"Machamp, Second Gear—Four Tiger Slaughter!"
"Then charge in—Finger Pistol: Meteor Fist Barrage!"
Even after Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant was effortlessly countered, Ron didn't waver in shock. Instead, he immediately issued a new command to Machamp.
Steam burst from Machamp's body like a pressure valve opening—then, through the mist, four ferocious white tigers charged forth.
With explosive momentum, Machamp became the fifth tiger, seamlessly joining the assault and executing a pincer attack on Milotic from every direction.
"Milotic, Aqua Shield!" commanded Wallace.
The swirling water around Milotic hadn't fully dissipated yet—now, it gathered again to form a flowing barrier in front of it.
Though it looked fragile, when Machamp's Four Tiger Slaughter slammed into it, it was like colliding with the boundless ocean—only a few droplets scattered outward.
Still unfamiliar with the use of Armament Haki, Machamp had to rely on his usual combat techniques.
All four fists struck with blinding speed—hundreds of punches thrown in a single second. Yet still, he couldn't break through Milotic's water defense.
"Milotic, Aqua Dispersal!" Wallace called out with pinpoint timing.
"Fall back, Machamp!" Ron shouted immediately after—but he was already a second too late.
The water burst apart in an instant, surging forward with unstoppable force, knocking Machamp back to where it stood.
Locking eyes with Wallace, Ron could now feel the true pressure of a Champion.
It wasn't just Milotic's raw strength—it was Wallace's command precision that made the difference.
To spot an opening in Machamp's relentless assault and instantly counterattack—even if Milotic and Machamp were equal in power, Wallace would still win through skill.
It wasn't just Milotic that left Ron shaken. It was how Wallace gave that single, sudden command—that alone was more intimidating than the opponent's strength.
And if Wallace was already this powerful... then what about Steven Stone? Or the other Champions of the Pokémon League?
Just thinking about it made Ron's blood boil with excitement.
"Let's go, Machamp! Finger Pistol: Morning Peacock!"
Sensing Ron's burning fighting spirit, Machamp's hesitation vanished.
A fiery burst fell like a meteor, crashing down toward Milotic.
"Milotic, Aqua Shield!"
The water surged up once again, forming another barrier.
The flames struck the shield—but didn't even create a splash. The fire evaporated the moment it touched the water, vanishing into mist.
"Machamp, Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant! Accelerate from above—then follow up with Finger Pistol: Meteor Fist Barrage!"
The initial Morning Peacock was merely a diversion to redirect Wallace and Milotic's attention. Now came the real strike.
A crimson elephant's foot fell from the sky. Boosted by Machamp's acceleration, it crashed down with force. The water barrier finally rippled under the pressure.
"Milotic, Aqua Burst!"
"Hold your ground, Machamp!"
Both trainers shouted nearly at the same time.
Milotic's shield shattered—thousands of droplets shot outward like shrapnel, slamming into Machamp and disrupting Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant.
But with focus honed in the heat of battle, Machamp spun into motion—its four arms moving like a blur, shattering the incoming droplets one by one.
Even an evolved technique derived from Aqua Shield had managed to neutralize Machamp's brutal onslaught.
Ron wasn't even sure how much of Milotic's true power had been unleashed.
Likely not all of it.
If Wallace had gone all-out, Machamp—despite being an Elite Four level—might not have lasted this long.
Panting heavily, sweat beaded across Machamp's body—only to be instantly vaporized by the heat it radiated.
Drawing on the energy stored deep within, Machamp stood tall once again—fighting spirit reignited.
"Interesting," Wallace murmured, smiling. "Milotic, Aqua Tail—Dragon Form!"
Seeing Machamp's spirit rebound, Wallace decided to go on the offensive.
Water surged and coiled—forming a massive dragon-shaped tail that whipped toward Machamp with fierce velocity.
"Machamp—Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant! Four Tiger Slaughter! Retreat while attacking!"
After realizing that Wallace was testing him, Ron prepared to end the battle.
Ron had already experienced Wallace's strength firsthand.
Leaving aside Milotic's raw power, Wallace's precise timing and strategic awareness in battle were enough for Ron to understand just how formidable he really was.
Recognizing the gap between them, Ron had no intention of giving Wallace more time to notice anything unusual about Machamp.
At Ron's command, Machamp leapt into the air. His crimson elephantine foot came crashing down, intercepting the first wave of Aqua Tail. In the same breath, he unleashed Four Tiger Slaughter, from which four snarling white tigers burst forth.
Using the recoil, Machamp quickly retreated and landed in front of Ron.
Even when facing someone as upstanding as Wallace, Ron wasn't going to reveal Life Return so easily.
A brief burst of power could be dismissed, but if the technique were sustained for too long, Wallace would definitely notice something was off.
"Your strength is truly overwhelming. The gap between us is still far too wide," Ron said with genuine humility.
Upon hearing Ron's voice, Machamp also withdrew his battle aura and his Second Gear his overwhelming presence gradually subsiding.
"You're too modest," Wallace replied with sincerity. "You're still very young. I believe that, one day, your accomplishments may even surpass mine."
He gazed at Ron with earnest eyes.
Breaking into the Elite Four was difficult enough—but reaching the level of Champion-class was the true hurdle. That's why Champion-level trainers were so rare.
But Wallace felt that this hurdle wouldn't stop Ron.
Where Ron would go from here, Wallace couldn't even begin to predict.
"Thank you for your praise. Battling you today has truly taught me a lot."
"Alright, let's not just compliment each other endlessly. Let me show you around Sootopolis City."
After a final glance at Ron and Machamp, Wallace let his thoughts drift and turned toward the forest's edge.
Hesitating only briefly, Ron recalled Persian and the others back into their Poké Balls, then followed Wallace.
Since he'd already decided to rest for the afternoon, Ron didn't mind taking the chance to enjoy the scenery of Sootopolis City.
Elsewhere, several Team Aqua outposts and submarines began mobilizing at Archie's command, launching coordinated strikes on both the League and Team Magma.
Archie didn't particularly care what kind of results these attacks yielded. What mattered to him was sending a message—letting the League and Team Magma know that Team Aqua was not an easy target.
Otherwise, one day the League might get it into their heads to completely wipe Team Aqua out.
After all, in just a few short months, several of Team Aqua's bases had already been breached by the League. Team Magma had taken the opportunity to seize a good portion of territory that once belonged to them.
On top of that, the League's Rangers had nearly crushed the Pokémon Hunters, freeing up more combat forces for the Hoenn League.
These developments alone were enough to make Archie uneasy.
As someone in power, Archie understood well—sometimes, staying silent and swallowing one's pride only invited destruction.
Only by showing the world that you're still powerful—and that the cost of provoking you is too high—can you truly earn peace.
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