Paul's Plan

"An one-hit ko..."

"Is this strongest in the world?"

"But wasn't Murkrow supposed to be immune to Psychic-type attacks?"

"Did staying up all night make you stupid? While Unown is indeed a Psychic-type Pokémon, Hidden Power isn't necessarily a Psychic-type move. It changes type depending on the user."

"So, Paul outsmarted himself?"

The surrounding researchers chattered as they processed the outcome.

Paul remained expressionless. After glancing briefly at the Pokéball containing Murkrow, he tossed out his second.

"Magneton, prepare for battle."

A three-bodied Pokémon emerged from the Pokéball, hovering in the air.

Without any delay, Paul commanded another attack.

"Magneton, use Thunderbolt!"

Electric currents surged rapidly across Magneton's magnets, converging into a stream of electricity that shot toward Unown.

"Dodge it, and use Hidden Power."

Once again, Unown gracefully evaded the attack and countered with a fast, ferocious Hidden Power.

Boom!

Magneton crashed to the ground.

Another one-hit ko.

The bystanders, who initially thought Paul might have something impressive up his sleeve to challenge Reid, now sighed.

Although watching Reid, the champion, in battle was thrilling, facing an opponent like Paul, who seemed powerless, dampened the excitement.

Yet Paul remained unfazed by the murmurs around him, fully focused, as he sent out his third Pokémon.

This time, a heavy thud echoed as the Pokémon landed on the ground.

Thud!

A massive Pokémon, over two meters tall, resembling a turtle with a towering tree growing from its back, appeared.

"So, he's sending out his starter already?"

Reid was slightly surprised to see Torterra, which had a notably different presence from the previous two Pokémon.

But it made sense. Reid wasn't Cynthia, and Unown wasn't Garchomp. Torterra wouldn't have to worry about being left vulnerable after a move like Giga Impact, giving Paul a chance to follow up with a finishing attack.

"So, you've placed it in the middle of the battle as a transition? Smart, but..."

Raising his hand, Reid said, "I'm not interested in these preliminaries. Show me your strategy, the plan you've prepared to challenge me."

"I'm not Cynthia; I don't have the patience to play along."

"Unown, Hidden Power!"

Reid's voice rang out as the relentless Hidden Power surged forth again.

Paul, clearly prepared, quickly shouted, "Torterra!"

As Paul's longest-standing partner, Torterra instantly understood his command, its limbs stomping heavily as it let out a roar.

Frenzy Plant!

In an instant, the ground ruptured as enormous vines and branches burst forth, trying to intercept Hidden Power before it could land.

At the very least, Torterra aimed to block or weaken the incoming attack.

But... it was futile.

Despite the battlefield being overrun with massive vines from Frenzy Plant, despite Torterra's well-trained endurance from Paul's intense regimen, the devastating Hidden Power ripped through it all.

With a thunderous crash, the vines stiffened, then collapsed as if the force sustaining them had vanished.

When the dust settled, Torterra lay motionless on the ground.

Torterra was down!

Three Hidden Powers, three one-hit knockouts.

The chasm between Reid and Paul had become abundantly clear. The researchers around them shifted from initial disdain for Paul to a sense of sympathy.

Reid had shown no mercy. Wouldn't this crush such a young trainer's spirit?

Yet, in this tense atmosphere, Paul smiled.

It was faint, but Reid, who had been watching closely, noticed it.

Paul's fourth Pokémon stepped onto the battlefield.

A pink, star-shaped Pokémon emerged.

Fairy-type—Clefable.

Seeing Clefable, combined with Paul's smile and the order in which he'd sent out his Pokémon, Reid recognized his plan.

"So, you figured out that Hidden Power Unown can use is Dragon-type, and you sent out a Fairy-type to nullify it..."

"Impressive. Did you come to that conclusion beforehand by narrowing down the possible types?"

Reid smiled too.

When Reid first watched the Diamond and Pearl series, he didn't have a good impression of Paul, as his attitude towards Pokémon was the complete opposite of Ash's.

Paul only captured powerful Pokémon, releasing those he deemed weak or without potential. One of Ash's most beloved Pokémon in Sinnoh, Infernape, was one Paul had abandoned.

Moreover, his training methods were harsh, almost militaristic.

But deep down, Paul wasn't a bad person.

During his travels, Paul helped Ash and his friends when they were in danger and didn't retaliate when they inadvertently interrupted one of his captures.

After losing to Ash in the Lily of the Valley Conference quarterfinals, Paul even praised Ash's Infernape for its fight against Electivire.

Later, in Journeys, Paul even visited Professor Oak's lab to help Ash train by battling him with the champion-level Pokémon Ash might face in the future.

In a way, Paul played a part in Ash's eventual victory.

This transformation, from an antagonist to someone who contributed to Ash's growth, was something viewers loved.

It was also why Paul, as a rival, remained as popular as Gary, who had the added appeal of childhood nostalgia.

However, there were still questions Reid had about Paul.

For example, both Cynthia and Brandon noticed Paul's issues during their battles with him, but neither of them directly told him what he needed to change.

(T/N: Brandon is the guy from Battle Frontiers who had a Regirock.)

Instead, they left him with cryptic advice, allowing him to figure things out on his journey.

Why not just tell him? Paul, who respected the strong, would have taken their criticism seriously.

It wasn't until Reid became a champion himself that he began to understand their approach.

They were guiding Paul subtly, ensuring he could develop his own style as a trainer without losing his identity.

Paul had his issues—his extremism, for one—but his ability to raise Pokémon and his strategic mind in battle were undeniably strong.

Even when facing overwhelming odds, Paul would reflect on his mistakes and adjust his plans.

When used wisely, that single-minded focus could make Paul a formidable trainer.

In contrast to Ash's "dodge it, endure it, get back up" approach, Paul's was more pragmatic.

It was his style.

Paul's unique style!