Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

The commentator had just begun speculating on Luo Yuan's reasoning for choosing Gabite when the battle commenced.

"Gabite, use Earthquake!"

While Steel-type moves would have been more effective against the Ice-type Mamoswine, Luo Yuan decided on Earthquake after considering their relative sizes.

Gabite stomped hard on the ground.

Ripples of seismic energy spread outward from its feet, rapidly expanding across the battlefield.

Though Earthquake and Bulldoze may appear similar in execution, their power levels were worlds apart.

The ground trembled as the rocks left behind by Sudowoodo's earlier Rock Tomb shattered into fragments under the force of the tremors.

The seismic waves obliterated everything in their path.

Mamoswine, massive and unwieldy, couldn't evade the attack. While some Pokémon might have leapt into the air to avoid the Earthquake, Mamoswine had no such luxury.

Ryuji recognized this immediately.

"Mamoswine, use Earthquake too!"

Following his command, Mamoswine let out a deep roar.

With a burst of strength, it reared back on its hind legs before slamming its massive forelegs into the ground.

Boom!

The impact reverberated like a drumbeat across the battlefield.

As cracks spread outward from Mamoswine, its seismic waves collided head-on with Gabite's.

Boom!

The invisible shockwaves clashed with explosive force.

Crack, crack, crack.

The two opposing tremors ground against each other, causing the ground beneath them to groan and split.

A massive chasm formed at the center of the battlefield, dividing it into two uneven halves.

Even the spectators, seated far from the arena, could feel the tremors beneath their feet.

"So powerful!"

The crowd was electrified, their excitement palpable.

This was the kind of high-stakes collision they'd never experienced in previous Indigo League tournaments.

Some audience members were so captivated that they forgot to blink, their eyes glued to the spectacle before them.

The shockwaves pressed against each other, initially holding in a stalemate. However, Gabite began to falter.

Mamoswine, with its superior strength, stomped the ground again, reinforcing its seismic wave and overwhelming Gabite's.

The resulting shockwave struck Gabite, sending it flying backward.

Ryuji's face lit up with satisfaction.

He had turned the tide!

However, his joy was short-lived.

Though Gabite had been flung into the air, it quickly adjusted, flipping mid-flight to land gracefully on its feet. It remained steady, its eyes locked on Mamoswine with unwavering focus, denying Ryuji any opportunity for a follow-up attack.

Luo Yuan frowned slightly as he called out, "Gabite, are you okay?"

"Gabite!"

Gabite shook its head and glanced back at Luo Yuan, signaling that it was fine.

Well, mostly fine.

Taking a direct hit from Earthquake wasn't painless, especially for Gabite, whose defenses weren't its strong suit.

However, thanks to Luo Yuan's affinity with Ground-types, Gabite's energy was already regenerating rapidly.

Ryuji, unaware of this, saw only that his attack had connected.

Confident, he grinned and issued another command.

"Mamoswine, use Powder Snow!"

The massive, Viking-like Mamoswine inhaled deeply before exhaling a freezing gust.

Whoosh!

Chilling air swept across the battlefield, snowflakes forming in its wake as the frigid attack hurtled toward Gabite.

"Ryuji's Mamoswine is using Powder Snow! With Gabite just recovering from Earthquake, a hit from this Ice-type move could spell disaster! Is this the moment Luo Yuan suffers his first defeat?"

The audience held their breath, their eyes darting between Gabite and the encroaching frost.

But Luo Yuan remained calm, showing no signs of panic.

Just as the crowd began to suspect he'd given up, Luo Yuan raised his hand.

"Sandstorm!"

In an instant, a fierce sandstorm enveloped the battlefield.

With its Sand Veil ability activated, Gabite's form became hazy, blending seamlessly into the swirling sands.

Earlier, Luo Yuan had refrained from using Sandstorm against Sudowoodo to avoid boosting its Special Defense. But against Mamoswine, he had no such concerns.

Although Mamoswine's Ground typing made it immune to the sandstorm's damage, the weather effect gave Gabite an evasion boost, tipping the scales in its favor.

As the sandstorm raged, the invisible Stealth Rocks scattered throughout the arena were exposed, their forms faintly outlined by the shifting grains.

Taking advantage of the sandstorm, Gabite moved swiftly, weaving through the battlefield and evading Powder Snow with ease.

However, Gabite's expression remained focused rather than celebratory.

The storm only provided a temporary advantage.

Mamoswine continued its unrelenting assault, spraying frost and lowering the temperature of the battlefield.

For Gabite, a Pokémon accustomed to the heat of deserts and geothermal caves, the chilling cold was an unwelcome challenge.

"Gabite, use Sand Tomb!"

Luo Yuan instructed his Pokémon to retaliate.

Seeing Gabite preparing to use a familiar move, Ryuji smirked.

As a trainer aspiring to become an Elite, there was no way he'd fall for the same trick twice.

Watching Gabite maneuver through the sandstorm, Ryuji made a bold decision.

"Mamoswine, use Ice Fang!"

Rather than continuing with special moves like Powder Snow, Ryuji opted for a physical attack—Mamoswine's true strength.

For a Pokémon of its size, Mamoswine's speed stat of 80 was deceptively high.

Snorting hot air from its nostrils, Mamoswine charged forward, its massive tusks glowing with a frosty blue sheen.

True to its nature, the boar charged headlong, its icy fangs aimed directly at Gabite.

The ground shook beneath its powerful strides as Mamoswine bore down on its opponent.

Its sheer size and momentum created an overwhelming sense of pressure, enough to intimidate most Pokémon.

But Gabite, used to sparring with the likes of Dragonite and Dragapult, was unfazed.

As Ryuji's expression grew increasingly confident, Luo Yuan issued a single command:

"Dig!"

By now, the battlefield had been softened by the earlier Earthquake clash.

Gabite leapt into the air and dove into the ground as if diving into water.

Shk-shk-shk!

Rocks and dirt flew in all directions as Gabite tunneled underground, leaving behind a gaping hole roughly half a meter wide.

Losing sight of its target, Mamoswine has to halt in time to avoid crashing into the stands.