33…32..31…
As time ticked away, the onlookers couldn’t help but sweat for Growlithe as they watched the tennis balls, which were increasing in intensity step by step.
However, up to this point, Growlithe’s performance had already left them astonished.
It was the first time they had seen a Pokemon endure for so long without being hit by a tennis ball.
“He’s entering the second round of the finals; there shouldn’t be much of a problem, right?”
“That Growlithe is so cool; I want one too…”
In the eyes of ordinary people, Growlithe was already a rare and precious Pokemon. Most Growlithes were monopolized by the League, and for a Trainer of ordinary origin to obtain one, though not impossible, required a bit of luck and strength.
However, it may not be too rare for the people present, so they were only shocked at how well Terrance had trained the Growlithe to be so amazing.
Counting played a role in imagination; this Growlithe was too agile. Its movements, coordination, and strength were fundamentally different from ordinary Trainers’ Pokemon. Ordinary training methods couldn’t reach this level.
Growlithe calmly dodged the tennis balls. As the tennis balls approached close, it took a step forward, continuously controlling its muscles in an attempt to break past the gaps from various directions. Terrance observed that Growlithe’s explosiveness was gradually weakening and knew that this couldn’t last much longer.
This evasion method was only used during training and had some shortcomings in practical application. However, for a Growlithe that was just born one year ago, training is not easy.
Teacher Julian, who is from a police background, had given Terrance a set of training methods for “police dogs”. From that moment, Growlithe was destined to walk on an unconventional path.
The training was complex and covered a wide range of topics. However, after a year, Growlithe’s progress was most noticeable, not in moves like “Flamethrower,” “Fire Fang,” or “Bite,” but in moves like “Take Down” and “Flame Wheel,” where it exerted all its strength, using its body to unleash self-damaging attacks.
Terrance felt like he had led Growlithe down a strange path. The key was that Growlithe had a fondness for such moves, often using them with all its might in battles.
Although the boost from a move like “Extreme Speed” and training in the “Gravity Room,” have significantly increased the power of Growlithe’s tackle, after each battle, Growlithe ends up in a rather sorry state.
Students who frequently battled Growlithe, and experienced its fighting style, gave it a somewhat unpleasant but fitting nickname: “Mad Dog.”
“Cough…” However, Terrance was unwilling to acknowledge this nickname. What he wanted was elegance.
“Is it already at its limit?” Seeing that there were just over 20 seconds left, Terrance sighed. Although Growlithe had undergone the training process of a “police dog”, it is not fully grown yet. However, the current results were already outstanding, and he was confident in advancing to the second round of the finals.
“Phew… it’s over.” Watching the Growlithe who wished to continue but didn’t have strength anymore, someone in the audience exclaimed.
The trajectory was blocked, and the prolonged muscle coordination, along with the extensive control and manipulation of muscles to change direction, had already burdened Growlithe significantly. As more and more tennis balls approached, Growlithe found itself pushed into a corner for the first time, with a tennis ball on a direct course to hit it.
“Oh no… if it’s hit by the tennis ball, it will definitely pause for a moment, delaying its reaction time.”
“Yeah, it also happened with the first few Pokemon; after being hit by the first ball, their movements became chaotic, and they were continuously hit by several more.”
“What a pity…”
After being hit by a ball, the physical pain and the psychological impact would inevitably disturb the next actions of the Pokemon, ultimately leading to defeat.
The preceding participants had already fully proven this point. When everyone saw that Growlithe was ultimately going to be hit, they all sighed. Despite witnessing Growlithe’s outstanding performance, they hoped for a perfect “clearance.”
“Ah—” Finally, when a tennis ball heavily struck Growlithe, a little girl couldn’t bear it and closed her eyes.
As the time drew closer to the end, the intensity of the tennis balls increased and the audience believed that now Growlithe’s condition is going to turn worse.
“1—” The scorekeeper’s eyes widened. It was finally his turn to appear. With a cough, he shouted this number, staring fixedly at the arena. After a tennis ball hit, the second one followed, and subconsciously, the scorekeeper exclaimed, “2…uh…”
Before he could say “2” clearly, the scorekeeper’s face turned red, and he quickly cut off his own words.
“What!!”
“Unbelievable!!”
A tennis ball hit Growlithe’s back, and… it didn’t react. Its gaze remained as sharp as at the beginning. Seeing the tennis ball denting Growlithe’s fur, everyone could imagine the pain, but despite the pain, Growlithe’s expression remained calm and it continued moving.
“Uh—” The scorekeeper ultimately didn’t have the opportunity to say “2” as Growlithe swiftly darted out, and it wasn’t until the countdown reached zero that everyone snapped out of their astonishment.
“Isn’t it afraid of pain?”
“…My Chimchar is still yelling in pain; how did it do that?”
Hearing these hushed discussions, Terrance remained expressionless. How can a Growlithe which has received “police dog” training be afraid of a little pain.
Moreover…Terrance, who had watched many Elite Four and Champion-level battle videos, discovered a major characteristic when they battled ordinary Trainers. Their Pokemon, after enduring attacks from the opponent’s Pokemon, would merely shake off the impact and carry on seemingly unaffected, their resilience formidable. In contrast, ordinary Trainer’s Pokemon challenging the Elite Four would faint directly after taking a hit, highlighting the vast difference in their levels.
Just like real-world boxers, what was most important for them? It was the ability to withstand punches. You throw a punch, I throw a punch; it’s all about whose resistance is better. If an ordinary person took the same punch, they would have been knocked out long ago, but boxers could immediately recover and counter-attack.
Pokemon battles were similar; resistance to moves, in a sense, reflected the strength of a Pokemon.
“It’s over…” Terrance spoke. In the end, it couldn’t avoid being hit by a tennis ball; it was an inevitable thing. After all, Growlithe couldn’t maintain a high-intensity state continuously. However, that one ball probably stimulated Growlithe’s nerves, making it spirited once again.
“1… 1 point!! This participant has once again broken the record—”
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