Pokémon: Reborn as Lucario

Chapter 96: Aura Sphere's Electro-Hammer

Ralts looked worriedly at the young girl and Riolu on the field.

"I wonder if Xiao Zhao and Rio can beat that iron lump... If only I had great strength too..."

A thought different from her usual ones arose in her heart.

Due to Magnezone's sudden appearance just now, Minun had also escaped from the psychic restraint because Ralts was distracted. However, it didn't run far, but instead hid in a corner of the power plant, peeking out with its small head to watch quietly.

Rio, facing Magnezone directly, also tensed his spirit.

On the light screen before him, in the [Pokédex], Magnezone's data was displayed.

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[Pokédex]

Encounter Progress: 68/100

Battle Progress: 41/50

[Real-time Analysis]

Pokémon: Normal - Magnezone (Genderless)

Level: lv33

Type: Electric + Steel

Ability: Magnet Pull (Prevents Steel-type Pokémon that are not Ghost-type from escaping)

Moves: Spark (lv2), Charge Beam (lv2), Magnet Rise (lv1), Screech (lv0), Mirror Coat (lv0)

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Switching the light screen, Rio also compared it with his own data.

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[Status]

Pokémon: Elite - Riolu (Aura Glimmer State) (Male)

Level: lv23

Type: Fighting

Ability: Inner Focus (Prevents flinching)

HP: 71

Attack: 62

Defense: 45

Sp. Atk: 48

Sp. Def: 42

Speed: 63 (+5)

Free Attribute Points: 0

Special: Aura Heart-Control (Can mobilize Aura energy for telepathy, environmental scanning, and object perception)

Moves: Quick Attack (lv3), Detect (lv2), Metal Claw (lv2), Aura Sphere (lv2), Counter (lv1), Dig (lv1), Brick Break (lv1), Rock Smash (lv0)

Evaluation: A Fighting-type Pokémon proficient in using Aura Perception, able to use the power of the heart to utilize Aura.

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After allocating 5 free attribute points to Speed, and then leveling up, Speed had now become Rio's strongest attribute, even higher than his Attack stat. Moreover, the moves [Aura Sphere] and [Brick Break] had also grown through continuous battle.

Compared to the lv33 Magnezone opposite him, Rio was only 10 levels behind.

And fortunately, this Magnezone was not too special; its Pokémon life tier was merely Normal, which meant it hadn't mastered any extra talents, and both its ability and moves seemed particularly ordinary.

"The key this time is whether we can cooperate well."

Rio himself was quite confident he could challenge this Magnezone despite the level gap, but the thought of the poor coordination with his trainer made his heart not so certain again.

Just like that, with various thoughts floating in everyone's minds, the battle began.

"Rio, decide the battle mode yourself!"

Hearing Ming Rizhao's unexpected command, Rio didn't react for a moment.

According to previous experience, the girl's first command was basically always for Rio to maneuver and then look for an opportunity. This command to act on his own truly baffled Rio.

Magnezone didn't care about any of that. As its two magnets rubbed against each other, a beam of electric current shot out again.

Electric-type moves were just that fast. In the blink of an eye, the current beam was already right in front of him.

The stimulating sensation of his fur standing on end snapped Rio back to reality.

He quickly glanced at his surroundings, but his heart was also in a bit of a bind.

"The best way to deal with Electric-type moves is to use the Ground-type move [Dig]. But this floor," Rio lightly tapped the power plant floor with his foot, feeling the hardness of the concrete. "It's not easy to dig."

So, he had to think of another way.

"Since she's letting me do it myself, then I'll just..."

A flash of inspiration struck Rio's mind, and some novel ideas emerged.

"...[Aura Sphere]!"

An azure blue, continuously spinning ball of Aura energy instantly appeared in Rio's hand. He held up the [Aura Sphere] and simply pushed it towards the incoming current beam.

"No, an energy collision like that will cause an explosion, but..."

Ming Rizhao watched with wide eyes as the azure blue energy ball and the bright yellow current beam were about to collide. Her heart was also very anxious, but she gritted her teeth, said nothing, and chose to believe in Rio.

Uncle Wattson on the side also stared intently at everything happening on the field. His left hand, at some unknown point, had already grasped a Poké Ball from the belt fastened outside his protective suit, looking as if he intended to jump in and save the day at a critical moment.

In fact, was Rio really so reckless as to directly clash Magnezone's [Charge Beam] with his [Aura Sphere]?

"You should know, Aura is a very magical kind of energy!"

Rio muttered to himself. The moment the spherical Aura energy projectile in his hand made contact with the Charge Beam, its shape immediately underwent a major change.

Just like an elastic rubber ball, the side of the Aura energy projectile facing the current beam actually caved inwards, gently enveloping the unstable electrical energy, forming an energy projectile that was azure blue Aura on the outside and filled with Electric-type energy on the inside.

"What is this?!"

Such a high-precision operation left both Ming Rizhao and Uncle Wattson somewhat dumbfounded.

And it wasn't over yet. Rio, holding up this Aura-electric energy projectile, flashed his figure and rushed towards Magnezone.

"Beep, beep."

Magnezone perhaps also hadn't expected its attack to be received by the opponent in such a manner. For a moment, it was at a loss, making mechanical noises as it hovered.

Rio, arriving in front of Magnezone in the blink of an eye, leaped high.

"Come on, big fella, take a taste of my..."

The yellow and blue energy projectile in his hand transformed. After some pulling and stretching, it gradually changed into the shape of a hammer.

"[Aura Sphere] Transformation—Electro-Hammer!"

Rio grabbed the "handle" extended from the [Aura Sphere] and smashed it hard onto Magnezone's round, protruding head!

"Dong—"

Electric energy scattered from the Aura "hammer." The crackling electricity and the heavy blow made Magnezone tremble, its body, which had been steadily floating off the ground, now swaying unstably.

"Did it really work like that?"

As the energy in his hand dissipated, Rio landed on the ground, his face full of disbelief.

In the anime he had watched in his previous life, Aura energy was best known for its various sensory applications, such as telepathy, or for detecting living beings. The only well-known move that gathered Aura energy for an attack was the famous [Aura Sphere].

But as Rio continuously practiced controlling Aura energy, he often thought, since Aura energy could be shaped into a spherical energy projectile, could it be changed into other shapes, so that it wasn't confined to the fixed shape of an energy projectile?

Ultimately, although Aura energy was the wave of living beings, it couldn't escape the category of energy. Moreover, moves that changed the form of energy were not without precedent in the Pokémon world. For example, "Light Screen" and "Reflect," which could shape psychic power into the shape of a wall; "Fire Blast," which shaped Fire-type energy into the shape of the character for "large" (大); and even the most common "Swift," which could shape any energy into the shape of stars, and so on. This series of moves all indicated that the form of energy was not fixed.

Therefore, Rio had also been constantly pondering how to change his own energy into various forms. Fighting energy was a no-go; it was an internal energy released from the flesh and blood of the body and basically couldn't be released from the body over a long distance. But Aura energy was different; whether it was his own or that of other creatures, it was energy that could be released out of thin air.

It was just that Rio's control over Aura had not yet reached the level of being able to manipulate it at will. This battle with Magnezone was also an impromptu attempt. He hadn't expected it to actually work.

After a bout of his own wild imagination, he felt a long-lost sense of refreshing exhilaration.

"…"

Seeing the spirited expression on Rio's face, Ming Rizhao bit her lip slightly, seemingly having thought of something.

But the next moment, a tense look appeared on the girl's face, protected by the suit.

"Rio, use [Quick Attack]..."

Rio, who was feeling proud of his successful new attempt and free expression, heard his trainer's anxious command.

"Use [Quick Attack] to charge in at this time? But there isn't enough distance to build up power. What's the point of using [Quick Attack] like this? Could it be that we really can't coordinate..."

Rio was still sighing inwardly, but then he heard Ming Rizhao's complete sentence.

"...Use [Quick Attack], and retreat!!"

Retreat? Not charge in?

Rio was startled. He never, ever thought it would be used this way. Subconsciously, he obeyed the command. In an instant, his figure was covered by electric light, and his entire Pokémon self retreated backward at high speed.

In the very next instant.

"Bzzzzzzzz!"

A deafening roar suddenly sounded. A large amount of electric current suddenly erupted from Magnezone's body. The extremely bright electric light even illuminated the somewhat dim interior of the power plant as bright as day!

It was Magnezone's other signature move besides [Charge Beam]—[Spark]!

Letting its body be filled with high-voltage current, and then, violently crashing into the opponent!

Rio, who had retreated out of the electric shock range in an emergency, hadn't even had time to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead before he had to face the impact of the giant steel creation, wreathed in such ferocious electricity!

And, because it had continuously used [Charge Beam] before, the current draped over Magnezone at this moment was surging even more violently, extremely agitated.

This was because [Charge Beam] had a characteristic: after repeated use, it would increase the Pokémon's own energy intensity, or in common terms, its Special Attack was enhanced. Under this enhancement effect, the current from the [Spark] move would be fiercer and more difficult to deal with than usual!

It was thanks to Ming Rizhao's timely command that Rio avoided being harmed in that first terrible wave of electricity.

But immediately after, he still had to face the impact of the giant steel creation mixed with such ferocious electricity!

"Rio, listen to my command, use [Counter]!"

Ming Rizhao's calm voice sounded.

Rio was stunned for a moment but still crossed his arms in front of his body as commanded.

As a high-speed, agile Pokémon, [Counter], a move that involved passively taking a hit and then striking back, was not his favorite move to begin with. In addition, [Counter] could only withstand physical attack moves; it was completely ineffective against special attack moves. Such a narrow range of use and fighting style meant that Rio had only used this move a few times after learning it. This time, if it weren't for Ming Rizhao's command, he might not even have remembered that he knew this move.

However, the beauty of this move lay in the fact that although the opponent's [Spark] seemed to be radiating electricity, the real damage came from the powerful impact after electromagnetic acceleration—it was, without a doubt, a physical attack move!

Brownish-red Fighting energy emanated from Rio's body, winding around his arms as if he had put on a set of brownish-red gauntlets.

"Bang!"

Magnezone crashed fiercely into Rio, directly pushing him back several steps.

However, that was the extent of the [Spark] move.

"Rio, counterattack!"

It should be known that [Counter] was not a move where one just took a beating for nothing. As its name described, the essence of this move lay in returning the opponent's damage twofold!

"Hraaaaaaah!!!"

Rio lowered his crossed arms. His left hand extended its hard claws to firmly grasp Magnezone's steel body. His right hand was raised high, and the brownish-red Fighting energy, mixed with the Electric-type energy from the impact just now, became extremely vigorous, coiling around Rio's right hand.

"Get back!"

Following Ming Rizhao's loud cry, Rio also let out a sharp shout, and his right fist hammered forward!

"Clang!"

Like steel meeting steel, Magnezone was sent tumbling to the ground by this heavy punch.

Ming Rizhao waved her hand grandly.

"Finish it, Rio! Use your most得意 (proud/proficient) fighting skill!"

Perhaps infected by the girl's soaring spirit, Rio himself felt a surge of excitement. He firmly planted his feet in a bow stance and held his palm vertically like a blade.

Then, with a whistling sound from his palm-blade, he chopped down vertically!

"[Brick Break]!"

Power to split mountains, shatter rocks, break tiles, and sever steel!

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