Pokémon, Ash is going to become a perfect man from now on.

The hurricane swept over his body in an instant, but Blue Crocodile didn't care at all. He even grinned and started spinning rapidly with the help of the wind!

One lap, two laps... The blue crocodile spun faster and faster, not only causing Milotic's body to swing involuntarily, but also causing its whole body to emit white light during this time, evolving into a stronger and more powerful crocodile!

"Great, just throw it out like that!"

"Roar!!" The crocodile opened its mouth and let out a terrifying roar, forcefully flinging the helpless Milotic into the air!

"No... Milotic, regenerate quickly!" Robert clearly wasn't going to give up and kept trying to get Milotic back to fight.

However, he no longer had the chance…

"It's over! Waterfall climbing, catch and kick!"

boom!

The powerful crocodile, enveloped in an astonishing surge of water, soared into the sky, severely injuring Milotic in one fell swoop, and then kicked it back into the field with a backflip!

Ice crystals and water splashed everywhere, and Milotic collapsed in the arena, unable to get up again...

"Match over!!"

Chapter 493 What are those scumbags delaying for?!

"Mildac is unable to battle, Feraligatr wins! The winner of the second semi-final is Ash from Pallet Town!"

"Roar!!" Upon hearing the announcer announce the results of the competition, the Mighty Crocodile roared to the sky, venting its joy.

The subtle ferocity contained in that roar was even more striking…

"Hey, you played really well... but you've pretty much stopped pretending too much, haven't you?" Ash called out, speechless.

"Aww~" The crocodile immediately scratched its head with a laugh and jumped around with its legs alternating as usual.

However, given its current physique, these cute dance moves look awkward no matter how you look at them... and they're quite an eyesore.

"Mighty Crocodile... How could it do this?" Ryukia in the stands was clearly taken aback.

The crocodile, both in appearance and with that roar just now, is a ferocious crocodile. Why is it like this when it's fighting?

"That's just how Feraligatr is. It's mischievous and loves to do that kind of dance," Brock explained. "Ash also tolerated it and even helped it develop a dance move that uses Dragon Dance to dodge attacks."

“Yes, who says that a fierce-looking Pokémon can’t be lively and cute?” Xiaoxia immediately nodded in agreement. “Especially Water-type Pokémon, which are the most versatile, they shouldn’t be labeled with stereotypes.”

“Stereotypical labels…” Ryukia stared blankly at Ash and Feraligatr interacting, lost in thought for a moment.

...

"I lost. Mr. Ash's Pokémon are all very powerful, and his tactical command is far beyond my reach." Even though he lost the battle, Robert still maintained his elegance and stepped forward to shake hands with Ash.

“Under these arena rules, Mr. Robert will be at a disadvantage, and this battle is not a true reflection of our strength.” Ash humbly shook his head. “I can only say that, as a senior coordinator, you were a little too deliberate in trying to make your Pokémon avoid damage during the battle.”

This is probably a problem that all Pokémon Coordinators face: they've had so many high-scoring, flashy battles that they subconsciously instruct their Pokémon to avoid damage and engage in prolonged fights.

In the scoring system of the dazzling battles, getting hit will definitely result in a deduction of points, no matter how tough you are, the scoreboard will not give you any preferential treatment.

Therefore, most Coordinators will choose to dodge attacks, counter their moves, and use special moves to counter their opponent's actions.

Skilled trainers can even utilize their opponent's moves to enhance their own style.

For example, Milotic's use of absolute zero as a protective barrier, which in turn accentuates the luster of its scales, is a practical application of this technique.

However, in Pokémon battles, being able to withstand damage is an essential skill.

The reason why the dragon was able to easily defeat Marill is because it is tough enough!

Moreover, the more moves you make, the more openings you have. Especially in fast-paced, continuous attacks, even the slightest mistake in the transition between moves can be seized upon by your opponent to deliver a fatal blow!

“That’s true…” Robert nodded silently, acknowledging the flaw Ash pointed out. “I didn’t expect Mr. Ash to be so knowledgeable about Contests.”

"Although I'm not participating, I've always been paying attention," Xiao Zhi said politely, though he felt a little emotional.

Robert's true attitude was already quite good.

Some coordinators have another problem: they always think highly of themselves and believe that their group is superior to ordinary trainers.

A very obvious example is a certain green-haired creature.

They might feel that trainers' battles are just straightforward attacks, unlike fancy battles which have a variety of tricks and special effects, and their tactics and moves lack variety.

