"Is Rosa beautiful?"
"Of course. Beautiful."
Even in Paul's eyes, she was undeniably beautiful.
But Paul wasn't like most people, he could recognize beauty but he didn't have a heart that sought it out.
If Rosa had thoroughly defeated him or pushed him into a corner with unprecedented pressure, then maybe—just maybe, he would've paid her more attention.
But reality didn't deal in maybes.
After delivering the plates, Paul simply returned to his room alone with his Pokémon.
...
"Why hasn't that guy come down yet? Don't tell me he overslept?"
By the next morning, after dressing neatly and finishing her breakfast, the bun-haired girl frowned in confusion. Paul was still nowhere to be seen.
"Excuse me, Nurse Joy what room number was that purple-haired boy staying in? The one who checked in yesterday?"
Finally losing patience, Rosa walked to Nurse Joy, ready to storm Paul's room and drag the lazy slacker out herself.
"That boy? He's already checked out. You didn't know?"
Nurse Joy blinked in surprise.
"...Huh?"
The words stunned Rosa like a splash of cold water.
"He came to retrieve his Pokémon early this morning and checked out right afterward. He left the Pokémon Center." Nurse Joy explained with a subtle smile one that hinted she understood more than she let on.
"..."
Rosa: So I'm the lazy one, huh...
"If he's headed to challenge Mr. Spenser, you might still catch him if you leave now." Nurse Joy added.
Paul had gotten up early but not everyone ran on his schedule.
Whether it's a regular Gym or a Battle Frontier facility, none of them would be open for business at the crack of dawn. Preparations wouldn't even be finished before sunrise.
So even if Paul had left right away for the Battle Palace, he'd still have some waiting to do when he got there.
"Thanks for the heads-up, Nurse Joy!"
Grateful, Rosa bolted out of the Pokémon Center and sprinted toward the Battle Palace.
In truth, Paul hadn't gone straight to challenge Spenser after leaving the Center. Instead, he found a quiet spot to release his Pokémon and run some warm-up drills, a simple routine of sparring and conditioning.
While it wasn't a full-on battle, the session revealed one clear result:
Ursaluna dropped one rank in team hierarchy.
Hisuian Samurott climbed one rank.
Ursaluna's fighting style was straightforward—brute strength to overwhelm everything.
That might work against most opponents, but it was hopeless against Samurott's ambush tactics, his two signature techniques of predictive reading, the burst speed granted by Ceaseless Edge, and his precision-critical hits bolstered by his perceptive combat style.
Against that relentless offensive rhythm, Ursaluna couldn't even land a hit, let alone brute-force a win.
If you can't touch your opponent, then no amount of raw power matters.
Before, Samurott's swordsmanship hadn't matured enough to threaten Ursaluna, but now after reaching Elite-level mastery, the tables had turned completely. Ursaluna was now clearly on the receiving end of a beatdown.
Paul didn't mind this development one bit.
Differences in a Pokémon's role or base stats naturally create inter-team counters.
If power rankings stayed static forever, his team would lose all sense of drive.
As Paul finished his morning training, he arrived at what appeared to be an ancient-looking palace nestled deep in the forest. There, standing at the entrance was an elder with deep brown skin, a long white beard, dressed in ceremonial garb from an ancient era. Ancient patterns adorned both his staff and arms, symbols of a time long past.
"Mr. Spenser, sorry to keep you waiting."
Paul approached and greeted him politely.
He had already scheduled today's battle online in advance so there had been no reason to rush.
"Not at all. The morning sun lifts the spirit, it's the perfect time for a battle." Spenser said with a warm smile. "So, would you prefer to fight outdoors amidst nature, or within the palace's indoor arena?"
Unlike typical facilities, Spenser's battlegrounds included both indoor and outdoor options. The indoor arena was standard fare, but the outdoor grounds were scattered throughout the jungle of Metallica Island, a unique feature. Trainers and Frontier Brains could pursue each other through the dense foliage, battling dynamically until one side triumphed.
It was a signature trait of the facility, and many challengers chose the outdoor option for its thrill and immersion.
But Paul was different.
"Indoor battles allow Pokémon to focus better. No need to waste time running around outside."
The idea of battling in the wild had its appeal, but not enough to outweigh Paul's preference for clean, focused combat.
For him, efficiency mattered more than theatrics.
"That's a fair point." Spenser nodded, staff in hand as he began walking toward the palace's interior.
"Wait—wait for me!"
A girl's voice called out from the distance. Both men turned to see a ponytailed young woman running up to them.
"Oh? The girl who lost to me before. Didn't you leave the island? What brings you back?" Spenser asked with a teasing grin.
"… Mr. Spenser, I want to watch the match!" she said, still catching her breath.
"I've got no objections to spectators." Spenser said cheerfully. "But you'll have to get the young man's permission."
