บท 784: Double Battle
Yuga looked at the Poké Ball holding the Whimsicott in his hand and then looked up at Harrison.
"How about we combine the next two battles into one double battle?" he proposed.
Seeing that the Whimsicott, which had a slightly stronger overall strength, almost got into trouble, Yuga thought about having a double battle to test the synergy between Harrison's Pokémon.
Upon hearing Yuga's suggestion, Harrison hesitated for a moment. He remembered that there were no double battles in the rules of the Verdanturf Gym, but he still agreed.
"Sure, I'm fine with that," he said.
"Great, then I'll send out my Pokémon first," Yuga said with approval.
Yuga handed the Poké Ball containing the Whimsicott to Anmu, who was nearby, to receive treatment and then released two Grass-type Pokémon.
One was the offensive Lurantis, and the other was the disruptive Amoonguss.
Seeing the two Grass-type Pokémon that Yuga sent out, Harrison couldn't help but marvel at the diversity of Grass-type Pokémon in the Verdanturf Gym.
Before challenging the gym in Verdanturf Town, Harrison had investigated the challenges of other trainers and knew that the types of Pokémon used by the gym had been quite variable recently, with the only fixed attribute being Grass-type.
This made it challenging for challengers to counter the gym's Pokémon, as the type of Grass Pokémon used was constantly changing.
There were official league websites designed for trainers to exchange experiences challenging gyms, and each region had one. These websites ensured that information about various gyms was updated promptly, providing convenience to challengers.
So, it wasn't difficult for trainers who wanted to investigate a gym's Pokémon lineup.
After some thought, Harrison took out two Poké Balls and released his own Pokémon. One was Blaziken as expected by Yuga, and the other was the adorable Milktank.
Compared to the relatively slow Pokémon on Yuga's side, both Blaziken and Milktank were quite agile.
As the command "Begin the match" was issued by Beidou, Harrison's Blaziken immediately rushed towards Yuga's Lurantis and Amoonguss.
"Blaziken, use Blaze Kick! Milktank, start with Rollout."
With its high speed, Blaziken swiftly approached Lurantis and aimed a kick at it.
"Lurantis, brace yourself," Yuga said. Faced with Blaziken's attack, Lurantis had no intention of dodging, nor could it due to its slow speed. Lurantis raised its arms, and its large scythes suddenly opened, emitting a bright and sharp green light. It used Leaf Blade to repel Blaziken's powerful legs.
Despite its lack of speed, Lurantis matched Blaziken in terms of strength.
While Lurantis and Blaziken clashed, Amoonguss quietly moved behind Lurantis and used Sunny Day.
Sunny Day was a move that could benefit Blaziken, but under these circumstances, it was crucial for Lurantis.
Almost immediately after Amoonguss used Sunny Day, Milktank, which had transformed into a rolling shape, charged towards Lurantis.
The tactic used by Milktank was a common but effective strategy often found in many trainers' teams, especially those who used Pokémon from the Geodude family.
However, before Milktank could get close to Lurantis, Lurantis swung its large scythes, launching two giant golden blades—one targeting Milktank and the other headed for Blaziken.
Thanks to Amoonguss's Sunny Day, Lurantis's Solar Blade was virtually instant and extremely fast.
Blaziken, with its nimble movements, managed to evade Lurantis's Solar Blade, but Milktank, in the midst of its rolling, couldn't escape and was sent flying by Solar Blade, causing considerable damage.
Blaziken quickly moved away from Lurantis, its gaze filled with caution after the previous encounter with Lurantis's Solar Blade. The attack had sent chills down its spine, making it aware of the imminent danger. Fortunately, it had reacted quickly, or it would have ended up like Milktank.
Harrison's Milktank had the common ability Thick Fat, not the hidden ability Sap Sipper, which would bring headache for Yuga.
After being hit by Lurantis's Leaf Blade, Milktank, under Harrison's command, used Milk Drink to recover from its injuries.
"Lurantis, continue using Solar Blade."
As Milktank recovered, Yuga issued another command, and two giant blades of light struck towards Blaziken and Milktank once again.
The Miltank whovunable to move while using Drink Milk move, found itself in a tricky situation. Meanwhile, Blaziken leaped into action, carrying Miltank, successfully evading the Solar Blade attack from Lurantis.
Avoiding the Solar Blade, Miltank's Drink Milk move came to an end, and allowing it to recover from its injuries.
"Quick reflexes, well done, but it's not over yet. Amoonguss, protect Lurantis. Lurantis, release your Sweet Scent."
Yuga praised Harrison's Blaziken and then gave orders to Amoonguss and Lurantis.
