The three selected participants on the opposite side tensed, quickly spread out, and simultaneously moved their surrounding beast companions closer for protection.
The Undying Bird's ability was quite useful for kicking a death-defying football. Flames added to the ball's speed and power, and could even cause a secondary explosion to further enhance it.
If Bai Ye had really aimed a kick at their faces, there was an eighty to ninety percent chance another one of them would be carried out on a stretcher.
But, the moment the opponent spread out...
Bai Ye suddenly kicked the ball, not directly at them, but with a high lob towards the sky.
Jin Sha shouted from behind, "Aerodactyl, Cross Chop!"
Aerodactyl swooped down from the sky, slashing the ball downwards with its wings. Immediately, Jin Sha gestured again.
"Pikachu!" Jin Sha commanded, "Quick Attack!"
Pikachu dashed forward rapidly, its body crackling with electricity. It then transformed into a streak of lightning, rushing forward to catch the falling football.
This is bad!
The three selected participants were greatly alarmed. They had been tricked by Bai Ye's feint.
Lucario, having been carried off the field because its master was taken down, had also left. Currently, the one guarding the goal was Venusaur.
A selected participant shouted, "Venusaur, Vine Whip!"
Venusaur was a massive toad with a blooming Rafflesia on its back. Its size was considerable, capable of blocking half the goal just by squatting. As for the other half...
The moment Pikachu reached the ball, two vines suddenly extended from the sides of Venusaur's flower, sweeping sideways and quickly crossing to block the incoming football.
But...
The air seemed to ripple.
"Be careful!" one of the selected participants immediately warned, "They have Gengar, it can go invisible!"
Indeed, just as the football was knocked away, Gengar suddenly revealed itself and fired a Shadow Ball directly at the ball, blasting it back.
Shadow Ball effect: the football would be imbued with shadow, making it erratic.
However, with the warning, Venusaur had already reacted. Its crisscrossed vines coiled up again, forming a large net that blocked the goal.
The Shadow Ball's effect could not increase the shot's power; it only made the ball erratic. But Venusaur's vine net had completely sealed the remaining half of the goal, rendering the ball's erratic nature useless.
The next moment, the football, as expected, fell into the net woven by Venusaur's vines. It spun against the vine net but ultimately could not break through.
The three selected participants breathed a sigh of relief, but just then...
"Have you forgotten about me?"
Bai Ye's voice suddenly echoed.
The three were instantly startled and looked at where Bai Ye had been standing, which was now empty.
They had forgotten he could teleport!
When they looked back at the goal, Bai Ye was already in front of it, leaping into the air and powerfully kicking the football.
Flames erupted!
Venusaur let out a pained cry. As a Grass-type beast companion, fire abilities were extremely disadvantageous to it.
The next moment, Venusaur's vines were burnt off, and Bai Ye kicked the football into the goal.
"Goal..."
The giant screen quickly displayed the word "goal."
2 to 1, Bai Ye and Jin Sha were leading again.
And...
Only five minutes remained!
As Bai Ye returned to his own half and the ball reappeared at the center circle, the three selected participants exchanged glances, understanding each other's intentions.
They had no choice but to go all out on offense!
With only five minutes left, it was difficult to overturn the score. But if they could score one goal, 2-2 would at least earn them ten minutes of overtime, and then there would still be hope.
However, as the whistle blew.
"Seviper, Giga Impact!"
Jin Sha decisively commanded Seviper to Giga Impact, coiling it in front of the goal. Its massive body completely blocked the goal, leaving no gap.
And that wasn't all...
"Goodra, Protect!"
"Xerneas, Geomancy!"
Goodra and Xerneas also immediately positioned themselves in front of Seviper.
Goodra's strength lay in defense, and Jin Sha's Xerneas had also been trained for a defensive counterattack strategy.
Thus, Seviper blocked the goal.
Goodra and Xerneas were responsible for defense.
Was this the end?
Of course not!
Bai Ye directly pulled out his sword case and smashed it onto the ground. Immediately, seven flying swords simultaneously emerged from the case, transforming into streaks of sword light. They continuously swished left and right along the edge of the penalty area, forming a net of interception.
As if that wasn't enough, Bai Ye took out several talismans and tossed them into the air.
As the talismans burned in the air...
Rock Slide!
The ground outside the penalty area continuously cracked, and large stones continuously flew up, forming a line. Soon, a trench appeared outside the penalty area, along with an earth wall that completely concealed the area behind it.
The three selected participants instantly felt numb.
How could they possibly play now?
This was a strategy of pure defense, giving them no opportunity at all.
The most troublesome thing was the lingering after-effect of Bai Ye taking out one of their players with a single kick.
They had considered this kind of tight defense before and had even devised a strategy to break through it.
But...
With one of their players taken out by Bai Ye, their beast companions were not enough, and their strategy was stillborn.
The three gritted their teeth, feeling their scalps tingle at Bai Ye and Jin Sha's defense. But they could only brace themselves and launch a fierce attack.
However, after finally breaking through the first layer of stone walls, there was still the sword light continuously sweeping to deflect the football. Even if by some luck, the ball managed to pass through the flying swords, there were still Goodra, Xerneas, and Seviper blocking the way.
And then...
The last minute!
The football finally broke through Goodra and Xerneas's defense. The eyes of the three selected participants lit up. Facing the final obstacle, Seviper, they just needed to use Hyper Beam to push it aside, and then Seviper and the ball would smash into the goal.
But at this moment...
The elusive Gengar reappeared. However, this time, Gengar appeared in front of their own goal.
"Shadow Ball!"
Before their Snorlax could use Hyper Beam, Gengar, raising its hands high, fired a Shadow Ball towards the football.
With a boom!
The Shadow Ball hit the football, and the ball entered a shadow state, enveloped in black smoke. Countless black shadows then flew forward.
The next instant...
The three selected participants turned pale with shock. In their haste to equalize, they had brought their beast companions to Bai Ye and Jin Sha's half, leaving their own half completely empty.
Then...
They saw the "cheating" Bai Ye teleport to their own penalty area and unleash a powerful shot at Venusaur.
Venusaur's vines were powerless to stop the burning football. It could only watch as its vines were incinerated, and the football slammed into the goal, the net rippling like white waves.
"Goal..."
3 to 0!
The game was decided!
...