After careful observation, John still couldn't figure out the secret behind Slaking's overwhelming power. Was it some hidden technique or sheer brute force? Whatever the case, one thing was certain: Norman's Slaking was a wrecking machine, leaving destruction in its wake.
To find out what made it tick, John would have to defeat it first.
Reaching down, he unclipped a Pokeball from his belt and released his second Pokemon. The flash of light revealed Greninja, its sleek form crouched low and ready.
Against a monstrous opponent like Slaking, sending out his Hariyama was a risk he couldn't afford. The hulking Fighting-type would likely get flattened before even landing a hit. And as for Garchomp? John doubted it could match Slaking's sheer destructive power.
Greninja was his best bet. Fast, clever, and elusive, it might be the only one capable of standing toe-to-toe with this seemingly unstoppable force.
Greninja glanced back at John, its gaze steady. It had watched every move of the battle so far from within its Pokeball. This was no ordinary opponent—Slaking was the strongest rival they'd ever faced. Not even Tyranitar or Mega Camerupt came close to this behemoth's raw strength.
Blaziken had fallen. Now it was Greninja's turn to even the score.
"Greninja, start with Substitute and follow up with Water Shuriken!" John commanded, wasting no time.
Greninja crossed its arms, a flicker of energy creating a shadowy clone of itself. It looked just like the ninja technique straight out of an anime. With perfect synchronicity, both Greninja and its substitute leaped into action, crafting spinning disks of water in their hands. In an instant, they launched the Water Shuriken, the spinning projectiles streaking through the air toward Slaking.
Norman's response was immediate. "Hammer Arm!"
Slaking didn't even flinch as the shurikens collided with its body, the water splashing harmlessly against its fur. The massive Pokemon took a single step forward, the ground trembling under its weight, before leaping into the air with shocking speed. Its arm raised high, Slaking came crashing down toward Greninja.
"Dodge it! Left and right!" John yelled.
Greninja and its clone split, darting in opposite directions as Slaking's fist slammed into the ground. The impact was catastrophic. The battlefield cracked, dirt and debris exploding into the air. Even the surrounding walls of the gym quaked under the force.
John winced. The damage wasn't just limited to the arena. Everything outside the protected trainer zones was reduced to rubble. At this rate, Norman might as well call a construction crew to rebuild the gym from scratch. A simple renovation wouldn't cut it.
The chaos even drew a crowd. The gym's students, their curiosity piqued, peeked in from the ruined corridors. The sight of Norman going all out against his son must have been a shock.
Fortunately, Greninja had avoided the attack by jumping instead of running. The resulting shockwave would have easily knocked it out otherwise.
"Keep up the pressure! Use Water Shuriken again!" John shouted.
Greninja and its substitute leaped onto the cracked walls, running along the vertical surfaces with agility. Streams of Water Shuriken flew toward Slaking, spinning with relentless force.
"Mat Block! Now!" Norman called out.
Slaking planted its massive hands into the ground, tearing up a slab of stone several meters wide and thick. Lifting it effortlessly, the beast held the makeshift shield in front of itself.
John's mouth fell open. "Are you kidding me? That's not Mat Block! That's lifting the floorboards!"
But the humor was short-lived. Slaking wasn't hiding behind the slab. It was examining it like a weapon.
"Fury Attack!" Norman barked.
Slaking's eyes locked onto Greninja and its clone. With a deafening roar, it swung the slab like a battering ram.
"Oh, come on!" John groaned. "Your Mat Block is an offensive move now?!"
Slaking's improvised attack left Greninja with nowhere to run. The massive slab smashed into the gym wall, sending debris flying. Greninja was caught in the chaos, disappearing into the dust.
The spectators gasped. The wall Slaking had just destroyed connected with an already weakened section. Without support, the roof of the gym began to collapse.
"Steelix, now!" Jasmine, acting as the referee, stepped in.
A massive Steelix emerged from its Pokeball, its metallic body coiling around the falling debris. With a swing of its massive tail, Steelix held the roof in place.
"You good over there?" Norman asked, glancing at John.
John brushed the dust off his jacket. "Yeah, I'm fine. Can't say the same for your gym, though."
Jasmine directed Steelix to remove the rest of the collapsed roof entirely. The sunlight streamed in, illuminating the battered arena.
As the dust cleared, Jasmine made the call. "Greninja is unable to battle. Slaking wins!"
John grimaced and recalled Greninja to its Pokeball. It wasn't Greninja's fault. The poor Pokemon had fought valiantly, but no one could have predicted Slaking's creative use of the battlefield.
Greninja's Substitute had always been a reliable decoy, fooling opponents into wasting their attacks. But Slaking didn't play by the rules. Its unpredictable nature made it impossible to anticipate where it would strike. This time, it had gone straight for the real Greninja.
Still, Greninja had done its job. The Water Shuriken attacks might not have seemed effective, but they had chipped away at Slaking's defenses. The hulking Pokemon's physical durability was nearly impenetrable, but its special defense was another story.
John smiled grimly. The groundwork was laid. Now it was time for his ace.
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed his final Pokeball onto the battlefield.
The elegant Gardevoir emerged, her white dress-like body glowing softly in the sunlight. She landed gracefully, a calm but determined expression on her face.
"Gardevoir~~" Gardevoir chimed, her voice like a melody.
John's heart raced. This was it—the final showdown.