LRAB Chapter 32: Winning the Selection Tournament
Chapter 32: Winning the Selection Tournament
In the final round of the beginner selection competition, the spotlights shone exceptionally brightly, and the atmosphere was more enthusiastic than in any previous competition.
Luo Yan stood on one side of the court, adjusting her breathing, and calmly looked at her final opponent.
He was a strong, sharp-eyed boy named Li Yan. He was able to fight his way through the competition to reach the finals thanks to his Tauros.
No wonder he was able to fight his way up. Among rookie trainers, Tauros, a Pokémon with a very high minimum strength and defense, is a game-changer for everyone else. I wonder where he found and caught it.
As the referee signaled, the two players stood in the command area.
Luo Yan habitually reached for his waist, preparing to throw Eevee's Poké Ball.
Ibrahimovic has already gone through many battles, and his condition and teamwork are steadily improving. Although he is not size-advantageous against Tauros, he may not be without a fighting chance thanks to his speed and agility, not to mention the "sand-grabbing tactic".
However, just as Luo Yan's finger was about to touch the Poké Ball, Li Yan on the other side suddenly spoke.
"Luo Yan, right? I know you have another Pokémon." Li Yan looked directly at Luo Yan and said seriously. "That one, the legendary, one-of-a-kind Ponyta from a special region. Could you let me, and everyone else, see it in today's final?"
These words immediately resonated with everyone present.
There was a brief silence, followed by an even louder uproar from the audience. People whispered and discussed among themselves, and then someone shouted, "Little Pony!"
These three words seemed to ignite a fuse.
More and more people joined in, and their voices converged into a wave.
"Yes! Ponyta!"
"Use Shiny Ponyta!"
"Let's see!"
"Little Ponyta! Little Ponyta!"
At first it was a bit chaotic, but soon the voices became unified, and everyone shouted the same three words in unison, surging towards the center of the arena like a tsunami.
"Little Pony!"
"Little Pony!"
"Little Pony!"
The outcry grew louder and louder.
Not only ordinary spectators, but also many contestants who had been eliminated but were still watching the game couldn't help but stand up and join in the cheering.
Many of them had been defeated by Luo Yan's Eevee, but they were equally curious about those special little Ponyta. They hadn't had a chance to force out Luo Yan's Ponyta, but it was already the final of the qualifying tournament, so why would Luo Yan keep it a secret?
Even Hou Zhi on the podium shook his head with a light laugh.
Lu Feng stood in the stands, arms crossed, a playful smile on his face.
The pressure fell on Luo Yan.
All eyes and shouts were focused on him. Using Ibrahimovic was the safest option and also aligned with his original tactical plan. No matter how loud the audience was, it wouldn't matter if he didn't want to.
But amidst the sudden surge of shouts from the crowd, Luo Yan still sighed softly and reached out to touch another Poké Ball.
"Fine, then so be it."
The referee seized the opportunity and immediately blew the whistle.
The two threw out Poké Balls at the same time. A flash of white light, and Tauros and Iris landed steadily on the field.
At the same time, the audience erupted in thunderous cheers.
Hou Hao slapped his thigh. "Brother Luo got tricked! This trump card should have been saved for the Beginner League!"
On the field.
The Tauros opposite was large and robust, covered with thick brown fur. Its most striking features were its three thick tails and a pair of huge curved horns on its head.
It stood there, snorting heavily, its hooves pawing the ground restlessly, and the aura it unintentionally exuded carried a wild and oppressive feeling.
On the other side, Iris exuded elegance, pacing back and forth a few times before slowly walking to the front of Luo Yan.
The referee raised his hand to signal the start of the final match!
Li Yan had clearly studied Luo Yan's tactical style and knew that the mysterious little Ponyta was likely also known for its speed. So, before Luo Yan could give the order, he shouted, "Tauros, use [Self-Motivation] first!"
"Moo!" Tauros growled, stomping his thick forelegs heavily on the ground. A red and white aura of enhancement suddenly rose around him, a status skill that boosted his attack and special attack.
But almost at the same instant the light shone on Tauros, Luo Yan instinctively spoke up, "Iris, [Surprise Attack]!"
"Ugh—!"
With a loud screech, Iris's figure in the center of the arena suddenly blurred!
fast!
Extremely fast!
The audience only saw a white streak of light flash by, and Iris had disappeared from her original spot. The next second, she appeared in front of Tauros, who was strengthening and whose movements were slightly sluggish!
Li Yan's pupils constricted sharply, not expecting his opponent's preemptive attack to be so fierce. However, his reaction was quick, and he immediately roared, "Don't give up, Tauros! Use [Corner Slam] to meet it head-on!"
"Moo!!"
Tauros roared and lowered his head, aiming his terrifying curved legs at the nearby Ponyta. He channeled all his strength into his neck and shoulders, and rammed into it with a whooshing sound!
Two figures, one large and one small, with a stark contrast in size and strength, collided head-on in the center of the arena!
boom!!
A dull thud resounded, and the shockwave even kicked up some dust from the field.
Most people expected that even if Ponyta could use its speed to inflict damage first, in this pure clash of power, it would probably be knocked back by Tauros and even seriously injured.
However, what happened next plunged the entire bustling stadium into a deathly silence.
At the center of the collision, the expected scene of the little fire horse being knocked away did not occur.
On the contrary, the moment Tauros's massive and muscular body came into contact with the white streak of light, it was as if he had been struck head-on by an unimaginable force!
Its forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, and then, under the gaze of countless horrified eyes, Tauros's entire body was lifted into the air. Then, like a tattered doll casually tossed aside by a giant, it drew a messy parabola and flew backward through the air!
Kentaro flew all the way across the white boundary line, even over the buffer zone, and finally crashed onto the ground outside the field with a loud 'bang'.
It struggled for a moment, seeing stars, but couldn't get up.
In the center of the arena, the white figure landed gracefully and lightly, even shaking its head slightly, its green mane fluttering gently, as if the earth-shattering collision was nothing more than a leisurely stroll for it.
silence.
A deathly silence enveloped the entire stadium.
In the stands, everyone's mouths were agape, and even the experienced referee stood there stunned for several seconds, holding his flag.
Li Yan's expression froze completely. He looked at Iris in disbelief, and even hesitated to turn around and look at his Kentairo.
Luo Yan's lips twitched. He had almost forgotten that when using the [Surprise Attack] skill, the power of the skill could be tripled while in the 'Responding State'.
In other words, its power, which is 70 for its type, has jumped to 210 at this moment!
After a brief silence, a roar of sound, far more intense than ever before, suddenly erupted!
The screams and shouts nearly blew the roof off!
"My God! What did I just see?!"
"Tauro got knocked away?! In one hit?!"
"What kind of monstrous strength is that?! Is that a little horse?!"
"Is Quick Attack really that powerful?! Is this the true strength of a Shiny Pokémon?!"
Luo Yan stood in the command area and let out a soft breath. It seemed that if he wanted to play in the competition in the future, he would have to be careful and hold back a little, otherwise he would be targeted sooner or later.
At that moment, the referee finally came to his senses. He quickly stepped forward to check on Kentaro's condition and took a deep breath.
"Tauros is out of bounds and unable to continue fighting! Ponyta wins!!"
"So the champion of this year's Beginner's Selection Competition is—Luo Yan!!!"
...