Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Gap Between Them
At the Pokémon Center in Kana City, behind the main building lay a battlefield designated for novice Trainers' battles. Currently, two Trainers were engaged in combat.
After their match concluded, Kalia and Hirasawa Ichiro approached the battlefield, ready to commence their own battle.
There was no dedicated referee, but with several spectators present, no Trainer would dare violate the rules during a fight. Doing so would not only be embarrassing but also tarnish their reputation.
Lian followed closely behind Kalia, observing the surrounding rookie Trainers. This was his first visit to a Pokémon Center, and he found it quite lively.
His appearance caught the attention of many novice Trainers, as he was a Charmander—a star Pokémon from the Sebas region. Few Trainers were unfamiliar with this iconic creature.
In movies, numerous scenes showcased the protagonist soaring on a Charizard or depicted its powerful bursts when facing dire situations, swiftly turning the tide against villains. However, what stood out most were the heartwarming moments between the unevolved Charmander and the protagonist, evolving gradually from simple companionship to the ultimate eruption upon becoming a Charizard.
Every Trainer who had watched those films was deeply impressed by Charmander, longing for one that could grow alongside them, fighting shoulder-to-shoulder throughout their journey.
Among the Trainers, Aaron also displayed envious admiration; she had successfully captured her own Charmander. As for Hirasawa Ichiro, he was undoubtedly a formidable Trainer, making their battle highly anticipated.
"Let's begin."
Kalia didn't recall Treecko into its Poké Ball, preferring to spend more time with her Pokémon to strengthen their bond. She typically only returns them when they're injured, allowing recovery within the ball.
Hirasawa Ichiro already retrieved his Poké Ball and threw it out. In a knockout tournament format, the first Pokémon deployed is crucial. To play safe, he sent out Sandshrew.
"Sandshrew, show your fighting courage!" Ichiro shouted, cheering on Sandshrew as soon as it landed. This encouragement boosts Sandshrew's determination; although now, even without his words, it could effectively battle, but this had become a habit for him.
Sandshrew has tough, earth-toned skin, and from a distance, its round body resembles a sphere.
"Go, Treecko!" Kalia simultaneously released her Pokémon.
The reason for choosing Treecko wasn't solely due to its Grass-type advantage over Ground-type Sandshrew. Rather, during recent training sessions, Treecko showed the most progress and currently possesses the highest combat strength among her team.
Given Treecko's current strength against Sandshrew's exceptional defense, Quick Attack alone would not suffice to defeat it. Kalia aimed for Treecko to potentially grasp Mega Drain during battle.
Hirasawa Ichiro's Pokemon were formidable, evident by his top-ranking performance in previous matches. This pressure on Kalia made the battle more meaningful; otherwise, an easy victory would hold little significance.
"Treecko, use Quick Attack to dodge Sandshrew's assault and strike from behind," Kalia commanded.
Speed was Treecko's primary advantage, which had significantly improved through recent training. Kalia needed to capitalize on this, evading Sandshrew's attacks as much as possible.
"Sandshrew, employ Fury Cutter." Hirasawa Ichiro gave straightforward instructions, knowing that Fury Cutter is particularly effective against Treecko. A single hit could bring Treecko close to defeat.
Against Sandshrew, moves like Quick Attack might cause only slightly more than a tickle due to its tough, earth-toned skin, proving no mere facade.
Kalia appeared unfazed, but Lian understood well that although Sandshrew's base stats weren't exceptionally high, they predominantly focused on attack and defense.
Once Fury Cutter lands on Treecko, it would likely face dire consequences. Additionally, mastering this move indicates that the Sandshrew must be at least Level 11 or higher.
If Lian had to face this Sandshrew, he wouldn't have much confidence. His Special Attack output wasn't yet overwhelmingly strong, and being only Level 7 meant that if he couldn't instantly defeat it, he risked getting countered fatally.
Currently, Treecko held the initiative, swiftly approaching Sandshrew but not launching an immediate attack, instead opting for maneuvering around.
Attacking first could easily give Sandshrew an opportunity to counter, which was Kalia's primary concern; thus, she aimed to prevent such chances for her opponent.
Sandshrew lifted its claws, scanning left and right to pinpoint Treecko's exact position. Due to its round body, it lacked agility and struggled to keep up with Treecko's swift movements.
Noticing Sandshrew's hesitation, Hirasawa Ichiro promptly advised, "Sandshrew, trust your instincts and attack."
With a low cry, Sandshrew no longer hesitated. After gauging Treecko's location, it lunged forward with a claw, sharp as a blade, aiming for a diagonal strike.
Kalia observed calmly, confident in Treecko's speed. Based on its training progress over the past two days, evading this Fury Cutter move would be no issue.
Treecko did not disappoint her. Although Sandshrew targeted it with attacks, within the blink of an eye, Treecko had already moved to another position, rendering the Fury Cutter ineffective.
Having dodged Sandshrew's Fury Cutter, Treecko swiftly circled around behind and struck Sandshrew directly.
However, the impact seemed minimal; Sandshrew showed no visible reaction from the hit.
Kalia frowned slightly. Ground-type Pokemon indeed have strong defensive capabilities, making continued use of Quick Attack less effective.
"Treecko, change tactics. Maintain distance and use Absorb," Kalia commanded.
Currently, Treecko knew only a handful of moves, easily counted on one hand. If it had learned Mega Drain, Sandshrew would stand little chance against it.
The power of Absorb was still somewhat lacking, as she had acquired Treecko too recently. Despite being a former Gym Leader, there was only so much she could do without sufficient resources or time.
Treecko quickly created some distance. The Absorb move can be used both at close quarters and remotely, but engaging Sandshrew from afar with Absorb proved more advantageous.
Hirasawa Ichiro didn't rush to give commands but observed first before saying, "Sandshrew, use Rollout to approach Treecko."
Rollout is a Rock-type move and one that Sandshrew excels at due to its rounded body shape, perfect for rolling like a ball.
Sandshrew tucked its limbs and tail tightly, forming a large yellowish sphere, then swiftly began spinning on the ground.
In the next moment, the 'sphere' charged straight towards Treecko, gaining speed rapidly.
"Treecko, be ready to dodge," Kalia warned. Although Rollout poses less threat compared to Fury Cutter, it gains power with each roll.
If Treecko failed to evade, Sandshrew would leverage the momentum from the impact, continuously increasing its rolling speed and force, making subsequent rolls even more potent than the initial one.
Lian sat near the edge of the battlefield, observing the battle. Rollout can be highly unpredictable, especially against agile Pokemon like Treecko; missing the target often renders the move ineffective.
Suddenly, Lian felt someone touching him and turned to see an unfamiliar Trainer approaching.
Lian wouldn't tolerate any disrespect; it wasn't his pet for anyone to touch casually. Without hesitation, he unleashed a cloud of smoke from his mouth.
His fierce gaze warned other Trainers that they should keep their distance or face similar consequences.
Instantly, the onlookers retreated several steps back, observing the soot-covered Trainer who had dared to reach out earlier. They certainly didn't want a face full of black ash themselves.
On the battlefield, Sandshrew accelerated using Rollout, swiftly heading straight towards Treecko.
The tumbling Sandshrew crossed half the arena like an uncontrollable tire, nearing impact with Treecko.
At the crucial moment, Treecko displayed its agility and dodged Sandshrew's Rollout, rendering its attack ineffective once again.
Simultaneously, Treecko extended its arms, activating the Absorb move. Energy continuously drained from Sandshrew, converging towards Treecko.