Ichigo has succeeded in making it into the top eight, but he faces a powerful opponent. Ulquiorra has proven to be a real challenge as he appears to be one step ahead. He keeps battling back, but Ulquiorra keeps knocking his pokemon around. Can Ichigo actually defeat this opponent or is this where his time in the Johto League ends?
Pokemon
Every trainer has a choice
To listen to that voice inside
I know the battles maybe long
Winners may have come and gone
I will carry on
Yeah, this dream will last forever
This dream will never die
We will rise to meet the challenge every time
(Advance challenge)
Yeah, this dream keeps us together
This shows that you and I
Will be the best that the world's ever seen
Cause we will always follow this dream
Pokemon
(Ichigo's voice) Dark as Darkrai
Weavile took the full frontal of another attack and was knocked right down. Weavile may have gotten hit, but was able to get back up.
"Weavile might be down, but is not out yet. Cofagrigus might be more of a challenge than it looks."
"Can you really keep going?" Ichigo asked.
"Weavile!" Weavile was able to get back up and was still able to battle.
"Will-O-Wisp." Ulquiorra said.
"Cococococ!" Cofagrigus formed blue flames in its four shadowy hands and tossed them Weavile got hit by them and was starting to get burned.
"Not good for Weavile. It got hit by that Will-O-Wisp and is constantly taking damage from being burned."
"Fight through it and use Icicle Crash!" Ichigo said. Weavile tried to fight through the burn and launched icicles at Cofagrigus. Cofagrigus crossed its arms and was doing its best to block the attack.
"Cofagrigus use Haze." Ulquiorra said. Cofagrigus breathed out a black cloud and it covered around the whole field.
"I can't see a thing." Ichigo said as he and Weavile tried to keep their eyes opened, but Weavile was still getting burned.
"Haze has covered the field. Cofagrigus could attack from anywhere."
"Now use Energy Ball." Ulquiorra said. Cofagrigus appeared and grabbed a hold of Weavile. Cofagrigus used its spare arms to form a green energy orb and smashed it against Weavile. Weavile was blown back from the attack.
"Weavile, can you keep going?" Ichigo asked. Weavile was able to get back up and was able to keep going. "Now use Shadow Ball!" Weavile formed a dark orb and tossed it with Cofagrigus getting hit by it.
"You'll have to do better than that." Ulquiorra said.
"Try this! Run in circles with Agility around Cofagrigus!" Ichigo said. Weavile started running in circles around Cofagrigus.
"Weavile is running around and around and he could attack from anywhere."
"That's it, Weavile." Ichigo said as he was sure this was going to work, but Weavile started to slow down from the burn. That gave Ulquiorra and Cofagrigus an opening.
"Now use Energy Ball." Ulquiorra said. Cofagrigus formed the attack and blasted Weavile with Weavile getting knocked down and was defeated this time.
"Weavile is unable to battle. Cofagrigus is the winner." The referee said. Ichigo brought Weavile back in his pokeball and was starting to get annoyed with this guy.
"Man. Just when it seems like I got an edge over this guy, he pulls the rug right from under me." Ichigo said. "I've got to strike while I still can. Cacturne, I choose you!"
"Cacturne!"
"Ichigo has decided to bring back Cacturne. How will Cacturne do against Cofagrigus?"
"Cacturne's part dark-type. So Shadow Ball won't work as much." Rukia said. "Since Cacturne is a grass-type as well, Energy Ball won't do much damage either. The only thing that will work is Will-O-Wisp and Haze."
"So wouldn't the smart thing for Ulquiorra to do is switch?" Orihime said.
"Perhaps, but I don't think that's going to happen." Chad said.
"Cofagrigius use Will-O-Wisp." Ulquiorra said. Cofagrigus formed the blue flames in its hands and tossed them at Cacturne.
"Dodge it and use Bullet Seed!" Ichigo said. Cacturne was able to avoid the flames and shot seeds at Cofagrigus, but they just kept bouncing off..
"Grab Cacturne and pull it in." Ulquiorra said. Cofagrigus reached across the field and grabbed Cacturne with it pulling Cacturne in. "Let's see if you can avoid it now. Use Will-O-Wisp." Cofagrigus used its spare arms and held two flames close to cacturne.
