intense heat to evaporate the Toxic Spikes from the entire battlefield.
Ash was stunned. "That's just cheating!"
But that's the reality—battle strategies can't always follow game mechanics to the letter. It's like how Sandstorm, triggered by Tyranitar's Sand Stream ability, was once dispelled by a splash of water from that same clueless guy's Pikachu in the Kalos League finals against Alain. Poor Sandstorm had no dignity left.
Who would dare run a Sandstorm team now? Does that mean Surf could wipe out a Sandstorm too? After all, Surf's wave is way bigger than that splash of water.
On the battlefield.
Seeing Snorlax writhing in pain from the Toxic Spikes, Red remained silent. This was something he had to face.
"So it doesn't have the Immunity ability." Dylan squinted slightly, watching Snorlax struggle through the fading flames.
With that confirmed, Snorlax must have either Thick Fat or Gluttony as its ability.
Nothing to worry about now, Dylan thought with a slight smile.
"Drapion, Earthquake!"
The corrosive effect of the Toxic Spikes was relatively short-lived, especially for Pokémon with high endurance and willpower.
So, they needed to strike while they had the chance.
Drapion's face twisted into a snarl, its massive tail rising high before slamming down onto the ground.
A Ground-type Earthquake!
Boom!
The battlefield shook violently as the seismic shockwave surged forward.
"Body Slam!"
But Red's training was exceptional. Snorlax managed to endure the corrosive effects of the Toxic Spikes, then charged forward and leapt high into the air, limbs spread wide as it aimed at Drapion.
A Normal-type Body Slam!
Visually, this was quite a sight. Snorlax, looking like a massive, three-hundred-pound giant, actually jumped pretty high!
Some of the spectators' eyes widened—they had never seen a Snorlax jump that high before!
"Drapion!"
Dylan remained calm.
Drapion quickly retreated, avoiding Snorlax's Body Slam. Getting hit by that would be no joke.
Although Drapion was large, unlike Snorlax, it was quite fast.
Boom!
Snorlax crashed into the ground with a thud, the impact causing the entire battlefield to tremble, and a thick cloud of dust rose into the air.
"High Horsepower!" Red commanded without hesitation.
"Snor~!"
From within the dust cloud, a massive shadow emerged, surrounded by a yellowish-brown energy as it charged forward with unstoppable momentum—a truly terrifying sight!
It was Snorlax.
Ground-type High Horsepower!
"Cross Poison!"
Dylan gave the order immediately.
Drapion continued to retreat, its pincers crossing as they glowed with a purple light before unleashing a cross-shaped energy blade.
Bang!
The Poison-type Cross Poison struck Snorlax, but Snorlax barreled through it without slowing down, continuing its charge!
Dylan's eye twitched slightly. What a powerful High Horsepower!
"Go, Snorlax!" Ash shouted excitedly as Snorlax charged forward.
"If that High Horsepower lands, Drapion will definitely be knocked out," Brock said, not daring to blink.
As long as it hits. If High Horsepower connects, Drapion won't be able to withstand it.
High Horsepower is a Ground-type move, super effective against Drapion, and with Snorlax's current attack power, even if Drapion had two lives, it wouldn't be enough to survive.
Dylan understood this too, but instead of worry, a smile spread across his face.
Snorlax isn't fast, even while using High Horsepower, and High Horsepower isn't a priority move.
"Red, as an excellent trainer, you should know that sometimes, facing a strong opponent who relies on brute force isn't as difficult as it seems."
Dylan smiled at Red.
Red's crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"It should be almost here." Dylan grinned.
"Drapion, Protect."
Now nearly backed into a corner, Drapion growled as it halted, a green barrier forming around it.
Protect, the ultimate defense! It can block almost any move!
Boom!
Snorlax's High Horsepower slammed into the Protect barrier with incredible force, sending shockwaves rippling out like a storm.
The gusts rustled Dylan's clothes and made his hair flutter, but he calmly and elegantly adjusted his collar.
Soon, the power of High Horsepower dissipated, but the thin Protect barrier remained as solid as ever.
Sizzle~
The Protect barrier's effect ended, slowly turning into light particles and fading away.
Just then, a deep purple Poison Jab struck, suddenly "engulfing" Snorlax entirely.
Snorlax's chubby face twisted in pain—this was the second wave of toxic spikes!
"Now, it's my turn to counterattack," Dylan said, his smile bright and sunny.
Substitute + Toxic Spikes, just as effective in a different form, right? After all, it's not easy to directly inflict toxic poisoning in real battles, but the poison from Toxic Spikes is just too convenient.
The first experience with a Toxic Spikes tactic is always like this, especially when Red's Blastoise has already been incapacitated and can't clear the field—it just feels so unfair, but...
You think Toxic Spikes are unfair? What fairness can you expect from someone who uses poison?
"Drapion."
In front of Snorlax, the sinister-looking Drapion slowly raised its head, its two terrifying pincers glowing with a purple poison, and its tail scorpion claw was also raised high, aiming at Snorlax.
At this moment, Drapion looked at Snorlax as if it were a helpless lamb ready for slaughter.
Not again!
Red's crimson eyes narrowed as he pressed his lips together tightly—once more, his Snorlax was being corroded by Toxic Spikes!
Always calm and composed during battles, Red felt his emotions begin to shift subtly.
(End of Chapter)
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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Rangliste 
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Stein