Chapter 13: Defeating Aaron

If it had been the Static Ability, Lian doubted he could have easily overcome Electrike due to the complications of Paralysis.

Fortunately, it wasn't; instead, most likely, its Ability was Lightning Rod, which has no impact on this battle scenario.

The chances of Electrike defeating him now were slim. With just one more Quick Attack hit, Lian would activate Blaze Mode. Given his current state, Electrike couldn't possibly defeat him before that happened.

Regaining his footing, Lian maintained distance and continued searching for opportunities to unleash Ember.

On the other side, little fatty Aaron, thrilled by Electrike's successful strike on Charmander, remained undeterred despite Electrike also sustaining damage. He confidently relied on his Potion spray to address any injuries.

"Keep up the good work! Electrike, approach Charmander from the side and use Tackle," Aaron commanded while running alongside.

Tackle and Quick Attack essentially serve the same purpose: causing damage upon close contact with the opponent. However, Quick Attack gains speed enhancement, allowing for priority in attacking.

When using Quick Attack, swift movement makes sudden turns difficult, requiring extensive training to master such maneuverability. Unfortunately, Electrike had not yet acquired this skill.

A direct charge would expose Electrike to Charmander's Ember attack, so Aaron instructed his Pokémon to use Tackle from the side, avoiding a head-on collision with Ember.

Unfortunately for Aaron, this was no ordinary Charmander; Lian could hear his commands and immediately understood the strategy.

Without using Quick Attack, although still swift, Electrike's speed wasn't enough to prevent Lian from having time to dodge.

Lian kept vigilant on both sides, ready to counterattack as soon as Electrike changed direction.

As Electrike charged towards Lian, just before reaching him, it suddenly accelerated sideways, using nearby trees as leverage, then lunged from Lian's right flank.

Been waiting for you.

Lian chuckled inwardly. Although he wasn't particularly fast, he had invested two hundred Combat Points to enhance his Ember move, ensuring its release speed was top-notch.

Just as Electrike was about to pounce on Lian, a ball of flames rushed directly at it. With nowhere to hide mid-air, Electrike took a full hit from the flames.

As the flames dispersed, it appeared that some sparks hit Electrike's eyes. With a painful howl, it lost its momentum and collapsed onto the ground.

Lian was slightly speechless, amazed by his good fortune as the sparks landed directly in Electrike's eyes. He had mentally prepared for the impending collision, expecting some pain but knowing it would activate Blaze Mode perfectly.

However, this outcome worked too - Electrike was close to losing its fighting ability, allowing him to deliver the final blow swiftly.

Just as Electrike struggled to stand up, Lian readied his third Ember attack, rapidly replenishing his internal flame energy.

"Electrike, are you okay?" Aaron rushed over anxiously after witnessing Electrike being struck by Ember.

He kept a distance, aware that Pokemon battles can be intense and unpredictable, risking accidental harm if not cautious.

Electrike shook its head and managed to rise, with one eye visibly affected, making it difficult to open fully.

"Electrike, don't rush, use Quick..." Aaron quickly continued, seeing that Electrike still had fight left in it, but abruptly stopped mid-sentence.

The reason was clear: Lian had unleashed another Ember directly at the stunned Electrike.

With three consecutive Ember attacks, he finally managed to knock down the Electrike, leaving it severely wounded and covered with burn marks. Even the skin beneath its fur appeared scorched.

"Darn it." Aaron felt frustrated; this Charmander's Ember speed was incredibly swift, not giving him enough time to issue commands.

Had he known how strong Charmander was, he would have promptly recalled his Electrike using a Poké Ball and switched to another Pokémon for battle.

Now, with Electrike heavily injured, it likely needed treatment at the Pokémon Center, as Potion sprays could only temporarily alleviate the wounds.

"Return, Electrike. I'm sorry for pushing you too far." Regretful, Aaron recalled Electrike and took out another Poké Ball.

"Pidgey, it's up to you now."

He tossed the Poké Ball, releasing a Pidgey that fluttered its wings and perched on a nearby branch.

After defeating the Electrike, Lian prepared to make a quick escape. He had accomplished his goal with minimal damage, making it almost perfect.

