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With a loud command from Blaine, two PokéBalls were thrown into the field, releasing two blazing Pokémon as beams of light hit the ground.
"Mag!!"
"Neigh!!!"
These were two extremely powerful Fire-type Pokémon—one was Magmar, known for its body temperature reaching 1,200 degrees Celsius, allowing it to survive even in magma. The other was Rapidash, said to reach speeds of up to 240 kilometers per hour.
Both were clearly formidable opponents.
"That Magmar is really strong—I suffered a loss against it just yesterday."
The moment Lorelei saw the familiar Magmar, she quickly turned to remind Liam.
Liam chuckled and responded, "Of course, it's strong, but the real question isn't about how powerful our opponents are—it's whether our teammates can keep up… Heh heh heh."
Hearing this, Lorelei instantly bristled and shouted back angrily, "As if I'd be the one dragging you down! I don't need you worrying about me! Go, Slowbro! Show them what we're capable of!"
With a huff, she tossed out a PokéBall, and a Slowbro appeared on the field.
Seeing that Lorelei had chosen Slowbro, Liam nodded in approval. He had been worried she might recklessly send out Lapras, which, as an Ice-type, would be at a disadvantage here.
Moreover, in such a dry environment, Lapras' mobility would be hindered, making it an easy target—a stationary one at that.
But Slowbro didn't have such issues. Its typing wasn't countered here, and its mobility wouldn't be a problem.
To coordinate better, Liam scanned Slowbro with the system, retrieving its stats.
....
[Ding!]
Pokemon: Slowbro
Type: Water/Psychic-type
Species: Hermit Crab Pokémon
Ability: Regenerator
Nature: Relaxed
Gender: Female
Moves:Withdraw, Yawn, Heal Pulse, Water Gun, Confusion, Harden, Zen Headbutt, Water Pulse, Slack Off, Amnesia.
Egg Move:Future Sight.
Base Stats (Total: 490)
HP: 95
Attack: 75
Defense: 110
Special Attack: 100
Special Defense: 80
Speed: 30
Evaluation: Excellent! Exceptionally trained in all aspects, with great potential for further growth.
....
This was a very solid Pokémon—Lorelei had clearly trained it well. Though it wasn't at an extremely high level yet, it was already a formidable force.
"What are you staring at?!" Lorelei suddenly snapped. "Why are you eyeing my Slowbro so greedily?! I'm warning you—I'm not giving it to you!"
Liam, who had been closely examining Slowbro, was momentarily stunned by her outburst. Then, with an awkward chuckle, he said, "Ahem, I was just admiring it! Your Slowbro is excellently trained, so I couldn't help but take a closer look. Sheesh, you're so stingy. My Pokémon are all top-tier—why would I want yours?"
"Haha, watching you young ones bicker is quite entertaining and nostalgic," Blaine interjected with a chuckle. "But let's focus on the battle—I still have some research to conduct, so I can't waste too much time here."
"It's NOT bickering!"
Blaine: "..."
"Ahem," Liam cleared his throat, seamlessly shifting the conversation. "We were just discussing strategy! And now that we're done strategizing, it's time to get serious! Go, it's your turn—Nidoking!"
"Nido!!"
"Haha, good!" Blaine grinned. "Now that both sides have their Pokémon ready, let the battle begin! I won't be holding back! Rapidash, use Flame Wheel on Nidoking! Magmar, use Flamethrower on Nidoking as well!"
The moment Nidoking appeared, Blaine issued his commands.
With a whinny, Rapidash's flames flared up, its strong legs pounding the ground as it galloped forward. Encased in a blazing wheel of fire, it charged at Nidoking with incredible speed.
At the same time, Magmar opened its peculiar duck-like beak and unleashed a searing stream of flames, surging toward Nidoking.
"Good timing! Nidoking, Earth Power!"
"Nido!!"
Nidoking remained calm as the attacks closed in. Letting out a low growl, it stomped the ground forcefully. With a muffled boom, a shockwave erupted from the ground, colliding head-on with the charging Rapidash.
"Neeigh!"
Rapidash let out a pained cry as the impact sent it stumbling backward. The flames of its Flame Wheel dissipated instantly.
Rapidash's attack had been countered, but Magmar's Flamethrower was still incoming. Just as it was about to hit—
"Slowbro! Confusion! Redirect the Flamethrower!"
"Slowww..."
With Lorelei's command, Slowbro's vacant eyes glowed blue, and the flames were immediately enveloped in a psychic aura.
Under its influence, the Flamethrower abruptly curved, making a complete 180-degree turn—heading straight back toward Magmar.
"Rapidash! Block the Flamethrower!" Blaine commanded calmly.
Rapidash neighed excitedly and swiftly dashed in front of Magmar, taking the full force of the redirected flames.
"What?! Are you crazy, old man?!" Lorelei was baffled by Blaine's move.
Liam, however, narrowed his eyes in realization.
"I see… So this Rapidash's Ability is Flash Fire. That explains why it blocked the attack without hesitation. Instead of taking damage, it absorbs the flames and boosts the power of its Fire-type moves. Am I right, Leader Blaine?"
Liam smirked as he stated his deduction, then turned to see Rapidash standing proudly, its flames burning even brighter.
"Flash Fire? What's that?" Lorelei asked, clearly unfamiliar with the concept.
"Hahaha!" Blaine laughed heartily. "As expected of Professor Oak's assistant! You really understand Abilities well. Yes, my Rapidash has Flash Fire as you call it. I noticed long ago that it doesn't take damage from Fire-type moves—instead, they strengthen its attacks.
"At first, I thought it was just an innate talent of my Rapidash, but when Professor Oak recently published his research on Pokémon Abilities, I realized it was an inherent trait, not something unique to my Pokémon… Professor Oak truly is a genius. If I ever get the chance to leave here, I'd love to meet him in person."
Blaine's words stirred something in Liam.
As a Gym Leader, Blaine was bound to his Gym, unable to leave for extended periods. However, the way he spoke suggested a deeper reason—one that made it seem like he had no choice but to stay.
This piqued Liam's curiosity.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on it. The battle came first—he could investigate later.
"Leader Blaine, there's still plenty of time ahead. I'm sure you'll get to meet Professor Oak, and when that time comes, he'll surely welcome a researcher of your caliber with open arms. For now, though, let's focus on the match at hand. As for everything else… I'll handle it."
Liam's words carried a deeper meaning.
Blaine, immediately catching on, nodded slightly in approval.
'It seems I didn't place my trust in the wrong person after all…' he thought.