NOVEL WEB Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Consecutive Battles
"Go, Houndoom! Use Thunderfire Fang!"
The combined move of Thunder Fang and Fire Fang unleashed a fusion of electricity and flames. As Houndoom charged forward, sparks of lightning and fire erupted in its wake.
"Machamp, Shave—Thunder Fire Dual Punch!"
Facing Houndoom's assault, Ron immediately instructed Machamp to unleash the fruits of their recent training.
It's worth noting that aside from mastering the Six Powers techniques from the One Piece universe, Ron frequently provided his Pokémon with insights on move combinations.
Seeing Machamp perform a combo of Fire Punch and Thunder Punch, Flint couldn't help but smile. He was impressed by Ron's skill as a trainer.
But the smile quickly froze on Flint's face.
In an instant, Machamp vanished from its original position and reappeared at Houndoom's side, delivering a devastating punch that sent it flying.
Houndoom hit the ground hard before Flint and Volkner could fully process what had happened.
"Flint, be careful! That speed is incredible—unbelievably strong! We must find a way to counter it," Volkner warned.
"I understand. Leave it to me," Flint replied, his tone turning serious. For the first time, he regarded Ron as an equal opponent and resolved to fight with everything he had.
"Houndoom, use Inferno!"
After landing a hit, Ron didn't have Machamp follow up immediately. Instead, he waited for Flint's reaction, eager for a more exhilarating battle.
Flint commanded, and a scorching flame erupted around Houndoom, creating a fiery domain.
"Machamp, Shave—Thunder Blade!"
Not giving Houndoom any breathing room, Ron directed Machamp to attack again.
"Be careful, Houndoom! Use Fire Spin!"
Hot winds swirled into a vortex of flames, gathering the fire's energy to amplify its strength.
Machamp, however, seemed like a streak of lightning. On the battlefield, only traces of electricity marked its movements—its form was nearly invisible.
Moments later, Machamp burst through Houndoom's Fire Spin, fearlessly stepping into the fiery domain.
"Machamp, Shave—Thousand Shadow Blades!"
"Houndoom, use Fire Blast!"
Unable to predict Machamp's attack patterns, Flint resorted to a powerful Fire Blast to counter.
Machamp dodged with lightning speed, and the next instant, its shadow seemed to multiply, surrounding Houndoom.
The flames of the Inferno multiplied Machamp's damage fivefold. As a Fighting-type Pokémon, its close combat moves benefited from the power of a Black Belt, while the force of Shave further enhanced its attacks.
With these stacked boosts, when Machamp reappeared, Houndoom had already collapsed to the ground, battered and defeated. The outcome was clear.
Having won the battle, Ron showed no signs of arrogance, as though victory against a future Elite Four member was perfectly natural.
After all, not only was Houndoom not Flint's ace Pokémon, but the lack of understanding about Shave also gave Ron a significant advantage.
If he hadn't won under such conditions, Ron would have found it strange.
"Thank you, Houndoom. Ron, do you have a Pokémon stronger than your Machamp?"
Recalling Houndoom, Flint's face brimmed with fighting spirit.
Flint's current Pokémon roster consisted mainly of high-level elites, with Houndoom being one of his weaker members at mid elite. Now, fired up, he wanted to see Ron's other Pokémon.
"Sorry, I've only been on my journey for about half a year. Machamp is already my strongest partner," Ron said, patting Machamp's shoulder while healing it.
"Half a year? Are you serious!?"
Flint was stunned. When had rookie trainers become this strong? Was he falling behind the times?
"Of course. Why would I lie to you?"
Even Volkner, typically calm and composed, was taken aback by Ron's confirmation.
From the battle, it was clear that Ron's control over the battlefield and his ability to maximize advantages were far beyond what a rookie trainer should possess.
Initially, the battle seemed to end with Ron unable to produce a stronger Pokémon. However, Volkner's interest was piqued.
"Ron, after Machamp has recovered, would you battle me as well?"
Ignoring Flint, who was still processing the shock, Volkner issued his challenge.
"Sure. Wait for me here."
"Flint, are you coming with me?" Ron asked casually, avoiding formalities. Despite Flint being four to five years older, Ron—having lived a previous life—felt no need for excessive deference.
"No, you go ahead. Let him recover for a while," Volkner replied on Flint's behalf, clearly used to this scenario.
"Alright, I'll be back soon."
"Volkner… do you think we've grown old? Losing to a rookie trainer feels… unreal," Flint muttered, watching Ron's figure disappear.
"First, you've grown old—not me."
"Second, do you really think he's just an ordinary rookie? How many trainers have you seen develop this kind of speed in their Pokémon?"
"Perhaps we've encountered a genius capable of rivaling him."
Ignoring Volkner's sarcasm, Flint's mind wandered to memories of "that one"—a trainer whose power left a lasting impression.
"Not yet. He's only at the mid Elite level. Whether he can maintain this speed at higher levels remains uncertain."
"Besides, there are too many variables ahead. If Ron wishes to reach that level, he has a long way to go."
"Who knows? I have a good feeling about him. Maybe he'll surprise us."
With that, Volkner began searching for a new battle arena, as the previous one had been destroyed by Houndoom's flames and Machamp's raw power.
Ron, meanwhile, healed Machamp and gave it time to recover, ensuring there were no flaws for Volkner or Flint to detect.
Once ready, Ron returned to find Volkner waiting.
"Go, Raichu!"
"Let's go, Machamp!"
With Volkner's Level 44 Raichu and Ron's Level 41 Machamp taking the field, the next battle commenced.
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