Chapter 491: Poor Ninetales

Aaron smiled faintly and glanced at Caleb's Ninetales, bringing up its information.

[Name: Ninetales]

[Gender: Female]

[Nature: Rash]

[Type: Fire]

[Ability: Flash Fire — If hit by a Fire-type move, Ninetales absorbs the flames and powers up its own Fire-type moves.]

[Base Stats Total: 505]

[Level: Gym (Mid Stage)]

[Potential: Class Champion]

[Known Moves: Flamethrower (Perfect), Fire Blast (Perfect), Quick Attack (Master), Baby-Doll Eyes (Master), Heat Wave (Master), Will-O-Wisp (Proficient), Dark Pulse (Proficient), Protect (Proficient), Toxic (Proficient), Nasty Plot (Proficient), Fire Spin (Proficient), Hex (Proficient), Safeguard (Proficient), Extrasensory (Proficient)...]

[Description: Ninetales, the Fox Pokémon. It evolves from Vulpix and possesses considerable power. Legends claim it can live for a thousand years and possesses mysterious supernatural abilities.]

Nothing particularly remarkable.

A mid-stage Gym-level Pokémon was certainly impressive enough for Caleb to be proud of. According to Maya, he attended Pokémon League University and was even Aaron's upperclassman. Once the new school year began, Caleb would be entering his third year while Aaron had yet to start his first.

To most people, Caleb absolutely qualified as a genius.

Unfortunately, Froslass Queen was already at peak-stage Gym.

This matchup was almost unfair.

"Froslass Queen, get ready."

"Fros..."

Froslass Queen answered with a clear cry, and heavy snow suddenly began falling across the battlefield.

Her Icy Snow Empress had activated.

The Ability automatically summoned heavy snow at the start of battle, increased her Speed and Special Attack by three stages, boosted the power of her Ice-type moves by 50%, and increased their casting speed by another 50%.

Caleb frowned as the snow thickened around them.

A Froslass with a snow-setting Ability?

It was unusual, but he did not dwell on it. He was a Gym-level Trainer, and his Ninetales was Fire-type. Ice attacks were naturally resisted.

What was there to worry about?

Aaron's voice came calmly from across the field.

"Froslass Queen, Icy Wind."

"Fros..."

Ice-blue light flashed in Froslass Queen's eyes. She opened her mouth and released a wave of freezing wind straight toward Ninetales.

The attack came out so quickly it might as well have had priority.

Caleb's pupils contracted.

What the hell? How is it that fast?!

He had barely opened his mouth to order a dodge when the freezing wind was already on top of Ninetales.

"Yip!"

Ninetales shuddered as the cold swept over its body, frost spreading across its pale golden fur. It cried out in pain as its movements visibly slowed.

Normally, an Ice-type attack would not have been much of a threat to a Fire-type Pokémon. Froslass Queen, however, was anything but normal. Between Icy Snow Empress, Ice Bloodline, and the same-type attack bonus, Aaron's rough calculation put the total boost to her Ice-type moves at around 200%.

And her Icy Wind had already reached Perfect proficiency.

Even through Ninetales's resistance, it still hurt.

More importantly, Icy Wind lowered its Speed.

Aaron did not give Caleb time to recover.

"Finish it. Ice Arrow."

"Fros!"

Ice-blue energy surged around Froslass Queen and condensed almost instantly into a massive ice arrow nearly two meters long.

Then it fired.

"Ninetales, dodge!"

Caleb's expression changed completely.

There was something seriously wrong with the speed of this Froslass's attacks. They came out faster than he could even jerk off.

It was fucking ridiculous.

"Yip! Yip!"

Ninetales panicked and tried to leap aside, but the frost covering its body and the Speed drop from Icy Wind slowed its response just enough.

That tiny delay was all Froslass Queen needed.

The Ice Arrow slammed directly into Ninetales.

Boom!

"Awooo!"

The impact blasted Ninetales several meters across the battlefield. It hit the ground hard, slid to a stop, and went limp, its eyes spinning as it lost the ability to battle.

The entire exchange had lasted only moments.

Despite having the type advantage, Ninetales had been completely overwhelmed. Froslass Queen had taken it down in just two attacks without allowing it to launch a single move of its own.

For a moment, the arena went silent.

Caleb stared at his fallen Ninetales in disbelief.

He swallowed.

"This... How is that possible?"

He had thought Aaron had brought out an unusually pretty Froslass.

Instead, he had just discovered that the pretty face belonged to a monster.

Lily was the first person in the stands to recover.

"Yes! Aaron, that was awesome!"

Then she immediately turned toward Maya with a smug grin.

"What happened? You were talking so much a minute ago. Why'd you get so quiet?"

Maya did not even have the energy to argue back.

She could only stare at Froslass Queen in shock.

"How... how can he be this strong?"

...