Pokémon: I picked up a reborn Eevee at the start of the game

Aside from Milotic, no one knew that this was one of the effects of his awakened talent [Water Manipulation].

Xia Chen didn't know the reason either, but that didn't hinder his command.

As the large raindrops pounded on the ground, he decisively shouted, "Freeze Beam!"

Frozen beam?

The spectators watching the match widened their eyes, saying they couldn't understand Xia Chen's actions.

The dragon-headed gopher has burrowed underground, so there's no way this freezing beam can hit its opponent.

What is the significance of releasing it?

Shoot air?

But what happened next left them all in awe.

…………

A torrential downpour poured down from the dark clouds that had gathered over Milos. The amount of water was astonishing, and within just two seconds, water began to accumulate on the ground.

Rainwater seeped into the ground, and the dampness made the burrowing gophers uncomfortable.

However, not much rainwater has seeped into the ground, so it hasn't significantly affected the movement of the dragon-headed ground squirrel.

Like a fish entering water, the dragon-headed ground squirrel swiftly moves forward underground.

Judging from the slightly raised dirt tracks on the ground, the two elves were getting closer and closer.

This means that Milotic is getting closer and closer to danger.

Just then, a beam of icy blue light suddenly shot out from Milotic's mouth, the chilling aura contained within it freezing everything in its path into thick ice.

The raindrops in the air instantly turned into tiny ice beads, which then fell to the ground with a crackling sound.

This was merely the aftershock of the freezing beam.

Its real target, however, is the ground beneath Milotic!

To be precise, it's the ground that's already covered by floodwater!

As if winter were approaching, the rain-soaked ground froze layer by layer along the path of the icy beam of light.

Milotic continued to release the Ice Beam while spinning around its own body.

Instantly, a solid ice wall appeared between Milotic and the ground, separating Excadrill and Milotic on either side.

Although the straight-line distance between the two is no more than half a meter, it feels as if they are separated by death.

At this moment, even the most dull-witted person would understand Xia Chen's intention.

He wanted to use the rain and the freezing effect of the freezing beam to create a defensive line on the ground!

And he succeeded!

The audience below the stage applauded Xia Chen and Milos's perfect defense without reservation.

…………

In fact, using ice beams or other techniques to alter the terrain is not uncommon.

This is something most of them can do themselves, let alone on TV.

Being able to do it is one thing, but applying it in actual combat is another.

The brilliance of Xia Chen's command just now lies not in the high creativity or imagination of his response, but in the reaction speed that was almost instantaneous!

Yang Zengyan had barely uttered the words "dig a hole" when Xia Chen was already able to immediately come up with the optimal solution.

This reaction is almost inhuman... so it could also be a premonition.

Even prediction is extremely difficult to achieve.

When they put themselves in Xia Chen's shoes, they discovered something even more terrifying.

Even if I had Xia Chen's reaction speed, I still couldn't complete such a defense.

Milotic's attack speed is simply amazing!

Milotic had already performed its rainmaking ritual before Excadrill had completely burrowed into the ground.

As Excadrill slithered underground to approach Milotic, it used its Ice Beam to freeze the ground around its body into a thick layer of ice.

No matter how you look at it, this is something that a veteran-level Pokémon could not possibly accomplish.

The audience members who realized this fell into silence.

In a competition of this caliber, perhaps only Xia Chen's Milotic could pull off such a maneuver.

I can't learn it, I can't learn it...

While the audience was still in shock and amazement, the situation on the battlefield had already changed.

…………

Yang Zengyan certainly wouldn't let the dragon-headed groundhog, trapped underground on the ice, sit idly by and wait to die.

As the ice formed, he immediately shouted, "Dragon Head Groundhog, come out now!"

Since the rain hadn't been falling for long, the ice, though thick, wasn't completely impenetrable; it just took a little longer to break through.

This means Milotic will have ample time to avoid the second stage of damage from the burrow.

They might even wait at the exit, like "guarding the hole for the mice"!

Just like now.

Even without Xia Chen's reminder, Milnas knew that now was the best opportunity to launch a counterattack.

The slippery ice surface allowed Milotic to easily and quickly adjust his position, gliding like an ice skater to the spot next to the Excadrill's burrow.

Water-based energy rapidly condenses within the body, waiting only for the prey to be unleashed.

Everyone knows that as soon as the Dragon Head Mole appears, all that awaits him is the long-awaited water cannon.