"Alright Pidgey, chase after Charmander and use Gust," Aaron exclaimed anxiously as he saw Charmander attempting to escape. He quickly directed Pidgey to pursue.

Lian glanced back, noticing that Pidgey's speed was indeed faster than his own. With vigorous wing flaps, Pidgey swiftly caught up, gliding ahead of him.

Feeling helpless, Lian acknowledged that while his speed was only slightly behind his special attack, his overall level was too low. This disadvantage made him unable to match the speed of higher-level Pokemon.

Deciding to halt, Lian prepared for battle against Pidgey.

Pidgey had relatively modest base stats, performing average across all aspects. Although this particular Pidgey might be slightly higher in level compared to Lian, its advantage over Electrike lay in mastering the flying-type move, Gust.

If both Pokemon were around the same level, Pidgey's Gust would generally outperform Electrike's Quick Attack.

Whish!

Pidgey spread its wings, rapidly flapping them to generate powerful gusts. The surrounding leaves rustled fiercely, and fallen foliage swirled into the air.

Against Gust, it was challenging for Lian to dodge effectively due to its wide range. The strong winds, being invisible, left little time to react once felt.

The intense gale lifted Lian off the ground until he collided with a tree and plummeted back down.

As he hit the ground, this Gust move proved quite potent. He felt it had likely inflicted enough damage to activate Blaze Mode.

However, this also meant that Lian couldn't withstand another Gust or any subsequent attack without being defeated.

"Great job, Pidgey! Now use Tackle," Aaron commanded, ready to continue his assault on the Charmander.

Hearing Aaron's order, Lian wondered if Pidgey refrained from using Gust again due to its inability at this point.

It was highly probable. Based on his hypothesis, special attacks require energy reserves from the body, while physical attacks rely on the Pokemon's own strength.

Therefore, Pidgey's energy might not have fully recovered, prompting little fatty not to risk using Gust again.

While Lian pondered, he suddenly felt his body heating up, indicating the activation of Blaze Mode once more.

In the next moment, Lian activated Blaze Mode, significantly enhancing his control over flames. The tail flame intensified dramatically.

Feeling utterly confident, he aimed at the descending Pidgey and unleashed a massive Ember from his mouth.

The intense flames distorted the air around them, completely engulfing Pidgey within this colossal Ember - perhaps it should be called a fireball instead.

Pidgey was instantly knocked away, its Tackle move disrupted, emitting a piercing cry as it plummeted towards the ground.

"How is that possible?" Aaron exclaimed in shock, rushing to assist Pidgey and noticing large patches of its feathers were singed.

"This Charmander is incredibly strong," Aaron marveled at the Charmander's power but became even more determined not to miss out on capturing it.

However, Pidgey was his last remaining Pokemon, and he couldn't risk further injury to it.

"Pidgey~"

Just then, Pidgey took flight again, displaying a defiant gaze, indicating its desire to continue battling.

"Pidgey, you want to keep fighting?" Aaron was taken aback; he had almost given up, not wanting Pidgey to sustain serious injuries.

"Pidgey~"

Seeming to understand Aaron's concern, Pidgey nodded firmly and soared higher.

"Alright, Pidgey! Use Gust!" Inspired by Pidgey's determination, Aaron regained his confidence.

Puff!

Before Aaron could witness Pidgey executing the Gust move, another relentless flame struck Pidgey mid-air, sending it plummeting down.

Lian watched speechlessly at the little fatty, thinking he should have given quicker commands instead of wasting time with unnecessary chatter. In that span, Lian had already prepared his next massive Ember attack.

After defeating Pidgey, Lian felt quite dissatisfied. First, battling Electrike drained him significantly, and now engaging with Pidgey wasted even more time and energy.

However, it seemed Pidgey was no longer capable of fighting, and surprisingly, the little fatty didn't attempt to throw another Poké Ball. It appeared the threat might be neutralized.

Just then...

"Charmander!"

A surprised voice echoed from behind.

Startled, Lian turned around to see a short-haired girl dressed in black-and-white sportswear, her gaze fixed on him.

Beside her stood a green Treecko. The girl's eyes sparkled with intense excitement, as if she had discovered hidden treasure upon seeing Lian.

Time to make a quick escape!

Intimidated by the girl's fervent expression, Lian wasted no words and swiftly ran away in the opposite direction.