Upon hearing the command, Amoonguss immediately jumped in front of Lurantis, while Lurantis, behind Amoonguss, unfurled its elegant gesture, spreading waves of romantic and charming pink aroma.
"Not good, Blaziken, stop Lurantis."
Seeing the bewitching pink aroma, Harrison realized the danger and quickly warned Blaziken.
In response, Blaziken opened its mouth and breathed out a Flamethrower, directed at Amoonguss and the Lurantis behind it.
"Amoonguss, Bide."
Amoonguss excels more at disruption than direct attacks. Therefore, with Amoonguss's abilities, it couldn't counter Blaziken's Flamethrower with an attacking move. Moreover, with Lurantis behind it, it couldn't evade the attack either. So, it had to resort to using the move "Bide."
Thanks to Amoonguss's sturdy constitution, Blaziken's Flamethrower didn't manage to knock it down. At this point, Lurantis's Sweet Scent had already permeated the battlefield.
Wild Lurantis rely on their gorgeous appearance and enchanting fragrance to hunt.
So, once Blaziken and Miltank caught a whiff of the Sweet Scent, they immediately experienced symptoms of confusion and disorientation.
Different Grass-type Pokémon have varying levels of potency with their Sweet Scents, and it's clear that Lurantis's falls into the highly confusing category.
"Lurantis, use Solar Blade."
As Yuga's command was issued, two massive Solar Blades struck Blaziken and Miltank.
Both Solar Blades successfully hit Blaziken and Miltank.
Though Leaf Blade was a powerful Grass-type move, its effectiveness was reduced against Fire-type Pokémon like Blaziken. So, it still couldn't take Blaziken down in one hit.
Milktank, on the other hand, with its high HP and Thick Fat, managed to withstand Lurantis's Solar Blade, although it still took some damage.
"Blaziken, Milktank, are you okay?" Harrison asked nervously as he looked at his two Pokémon.
Under the intense attacks and after being hit by Lurantis's Solar Blade earlier, Blaziken and Milktank were temporarily shaken. However, they shook their heads, indicating that they were not seriously injured.
"Don't panic. This is the moment when you need to stay calm the most. Otherwise, getting the Verdant Badge from me won't be easy," Yuga reminded Harrison.
Harrison finally calmed down and expressed his gratitude. "Thank you."
"Now, let the match continue," Yuga said.
Awakened from their temporary confusion by the Sweet Scent of Lurantis, Blaziken and Milktank were now difficult to be confused by it again. At most, it would distract their attention and slow down their movements.
However, that was enough for Yuga, who was troubled by their rapid speed.
Watching Lurantis and Amoonguss on the opposite side, Harrison's mind raced as he tried to find an effective way to attack.
Seeing Harrison hesitating, Yuga commanded Amoonguss, "Amoonguss, use Stun Spore."
Upon Yuga's command, countless pale yellow spores sprayed out from Amoonguss's mushroom cap, scattering towards Harrison's Milktank and Blaziken.
"Milktank, use Heal Bell."
As the paralyzing spores approached, Milktank grabbed its own tail and began to shake it gently, emitting a series of clear bell-like chimes.
While Blaziken still felt numbness in their bodies due to the intense battle, they quickly recovered after hearing Milktank's Heal Bell.
With its two long legs, Blaziken rapidly charged toward Lurantis and Amoonguss once more.
It needs to resolve the battle quickly; otherwise, once the Heal Bell of Miltank stops, it will become paralyzed due to the field's full of Stun Spore.
Getting close to Lurantis, Blaziken's two legs quickly alternate, and it continuously uses Blaze Kick, engaging in an intense battle with Lurantis.
Lurantis's most powerful attack is the two giant sickle arms it contracts, and Blaziken's every Blaze Kick is blocked by these leaf blade arms.
The complex body structure of Lurantis destined it to have more offense than agility, so facing Blaziken's frequent attacks, it will eventually struggle to keep up.
However, at this point, Amoonguss will seize the opportunity to assist, sometimes even acting as a meat shield for Lurantis, blocking Blaziken's attacks.
While acting as a meat shield, Amoonguss uses the move "Bide." Unfortunately, the damage reflected by Bide was dodged by Blaziken.
Yuga's Amoonguss has the ability "Effect Spore." If it weren't for the Heal Bell of Miltank continuously shaking, Blaziken would have already been paralyzed after so many contacts with Amoonguss.
Thanks to Amoonguss's assistance, the weather on the field remained sunny throughout, and the temperature kept rising with time.
Lurantis swung its arms, launching colorful petals like blades, forming a flurry of fallen blossoms, forcing Blaziken to retreat.
At this point, both Lurantis and Blaziken were heavily damaged.
"Amoonguss, use Synthesis," Yuga commanded.
