75. Rock Smash

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Manectric, having just rushed forward, was sent flying back into the swirling Sand Tomb by Gabite.

And then, there was silence.

Gabite stood beside the Sand Tomb, watching coldly as Manectric was gradually engulfed by the sand. The double damage from Sand Tomb was an unbearable burden for Manectric.

If not for the referee's announcement declaring the battle over, or the fact that this was merely a competition, Chris couldn't be sure if Manectric would have been able to survive the torment of the quicksand.

Back in his dormitory, Chris's handheld screen lit up with a series of notifications.

[Defeated Manectric LV37, gained 2010 experience.]

[Gabite leveled up! Current level: 35]

[Defeated Mauville Gym Leader Wattson and earned a reward of 6200.]

[Wattson: I'm speechless!]

[Wattson: I can only give it to you—proof of your victory at the Mauville Gym, the "Dynamo Badge." Now, with it, your Rock Smash will be upgraded to the true "Secret Rock Smash."]

[Wattson: As a token of appreciation, I'm also giving you this "Shock Wave" TM and my experience as a Breeder with Electric-type Pokémon. I hope to see you at future Pokémon Championships, and may you always fight with joy and keep your original spirit alive!]

"Finally~~" Chris breathed a sigh of relief.

The last time he had challenged Mauville Gym, he barely made it to Wattson's second Pokémon with his entire team.

But now, he had taken the gym down with just one Pokémon.

Type advantage played a huge role, especially with a Pokémon immune to Electric-type moves. The battle had felt surprisingly effortless.

Gabite's strength was part of it, but the real key to the ease of this victory was the type advantage.

Mauville Gym, being an Electric-type gym, left Wattson's Electrode, Magneton, and Manectric unable to attack effectively with their Electric moves. It was as if their claws had been removed, and the battle difficulty dropped from a 10 to a 3!

It couldn't have been easier.

If Combusken had been the one to face Manectric, though, the fight would've been much more challenging.

"Crack!!" Gabite suddenly leapt out of its Poké Ball, staring eagerly at Chris.

I've wiped out the opponent! Is it time for dinner now?

"Alright, let's eat!" Chris said, pulling out a box of Pokéblocks he had prepared earlier and handing it to Gabite.

Gabite carefully took the box with both claws, opened its mouth, flipped the box upside down, and let the entire contents spill into its mouth.

Before it could even chew, the Pokéblocks slid straight down its throat and into its stomach.

Gabite blinked, stunned.

Huh? I didn't even taste anything...

Chris chuckled at Gabite's overeager appetite.

It was like one of those funny moments: happy, then—poof—gone!

Chris, still amused, pulled out three more Pokéblocks and tossed them to Gabite. "You did great today, so these are an extra reward, but don't expect this every time!"

"Gabite! (Thanks, Boss!)" Gabite used its sharp claws to spear the three Pokéblocks and slowly savored them, licking them like a treat on a stick.

Ah, this is the life! Spicy and delicious~~ㄟ(≧◇≦)

Chris turned back to review his spoils from the battle.

[Dynamo Badge: Increases the power of all Electric-type moves of your team by 10%, and upgrades Rock Smash to "Secret Rock Smash."]

It seemed like each badge gave a 10% boost to a certain type.

Chris wondered if defeating eight gyms would give him a 10% boost for eight different types. If the gyms in other regions offered similar badges, perhaps the effects could stack. If so...

Seven regions, at least fifty-six badges... That could result in a 560% overall boost. Divided among the 18 types, that would mean over a 30% increase per type.

The more Chris thought about it, the more excited he became. The potential of stacking gym badge bonuses was incredible, and it made his future as a Pokémon Trainer seem brighter than ever!

Turning his attention to the new tools he had acquired, he reviewed the Shock Wave TM. It was a reliable Electric-type move with a guaranteed hit, but unfortunately, Chris didn't have an Electric-type Pokémon right now, so he decided to set it aside for future use.

Wattson's breeding notes covered the three Pokémon he used in their battle: Electrode, Magneton, and Manectric. However, none of them particularly piqued Chris's interest. Even though Electrode's speed and "Static" ability were impressive, Chris only saw it as a glorified grenade in battle. Magneton was decent, and it could evolve into Magnezone, while Manectric had the potential for Mega Evolution. But Chris wasn't interested in training any of them unless they had their rare shiny forms.

What Chris really wanted to train was Ampharos, but Mareep didn't seem to be available nearby.

For now, Chris didn't feel the need for an Electric-type Pokémon, especially with the next gym being Lavaridge, a Fire-type gym. There was no real advantage in adding an Electric-type to his team just yet.

Besides the breeding tips, Wattson's notes also contained several Electric-type training methods. Techniques like Electromagnetic Levitation, Electric Terrain, Thunder Wave, Thunderbolt, and Wild Charge stood out. All of them were powerful moves, and Chris made a mental note to revisit them once he found the right Pokémon.

Now, onto the main event—his upgraded "Secret Rock Smash."

He reviewed the changes in the game first. 

**Secret Rock Smash: Power 70, ignores the target's defense boosts, and reduces the target's defense by 100% upon hit.**

"Hiss..." Chris sucked in a breath.

This new Rock Smash was brutal! Its base power had increased from 40 to 70, a significant boost, but that wasn't even the most important part. Ignoring defense boosts meant that defensive strategies would crumble before it. And with a guaranteed 100% chance to lower the target's defense by one stage, this move was shaping up to be even scarier than "Secret Cut."

Excited to test it in the real world, Chris dashed downstairs and released his Aron.

"Aron, Rock tomb!"

"Kara~~" Aron gave a soft roar as a massive boulder, half as tall as a person and over a meter wide, materialized and fell from the sky.

Chris quickly switched to Combusken.

"Rock Smash!"

Combusken leapt up, its right hand glowing with a bright energy, and struck the falling boulder with force.

"Bang!" The sound was clear and sharp, different from the usual dull thud of smashing rocks.

In an instant, the boulder was shattered from the center, sending rock fragments flying in all directions like a shotgun blast.

Chris watched the scene intently, rubbing his chin as he considered the changes in Rock Smash. The power boost was undeniable. But more than just a numerical increase, it seemed to concentrate all of its force into a single point, unlike before when Combusken would shatter the entire rock into multiple pieces.

Now, the move focused on delivering small-scale, concentrated damage—perfect for breaking through an opponent's defenses in battle.

Smiling to himself, Chris couldn't wait to see how Secret Rock Smash would perform in his next gym challenge.