Chapter 84: Astonishment
Chapter 84: Astonishment
At this moment,
The vast Silver Shang Stadium seemed to have its sound muted; the clamor of the audience had vanished entirely.
In its place, the wind howled fiercely across the field, whipped up by the eruption of energy.
Silence, however, was only temporary.
Suddenly, the stadium exploded with an unprecedented wave of cheers, far more intense than during any previous match.
Shrill whistles, thunderous applause, wild shouts of released emotion—
The entire stadium became a boiling cauldron, overflowing with heated excitement.
Everyone loves a story of reversal, especially at the level of a League tournament.
A seemingly frail, fluffy sheep had, in a flash, unleashed electricity so powerful it threatened to shatter the entire arena.
That extraordinary contrast struck like a spark, igniting the powder keg in the spectators' hearts and sending a torrent of fervor and hot-blooded emotion bursting forth.
A gulp sounded clearly through the broadcast.
In the commentary box, Audrey’s beautiful eyes widened, her lips, painted bright red, parted in astonishment.
Though a professional commentator, she found herself at a loss for words—a rare occurrence in her entire career.
“A… one-hit knockout!”
“Lanny’s Fluffy Sheep unleashed an incredibly powerful move, and with a single blow, drove Ziling’s Malice Star right out of the match!”
It was a while before Audrey recovered, her professional instincts quickly recognizing this as the tournament’s hottest moment, prompting her to deliver a passionate commentary.
“It’s truly unbelievable.”
Beside her, Professor Shuten wore a calm expression, but his trembling eyelids betrayed his inner turmoil.
He had always expected that Fluffy Sheep was no ordinary contender, yet the turn of events was beyond anything he imagined.
He leaned forward unconsciously, as if to scrutinize the sheep in the arena more closely.
…
In the luxury box,
Ziyang, seated on the sofa, was no longer the relaxed figure he had been moments earlier; he put down his crossed legs,
The wine glass he had been swirling stilled in his hand.
His smile faded, replaced by a heavy, contemplative look.
“This kind of power…”
Ziyang murmured to himself.
Even with his immense confidence in his daughter, witnessing Lu Yun’s performance stirred doubts deep in his heart.
Could she really win?
Was his daughter about to be eliminated by a mere Fluffy Sheep?
The absurd notion circled in his mind; ten minutes ago, he would have scoffed at anyone who suggested such a thing.
But now…
Ziyang could only hope inwardly that after releasing such a move, Fluffy Sheep would be unable to continue fighting.
But seeing the lively Lu Yun in the arena, he knew it was a vain hope.
Beside him, Damalan stopped his conversation with his secretary, his deep eyes fixed intently on the field.
“Interesting.”
…
At the edge of the stands,
Noen had vanished from his previous spot, now appearing at the inner rail, closest to the battleground.
He gripped the railing with trembling hands, overcome by excitement,
His pupils, hidden behind sunglasses, burned with fervor.
“Malice Star!”
Ignoring the lingering heat of the battlefield, Ziling rushed onto the field.
With anxious hands, she withdrew her critically wounded Pokémon into its ball.
Sweat dripped from her brow, and her deep violet eyes still bore the shock etched there moments before.
The sudden turn left Ziling struggling to control her expression,
From another’s perspective, she seemed dazed and bewildered.
Her hands shook as she handed the Poké Ball to the medical team rushing in.
Ziling raised her gaze, fixing it deeply on Lu Yun standing on the field; after lingering a moment, she turned her attention to Lanny behind him.
At this moment, Lanny was equally awkward—he knew Lu Yun was strong, but not to such an extent.
When the move was unleashed, Lanny nearly cried out in surprise,
But, needing to hide his identity as a spy, he forced himself to remain composed.
Feeling Ziling’s gaze upon him, Lanny’s expression froze, his facial muscles twitching as he forced a hideous smile in response.
Ziling’s long, straight hair fluttered wildly in the tumultuous wind, strands clinging to her delicate face, giving her a disheveled appearance.
She took a deep breath, slowly gathering herself, settling her emotions.
Her opponent’s Pokémon was indeed powerful, but she still had hope of victory.
Judging from the force of that last move, Fluffy Sheep must have expended much of its stamina,
Whereas she still had her ace Pokémon, full of energy, yet to take the field.
“I, daughter of Ziyang the Poison King, heir to the Tusi Gym, must not fall here!”
Her right hand gripped her last Poké Ball tightly, the pale skin turning almost white.
Summoning all her strength, she hurled the ball onto the field,
Her shout was a release of pent-up emotion.
On the field,
Lu Yun had already calmed his excitement.
Since his journey to the Electric Canyon, he had not experienced such intense battles.
Throughout those long days, he knew his strength had grown, but lacked a true benchmark.
Like a martial arts master secluded for years, finally mastering his skills, he longed to show his prowess.
Now, finally, the opportunity for battle had come; as soon as he emerged from the ball, Lu Yun was swept up by a surge of emotion, releasing all the stored electricity in his body at once.
The outcome was satisfactory—the opponent lost the ability to fight, but survived,
And Lu Yun found release both energetically and emotionally.
Buzz—
On his chest, the Thunder Stone glowed with a vivid emerald light, pulsing like a heartbeat, sending fresh, pure electricity throughout his body, replenishing the reserves depleted by the previous attack.
At the same time, the electric energy in the air, drawn like moths to a flame, converged upon Lu Yun.
With this dual restoration, Lu Yun quickly regained the energy he had spent during his combination move.
Crack—
With a crisp sound, Ziling’s ace Pokémon finally revealed its mysterious form.
It was a purple-black lizard, with slender violet-red eyes set on either side of its head, its seductive gaze hinting at both allure and hidden danger;
A forked, red tongue flicked from its elongated mouth, viscous black saliva dripping from the corners, exuding a poisonous aura;
Hot gray smoke curled from its nostrils with every breath.