"Grovyle, continue using Giga Drain!"
Cassia's decision to have Crawdaunt use Taunt was exactly what Kalia wanted. Each successful move against Crawdaunt would alleviate pressure for her Charmeleon when it entered the battle.
Unlike most Trainers who maintain relatively balanced Pokemon teams, with perhaps one standout Pokémon slightly stronger than the others but without significant gaps in power, Kalia had one exceptionally powerful Pokémon and average ones supporting it. Therefore, any damage dealt before Charmeleon's entrance was considered advantageous.
Kalia now understood how to leverage this strength effectively: by weakening her opponent's Pokémon upfront, she could pave the way for Charmeleon's decisive entry.
It was akin to playing chess - holding back your trump card initially, strategically positioning pieces until the opportune moment arrives, then unleashing that ace to swiftly defeat the opponent.
As a Water-type, Crawdaunt undoubtedly posed a threat to Charmeleon. Thus, reducing or eliminating Crawdaunt's effectiveness significantly aided Charmeleon's subsequent performance.
As Kalia spoke, Crawdaunt began to move slowly. Despite its limited speed, the battlefield area was confined, and Grovyle's Taunt stance displayed intense aggression, making it easy for Crawdaunt to approach.
"Crawdaunt, use Protect to block Giga Drain, then close in on Grovyle and employ Night Slash!" Cassia commanded Crawdaunt to counterattack. At this point, there was no need to worry about Grovyle maintaining distance with Double Team; one successful hit would likely result in an instant knockout.
Being a mid-level student at the Pokemon Academy, Cassia had extensive knowledge of various Pokemon. Grovyle, with its slender build, exhibited agility and high speed but possessed weak defensive capabilities.
If it were Sceptile, its defense would have been significantly stronger, but as a Grovyle, Crawdaunt's attack intensity, combined with a dark-type Night Slash, was more than enough for an immediate defeat.
Grovyle released Giga Drain somewhat slower compared to Lian's swift move execution. It required time to recover Grass-type energy.
In this interval, Crawdaunt could successfully execute Protect, a Normal-type move that creates a protective barrier, capable of blocking numerous attacks.
Giga Drain was no exception; as Grovyle unleashed Giga Drain, it was promptly halted by the protective layer formed by Protect, wasting one of its moves.
"Pity," Kalia lamented silently. It would have been ideal to further exhaust Crawdaunt, but even now, it sufficed. Having already endured one Giga Drain, once Charmeleon entered with Dragon Rage, it would be enough to defeat Crawdaunt.
With Grass-types doubly effective against Water-types and considering the strong power of Giga Drain, it had inflicted significant damage on Crawdaunt.
Cassia, though formidable, was roughly comparable to Trainers from the sixth floor of the Battle Tower.
"Grovyle, dodge and use Leaf Blade!" Kalia spoke optimistically, hoping if Grovyle could evade the opponent's attack, the potent Leaf Blade could deal substantial damage to Crawdaunt, potentially defeating it outright.
If Grovyle couldn't dodge, it wouldn't be a problem either; she could immediately switch to Charmeleon. With its speed, Charmeleon would undoubtedly unleash Dragon Rage before Crawdaunt's attack.
Leaf Blade is a Grass-type move, utilizing Grovyle's sharp leaf-like wrists for swift, intersecting strikes.
As Crawdaunt rapidly approached Grovyle, its large pincers aimed for a quick clamp down.
Although Grovyle was under Taunt status, it didn't mean it couldn't evade, just that it couldn't use non-damaging moves.
Facing Crawdaunt's Night Slash targeting vital areas, Grovyle swiftly maneuvered, attempting to dodge the pincer assault.
Grovyle had consistently practiced evasion, which Kalia always emphasized as crucial. This long-term training now proved invaluable in this moment.
With a nimble turn, Grovyle closely circled around Crawdaunt, ending up behind it, leaving Crawdaunt's move to strike only air.
In the next instant, Grovyle raised both wrists, revealing its sharp blades, and executed a rapid cross-cutting motion, striking fiercely against Crawdaunt's body.
The clumsy Crawdaunt swayed slightly after enduring Grovyle's ninety-power Leaf Blade attack, followed by Giga Drain. If Crawdaunt hadn't specifically trained its resistance to Grass-type attacks, it likely wouldn't have withstood these moves.
Soon, Crawdaunt collapsed onto the ground, losing its ability to fight, and Grovyle emerged victorious.
"Wow." Lian was somewhat surprised; after not seeing each other for many days, Grovyle had indeed gained some strength. Although Charmeleon could also defeat Crawdaunt, it wouldn't be as effortless. Grovyle held an advantage due to type effectiveness, while although Lian wasn't vulnerable to Water-type moves, his Fire-type attacks would face resistance from Crawdaunt.
"Well done!" Kalia showed delight on her face. The victory of Grovyle over Crawdaunt, albeit partly due to Cassia's underestimation and reluctance to switch Pokemon, still indicated Grovyle's improved capabilities. At least in terms of agility, Grovyle had significantly advanced, clearly demonstrated by its evasive maneuvers during the battle.
Cassia appeared stunned by Crawdaunt's defeat, quickly realizing he had been too dismissive and should have switched Pokemon earlier. His initial intention was to use a Water-type to defeat a Grass-type, aiming to undermine Kalia's confidence.
"Cassia, what are you doing? Get serious!" Haley frowned, clearly aware that Water-types were disadvantaged against Grass-types and lacked the speed to outpace Grovyle, yet Cassia persisted with his Crawdaunt's offensive.
"I understand!" Cassia responded angrily, then turned to Kalia. "From now on, I'll give it my all."
"Grovyle, return." Kalia recalled her Pokémon, anticipating that her opponent would send out a counter to Grovyle, making it unnecessary for Grovyle to continue fighting.
Preserving combat strength was crucial. Bringing out Ninetales at this point seemed like a wise choice, as its attributes both resisted Fire-type attacks and countered Grass-types effectively.
"Ninetales," Kalia tossed the Poké Ball. Charmeleon was her trump card, and until she understood her opponent's full roster, it was best to proceed cautiously. Otherwise, if Charmeleon encountered a strong counter, it could be risky.
A defeat for Charmeleon would significantly diminish Kalia's chances of winning, so deploying it required careful timing as a strategic reserve, only entering during critical moments.
"Go, Infernape!"
Cassia also released his Pokémon: an Infernape, dual Fire and Fighting-type, clearly intended to counter Grovyle.
However, Kalia's preemptive switch to Ninetales foiled Cassia's plan, highlighting his lack of experience or perhaps insufficient observation skills, as he failed to notice Kalia's intention to substitute her Pokémon promptly.
Despite seeing Kalia replace with another Fire-type, Ninetales, Cassia showed no visible reaction, seemingly leaving him with no choice but to use Infernape.
Soon, the surrounding students provided Kalia with insights:
"Cassia only has Froslass left; if Infernape loses, he might not stand a chance."
"He underestimated his opponent earlier. If he had timely switched out Crawdaunt before, using Infernape against Grovyle could have worked. Once Infernape defeated Grovyle, with both remaining opponents being Fire-types, Crawdaunt would've been unbeatable."
"Infernape still has a chance against Ninetales. Don't forget, aside from being Fire-type, it's also a Fighting-type Pokémon, while Ninetales is purely Fire-type."