"This doesn't look good. Cacturne can't seem to get out of the way."
"Cacturne, Needle Arm!" Ichigo said. Cacturne formed spikes around his arms and it caused Cofagrigus to let go. Cacturne also smashed its attack against Cofagrigus and pushed it back.
"Interesting. He used the attack to get free and attack." Ulquiorra said. "He used a helpful attack at the last moment and it was a smart move. Maybe there is something to him."
"Now use Needle Arm one more time!" Ichigo said. Cacturne attacked Cofagrigus again and it appeared to be a critical hit as Cofagrigus went down.
"Cofagrigus is unable to battle. Cacturne is the winner." The referee said.
"Cofagrigus is down. Now both sides only have two pokemon remaining."
"Not bad, but I'm afraid it might be too late for you to turn the tide of this battle around." Ulquiorra said as he returned Cofagrigus. "Come, Zoroark."
"Zo!"
"And Ulquiorra has brought out Zoroark as his fifth pokemon
"I've never seen that pokemon before." Orihime said.
"Zoroark." Rukia said. "It's a cunning pokemon that has the ability to transform into any person or any pokemon. What I don't understand is why it's in the form it's in now."
"What do you mean?" Chad asked.
"I've heard that when Zoroark are released into battle, their ability, known as Illusion, takes effect." Rukia said. "It caused Zoroark to transform into the last pokemon in your party that hasn't been defeated. So what is up with that?"
"I see no reason for Zoroark to change its form." Ulquiorra said to clear the confusion. "While Zoroark can cause confusion by changing its appearance and its movements, it doesn't really do any good to me at this point. Especially since Zoroark will just change back to normal the moment it takes damage."
"Is he saying he trained Zoroark to resist its own ability and only transform when it's necessary?" Rukia said. "That's some training. Just how powerful is this guy?"
"It doesn't matter what pokemon you use. I'm not giving up until this battle is over. Cacturne, Pin Missile!" Ichigo said. Cacturne launched pins at Zoroark, but neither of them seemed concern.
"Zoroark, Substitute." Ulquiorra said. Zoroark made a copy of itself and it took the attack with it getting destroyed.
"Zoroark avoided damage by using Substitute. Crafty."
"What's Substitute?" Orihime questioned.
"In exchange for weakening yourself, you can make a copy of yourself and it takes all the damage." Rukia said.
"Now use Drain Punch!" Ichigo said. Cacturne charged right at Zoroark with energy around spiraling around his fist.
"Now use Night Daze." Ulquiorra said. Zoroark build some energy and smashed it against the ground. It created a dark shockwave that blasted Cacturne and knocked Cacturne back.
"There it is. The famous Night Daze that only Zoroark is capable of. He used it and knocked Cacturne back."
"Now use Shadow Claw." Ulquiorra said. Zoroark formed a dark claw around its real claw and jumped up. Zoroark came down and slashed against Cacturne and held Cacturne down.
"Cacturne has been pinned down. How is Ichigo going to get out of this one?"
"Use Needle Arm! Try and get yourself free!" Ichigo said. Cacturne kept using the attack and kept trying to get free, but Zoroak wasn't letting go.
"Now use Low Sweep." Ulquiorra said. Zoroark drove its leg right against Cacturne and Cacturne slid against the ground and almost went right out of the arena, but Cacturne was knocked out.
"Cacturne is unable to battle. Zoroark is the winner." The referee said.
"That does it for Cacturne. Now Ichigo has only one pokemon remaining while Ulquiorra has two that appear ready to go. If Ichigo is hoping for a comeback, now is the time to pull one out." Ichigo had Cacturne return to his pokeball and was frustrated now.
"It's all up to you now. Be careful." Ichigo said to Absol. Absol understood the situation and went out on the battlefield.
"Absol." Any hope of winning this battle rests with Absol now.
"Absol is Ichigo's last pokemon. We'll see if Ichigo is able to pull out a win."