Robert had been careless before. He thought Lapras was a stationary turret, but Ash played a defensive counterattack and later even changed from static to dynamic. Every change caught him off guard!

In short, after this battle with Robert, Ash is even more certain that he will not participate in the Grand Contests in the future.

But he still enjoys battling with Coordinators, since he can really witness some really impressive techniques.

And I also really enjoy traveling with my trainer... but that's a story for later~

...

"The finals... I'll be battling Ash again."

With the two semi-final matches now over, Misty keeps thinking about the Indigo League when she thinks about facing Ash tomorrow.

Even now, when Xiaoxia thinks back to that scene, she can't help but chuckle.

The stumbles and setbacks of my past travels, the help he always gave me, and his sincere apology at the conference…

And in the contestants' tunnel, they awkwardly hoped to travel together.

Now, I'm no longer a novice; I've made a name for myself... although that "savage mermaid" title is really awful. I should be the cutest, most beautiful, and number one mermaid in the world!

But I truly enjoy everything I have now, the cheers from the audience, and the real feeling of constantly getting stronger!

If I were to fight him again, I wouldn't be worried about losing anymore; instead, I would be happy to witness his strength.

Well, that guy is already her boyfriend, after all.

While thinking about tomorrow's competition and feeling a bit girlish, Xiaoxia strolled alone on the beach, only to spot Xiaozhi, who was also not resting, not far away.

He was with Blastoise, carefully polishing its shell and cannon until they shone.

Something seemed to have appeared beneath Blastoise's neck, shimmering in the moonlight...

"Xiaoxia, what brings you here?" Ash asked curiously as he sensed the girl's aura.

"I just wanted to take a walk since I had nothing else to do," Xiaoxia said with a smile as she sat down next to Xiaozhi. "And you, are you making adjustments for tomorrow's match?"

"Of course, tomorrow is my duel with you, so I need to get Blastoise and me into top form!"

Ash's incredibly serious expression stirred another flutter in the girl's heart.

Misty has to admit, rather shamefully, that she absolutely can't stand Ash's behavior... especially since he's preparing for a battle with her!

For Xiaoxia now, even if a hundred people affirm her strength and cheer for her in the competition, it is not as important as a word of affirmation from Xiaozhi.

Giving it his all in the game is the greatest affirmation he can give himself!

"Ash..." Misty's eyes gradually became hazy. She looked at the boy so close to her and listened to the gentle waves crashing in front of her. She felt that this was so similar to the Orange Islands.

The night he confessed his feelings to her, it was also on this beach. They sat together tenderly for a long time...

Then it was gone!

Suddenly, a hint of resentment appeared in Xiaoxia's expression...

Yes, there hasn't been any further progress since then.

Even after going to Alola, he and someone had a brief separation that felt like a second spring, and they did everything they should and shouldn't have done... but he still made no progress on his own side!

He even had a child with Lugia, yet he treated himself like a mascot, leaving her untouched and never even getting a chance to touch her!

Even if you only move forward a little, at least one bite would be fine!

Xiaoxia is really angry and frustrated right now. What is this scumbag waiting for?!

Do I really have to close my eyes, lie on the beach, and spread my legs...? Of course, I'm still a bit unprepared to do the last one.

But for the others, she had actually been waiting for a long time…

Chapter 494 Although he's a scumbag, he still has some bottom line~

The sea breeze blew gently in the dead of night, but it brought no comfort; instead, it made the girl's expression grow colder and harder, and she gradually began to become impatient...

On the night before the final, Xiaoxia was really overwhelmed by her emotions.

Is it you who has a problem, or do you think I have a problem...? She's determined to find out tonight!

Otherwise, if it's all stuck in my heart, I won't be in the mood to play in tomorrow's final!

"Uh... what's wrong with you?" Seeing Xiaoxia's expression change several times in a row, Xiaozhi couldn't help but feel a little strange.

He shouldn't have offended her, and this choice to go all out was definitely what she wanted most; the atmosphere between them just now was quite pleasant, wasn't it?

But why...

"What did I do wrong?" Xiaoxia glared at Xiaozhi, annoyed. "At this time, with this kind of sea breeze and waves, don't you feel obligated to do something?!"

"Ah, this..." Xiao Zhi was stunned.

Xiaoxia's sudden urgency caught everyone off guard...

"Kame~" Blastoise, seeing that things were not going well, decisively returned the ball.

"Ash... what exactly is wrong with me? Can you just say it?" Seeing Ash's bewildered expression, as if he had been wrongly accused, Misty softened her tone.