A faint, rare smile cracked Professor Rowan's stern features as he raised a Poké Ball, recalling the faltering Golbat with a flash of red light.
"Looks like the battle's just heating up," Luther said with a playful grin.
"I'd say so," Professor Rowan replied, nodding. "Go, Manectric!"
Luther's jaw tightened as Rowan's third Pokémon emerged, an evolved powerhouse. He couldn't help but curse his luck under his breath.
But he shook it off. Jumpluff had lit a fire in him. Base Stats? Individual Values? Those numbers didn't call the shots in a real fight. If they did, Trainers would just flash their Pokémon's data, compare types, and call it a day.
If a scrappy Pikachu could zap Arceus into next week, why couldn't his Jumpluff stand toe-to-toe with a Manectric?
"Fire Fang, sink your teeth into Jumpluff!" Rowan ordered.
The move was a clear flex of Manectric's raw attack power, flames licking its jaws as it lunged.
"Don't let it close in! Hit it with Bullet Seed!" Luther shot back, urging Jumpluff to fend off the speeding beast.
A storm of Bullet Seed pelted Manectric's sleek fur, but the Electric-type didn't flinch, barreling through the onslaught with Fire Fang primed.
"Stun Spore, now!" Luther called.
The command came just as Fire Fang connected, flames swallowing Jumpluff in a searing burst.
Luther's heart sank. Jumpluff had given its all, but this Manectric was lightning-fast. With Leaf Guard, not Chlorophyll, as its ability, Jumpluff was naturally outmatched up close.
He reached for a Poké Ball to recall his fallen partner, but then he stopped cold.
Through the fading embers, a faint sparkle of dust drifted out. Manectric, still nearby, let out a sharp sneeze and stumbled back, twitching uneasily.
As the flames cleared, Jumpluff slumped, fully spent, unable to fight on.
The arena fell hushed.
A single clap broke the silence, then another, and soon, applause thundered across the stands.
In its final stand, Jumpluff had squeezed out one last Stun Spore, a parting gift for Luther's next move. Manectric, too close to dodge, had taken the hit.
After weathering Roserade's assault and enduring Golbat's Air Slash and Wing Attack, Jumpluff had still managed to tag Manectric with that fiery bite.
Luther didn't reach for the Poké Ball. Instead, he stepped onto the field, kneeling to scoop Jumpluff gently into his arms.
The battered Pokémon stirred, blinking awake. Spotting Manectric, the foe that had downed it, Jumpluff puffed up, fury flaring. With a tiny growl, it launched itself at Manectric, headbutting it square on. Was that… Frustration?
Manectric recoiled, startled. By battle rules, a knocked-out Pokémon shouldn't be pulling stunts like this. It snarled, fangs flashing as it readied to lunge back, but Jumpluff was already winding up for another go.
Luckily, Luther was quicker. He dove, pinning Jumpluff down before it could escalate the chaos.
The crowd gawked, jaws dropping. Had this Jumpluff lost it?
Then their eyes slid to Luther, sprawled on the ground, cradling his feisty partner.
"What? Don't look at me like that, I didn't tell it to do that!" He huffed, then softened, stroking Jumpluff as it squirmed. "You were amazing out there!"
After soothing Jumpluff's fiery spirit, Luther eased himself to his feet. Sachiko, the referee, waved him back to the Trainer's box, urging him to ready himself for the next round.
As for that wild outburst, Jumpluff's Last Resort-like headbutt, she let it slide. She couldn't imagine Luther had planned for Jumpluff to blindside Manectric before the next match began.
"You were incredible out there, seriously amazing. Thanks to you, I've got this Pokédex in the bag," Luther said, brimming with newfound assurance as he cradled Jumpluff.
"You just lost a Pokémon, and you're crowing about it?" A kid in the crowd hollered.
Luther spun around, still buzzing with energy. "Crowing? Alright, I'll say it again…"
"I'm going to win this match, no question!"
People can be odd sometimes; the tiniest spark can ignite a total turnaround.
Brushing off the kid's snickers and the chuckles rippling through the stands, Luther flashed a carefree grin and tossed out his second Poké Ball. Skuntank materialized in a burst of light.
Professor Rowan's stern face softened slightly, a flicker of respect crossing his features as he gave Luther a subtle nod.
"Manectric, use Thunder!" Rowan called.
"Skuntank, Acid Spray!" Luther countered.
Skuntank didn't flinch or weave away, standing firm as Thunder crackled down. The electric surge hit full force, but in that same instant, Acid Spray splashed across Manectric.
The move was a calculated play; Acid Spray could weaken Manectric's Special Defense. Luther had prepped Skuntank for this, telling it to tank a hit if it meant landing the attack dead-on.
Professor Rowan's expression hardened. He'd caught a glimpse of Luther's game plan, but the bigger picture still eluded him. What Pokémon did Luther have up his sleeve to justify this gutsy approach?
Switching out wasn't ideal, but sticking with Manectric turned the fight into a gamble. That paralysis from earlier was a wild card, any freeze-up could leave Manectric open to more Acid Sprays, letting Luther chip away without swapping his own team.