"So it's an all-out battle with dark-types that you want now. Very well, but I'll end this quickly." Ulquiorra said. "Now use Low Sweep." Zoroark charged in and was getting a kick ready.
"Dodge it, Absol!" Ichigo said. Absol jumped up and over Zoroark. "Now use Night Slash!"
"Shadow Claw." Ulquiorra said. Both of their pokemon used their attacks and were able to deflect the other. "Shadow Claw once more." Zoroark reached out for Absol and tried to land another attack. It slashed against Absol, but Absol was doing its best to hold against the attack.
"Too bad we can't use Psycho Cut. It won't have any effect. Absol knows a cool new move and we can't use it." Ichigo complained. "Oh well. We got other attacks. Now use Razor Wind!" Absol brushed off Zoroark's attack and was getting ready.
"Now use Night Daze." Ulquiorra said. Zoroark acted faster as it used its attack and blew Absol back and knocked Absol down from it.
"Absol was too slow with the attack. An attack that powerful that close must have done some damage."
"Can you get up, Absol?" Ichigo asked as Absol was able to stand back up. Absol wasn't going to fall that easily.
"Now use Shadow Claw." Ulquiorra said. Zoroark charged right at Absol with the attack.
"Night Slash!" Ichigo said. Both pokemon used their attacks and clashed against each other. However, Absol brushed the claw out of the way as he refuses to be defeated like this. He was able to land a hit against Zoroark and managed to get behind Zoroark. "Now use Razor Wind!" Absol was able to use the attack this time and blasted Zoroark in the back with it.
"Absol appears to be getting the upper hand against Zoroark."
"Not for long." Ulquiorra said.
"Let's end this and get to that last battle. Razor Wind one more time!" Ichigo said.
"Night Daze." Ulquiorra said. Zoroark acted faster and used the attack with Absol being blown back by the shockwave, but Absol resisted through it and used his attack with it slashing against Zoroark. Zoroark was blown back and was beaten.
"Zoroark is unable to battle. Absol is the winner." The referee said.
"It's tied up once more. Both sides now only have one pokemon left."
"Yeah, but we all know who that last pokemon is." Rukia said as she and the others were nervous knowing what pokemon is coming next. Ulquiorra brought Zoroark back in its pokeball as Ichigo and Absol got ready for that last pokemon.
"Not bad, but this is where the battle ends. Come, Darkrai." Ulquiorra said. Ulquiorra released Darkrai and Darkrai said no words, no noise. It was as if none needed to be said.
"There's Ulquiorra's last pokemon. The mysterious Darkrai. This battle could get interesting." Absol was getting tense just like last time.
"Keep calm, Absol. It's just another battle. It's just another pokemon." Ichigo said. Absol was doing his best to stay calm, but Absol can feel Darkrai's power and it doesn't feel friendly.
"Start with Ominous Wind." Ulquiorra said. Darkrai unleashed the wind-based attack and created a strong blast with Absol slowly being pushed back.
"That power is unreal, but we need to fight back." Ichigo said. "Absol, Razor Wind!" Absol unleashed the attack and it slashed through with it hitting Darkrai. Ichigo and Absol were glad to get a hit in, but Darkrai appeared to be unharmed and were shocked.
"Unreal! Darkrai doesn't appear to have taken damage!"
"Just how powerful is that pokemon?!" Ichigo said.
"Darkrai, Dark Pulse." Ulquiorra said. Darkrai unleashed a beam of darkness and it blasted Absol with Absol getting blown back from the attack.
"Absol, Night Slash!" Ichigo said. Absol charged right in and slashed at Darkrai, but Darkrai was able to block the attack. Absol and Ichigo couldn't believe it. "Absol, keep moving! Don't let Darkrai catch you!" Absol kept moving around the field to try and confuse Darkrai.
"It's pointless to run." Ulquiorra said. "Show them why that is." Darkrai had incredible speed to match that power as it instantly appeared in front of Absol. Absol looked right at Darkrai and felt like it was staring into a dark void. It seems like Absol might actually be afraid of this opponent.
The most intense battle that Ichigo has been in is about to reach its end. Is this really how it ends for Ichigo in the Johto League? Stay tune to find out.
To Be Conitnued….
