There's Something Off About My Pokémon. [63]
"Dear audience, welcome! I'm your old friend, Leo. It's an honor to be invited by the organizers as today's guest commentator!" Leo, wearing a pair of exaggerated flashy glasses, stood next to the more reserved Ding Lei, who was dressed in a standard suit.
"Welcome to our guest commentator Leo, whose show Guess That Pokémon is a nationwide hit," Ding Lei said with a smile as they finished the long string of sponsor ads. Taking a deep breath, he flashed his signature grin: "Now, without further ado, let's dive into today's main event!"
"That's right! Today, we're bringing you an intense showdown between Lu Cheng from Jiangcheng No. 1 High School and Wang Yingjie from Yongcheng. The stakes couldn't be higher, as they battle it out for a spot in the semifinals!" Leo chimed in, seamlessly matching Ding Lei's energy. "According to pre-match statistics, support for both trainers is split right down the middle—each with fifty percent. This is shaping up to be a real nail-biter."
Leo himself looked a bit surprised as he glanced at the data. While he'd been hearing about Wang Yingjie nonstop in the news leading up to the event, he hadn't expected Lu Cheng to garner such a significant level of support.
"As for the revealed Pokémon so far," Ding Lei continued, flipping through his notes, "Lu Cheng is one of the few in this U20 Tournament using a dual Pokémon rotation, while Wang Yingjie has only brought out Wartortle so far."
"That's right, Lu Cheng's Grovyle has been raised exceptionally well, giving him a clear type advantage over Wartortle. There's a high probability that Grovyle will take the field today," Ding Lei said confidently.
Leo nodded with a smile, adding, "Both Pokémon are rare and incredibly powerful. This promises to be an exciting match!"
Up in the stands, the audience buzzed with anticipation. When the crowd saw both Lu Cheng and Wang Yingjie enter the arena from opposite sides of the tunnel, the cheers erupted into a roaring wave of support.
"Go, go, Lu Cheng!" Lu Cheng waved to his parents, his mom so excited she was jumping up and down, while his dad awkwardly apologized to the people around them for her enthusiasm. Both of his parents had shown up in person to support him, a stark contrast to Wang Yingjie's section—completely empty.
For a moment, a flicker of loneliness crossed Wang Yingjie's eyes. But before it could linger, the referee's whistle echoed through the stadium.
"Trainers, send out your Pokémon!"
"Grovyle!"
"Wartortle!"
Two beams of red light flashed, and as soon as the two Pokémon hit the battlefield, the atmosphere grew tense. Grovyle stood tall, its skin slightly wrinkled beneath its battle vest, and it clutched the bone-crafted longsword in its hands. Its dark green eyes locked onto Wartortle with a piercing focus.
Death is like the wind, always by my side.
Grovyle's striking appearance instantly drew gasps from the audience. Ever since its evolution from Treecko, it seemed to be heading more and more in the direction of an edgy, "cool guy" vibe.
"Whoa, check out that Grovyle's look!" Leo said, clearly impressed. "It's like something straight out of a storybook warrior's tale!"
Ding Lei chuckled, adding, "Indeed, Lu Cheng's Grovyle is certainly unique. That bone sword, in particular, has caught everyone's attention."
As Grovyle's quiet intensity grew, Wartortle stared back with a mischievous grin, though its body remained ready for combat.
In the stands, the contrast between the two trainers was stark. Lu Cheng's parents cheering loudly for their son, while Wang Yingjie stood alone, seemingly unfazed. Yet deep down, it was clear he had more riding on this than anyone realized.
This is it, Lu Cheng thought as he sized up the situation. This is the battle I've been waiting for.
Wang Yingjie, however, was equally determined. I'm going to show him... show everyone what it means to be ruthless in pursuit of victory.
Lu Cheng couldn't help but feel a bit sheepish. Wartortle's cracked skin was covered with thick layers of keratin, giving it an almost hardened appearance. It shuffled its feet anxiously, the scarred patterns on its shell suggesting it had shed many times before.
WartortleNature: Adamant
Ability: Torrent
Held Item: King's Rock
Moves: Water Pulse, Bite, Withdraw, Dig, Ice Punch
Analysis: Strong destructive power in its jaws and hands, but very slow. Excels at using Ice Punch.
