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"Grovyle, [Aerial Ace]!"
Grovyle roared and charged forward at lightning speed.
Facing it was a determined-looking Machop, but despite its unwavering resolve, it couldn't escape defeat. Grovyle's speed was too much to handle. With one swift slash of its blade-like leaves, Grovyle knocked Machop down in a single, decisive move.
After letting out a cry of pain, Machop collapsed to the ground.
"Ding! Grovyle gained experience. Level +1! Reached LV20!"
Satoshi listened to the system's electronic notification, smiled in satisfaction, and recalled Grovyle.
The defeated Machop had already been caught earlier. There was no need to capture it again.
"Machop's natural habitat is in the mountains, so it makes sense to see them in Mt. Moon. But still, it seems like I'm the only one running into them."
Satoshi sighed. While it was true that Machop were native to mountainous regions, they were notably absent from Mt. Moon in his past experience. He couldn't help but wonder why things had changed.
Now, having defeated the Trainers at the base of Mt. Moon, Satoshi found Fighting-type Pokémon like Machop further in. Naturally, he captured them with a grin. Even if he didn't plan to train them, they contributed to his Pokédex progress. With his surplus of Poké Balls, there was no reason to pass them up.
"By the way, if we're basing this on the anime or original manga instead of the game, it makes sense for Machop and Machoke to be common in Mt. Moon," Satoshi muttered to himself, recalling tidbits from his previous life.
He had heard about groups of Machop and Machoke in Mt. Moon but, so far, had only encountered individual Machop. Machoke, which evolves at level 28, hadn't appeared yet. While Pokémon of that level shouldn't typically be found here, his unique game version might allow for surprises.
"Even if I run into a Machoke, what's the big deal? Level 28 isn't impressive. My Charmeleon is level 28, and Frogadier is level 27—soon to level up. If I do find a Machoke, it'll just be another training dummy."
Though Satoshi wanted to find a Machoke, it seemed unlikely. The scattered Machop in Mt. Moon were the only ones he'd seen so far.
"Well, it's fine. I've caught enough Machop for now. As for why there aren't groups of them, it's not my concern. Time to move on and level up."
With that, Satoshi recalled his Pokémon and ventured deeper into Mt. Moon. He planned to rest at the Pokémon Center near the entrance before noon to ensure his team was ready for more battles.
Just after Satoshi left the area, a figure approached.
The person wore a long, dark cloak that obscured their features. However, the muscular frame and piercing gaze of the individual were unmistakable.
Spotting the fainted Machop on the ground, the cloaked figure threw a Poké Ball, capturing the Pokémon effortlessly.
"I've almost caught enough. The remaining Machop are likely scattered and not worth the effort."
The figure spoke to themselves before glancing in the direction Satoshi had gone. After a moment of silence, they turned and disappeared into the shadows.
Satoshi, unaware that someone had picked up the Machop he defeated, might not have cared even if he knew. Still, he had unknowingly avoided something significant—whether it was a missed opportunity or a blessing in disguise would only become clear later.
For now, Satoshi's focus was elsewhere.
He had no plans to train Machop, not because he disliked Fighting-type Pokémon, but because he didn't see Machamp as a strong addition to his team.
Machamp was undoubtedly powerful, but compared to the starter Pokémon on his team, it felt lacking.
"Besides, Machamp's appearance—with its muscular body and underwear-like attire—always reminds me of a certain king from my previous life. It's unsettling," Satoshi muttered, shuddering at the thought.
Though he respected Machamp's power, he couldn't shake the association. Thus, he resolved not to train Machop as a main team member.
However, Satoshi remained open to adding a suitable Fighting-type Pokémon to his team. And soon, a worthy candidate presented itself.
"…Wait, this is Mt. Moon, right? Why is this little guy here? Forget it—if I think about it too much, I'll lose."
Standing before Satoshi was a small, blue and black Pokémon. Its presence in Mt. Moon was as surprising as it was baffling.
The Pokémon stared back at him, its sharp eyes radiating determination.
Satoshi's expression twisted between delight and confusion. While thrilled to encounter such a rare and powerful Pokémon, he couldn't help but question its appearance in this region.
"Technically, its habitat includes forested mountains and caves, so Mt. Moon isn't entirely out of the question. But this is Kanto. Why is a Sinnoh Pokémon here?"
Satoshi sighed, unable to resist voicing his confusion.
Still, he knew better than to complain too much. After all, his team already featured Pokémon from different regions: Charmeleon from Kanto, Frogadier from Kalos, and Grovyle from Hoenn. Finding a Sinnoh Pokémon here didn't seem so strange in comparison.
"At this point, let's just blame it on the version differences," he said, brushing off his concerns.
He pulled out his Pokédex and pointed it at the mysterious Pokémon.
The device beeped as it registered the Pokémon, displaying its information on the screen.
Satoshi's eyes lit up as he read the data.
"Well, looks like I found something extraordinary again."
To be continued…
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