Natsume's eyebrow twitched as he shook Lance's hand, still processing what the man had just said.
"On behalf of Red… to challenge me to a friendly match?"
So, not only was he facing an Elite Four-level opponent, but there was also a chance he might go up against the World Champion in the future?
I'm just a newbie who's been catching Pokémon for less than two months!
Natsume cleared his throat. "Mr. Lance, to be honest, I'm not really a Trainer yet."
Lance crossed his arms and nodded.
"I've heard from Red. A Master in Specialized Breeding and Strategy is indeed quite rare."
Trainer is just a general term for the profession.
Within this profession, there are various fields: Training, Breeding, Strategy, Command, Coordination, and more.
Red had spoken highly of this "Natsume-sensei."
It seemed he could effortlessly employ a variety of strategies, including Spikes, Perish Song, Minimize, and others.
Unlike traditional Trainers who focused solely on Pokémon strength, this type of Trainer explored the limits of battle by breeding different Pokémon and developing new strategies.
To be honest, Lance had great respect for Strategy Masters who dared to experiment.
"Is this your newly bred Pokémon?"
Lance's gaze fell on Haunter and Eevee beside Natsume, and his eyes lit up.
"You… seem to share a deep bond with them!"
Natsume was slightly taken aback. "You can tell?"
Clair explained, "Lance was once blessed by the Viridian Forest. He can sense the emotions of Pokémon. This ability is called…"
"The Aura of Viridian?"
"Huh, you know about it?"
Natsume felt a chill run down his spine.
He had thought this world was just a fusion with the Pokémon world.
But it turned out there were people with supernatural powers.
The so-called Aura of Viridian was an ability granted by the Viridian Forest, allowing one to heal, sense, and strengthen Pokémon.
If such unscientific abilities existed…
Did that mean some Trainers could actually fight Pokémon bare-handed?!
Being a Trainer really is a dangerous profession!
Natsume sighed inwardly.
This lousy system, I wonder if it could give me something like that.
[Ding! 'Aura of Viridian,' 'Aura of Ripple,' and other such abilities are limited. Host cannot unlock, purchase, or obtain them.]
Oh, never mind then.
"Forgive my boldness…" Lance paused for a moment. "May I sense these two Pokémon?"
From Natsume's two Pokémon, Lance felt an incredibly strong emotional connection.
This was enough to prove that Natsume-sensei was a trustworthy Trainer.
This sense of finding a kindred spirit made Lance feel a bit closer to Natsume.
"Of course."
Lance agilely vaulted over the railing, clearly no stranger to physical activity, likely from his frequent involvement in apprehending Team Rocket.
He placed his hand on Haunter's forehead, and Haunter tilted its head in confusion.
"Haunter?" (Who are you?)
A soft glow emanated, and Haunter shivered, closing its eyes in comfort.
Lance nodded to himself.
Just as I thought.
Its weakness is because this Haunter was recently caught, likely part of a new team being built.
But in such a short time, Gastly had evolved, and it had an unyielding drive to grow stronger.
The Trainer's charisma and breeding methods are truly remarkable.
As for this Eevee…
"Eevee! (`皿′)"
As soon as Lance reached out to Eevee, the little one opened its mouth and bit Lance's hand.
Everyone present was stunned.
Having spent years around Dragon-type Pokémon, Lance naturally carried an intimidating aura.
And it still dared to bite?!
Even Lance was surprised, but he still managed to sense Eevee's emotions.
"I see…" Lance nodded gently.
Afraid I might harm its Trainer, huh?
Such genuine bonds between humans and Pokémon are rare these days.
The stern red-haired man allowed himself a rare smile, further solidifying his resolve to battle Natsume.
"Are you two battling now?" Cynthia frowned slightly, her tone tinged with displeasure.
"I was waiting for him to cook…"
"It won't take long. A 1v1, if Natsume-sensei agrees, we can start right now," Lance said with a smile.
Natsume rubbed his temples.
There's no escaping this. I still have to cook for Cynthia later… Let's just treat this like a regular game!
"Of course, we can start anytime!"
Clair couldn't help but glance at the seemingly ordinary Natsume.
This guy… is actually a Trainer who can battle my cousin?!
No wonder he was able to talk so much earlier.
Clair sighed. What if my cousin actually loses? Wouldn't that be embarrassing?