Lu Cheng hadn't noticed until the system pointed it out, but there was indeed a tiny metal crown embedded in the hard skin atop Wartortle's head, making it hard to spot at first. This deeper analysis was a new feature that had been unlocked after the battle with Su Xiangrou, providing far more comprehensive information than before.
Wang Yingjie suddenly broke the silence as he stared at Lu Cheng, "Have you ever felt like we're not so different?"
Lu Cheng blinked, a little caught off guard.
"I mean, especially when it comes to training our Pokémon." Wang Yingjie gestured toward Wartortle. "Your Grovyle and my Wartortle... they both have that same fierce competitiveness."
The two Pokémon hadn't moved yet, simply locking eyes, silently sizing each other up. In a way, what Wang Yingjie said was true. Grovyle had grown strong through countless battles in the Yulin Forest, and Wartortle had clearly evolved through its own trials. But the paths trainers set for their Pokémon could make all the difference in the world.
Lu Cheng didn't respond. His focus was entirely on the battlefield. The next moment, his command rang out, sharp and decisive.
"Grovyle, Quick Attack followed by Slash!"
Almost as soon as the command was issued, Grovyle sprang into motion. The bone sword in its hand seemed like an extension of its body, the blade cutting through the air with a deadly force. With a powerful leap, Grovyle slashed down toward Wartortle.
Slash!
However, the bone sword struck Wartortle's thick shell with a dull thud.
"Withdraw," Wang Yingjie commanded calmly. He wasn't rushing to go on the offensive, instead sticking to his tried-and-true tactics.
"Bite!" Wartortle, though not the most agile, could still twist its head in and out of the shell's openings. Its powerful jaws snapped out suddenly from the tail side, aiming straight for Grovyle's slender neck. If it landed, it could very well break Grovyle's neck!
"Grovyle, dodge and use Fury Cutter!"
Grovyle, with its sharp reflexes, bent backward to avoid the bite. It retaliated with a quick slash of its Leaf Blade toward Wartortle's belly. However, the attack only left a faint white mark on Wartortle's tough underbelly.
Wang Yingjie frowned, "Dig!"
Fury Cutter wasn't as effective as it could be, but if Grovyle kept landing hits, its strength would grow. That could be problematic. Wartortle's stout hands dug into the ground, and before disappearing completely, it flung a handful of dirt toward Grovyle's face. Though Grovyle dodged it, the attack briefly slowed its movements.
There wasn't much Grovyle could do to counter Dig effectively, and without knowing moves like Protect, letting Wartortle strike first would put it at a disadvantage.
"Grovyle, use Agility!" Lu Cheng ordered, his brow furrowed. The best course of action was to boost Grovyle's speed and evasion in preparation for Wartortle's sudden reappearance.
"It looks like the head-to-head clash we were expecting might not happen just yet," the announcer Ding Lei remarked. "While both trainers lean toward aggressive strategies, Wang Yingjie is sticking with his early-game defensive style, waiting patiently for the right moment!"
Leo nodded, adding, "From what we've seen, Grovyle is a close-range combat specialist. Without any energy-based moves, attacking Wartortle directly in its tunnels isn't really an option."
Seeing the concentration on Lu Cheng's face, a small smirk appeared on Wang Yingjie's lips.
"Wartortle, keep using Dig!"
With no effective counter from Grovyle, Wang Yingjie sought to press his advantage. Wartortle, like a crafty Dugtrio, burrowed up behind Grovyle, only to duck into another tunnel just as Grovyle turned to strike with its bone sword.
In just a few minutes, the battlefield was littered with holes dug by Wartortle, making it increasingly difficult for Grovyle to move freely.
It was only now that Ding Lei realized what Wang Yingjie was really up to. "This isn't just about defense! By continuously using Dig, Wang Yingjie has filled the field with holes, leaving Grovyle with less and less space to move and build up speed!"
Grovyle's footing was becoming precarious, and Lu Cheng had no choice but to direct it to break through toward the other side of the field. But as Grovyle darted forward, Wartortle suddenly burst from the ground in front of it, cutting off its escape and halting its momentum.
Just as it looked like Wartortle was going to land an Ice Punch, it feinted, drawing Grovyle in, and then Wang Yingjie's voice rang out.
"Wartortle, Bite!"
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T/N: Extra chapter because we reached 30 power stones!
If there are any mistakes let me know!
Read up to 30+ Chapters! [patreon.com/WiseTL]