Yang Zengyan could not possibly have overlooked this point, but his expression remained firm, showing no intention whatsoever of making the dragon-headed groundhog back down.

The dragon-headed gopher can't stay underground forever, so it either breaks through the ice or goes around to the outside and emerges to attack.

Choosing the second path would mean that the distance that had been narrowed so painstakingly would widen again.

This also means that Milotic will have plenty of time to strengthen itself.

Yang Zengyan, who had studied Xia Chen's Pokémon evolution class, knew that his Milotic could also use Quiver Dance.

So you're bound to get hit by this water cannon fire whether you want to or not.

But as long as we can get through this short period of being on the defensive, the stage will be ours to shine from here on out!

…………

click-

As the cracking sound continued to spread, the dragon-headed groundhog finally used its drill-like, steel claws to pierce a large hole in the thick ice covering its head.

The feeling of seeing the light of day again was very refreshing, and the dragon-headed ground squirrel immediately crawled out of its hole.

At that very moment, a torrent that had been building up for a long time blasted out from the side, which was Milotic's water cannon waiting nearby!

The water cannons in the rain are incredibly powerful. The thick jets of water completely envelop the dragon-headed ground squirrel, and the surging water almost washes it back into its burrow!

The water cannon arrived as scheduled, but the damage was much greater than Yang Zengyan had imagined.

But there was no turning back now. He gritted his teeth and shouted, "Dragon Head Groundhog, hold them off!"

Perhaps the trainer's Rejuvenation Roar really worked; after the powerful Water Cannon ended, the sturdy figure stood firmly on the ice.

The dragon-headed groundhog withstood the onslaught of water cannons!

So, the counterattack begins!

Yang Zengyan shouted loudly, "Dragon-headed groundhog, charge straight into the burrow!"

With the ground frozen in ice, Yang Zengyan didn't know how much effect the earthquake could still have, but the power of the straight-through drill was not low either. If it triggered a vital point, the damage would be even greater than that of the earthquake.

With the attack power of its own Excadrill, it might be able to instantly kill this Milotic, which is at most a senior-level Milotic.

Once Milotic falls, Sylvanas and Kirlia in the back row won't be able to stop the rolling torrent of steel!

…………

The dragon-headed ground squirrel brought its hands together upwards, merging them with the three steel drill bits on its hands and head, causing its entire body to spin like a top.

The drill above its head also spun, and then stabbed hard into Milotic's body.

Seeing his opponent's desperate move, Xia Chen didn't back down. He retorted sharply, "Milotic, Surf!"

So far in ranked matches, no Pokémon has ever been able to instantly defeat my Milotic in one move.

Moreover, he didn't believe that a Pokémon with low Special Defense and double weakness to Water could withstand Milotic's Water Cannon in the rain and emerge unscathed.

He was gambling, not only that the Drill Strike wouldn't hit a vital point and instantly kill Milotic at full health, but also that Surfing in this rainy weather could kill Excadrill!

Unlike water cannons that fire in a ray-like pattern, surfing has a wide coverage area.

Although its power is much weaker than that of a water cannon, it is especially suitable for situations where you are approached by a highly impactful opponent.

A surging wave containing special water energy swept over the dragon-headed ground squirrel, whose entire body had been transformed into a giant drill, but the dragon-headed ground squirrel seemed to be painless and unaffected as it charged forward.

The sharp drill cleaved through the relentless waves crashing against him, like Moses parting the Red Sea. The dragon-headed ground squirrel rode the wind and waves, breaking through layer upon layer of obstacles, and finally arrived in front of Milotic.

Xia Chen frowned slightly; he hadn't expected the Dragon Head Groundhog to be able to...

The high-speed rotating steel drill is sharp and fierce; it is said that the dragon-headed ground squirrel in this state can even pierce through steel plates.

Now, what stands in front of him is Milotic's flesh and blood.

…………

stab-

A piercing sound, almost tearing eardrums, emanated from the arena. It was the noise from the dragon-headed exploding, transformed into a steel drill, and the fine scales on Milotic's body.

Upon hearing this sound, Yang Zengyan's expression changed drastically. Knowing his own Dragon Head Rat well, he immediately understood that this straight-through drill would definitely not be able to kill Milotic instantly!

The next wave will definitely be the final straw that breaks the camel's back.

Although he was puzzled as to when Milotic's scales had become so tough, Yang Zengyan knew this was not the time to think about such things.