Elf: I have a secret realm of emerald green.

Unfortunately, Xia Shen's first Pokémon was not a dog, but the first generation of the signature Pokémon of the Greenery, Ursaring.

The audience could understand and had expected the result of a new generation replacing the old.

But they still jokingly spammed the comments section with, "rnm, refund!"

This shows just how popular Arcanine is right now.

Xia Shen was unaware of the audience's thoughts, but even if she had, she wouldn't have changed her decision.

Just kidding, against an opponent who specializes in Ground-type moves, the last Arcanine was almost four times weaker to Ground?

If he really plays so recklessly in such an important match, then Rou Ge and the coach should kick him in the back.

Togekiss would actually be a good choice against teams that primarily use Ground-type moves.

But their opponent is a captain of a top university team, whose three main Pokémon are all at least professional fourth rank.

Togekiss's strength is somewhat insignificant compared to this.

…………

Pulling his thoughts back, Xia Shen turned his attention back to the game.

On the battlefield, facing Moonbear from afar was a hippopotamus-like elf lying on the ground in a similar posture.

As soon as he entered the field, dust rose up, and a sandstorm quickly covered the entire arena.

It was Hippowdon, a Pokémon with the [Sand Stream] ability.

Xia Shen curled his lip, "Besides being able to stir up sand, it's just a low-end Moonbear."

The sandstorm obscured the trainers' vision, but it couldn't block Xia Shen's mental perception.

The arena is only so big. With Xia Shen's current strength, he can't even sense the hippopotamus's location and movements.

Xia Shen even knew exactly what kind of energy he was condensing.

At this moment, Xia Shen easily detected that the hippopotamus was standing still, gathering rock-type energy.

Is there even a need to guess?

Lissandra is immune to Rock-type attacks; no opponent would be foolish enough to use it against them.

Therefore, the only possibility is that it is an invisible rock.

Thinking of this, Xia Shen telepathically commanded: [Fierce Sword Dance!]

It's not that Xia Shen is greedy, but the hippopotamus's defensive endurance is just too high; even if it's muscular, it's still just so-so.

Even with high physical defense, the resilience gained after a sword dance will make one tremble.

On the field, several invisible rocks formed from rock-type energy fell around the Moon Bear.

Although it didn't have any effect on her, the effect would become apparent as soon as Xia Shen switched spirits.

But... change your Pokémon?

Why should I change my Pokémon?

A spirited and passionate aura bursts forth from the Moon Bear.

Bathed in orange light, even the sharp claws on the bear's paws seemed to grow even sharper.

[The hippopotamus is directly in front of me. I'm digging a hole to get closer. I'll let you know if it's building up an earthquake.]

Although the site is a watery area, the water is not deep, so as long as the hole is dug a little deeper, it won't have much of an impact.

Moonbear immediately carried out the order, and the sound of digging became extremely inconspicuous under the cover of the sandstorm.

Soon, Moon Bear's figure disappeared from the field.

…………

Tang Ge frowned slightly. The orange light emanating from the Moon Bear's location was extremely conspicuous. He could see it, but he didn't know whether it was Bodybuilding or Sword Dance.

For some reason, even though his opponent's opening move was a standard one, he had a vague feeling that he was being read.

Now that the orange light has disappeared, the Moon Bear must be digging a hole to prepare for an attack, right?

Tang Ge did not rush to have the hippopotamus build up its power for an earthquake.

If the Moon Bear is not within range, or is far away, it can completely avoid the earthquake before approaching the Hippo Beast.

At that time, the hippopotamus will be facing a fully enhanced and fully-equipped Moonbear.

Given Xia Shen's level of expertise, he couldn't possibly have overlooked this.

Presumably, Moon Bear is currently wandering in a place where the Hippo Beast's earthquake cannot reach.

He silently counted to five, just as he was about to instruct the hippopotamus to prepare for a powerful earthquake.

Little did they know that the trembling sound of digging had already arrived beneath the hippopotamus's feet.

Tang Ge was shocked. What was wrong with this person? He just dug a hole and came over here.