Under Yuga's command, Amoonguss's body emitted a white light, and its injuries began to slowly heal.
"Blaziken, stop it," Harrison maintained his composure on the surface, but he was getting anxious inside. How could he continue like this? His Miltank was restricted by the scattered Stun Spore on the field and couldn't help Blaziken.
This was supposed to be a double battle, but it had been turned into a double-one by Amoonguss. Whether it was its Stun Spore or its "Effect Spore" ability, it was tricky.
Harrison had focused on training Blaziken in close combat, and it wasn't good at long-range attacks. Otherwise, it might have been better equipped to deal with the combined assault of Lurantis and Amoonguss.
Actually, Yuga was already surprised by Blaziken's strength. It had held on for so long against coorporation Lurantis and Amoonguss. Although the type advantage played a role, it was still quite impressive.
To stop Amoonguss's Synthesis, Blaziken was once again forced back by Lurantis's Solar Blade. If Blaziken took another Solar Blade now, it wouldn't be able to get back up.
"Blaziken, use Flamethrower, burn the whole field!" Suddenly, Harrison thought of a way to deal with the scattered Stun Spore on the field. He had to make Miltank free up its hands, or there was no chance of turning the tide.
As Blaziken's Flamethrower swept across the entire field, the scattered Stun Spore turned into ashes, and Miltank finally freed up its hands.
Lurantis guarding Amoonguss didn't stop Blaziken's actions.
However, at this moment, Amoonguss's Synthesis ended, and it was back to full health.
"Lurantis, it's your turn. Use Synthesis too."
Lurantis opened its arms to better receive the sunlight's rays, just like Amoonguss, using a healing move, Synthesis.
Seeing this scene, Harrison knew that he couldn't let Lurantis recover, or he would be defeated for sure.
"Blaziken, Miltank, attack!"
Harrison didn't even bother to let Miltank help the injured Blaziken recover. He directly ordered both Pokémon to launch an attack on Lurantis, which was using Synthesis.
Blaziken, heavily injured, used its Fire-type ultimate move, Flare Blitz, while Miltank didn't use Rollout this time. There was no time for a combo; it used Fire Punch instead.
Facing the simultaneous charge of two Pokémon, Amoonguss used Sludge Bomb to try and stop their attacks.
Although it didn't use Bide this time, it knew that even if it had thick HP, it couldn't withstand the simultaneous attacks of two Pokémon.
However, Blaziken and Miltank were much faster than the sluggish Amoonguss. They easily dodged Amoonguss's Sludge Bomb.
Amoonguss knew it couldn't evade anymore, so it directly took Blaziken and Miltank's moves.
Blaziken's Flare Blitz and Miltank's Fire Punch both hit Amoonguss. Amoonguss was sent flying and lost the ability to battle.
As Amoonguss fell, Lurantis's Synthesis also ended, and two Solar Blades swung from its arms, landing on the now-close Blaziken and Miltank.
The already-injured Blaziken immediately fell, and the slightly less injured Miltank rolled a few times on the ground before also losing the ability to battle.
Looking at the unconscious Blaziken and Miltank, Harrison shook his head in disappointment.
The intensity of this battle had exceeded Yuga's expectations. He had to admit that Harrison, who had been on a journey for just over a year, was already quite strong.
Once Yuga regained his composure, he saw Audino come and she still held the Whimsicott's Poké Ball in her hand, indicating that the Whimsicott was fine.
"I'll leave Amoonguss to you," Yuga pointed to the unconscious Amoonguss and said to Audino.
"Audino."
Leave it to me.
Audino quickly approached Amoonguss and took care of it with a cheerful expression.
"If you don't mind, let Audino help heal your three Pokémon too," Yuga approached Harrison and said.
"Thank you."
Harrison thanked him, but his mood didn't seem high.
After all the Pokémon were healed, Yuga took out the Verdant Badge and handed it to Harrison.
"But... but... I lost the match," Harrison stammered, feeling like he shouldn't take the badge just because he knew Yuga.
Seeing his conflicted expression, Yuga stuffed the badge into his hand and said, "Take it, you deserve it. I didn't give you any special treatment."
"Why?" Harrison widened his eyes.
"We Gym Leaders accept challenges from Trainers not to beat you but to test your strength. Winning against you doesn't mean much to us. I think you've passed the test, so I'm giving you this badge, regardless of whether we know each other or not. Besides, am I the kind of person who easily gives people special treatment?"
"Oh..." Harrison nodded, somewhat dazed, and it was unclear if he truly understood.
After the Gym challenge, Yuga wanted Harrison to stay at the Gym for a while, but he was declined, and he set off on his journey again.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง