“Hiyah~~~”
Hitmonlee’s legs shook, its facial muscles twitching in response to the pain from the clash with “Dragon Rush.” Even with the title of “Kicking Master,” Hitmonlee couldn’t escape unscathed.
“Chirp~~”
If Hitmonlee paid the price with a leg, Swablu had it worse. Covered in injuries from head to toe, it was even struggling to fly. One reason Terrance disliked “Dragon Rush” was that Swablu’s current size, weight, and resistance were insufficient for a perfect execution of such a powerful move.
However, in that situation, neither “Dragon Pulse” nor “Agility” could resolve the issue. Locked onto by “Mind Reader,” it was no longer something that could be avoided simply by speed. Without breaking the boundaries of conventional speed, being locked onto by “Mind Reader” meant there was no way out.
What to do…
“Roost?” Terrance shook his head; if Swablu descended now, even with only one leg left, Hitmonlee could quickly defeat Swablu.
Draco Meteor…Let’s not even talk about how much stamina Swablu will have left after using it. If it doesn’t hit the opponent, then their chances of winning would really become zero.
“No way out, huh? Your Swablu, with its remaining strength, can’t survive Hitmonlee’s attack.” Kiyo smiled.
Even with one leg temporarily unusable, having one leg left was enough for Hitmonlee to move.
Terrance looked at Hitmonlee with interest; it took on the “Dragon Rush” attack at the cost of only one leg being disabled? It seems that the other’s willpower is very strong…
Among the students, even those from the Graduation Class wouldn’t dare to claim that their Pokemon could directly take on Swablu’s “Dragon Rush.” This is because the Dragon-type bloodline in Swablu’s body accounts for a large proportion, resulting in the Dragon-type moves of Swablu being very powerful, surpassing the strength expected from normal growth.
Terrance wasn’t surprised by Kiyo’s prowess. Compared to a regular Trainer Gym Leader, Kiyo couldn’t be considered strong.
Although Terrance had the advantage of type, the opponent’s main Pokémon had even sacrificed a leg to go head-to-head with Swablu, which is without a doubt, a failure for a Gym Leader when facing a twelve-year-old challenger.
“So, is this why you were defeated by Sabrina twice in a row…” Terrance thought to himself. However, even so, the opponent’s overall strength was above the current Terrance.
As a challenger, Terrance naturally had the advantage in terms of type, but there was one more thing. Terrance smiled and said, “Mr. Kiyo, it’s far from over.”
“What do you mean?” Kiyo was puzzled, but he couldn’t miss the current favorable situation, so he immediately gave the order, “Hitmonlee, charge!”
Even with just one leg, Hitmonlee could still run fast, maneuver, and unleash powerful moves quickly. These were the most basic skills for any Gym Leader who needed to face various situations.
“Is that level of flexibility even possible?” Terrance was slightly surprised. For any creature accustomed to walking on two legs, suddenly losing one would undoubtedly restrict its movements.
Yet, Hitmonlee showed no signs of being affected. He continued to move in an alternating pattern of circles and straight lines, his special footwork creating a disorienting visual effect. He charged at Swablu, his attack techniques allowing him to choose from dozens of possible movement trajectories.
“Now! Hitmonlee, use Blaze Jump Kick!!”
“It’s useless!!” Terrance waved his hand dramatically and shouted towards Swablu, “Evolve! Swablu!”
This sudden and peculiar shout caught both Hitmonlee and Kiyo off guard.
“What… What?!” Kiyo exclaimed, “Hitmonlee, quickly stop!”
Following this command, Hitmonlee promptly halted, looking unwillingly at Swablu as a radiant white light began to envelop its entire body.
“It actually… evolved?” Kiyo dryly mumbled, “This is bad…”
“That’s right… Swablu, evolve right now, unleash your potential, and let this ‘battle’ be the stage for you to bloom to the fullest!” Terrance chuckled.
Although the opponent might be somewhat stronger, this was a battle, and in a battle, there were rules.
In the past year, Terrance had learned the most about the difference between “fight” and “battle.” Despite numerous restrictions in battles, these restrictions could be turned into one’s weapon.
Trainer Battle Rule #29: During a battle, you cannot attack the opponent’s Pokemon while it’s evolving. Once the evolution is complete, the match resumes.
Seeing Kiyo’s expression, resembling someone who swallowed a fly, Terrance felt a sense of triumph. After evolution, Swablu would regain a significant amount of health, and the evolution during the intense battle would allow it to unearth even more strength. The time for a counterattack was now.
In the air above the battlefield, Swablu’s petite body was surrounded by a white glow. As the intensity of the light increased, dazzling beams of white light scattered in all directions. This white light symbolized the sublimation of life, the transformation of potential. Amidst the continuously flashing radiance, Swablu’s figure underwent a change.
Slowly, under the intense white light, Swablu’s figure gradually transformed into something resembling a swan. Compared to its previous petite body, this new figure looked more graceful and fluffy.
In addition, Swablu’s tail lengthened slightly during the transformation, and the two strands of hair on its head, which originally looked like tufts, have now elongated into what appears to be ribbons, flowing gracefully in the wind, resembling a crown worn with elegance.
“Piouuu~~~~~~”
Following the evolution, a melodious and beautiful cry echoed. The sound was enchanting and pleasing, captivating Terrance, Hitmonlee, and Kiyo as they watched the transforming Swablu, each with a different mood.
Looking up from below, Altaria possessed a body of sky-blue, with the once pristine and fluffy feathers now densely distributed on its back. Its skin color was lighter compared to Swablu, losing a bit of the freshness and gaining a touch of stability and depth.
Noble, elegant, mysterious and powerful.
This change made Hitmonlee somewhat uneasy. It had witnessed many evolutions, but the feeling conveyed by Altaria seemed more like awakening some latent power from within, as if it were a limitless black hole.
A few cottony feathers gently floated down, carrying a faint fragrance. Strong fighting spirit was blended into these feathers as they continued to spread. Even for the battle-hardened and resilient Hitmonlee, there was a moment of bewilderment.
Not only it but even Terrance, the Trainer who thought he knew Swablu from inside out, was stunned by Swablu’s transformation.
The color of Altaria’s feathers is the same as Swablu, which can be said to be white or even pure white. However, Terence’s Altaria looked completely different, with an indescribable temperament. Its originally pure white feathers were more pure, complete, and flawless, to the point of being beyond words.
Chapter 133 Evolve! Swablu!
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