"Is that okay?" she asked, pouting as she gazed at Paul.
You said I could watch your match and then you ditched me. You don't think I'd be a little annoyed?
"Whatever. Just start already." Paul replied, brushing it off and turning back to Spenser.
Spenser chuckled but said nothing leading the way inside. Soon, the three arrived in a massive indoor battlefield at the heart of the palace.
"No referee?" Paul asked, surveying the area. Aside from the three of them, the arena was empty—no judges, no automated systems, not even one of those high-tech referee drones used in modern facilities.
"Well, not everyone's willing to live out here in the remote mountains, haha. And truthfully, battles don't always need a ref. Just fight." Spenser laughed heartily as he took his place on the opposite side of the field.
Let's see how he battles up close…
Rosa thought to herself as she quietly settled on the edge of the battlefield, eager to observe.
"The rules are simple, three-on-three. The first side to lose all three Pokémon loses the match. As the challenger, you're free to switch your Pokémon at any time."
With that brief explanation of the battle format, Spenser drew his first Poké Ball and tossed it forward.
"This is my first partner, Lapras!"
"Woooo~"
With a resonant clear cry, Lapras landed gracefully on the battlefield.
"Drapion, ready for battle!"
Paul immediately responded by throwing out his own Poké Ball.
"Draah~"
Drapion crashed down, its massive pincers clamping with audible snaps. Its tail claw curled over its back, already locking into position ready to strike pressure points.
"Pin Missile. Fast!"
"Draah~!"
The moment Paul gave the command, Drapion raised its twin pincers and launched a flurry of sharp Pin Missiles into the sky. At the same time, its tail claw twitched, engaging in its signature pressure-point targeting maneuver.
As Drapion's most proficient long-range move, Pin Missile blanketed nearly the entire sky the instant it was fired, countless needle-like missiles fell like a storm of arrows toward Lapras.
"Let's use Blizzard!" Spenser said with a calm smile.
"Woooo~"
Lapras opened its mouth wide and unleashed a massive powerful Blizzard that swept across the battlefield. The howling winds and icy shards instantly nullified the incoming Pin Missiles, scattering them before they could hit their mark.
Then, without warning, Lapras turned its aim. The blizzard now surged toward Drapion who had already darted forward at high speed, closing the distance in a silent assault.
But the raging storm of ice brought Drapion's advance to a screeching halt.
"Dig." Paul ordered, voice low and firm.
His initial plan to ambush Lapras had been prevented by Spenser's quick reaction. With no choice, Drapion crouched low and burrowed underground, vanishing beneath the surface of the field.
The Blizzard howled past, freezing patches of terrain and sealing over the entrance to Drapion's tunnel, but not reaching its target.
Under normal circumstances, Spenser could have had Lapras fire a Hydro Pump into the tunnel or aimed the Blizzard directly into the opening for a guaranteed hit. Yet he chose neither option. Instead, he simply smiled and waiting patiently for the perfect moment.
After gauging the timing, Spenser finally spoke, his voice was full of confidence:
"That should do it. Lapras, use Fissure!"
"Woooo~"
Though Lapras appeared still, it had been gathering its strength all along.
At Spenser's command, the ground beneath Lapras split open in countless jagged lines, Fissure had been unleashed. The earth cracked apart in every direction, revealing a seemingly bottomless vast beneath. A dreadful force loomed from below, primal and merciless.
As a one-hit KO move, Fissure is notoriously inaccurate. However, by sacrificing raw power for broader range, it's possible to increase the chance of landing a hit.
The fractures widened rapidly. Anything caught within and unable to escape in time would be knocked out instantly.
"Ahh!"
Sure enough, the very moment the Fissure spread across the battlefield, a flash of purple burst out from underground.
It was Drapion.
But Drapion looked far from battle-ready, deep bruises and severe injuries damaged its body. The toll of Fissure was clear.
"Use Ice Beam!"
The instant Drapion was forced out, Lapras launched a frigid beam of ice in hot pursuit.
"Fire Fang, then Hyper Beam!"
"Draaah—!"
At that moment, Drapion had no strength left to dodge. All it could do was raise its three massive pincers in defense and unleash Fire Fang to generate intense flames that just barely countered the incoming Ice Beam.
The gap in power between the two Pokémon was evident, but by fusing all three pincers' Fire Fangs together, Drapion managed to block the attack with great effort.
Even as the clash of moves raged, Drapion let out a piercing roar—Hyper Beam blasting sonic waves directly at Lapras.
"Mist—now!"
Drapion's Hyper Beam landed at just the right moment, just as Lapras was still channeling Ice Beam dealing a bit of damage. However, the move's secondary effect which lowers Special Attack, was neutralized by the ethereal Mist that had already begun to rise around Lapras, shimmering faintly in the air.