"Manectric, return!" Rowan decided.
At first, he'd pegged Luther as a washout, a jittery kid with a phobia, bluffing his way toward a Pokédex through sheer nerve. Distraction in battle had painted him as a lost cause.
Yet this "lost cause" had pulled off a slick intel-gathering tactic in the first round, a move that screamed confidence in strategy, instincts, and raw grit, hallmarks of a seasoned Trainer.
A weaker rookie trying that stunt would've crashed and burned, hemorrhaging Pokémon in later rounds from the early disadvantage.
Rowan wasn't some elite-tier Trainer, but he was a brick wall for newbies. Facing Luther, though, he felt the heat. By the time his second Pokémon hit the field, he'd already sized Luther up as legit, judging him by the same bar he'd set for any official Trainer.
In his push to stonewall Luther's scouting, Rowan had accidentally fueled Jumpluff's resolve, sparking Luther to ditch his doubts and step up with unshakable focus.
Luther's grasp of battle was sharp, beyond hands-on practice, he was near-flawless. His only flaw, that shaky confidence, had snapped into place with Jumpluff's nudge. A rookie with that kind of potential was a rarity. The last one Rowan had seen? Cynthia.
And now Cynthia ruled as Sinnoh's Champion.
That shy girl who'd once fumbled a Pokédex from his hands had climbed her way to the top, forging herself into one of Sinnoh's mightiest Trainers.
Was another star about to rise right here, right now? The fiery drive of youth never failed to stir him. Professor Rowan cracked his stiff neck, rolled up his sleeves, and steeled himself for what came next.
"Come on, Luther, let me see if you are another Cynthia!"
"Go, Aggron."
Professor Rowan's fourth Pokémon was a Steel and Rock-type Aggron.
"Professor, you have such good luck," Luther said enviously.
"Likewise," Professor Rowan replied, bracing himself.
One of the moves Luther had given Skuntank was Toxic, which was completely blocked by Aggron's Steel typing.
The onlookers knew that for the Poison and Dark-type Skuntank, its already poor Special Defense was severely compromised after being hit by Thunder. It should have switched out, but Luther did not do so.
"Flamethrower!"
Luther had also considered the Research Lab's abundance of Grass-type Pokémon and equipped Skuntank with a Fire-type move, even though he knew Skuntank was not a special attacker.
Flamethrower hit Aggron, but it seemed not because Skuntank was particularly accurate, it was more like Aggron couldn't be bothered to dodge.
Indeed, Aggron tore through the flames, looking mockingly at Skuntank.
"Iron Tail."
Aggron's figure vanished from Luther's sight in an instant, appearing right in front of Skuntank with incredible speed.
Despite issuing a command to dodge, Skuntank couldn't evade this fierce blow and was sent flying by Iron Tail. Although it didn't lose its ability to battle, it was already quite weak.
"Finish it off with Head Smash!"
'Rock Head ability? This Aggron could use recoil moves so recklessly, so its ability was clear.'
Professor Rowan abandoned the idea of preserving team information. He knew that if he fought with the intention of countering Luther's strategy, it would not be easy with his existing team structure. Instead, the Pokémon types he had were excellent, and he could easily crush his opponent.
Using strong types and moves to directly overwhelm the opponent and eliminate them directly was the best choice, leaving no room for Luther to set up his strategy.
"Get in close."
Luther's command left everyone momentarily stunned.
This was a suicidal order, yet Skuntank accepted this command without any hesitation, charging straight at the fast-moving Aggron.
Professor Rowan was the first to react, finally realizing the mistake he had made.
"Don't attack Skuntank!"
Professor Rowan tried to salvage the situation, but Aggron's Head Smash was already in motion, and he could only watch as Skuntank and Aggron collided violently.
"Parting Shot…" Luther smiled as he issued his final command to Skuntank.
At a distance that was impossible to avoid, Aggron's powerful attack knocked Skuntank out, but Skuntank successfully unleashed its "Parting Shot."
This move causes the battling Pokémon to lose its ability to fight, making it perfect for use when close to being knocked out. The effect was also quite nasty, significantly lowering the opponent's Pokémon's Special Attack and Physical Attack.
Of course, it wasn't over yet.
The incapacitated Skuntank glowed brightly, and the sound of an explosion swept across the entire arena.
This was the point Professor Rowan had suddenly forgotten during the battle: Skuntank had two abilities, one being "Stench," which could cause the opponent to flinch when using moves, and the other being "Aftermath," which would trigger when it was knocked out by a close-range move.
Professor Rowan had been caught off guard by Luther's rhythm in battle, forgetting to consider Skuntank's abilities, which led to Aggron taking the full brunt of the Aftermath ability's damage.
As the smoke cleared, Aggron appeared in a disheveled state, while the unconscious Skuntank was recalled by Luther.
At this point in the battle, Professor Rowan had sent out four Pokémon, and none had fallen. Meanwhile, both of Luther's Pokémon had lost their ability to fight.
The children in the audience mercilessly mocked Luther, while some who sensed the issue wore thoughtful expressions.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Professor Rowan did not intend to recall Aggron. He couldn't speculate on how many Pokémon Luther intended to use to complete his strategy or who the key Pokémon was, so even with Aggron's attack stats lowered, he couldn't switch it out.