"Your Pokémon are all out of battle strength!" Clair reminded him with a frown.
"Even if they recover, it'll take at least an hour!"
"That's why we have your Pokémon!" Lance said with a laugh.
"Rental battles are also an important test of a Trainer's skill!"
A rental battle refers to a Trainer borrowing another's Pokémon to challenge an opponent.
This format is commonly used in Battle Factories and Battle Tents.
Since the borrowed Pokémon are difficult to command, and their abilities and moves are unclear, it heavily tests a Trainer's command skills.
In the Special Edition: Emerald, theEmerald was a master of rental battles, even achieving a 100-win streak in the Battle Frontier and defeating Ruby.
Hearing Lance's proposal, Natsume was momentarily stunned, then breathed a sigh of relief for Haunter.
Haunter, you're finally off the hook!
"Haunter? Σ(°△°|||)︴"
I don't know what you're thinking, but it's definitely not good!
Clair said, "You're borrowing my Pokémon? Then what about him…"
"He can use mine," Cynthia said, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear and smiling at Natsume.
"You can choose any Pokémon from my team."
"But your Pokémon are out of HP too, right?" Natsume asked, confused.
Cynthia didn't respond. Instead, she pulled out a can of Pokéblocks from her elegant bag and shook it gently.
"I brought these from your place. I gave them to my team before the match… They worked wonderfully."
This was another one of Natsume's Pokéblocks, the Sitrus Berry Block, specially made for Cynthia before the match.
Its effects were even better than the Oran Berry Block.
Concentrated goodness—big Berries really pack a punch when it comes to recovery.
Lance's eyes were drawn to the can, and he looked surprised. "Such high-quality Pokéblocks…"
Cynthia: "Not for you."
Lance: "…Fair enough. We're both using borrowed Pokémon, so it's even."
Natsume looked up at the sky, moved to tears.
See, Haunter? Cynthia is an angel!
"Haunter? (*⊙~⊙)" Haunter was busy hugging the can, devouring Sitrus Berry Blocks one after another.
"Hey, save some for the others!"
…
[Task: Friendly Match with the Elite Four
Objective: Survive at least ten rounds in a rental battle against Lance.
Reward: 1000 BP, Premier Ball ×1, Random Orange Item ×1
Description: Starting off against an Elite Four member (Johto Champion)? I'm in trouble, help!]
Seeing the task objective, Natsume couldn't help but twitch his eyebrow.
Survive ten rounds?
Who do you think you're underestimating?
Dragon-type Elite Four member, the Johto League Champion, and you think he can't take me out in five rounds?
Natsume coughed lightly and decided on his battle plan.
Stall!
As long as I can stall for ten rounds, it's my victory!
…
Lance requested an arena from the organizers for the battle.
Clair lined up her Poké Balls and crossed her arms.
"Just so you know, this is my backup team. My main team is still guarding the Gym."
"No problem… This one will do."
Lance picked up a Poké Ball, closed his eyes, and focused on the Pokémon's emotions. His gaze sharpened.
On the other side.
Natsume stroked his chin, examining the six Pokémon in front of him.
Garchomp was strong, but the look in its eyes seemed to say, "If you dare pick me, I'll slice you in half."
Lucario stood nearby, its expression aloof.
Glaceon and Togekiss were friendly, but they didn't quite fit Natsume-sensei's strategic style.
After some consideration, Natsume cleared his throat. "I choose you, Spiritomb!"
"Spiritomb?"
M-me?
Spiritomb was stunned for a moment, its fan-like face suddenly sprouting seven or eight pairs of glowing green eyes, tears almost welling up.
Cynthia smiled. "It seems really happy you chose it."
Natsume stared at the eerie Spiritomb for a while, rubbing his chin.
"You know… after looking at Haunter for so long, this Ghost-type actually seems kind of cute."
C-cute?!
"Ssshh… o(////▽////)q"
Spiritomb's fan-like body curled up, its patterns faintly glowing red.
[Spiritomb, Ghost + Dark
Gender: ♀
Ability: Infiltrator
Moves: Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Curse, Sucker Punch, Foul Play, Destiny Bond, Pain Split, Will-O-Wisp, Shadow Ball…]
Natsume's expression was complicated as he murmured, "This… really fits my style!"
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