Though Hyper Beam didn't land a perfect blow, it succeeded in interrupting Lapras' Ice Beam long enough for Drapion to land back on solid ground.
"Keep your distance—Pin Missile, fire!"
After that exchange, Drapion understood clearly: this Lapras was not only stronger than it was, but also incredibly intelligent—nothing like the half-dormant Legendary Titans from the Tree of Beginning.
With its current state, Drapion knew it couldn't survive even a single direct hit. Facing that reality, it chose the only viable strategy: build up its strength and go for a counterattack.
As soon as it touched down, Drapion activated its enhanced speed, widening the gap between itself and Lapras. It lifted its twin claws and fired a volley of Pin Missiles, while its scorpion-like tail simultaneously began jabbing acupoints in rapid succession, multi-tasking with precision.
"Not that easy! Use Surf, then Blizzard!"
Beneath Lapras, the surrounding water swelled into a massive wave and surged toward Drapion. Riding atop the wave, Lapras opened its mouth and unleashed a brutal Blizzard. The freezing storm tore through the Pin Missiles with ease and kept going, roaring toward Drapion without losing any momentum.
"Dig!"
The acupoint targeting hadn't finished, and Drapion wasn't in any shape to face that Blizzard head-on. Without hesitation, it used Dig and dove beneath the surface to evade damage.
"Hydro Pump!"
As the Blizzard missed its mark, Lapras instantly switched gears. The lingering ice storm around its mouth combined into a high-pressure jet of water—Hydro Pump which it blasted straight into the open tunnel left behind by Dig.
BOOM!
Just as the water struck the hole, the ground behind the retreating wave exploded open. Drapion shot out, soaring tens of meters into the air before landing behind Lapras. Electricity crackled from its three mighty pincers as it lunged at its opponent.
"Confuse Ray!"
Caught off guard by Drapion's sudden reappearance, Lapras had no time to dodge or counterattack. It barely managed to twist its body around and lock eyes with Drapion, releasing an eerie glow straight into its line of sight.
Confuse Ray could induce confusion but even under the mental haze, Drapion, whose focus was honed to a razor's edge, launched its premeditated assault flawlessly.
All three of Drapion's pincers clamped down viciously on Lapras' vital points, yanking it forcefully from beneath the surging wave.
A critical hit!
"Wha—?!"
The two Pokémon crashed to the ground, tangled in a violent struggle. Although Drapion's eyes were now clouded with confusion, its pincers remained locked with relentless force on Lapras' most vulnerable spots.
Paul's Pokémon were unique, either they possessed abilities that allowed them to forcibly resist confusion or they embraced madness, attacking wildly at anything around them. And only after everything else had been destroyed would they even consider turning their frenzy inward.
Which meant Lapras was still taking damage.
"Use Sheer Cold."
Spenser gave the command, voice steady.
Lapras had already taken serious damage from Drapion's triple Thunder Fang combo. But Drapion too, was hanging by a thread.
As an overwhelming chill erupted from Lapras' body, Drapion still dazed and confused, barely struggled before being flash-frozen into a sculpture of ice.
It had lost its ability to battle.
Yet even in defeat, Drapion's three claws remained tightly latched onto Lapras.
"Uuugh…"
As Lapras wrenched itself free from Drapion's frozen grip, a sudden burst of violet gas seeped from its body—
Toxic!
Drapion had prepared the poison the moment it made contact.
And now, as the venom surged through Lapras' weakened body, it collapsed as well—KO'd by the lingering toxin.
"Return, Lapras. You did well."
Spenser recalled Lapras with a quiet word of praise as the Poké Ball closed.
"Well worth training. Get some rest."
Paul recalled Drapion and murmured this to its Poké Ball before tucking it away.
"This is my second Pokémon. Go, Venusaur!"
With that, Spenser sent out his next partner.
"Venaaaar!"
With a thunderous roar, a massive Venusaur landed heavily on the battlefield.
Paul's response was immediate.
"Garchomp, battle stance!"
"GAAAAR!"
With a roar like splitting stone, Garchomp entered the field and eyes locked onto its opponent with feral intensity.
The killing intent was reaching its peak.
"Now's the time—break through in one strike."
Paul's voice was low and firm.
Garchomp had come close to breaking past the limit several times already. This time, the opportunity had truly arrived.
"Gaaaar…"
Lowering its body slightly, Garchomp's eyes opened and shut, only to reveal a blood-red glow surging within them.
Bloodline Mode: activated.
"Venaaaar…"
Sensing the increasingly overwhelming pressure and killing intent radiating from its opponent, Venusaur instinctively took a step back—despite being, by all accounts the stronger of the two.
It took a moment before it realized this unnatural retreat had betrayed its nerves.
(End of Chapter)
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