Luther smiled confidently, feeling comfortable with the situation he had grasped.
As for those who mocked him, Luther paid them no mind. In his previous life, he had cared too much about others' opinions, which made him timid. Jumpluff's efforts had shown him what it meant to be strong and resilient, and he admired that.
"Jumpluff and Skuntank came out with the mission of being defeated. I told them before the match that no matter how absurd my commands were, I hoped they would trust me." Luther crouched down and gently stroked the Jumpluff lying on the ground, "Professor, they are truly amazing."
"You remind me of a little girl…" Professor Rowan said nostalgically, "She pointed at the Pokémon in the Research Lab and said the same thing."
"A Pokédex holder?"
"Sort of, but she hardly uses the Pokédex anymore; she's always very busy."
Luther became intrigued. "After I get the Pokédex, I'd like to visit this Pokédex holder you mentioned."
"But you haven't won yet."
Luther took out his third Poké Ball, feeling very relaxed, "No, from the moment Skuntank went down, I've already won."
"Go, Forretress! It's time for your performance!"
"Forretress is a Bug and Steel type, right? All its attacks are ineffective against Aggron. Why would he send it out?"
"Is this Luther really that clueless? Or does he not have any Fighting or Ground-type moves?"
"I told you he's a Rookie Trainer; don't expect too much."
"Losing two Pokémon, he looks hopeless. Only Paul is worth watching within this year's Rookie Trainer."
Unlike the confused audience, Professor Rowan had already understood the core strategy behind Luther's approach, and at this moment, he could hardly stop the strategy from unfolding.
"Spikes."
Forretress spun around and launched spikes into the arena.
Indeed, it was Spikes.
Whether it was Jumpluff's Stun Spore, Skuntank's Toxic, or Parting Shot, Luther's goal was simple: to gather information with the first two Pokémon and then use their negative moves to pass on a favorable rhythm to the next Pokémon, Forretress.
Even though Forretress had the ability Sturdy, it was not afraid of being knocked out immediately.
In a situation where speed was inherently disadvantaged, Skuntank's Parting Shot would play a significant role. As long as Skuntank could lower the opposing Pokémon's attack stats and Professor Rowan was unwilling to switch, Forretress would be able to take control of the field.
"Don't let him continue to release Spikes! Get in close and pin Forretress down!"
Aggron quickly approached the slow-moving Forretress and pinned it down with both hands, preventing it from launching a second wave of spikes.
Luther learned another characteristic of real battles: moves could be interrupted like this!
Forretress, caught in Aggron's grip, was unable to break free due to its strength.
"Spin, Forretress! Use Gyro Ball!"
"Don't let it use Gyro Ball! Hold Forretress down and use Earth Power!"
Before Forretress could spin and unleash Gyro Ball, Aggron pressed it to the ground and unleashed Earth Power, tormenting Forretress with immense force. However, the sturdy Forretress was not so easily taken down.
But now Aggron was simply bullying Forretress for not having hands!
Unable to resist, Forretress decided not to fight back and let Aggron hold it as much as it wanted.
"Forretress, use Zap Cannon!"
Professor Rowan was stunned; he never expected Luther to have such a low special attack Pokémon like Forretress use a move with such poor accuracy.
But he quickly reacted: "Throw Forretress away and dodge Zap Cannon!"
Aggron kicked the battered Forretress away like a soccer ball, but Forretress, spinning rapidly, didn't seem to feel dizzy at all and managed to fire a Zap Cannon right at Aggron's face.
Aggron clutched its face in pain; the paralysis effect combined with the hit made it suffer greatly.
The researchers couldn't help but cover their faces… they understood the principle of not hitting someone in the face… but Forretress didn't understand that…
"Spikes, keep launching them!"
Forretress shot out another wave of spikes.
Seeing Luther happily launching Spikes, Professor Rowan could no longer contain himself: "Aggron, grab Forretress and use Iron Tail to send it flying!"
The paralysis did not affect Aggron this time. It lifted the helpless Forretress and executed a throw, using Iron Tail to send it soaring into the air.
This was clearly a disadvantageous matchup; the Steel type was unfavorable for Luther's upcoming Murkrow and Drifloon. Aggron had the advantage and could easily crush Forretress.
For the sake of the next battle, Aggron had to be taken out now!
"Let's go for it!"
"Explosion!"
Luther was betting that Aggron's stamina was worse than it appeared!
The Forretress falling from the sky glowed with a white light, like a meteor descending from the heavens, crashing down onto Aggron's head.
"Dodge!" Professor Rowan shouted in a fit of rage.
He couldn't believe it; he never expected Luther to sacrifice a Forretress that still had stamina, opting for a mutual destruction strategy.
However, Aggron did not respond to his command; the paralysis took effect at that moment…
The bomb falling from the sky exploded right above Aggron's head… Aggron was hit again…
In the ensuing silence, the explosion's debris finally settled, revealing two dazed Pokémon lying on the ground.
"Aggron and Forretress both lose their ability to battle!"
(End of Chapter)