Chapter 537: Pokemon master of tactics - 537 (Bonus - )

Alex quickly began thinking about how to salvage the situation, and after a second, he had an idea.

He said telepathically, "Gardevoir, get your next move ready, but teleport somewhere else. I want you to..."

Gardevoir finished preparing her move and used Teleport, but instead of teleporting to the other side of the arena, she appeared directly in the pool of water located in the center.

She immediately dove deep into the water, and it didn't take long for her to reach a depth of ten meters.

Skarmory, with his keen eyes, spotted this and could even faintly make out Gardevoir deep underwater.

Steven realized that Alex was employing a new tactic he had never used before and called out, "Skarmory, be careful. No matter what you do, don't look directly at Gardevoir."

Skarmory nodded and flew toward Gardevoir without looking straight at her.

Alex watched silently as Skarmory quickly reached the center of the arena.

Skarmory's next move was ready, and he used Swords Dance, which greatly increased his Attack.

Steven looked at the pool in the center of the arena but couldn't figure out Alex's plan. Having no time to overthink it, he said, "Skarmory, finish this."

Hearing the command, Alex suppressed the smile that was trying to spread across his face.

He knew his new plan had completely confused Steven and that his opponent was walking right into the trap.

Skarmory prepared his move. Soon, he was flying directly over the water's surface, hovering right above Gardevoir, who was ten meters below.

Gardevoir finished preparing her move but—following Alex's instruction—held off on using it immediately, keeping her eyes on Skarmory.

Skarmory finished preparing his move and dove into the water with incredible speed and agility.

Gardevoir didn't react immediately; she waited until the Skarmory was just a meter away before unleashing Thunderbolt.

An electric beam shot from her hand toward Skarmory, but since both Pokémon were deep underwater and right next to each other, the move struck both of them. The power of this move was significantly amplified for that very reason.

However, Gardevoir not only had superior Special Defense—especially with the boost from Calm Mind—but she also wasn't weak to Electric-type moves, so she didn't take as much damage as Skarmory.

Skarmory took the full force of the hit and felt as though he might lose consciousness at any moment; yet, he held on for a split second longer to execute Steel Wing.

Because Skarmory hadn't been knocked out instantly by the hit, the power of Steel Wing remained undiminished, and Gardevoir took the full impact of the move.

Combined with the damage from her own attack, she was knocked unconscious.

Both Pokémon drifted motionlessly in the water.

Alex and Steven reacted at once, recalling their Pokémon before they could sink any farther.

Although Pokémon Bodies are very strong and not at risk of drowning quickly, both trainers were very fast.

After summoning them back onto the arena, both trainers immediately began treating them with Potions.

As Steven applied medicine to Skarmory's wounds, he glanced at Alex. "Since when do you use tactics this risky? What would you have done if I'd chosen a move that didn't require Skarmory to dive into the water?"

Alex briefly considered telling him the truth—that he already knew every one of Skarmory's Expert- and Master-Rank moves, making the gamble far less risky than it appeared.

Instead, he simply smiled. "Does it matter? The important part is that your Skarmory turned out to be tougher than I expected. I was hoping Thunderbolt would knock him out instantly and interrupt his attack... or at least weaken it."

Steven finished treating Skarmory before returning him to his Poké Ball.

He replied with a faint smile. "Then you were hoping for a miracle. My Pokémon aren't so fragile that they'd lose consciousness before completing a single attack. Every one of my Pokémon is special."

Alex smiled when he heard that. "Haha, every halfway good trainer thinks that about their own Pokémon."

Steven wanted to answer but stopped when he noticed the arena becoming extremely loud.

The spectators, who had just witnessed both Pokémon knock each other out in spectacular fashion, erupted into thunderous applause.

Before long, chants echoed throughout the arena.

"Alex!"

"Steven!"

"Alex!"

"Steven!"

Neither trainer had gained an advantage, yet the battle had already exceeded the audience's expectations.

Mary smiled as she listened to the crowd. "What an incredible start to the semifinals! I don't think anyone expected the very first exchange to end with both Pokémon knocking each other out."

Professor Birch nodded in agreement. "It was a fascinating tactical battle. Alex immediately abandoned his original plan after seeing Skarmory's moves and came up with a completely new strategy on the spot. At the same time, Steven stayed calm and adapted just as quickly."

Wattson laughed. "And that's exactly what makes battles between top trainers so exciting. Neither side sticks blindly to a plan. The moment something unexpected happens, they improvise."

Mary looked toward the battlefield. "With one Pokémon down on each side, neither trainer has the upper hand. This battle has effectively become a best-of-two."

Professor Birch smiled slightly. "Perhaps on paper. In reality, though, Steven still holds a slight advantage. His Metagross is the strongest remaining Pokémon on either team, and in a 2-on-2 battle, it can make much better use of that advantage than it could in a full 3-on-3."

Wattson nodded in agreement. "That's right. If Metagross gets a favorable matchup, it could very well decide the entire battle."

Mary looked toward the battlefield with anticipation. "Which means Alex's next decision is absolutely crucial. One wrong choice here, and Steven could seize complete control of the match."

The audience continued cheering as both trainers finished treating their Pokémon, eagerly waiting to see which Pokémon they would send out next.

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