Little Chirp's mid-battle evolution had taken Marie by surprise, but it didn't rattle her. It wasn't enough to throw her off her game.

The reason she'd always forbidden him from using Brave Bird back when he was still a Rookidee was simple: his strength hadn't been enough. He couldn't gather the energy quickly, and when he did, he couldn't control it. The power was too overwhelming, often backfiring and hurting him instead.

But now that he had evolved, maybe just maybe with his sudden boost in power, he could pull it off.

That was the downside of evolving mid-match: there was no time to test the limits of a new body. No time to gauge strength or stamina. No time to get a feel for the new form's capabilities.

And that made it much harder for Marie to give precise commands.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Let's continue."

She offered a quick apology to Nessa. After all, it had been her side that interrupted the match. It wasn't exactly against the rules, but it certainly wasn't ideal.

"No worries. I'm more interested in how you plan to strike back now."

Nessa was direct as ever. Both of them understood what was happening, though only Marie knew what kind of trump card Little Chirp was hiding. The real challenge was finding the right moment to turn the tide.

"Caw!! (Come on, bring it!)"

After evolving, Little Chirp's voice had gained real force. Gone was the soft, squeaky cry of a fledgling; in its place was the piercing screech of a raptor.

"Baa—"

Toxapex wasn't intimidated. Floating calmly atop the water, it kept a watchful eye on its opponent. So what if he evolved? That didn't mean he was automatically stronger. It would fight on just the same.

"Drill Peck!"

"Venoshock!"

"Caw!! (Let's go, seaweed-head!)"

Little Chirp was clearly feeling himself. His voice rang with cocky confidence as he launched into Drill Peck once more. With his larger frame and newfound power, the attack looked several times more formidable than before. The sheer wind force from the spiraling dive stirred the water below, kicking up waves in all directions.

Even though his previous Drill Peck had only barely lost out to Aqua Break, the difference now was stark. The power had increased by leaps and bounds. It wasn't just cosmetic.

Neither Nessa nor Toxapex wanted another head-on clash.

"Baa (You want me to come to you? Yeah, not happening~)"

Toxapex stayed put in the water, calmly raising its tentacles. It paired its venomous needles with a wave of corrosive liquid, aiming directly at the incoming Corvisquire.

"Caw!! (Then I'll come to you myself!)"

Letting out a furious cry, Little Chirp shifted direction and dived straight toward Toxapex like a missile, eyes locked on its target. He was like a bird possessed, unrelenting in his charge.

Thwip! Thwip!

Toxapex unleashed its Venoshock, the poison darts and liquid flying straight for the oncoming bird. But this time, the furious spiral of wind surrounding Little Chirp's body was too strong. The poisonous barrage was instantly scattered, losing its threat before it could even land.

"Dive under the water, now!"

Nessa's voice tightened. She hadn't expected this much of a jump in power. She'd known evolution would make a difference, but this? This went beyond her estimates.

She'd assumed Marie's Rookidee had potential and decent stats, but the power spike post-evolution was far greater than expected. She'd thought the Venoshock might at least slow him down.

It didn't even scratch him.

"Baa—!"

Retreating after a big attack wasn't easy for a Pokémon like Toxapex, which already lacked speed. It frantically tried to submerge itself, moving its tentacles to sink below.

But Little Chirp was faster.

Before Toxapex could dive, it noticed the waters around it start to churn violently something was wrong.

And then he struck.

Boom!

It was like a cannonball smashing into the sea. The impact sent water flying, crashing in enormous waves all around the platform.

At the very center of the shockwave, the water cratered, pushed downward by sheer force. Little Chirp burst out of the chaos, dragging a dazed and disoriented Toxapex with him.

But he didn't hang on for long. He didn't need to.

Without waiting for retaliation, he released his grip mid-air and hurled the water-logged Toxapex onto dry ground.

That one strike had rattled Toxapex hard. The water had cushioned the blow, but it also added crushing pressure. Combined with the explosion at the end, it was more than enough to throw it off balance.

Even though the hit hadn't landed perfectly, Toxapex was so dazed that it couldn't even react when it was being dragged out of the water.

"Now's your chance, Little Chirp!"

"Caw!! (I'm on it! Watch me, Marie!)"

With a flap and a twist, Little Chirp soared upward again. Raw, unrefined energy pulsed around him, shaking the very air with its pressure.

The surge of power was so unstable, it made the wind howl.

Nessa reacted quickly. She couldn't tell which Flying-type move was coming, but it didn't matter. Whatever it was, she needed to defend.

"Toxapex! Wide Guard, now!"

She even called it by name, just in case it was too stunned to register commands otherwise.

"...Baa! (...I-I'm trying!)"

It wasn't just Nessa who was shaken by Little Chirp's overwhelming energy. Toxapex was stunned, too. Its ten tentacles throbbed in pain from the earlier impact. For a moment, it almost gave up.

But then Nessa's voice reached it. And somehow, that gave it strength.

Despite the pain and the confusion, Toxapex forced a few tentacles upright, eyes fixed on the Corvisquire preparing to dive.

Thankfully, this wasn't a move that hit instantly. The delay gave Toxapex just enough time to gather what strength it had left to erect its defensive barrier.

Up in the sky, Little Chirp could feel the raw energy boiling inside him. His whole body felt like it was coming apart. It was the same familiar tearing sensation from before.

But this time, he didn't fight it.

He screamed.

"Caw!! (To hell with your guard! I'm blasting you to pieces!!)"

He could barely keep the power under control. But he didn't care. All that emotion he'd been holding in came flooding out.

With wings wide, he streaked across the sky like a bolt of golden lightning.

And then he dropped.

Like a divine bird descending from the heavens, he tore through the air with unstoppable momentum. The power he carried stirred up a violent storm of wind in his wake.

A brilliant, golden Brave Bird crashing headfirst into the barely raised Wide Guard.

BOOM!

A shockwave rocked the battlefield. Wind and dust swallowed both Pokémon.

The explosive impact from Brave Bird clashed head-on with Wide Guard, and the resulting turbulence split the ground open. A cloud of debris rose and engulfed everything.

No one could see a thing.

Marie raised her hand to shield her eyes, squinting hard to see into the heart of the explosion. She didn't dare blink. Not even for a second.

Not until she saw the outcome with her own eyes.

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