So reckless! Aren't you afraid of an earthquake?

Little did he know that Xia Shen on the other side was also wondering the same thing.

What's wrong with this person? The moon bear dug a hole and there was no earthquake. Is he that brave?

At this point, another earthquake would be too late. The bear's hide is thick and tough, so it is very safe to withstand an earthquake that doesn't involve digging a hole.

The hippopotamus, on the other hand, will have to endure the ordeal of digging its way out of the hole.

Can the hippopotamus withstand it?

I can definitely withstand it, but why should I take such a beating for nothing?

Using protection only buys you time.

…………

Tang Ge lived up to his reputation as a top young trainer. He instantly changed his mind and said in a deep voice, "Hippowdon, Ice Fang."

The Frozen Fang attack on the Moon Bear is no less powerful than an earthquake, but its charging time is much shorter.

Just in time for the Moon Bear to come out.

Then, whether you switch to a different Pokémon or continue to fight head-on with Ice Fang, you'll have more options for your strategy.

In the best-case scenario, the hippopotamus could even bite its frozen teeth twice.

Then, like Xia Shen, I tried to avoid the Lissandra's stubbornness by switching Pokémon!

Tang Ge's eyes lit up; he could give it a try.

Like many new generation trainers, he is someone who likes to try new things and has been pondering Xia Shen's unconventional move for a long time.

I've tried this in previous real-world scenarios, and the success rate is around 50%.

This maneuver is expected to yield high returns; if successful, it can perfectly avoid an attack.

It's okay if you fail; it's just a normal Pokémon swap.

Although playing this game in front of Xia Shen is a bit like showing off your skills in front of an expert.

But from another perspective, isn't this also a form of NTR?

Having made up his mind, Tang Ge refocused his attention on the field.

The hippopotamus was already locked in close combat with the moon bear.

Even after Sword Dance, the second stage of Digging doesn't deal too much damage to the Hippomon.

Firstly, the physical defense and durability of the Hippowdon Pokémon are indeed top-notch.

Secondly, Tango's basic stats are excellent.

Similarly, the frozen teeth only made the Moon Bear, whose flesh was just as good, frown slightly.

If it weren't for the fact that it's a double-superior Ice-type move, I probably wouldn't feel anything at all.

However, both sides knew this.

These two moves are just appetizers; the real showdown is what follows.

…………

"Roar--"

The hippopotamus let out a deep, powerful, and ferocious roar, and its mouth, which had just closed, opened wide again, with a chilling aura emanating from its sharp teeth.

Faced with the hippopotamus's provocative roar, Moon Bear retaliated with a roar of her own, much louder and more resounding throughout the arena.

Then, she stood up, and white light condensed on her palms. Soon, the energy became rich and powerful.

It was his signature skill: holding on.

Two fierce, heavyweight Ground-type Pokémon unleashed their most powerful moves at their opponent.

As Tang Ge expected, the hippopotamus's frozen teeth were indeed faster.

The chill seeped into the Moon Bear's body through its sharp teeth. The intensely cold ice energy only made the bear roar even more wildly, and the white light on its hands became even more dazzling.

In reality, enduring this tactic is similar to revenge; the pain one experiences can make the counterattack unleash even greater power.

Tang Ge kept his eyes fixed on the two elves in the sandstorm.

Perhaps because this match was of unprecedented importance, he felt his mind was crystal clear and his reaction speed was faster than ever before.

Tang Ge encouraged himself, "This time, I will definitely succeed!"

Just as the white light was at its brightest and changed direction, he quickly took out the Poké Ball that he had prepared beforehand.

A flash of red light, and the hippopotamus suddenly disappeared in front of the moon bear.

However... that extremely conspicuous white light in the sandstorm still did not disappear!

Tang Ge's heart stopped beating, and then a question mark slowly appeared in his mind.

What's going on? Doesn't the Moon Bear always raise its hand when it attacks?

How could he withstand that punch and still not land?

Are you playing a game over here, using the 's' button to cancel the enemy's attack animation and bait out their skills?