Chương 123: Chapter 123: War of Attrition
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"Bellossom, quickly jump off the bridge and into the water!"
Seeing Kuroishi using Fearow's advantage in the air to kite Bellossom with repeated Heat Wave attacks, a grim look crossed Sato's face. His worst-case scenario had come to pass.
Flying-type Pokémon had an inherent advantage in battle, often using hit-and-run tactics from above. Without a way to counter them, opponents could be toyed with until they were defeated.
Bellossom's long-range moves included Acid, Energy Ball, Leaf Blade, Magical Leaf, Razor Leaf, and Leaf Storm, but none of them posed a threat. Acid was negligible, and the rest were all Grass-type moves, which Fearow's Heat Wave could easily overpower.
If Fearow had continued close-combat tactics, Sato would have had a better chance of countering with Bellossom's status moves. But now, with Fearow taking this frustrating hit-and-run approach, Bellossom's chances of victory looked slim.
Even so, Sato believed Bellossom still had a shot. The battlefield was a water arena, making it much harder for Heat Wave alone to knock Bellossom out right away.
With a splash, Bellossom followed Sato's command and jumped into the water, dodging another Heat Wave just in time. Submerged, Bellossom absorbed plenty of moisture, restoring her flowers and leafy skirt to their full, vibrant state. She then surfaced, climbing onto a floating platform.
"Haha! Give it up already, Sato! Having Bellossom jump in the water is only delaying the inevitable—like a frog being slowly boiled alive. Fearow, keep using Heat Wave! Let's make that pool boil!"
Kuroishi taunted, directing Fearow to continue its kiting strategy from above. Meanwhile, Sato and Bellossom weren't going down without a fight. Bellossom launched Magical Leaves and Energy Balls at the airborne Fearow while diving into the water to dodge each Heat Wave attack.
Despite her efforts, most attacks missed, and even when they hit, they barely fazed Fearow, who was only mildly irritated by the impacts.
"What a display of endurance! Sato and Bellossom haven't given up. They're cleverly using the water arena to counter Fearow's aerial advantage. How will this battle end?" the announcer boomed, his voice ringing with excitement.
The audience, however, didn't share the commentator's enthusiasm. With the action reduced to repetitive hit-and-run moves, they grew visibly bored; some even began to yawn. The exchange had already dragged on for seven or eight minutes, with neither side making decisive progress. The spectators began to suspect Sato was only prolonging an inevitable defeat.
"Tch, struggling till the bitter end? Fine, we'll oblige. Fearow, take your time! Let them savor the slow roast just a little longer," Kuroishi sneered, a twisted grin spreading across his face.
Fearow matched his master's cruelty, heeding the command to slow its attacks. It started heating the water bit by bit, sending a steady stream of Heat Waves down at Bellossom and the arena.
As Fearow continued its assault, the stadium temperature rose, and the pool, the main target, began to warm visibly. After seven to eight minutes of relentless Heat Wave bombardment, the water was noticeably hotter, putting Bellossom in a worsening predicament.
Although the water in the pool hadn't yet started boiling, it was heating enough that Bellossom couldn't stay submerged for long. Instead, she relied on her dampened body to reduce the damage from Fearow's Heat Wave.
After all, Bellossom may be plant-like, but staying too long in heated water would cause harm nearly as severe as Fearow's attacks.
"Hold on, just a little longer—the opportunity is almost here," Sato whispered encouragingly.
Watching as Fearow's Heat Wave slowly cornered Bellossom like a frog in warming water, Sato felt a pang of concern. Yet, Bellossom seemed to sense her trainer's determination to win, and she continued to endure, gritting her teeth with resolve. The flowers atop her head glowed softly, their light sustaining her through Synthesis, gradually restoring her strength and healing her wounds, despite the current conditions not being ideal for it.
Another ten minutes passed, and to most of the audience, Bellossom appeared nearly defeated, her body battered as though she could collapse any second. But to a keen-eyed few, Bellossom was a symbol of the Grass-type's resilience, holding her ground remarkably. Some onlookers even showed expressions of disbelief.
"She's really enduring—what amazing resilience. Is this the true toughness of a Grass-type? Remarkable! The tide seems to be slowly turning in her favor."
In the waiting room, a young female trainer watched the screen in awe.
Although Bellossom was indeed covered in wounds, the twin flowers on her head continued gathering light for Synthesis, causing a soft green glow to pulse over her body as she slowly regained strength.
While she seemed to be hanging by a thread, in truth, Bellossom still had more stamina left than it appeared.
On the other side, Fearow, though in much better shape than Bellossom with only minor injuries, was beginning to show fatigue. The repeated use of Heat Wave, a non-STAB move, was taking its toll. Lacking any way to recover, Fearow was visibly exhausted. Even when it managed another Heat Wave, it was nowhere near as powerful as before.
The Heat Wave move has a power of 95, making it highly draining. Bellossom, accustomed to intense endurance training fueled by daily PokeBlocks, was at a clear advantage in terms of stamina. Combined with the restorative effects of Synthesis, Bellossom's endurance was remarkable—unless she was taken down in one decisive hit, her Grass-type tenacity would shine through.
Somewhat unexpectedly, thanks to the water arena and Bellossom's Synthesis recovery, the battle had evolved into a drawn-out endurance match.
With Fearow's Heat Wave attacks slowing down and losing their edge, the pool's temperature was beginning to cool, gradually tilting the battle in Bellossom's favor.
At this point, Kuroishi, who had felt confident of his victory, began to realize the tide was turning. His expression turned to disbelief as he struggled to understand how his sure-win strategy had been reversed.
"This can't be happening! No way! Fearow, don't give up—use Peck! Give it everything you've got!"
With Fearow close to collapse from exhaustion, Kuroishi frantically yelled, urging his Pokémon to make one final, desperate move.
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