Chapter 149
In the blink of an eye, only the two giant birds remained for Team 2.
They hovered high in the sky, strictly following the Vice-Captain's strategy.
They refused to land under any circumstances, raining down Air Cutters and Shadow Balls to whittle her down.
While the Mawile's explosive speed and power were terrifying, her actual level wasn't necessarily higher than theirs.
Maintaining such a violent burst of power had to be draining her energy and stamina rapidly.
If they could just stall for time, she would likely collapse first.
The two birds stopped trying to clear the Double Team clones entirely.
They focused solely on forcing her to move and burn through her physical reserves.
Seconds ticked by under this attrition strategy.
When about ten seconds had passed, all the clones suddenly stopped their skipping and hopping.
They tilted their heads back in unison, staring directly at the sky.
Mawile looked at the two birds who thought they were safe in the clouds and grinned.
The smile was a sickening blend of adorable and malicious, sending a shiver down the spines of the remaining trainers.
What does that smile mean? Are you actually planning to fly?
No, no, no... that's biologically impossible.
You aren't a Psychic-type and you don't have wings. How could you possibly get up here?
Does she think she can jump this high?
It wasn't a total impossibility; Pokémon possessed incredible strength, and a several-story jump wasn't unheard of.
But then what?
Without a way to pivot in mid-air, she would just be a falling target for their projectiles.
The crowd couldn't fathom her next move until all the clones imitated the original.
They pointed their massive, twin-tailed jaws straight at the ground.
A preposterous, sinking dread filled the stadium.
No way...
Can she actually take off using the force of the blast?
That's way too ridiculous!
Yet, that ridiculous reality unfolded right before their eyes.
This time, Mawile didn't release all the stored energy in a single, unguided burst.
She used her crushing bite strength to compress the internal pressure of the "chamber" to its absolute limit.
Under that much pressure, even a tiny wisp of energy provided enough thrust to lift her weight.
And so, a wingless Steel-type Pokémon ascended toward the clouds like a heavy rocket.
The vertical speed wasn't blistering—it couldn't match a Quick Attack—but it was a solid, steady medium velocity.
A few moments later, she reached the same altitude as the two birds.
She crossed her arms and stared them down, her eyes saying: "You're flying. Why did you stop flying?"
"Holy shit..."
The two Team 2 members stared at the levitating Mawile in a stupor.
They completely forgot to issue commands, unable to find the words to describe the insanity of the moment.
Command what? Are you blind?
She has three stacks of Power-Up Punch already!
If we go in now, we're just delivering two more layers of buffs to her!
The two trainers let out a bitter laugh, their will to fight completely evaporated.
Not that their will mattered anymore.
Mawile suddenly accelerated with a violent burst of speed.
She delivered a massive "big-ass slap" to each bird, sending them spiraling toward the dirt.
To fly that slowly... what a waste of two pairs of wings!
Power-Up Punch: Stacks 4 and 5!
Using the last of her thrust, Mawile landed steadily on the field.
She ran back to her Trainer, cute and cheerful, hugging Lorze's leg as if begging for a treat.
"Master, Master! Was I incredible today? Praise me! Praise me!"
"Incredible, truly. Let's see who dares look down on you now."
Lorze scooped the little creature up, showering her with generous praise.
"Maw! (Hehe!)"
Mawile rubbed her face against his, the lethal predator of a moment ago completely gone.
This is what a normal Mawile is supposed to look like!
What the hell did Lorze create? How do you raise a partner into a Jet-Propelled Battle Maid?
More than a few spectators were suddenly tempted to go buy a Mawile.
The combat potential of the species was apparently "Meta-tier."
But their logic eventually won out. Replicating the "Jet Flight" was one thing...
...but who the hell can teach a Pokémon to execute a zero-windup Focus Punch?
Both the Trainer and the Pokémon were literal monsters.
The problem was that the monster was still standing in the center of the ring.
Based on his posture, was he actually planning to challenge Team 1 next?
It made sense. He had swept Team 2 without breaking a sweat; he was likely bored.
"Lorze, you don't need to fight anymore. No one at SMU High is your match."
The quiet, scholarly girl walked onto the field, looking at him as if he were a freak of nature.
"And how do you know that?" Lorze asked, intrigued.
"Because I'm probably not your match either," she answered simply.
"And you are...?"
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Qin Shuang, Captain of SMU High's Team 1."
"Eh? You aren't the gatekeeper?"
"I was just sitting there with my Shelgon to get some sun."
"Then let's have a round. How do we know who's stronger if we don't swing?"
"I'm sorry. If it were yesterday, I might have said yes."
"But my Bagon just evolved, and its body shape changed too much. My old tactics don't work yet."
"I would lose to you, guaranteed."
"Fair enough. Let's call it off then. A 'lose-lose' brawl helps no one."
"Instead, why don't we turn our 'swords into silk' and get to know each other?"
"How do you mean?"
"Simple. The two Captains should represent their teams and have a 'friendly meeting'~."
"Uh... specifically?"
"Are you free for a date tonight?"
"Huh?"
Qin Shuang froze. Her face turned a violent shade of crimson.
Did I just get confessed to in front of the entire school?
If I say no now, is it going to be rude?
But if I say yes... didn't he already invite the Teacher?
I can't compete with my own teacher, can I?
Actually, the "Teacher's" status was much higher than it looked.
To a casual observer, she was just the Coach. In reality, she was the Principal of SMU High.
Coaching the team was just her personal hobby.
How do I know?
We live together every day. How could I not know my own mother's hobbies?
Mother Qin was the type of person who couldn't resist nurturing raw talent when she saw it.
Qin Shuang never expected her mother to be invited on a date by a teenage boy.
Even less did she expect it to be her turn five minutes later.
If he finds out we're mother and daughter, will he have a stroke?
Qin Shuang stole a glance at her mother on the sidelines, silently asking for permission.
Her mother pondered for a second and then gave a tiny, subtle nod.
Is that a 'yes' to bringing him home?
Then... I guess I'll accept?