I let out a deep breath. This feeling of being led by the enemy was so different from my style. It was really unpleasant.
"You are worthy of being the strong enemy I recognize." Thinking solemnly, Raiji threw out his last Poké Ball confidently.
"Go, Staraptor!"
As soon as Staraptor emerged, it was hurt by the invisible Stealth Rock, though only slightly.
Raiji, eager for battle, suddenly felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. This was outrageous. How many traps had been set up by that Forretress?
Tetsuya tilted his head slightly and looked at his Blaziken. Aside from the energy drain from its own attacks, it seemed completely unaffected.
Then let it continue.
Still, a Flying-type was a tough matchup for Blaziken.
"Flamethrower!"
A classic opening move.
Tetsuya was starting to enjoy these moments more and more—when he didn't have to overthink every action.
"Aerial Ace!"
Raiji commanded Staraptor to charge at Blaziken.
There was no alternative. Pokémon like Staraptor thrived in close combat, unlike Pidgeot, which had a variety of mid-range and long-range moves at its disposal.
With a white glow, Staraptor skillfully maneuvered through the air, dodging Blaziken's fiery attack with practiced ease.
As it closed in, each Stealth Rock was shattered by the energy surrounding Staraptor.
The energy trail from Aerial Ace not only boosted its momentum but also shielded it from weaker attacks.
"Take it." Tetsuya's expression hardened. "Counter!"
Raiji's eyes widened in shock.
Staraptor slammed into Blaziken, causing it to cry out in pain.
But the warrior instinct within Blaziken kicked in instantly. Gritting its teeth, it dug its feet into the ground, preventing itself from being knocked back.
Then, it retaliated with a powerful double-fisted strike, landing a direct hit on Staraptor's back as it flew past at low altitude.
"Starraaa!"
The sudden force sent Staraptor crashing into the ground, momentarily unable to move.
"Charge forward—Thunder Punch!"
Tetsuya was incredibly grateful he had taught Blaziken Thunder Punch. It was invaluable against Flying- and Water-types.
"Close Combat!" "Starraaa!"
Raiji and Staraptor responded fiercely, catching Tetsuya off guard.
Rather than retreating into the sky to dodge the Thunder Punch, they went all-in with Close Combat, sacrificing defense for an all-out assault.
With its defenses lowered, Staraptor took a direct hit from Thunder Punch and let out a pained cry.
But Blaziken wasn't in much better shape. Close Combat's sheer power was greater than Thunder Punch's, and the damage it took was just as severe as what Staraptor had endured from the electric attack.
The two Pokémon clashed furiously, Fighting-type energy glowing white, Electric-type energy crackling yellow, their red and brown feathers interwoven in the melee.
With a final violent collision, Staraptor gasped and retreated into the air, its feathers ruffled and disheveled.
Blaziken flipped backward several times to create some distance, its body covered in wounds.
Tetsuya narrowed his eyes. "Heat Wave!"
"Double Team—spread out!" Raiji countered swiftly.
Blaziken steadied itself and unleashed a scorching wave of air toward the sky.
Staraptor held its breath and created dozens of clones, scattering in all directions.
The heat wave chased after them, dispelling the shadowy illusions one by one.
After the exchange, neither Pokémon had gained an advantage.
For a moment, the battlefield was at a standstill.
Staraptor hovered above, glaring at Blaziken below. Blaziken stood firm, ready to react to any movement.
Tetsuya spoke first, breaking the silence. "Focus Energy."
If you don't move, I won't move either. At worst, I'll just boost my crit chance.
After all, Staraptor didn't have any status moves. At most, it could use Agility, but Blaziken wasn't without tricks either.
"Quick Attack—then Brave Bird!"
This was the moment Raiji had been waiting for.
Status moves took time and couldn't be interrupted mid-use.
"Dodge!"
Hearing Tetsuya's order, Raiji closely observed Blaziken's reaction.
He knew about its Speed Boost ability and wasn't entirely confident that Staraptor could land a hit before Blaziken reacted.
Staraptor put all its strength into its charge, streaking toward Blaziken at breakneck speed.
Blaziken stood motionless, gathering its focus.
Then, in an instant, it leaped into the air.
"Boom!"
That wasn't the sound of Blaziken being struck—it was the sound of Staraptor crashing into the ground.
"Bounce."
Amidst the swirling dust, Tetsuya trusted that Blaziken had tracked Staraptor's landing spot.
Without hesitation, Blaziken launched itself toward where it had last seen its opponent.
"Reckless Attack!" Raiji ordered, his eyes flashing with determination.
Tetsuya frowned. Was this really necessary?
As Blaziken's attack connected, Staraptor's stamina was pushed to its absolute limit. But it still managed to retaliate with a last-ditch Reckless Attack, dealing one final blow to Blaziken.
Both Pokémon collapsed onto the ground, unable to move, staring at each other with exhausted eyes.
Tetsuya sighed and recalled Blaziken.
"Go, Pidgeot."
Pidgeot soared into the air, its sharp gaze locked onto the fallen Staraptor.
"Use Gust."
As Tetsuya's final command rang out, Pidgeot whipped up a powerful gust of wind, sending it surging toward Staraptor.
Staraptor could only let out a final cry before it succumbed, losing the battle.
The referee raised his hand immediately.
"Staraptor is unable to battle! Pidgeot is the winner!
With all three of Raiji's Pokémon defeated, the victory goes to Tetsuya Tamaki from Pewter Gym!"
"It was an incredible match. I hope we can battle again in the Quartz Conference's unrestricted division." Raiji stepped forward, shook hands with Tetsuya with a forced smile, then turned away to take his Pokémon for treatment.
Tetsuya watched him leave without saying anything. This guy was a solid opponent, aside from the occasional dumb moment and his behavior eerily similar to his younger brother, Paul.
Handing his Pokémon off to an attendant to be taken to Nurse Joy, Tetsuya stepped onto the podium as the host called him forward.
"Now, it's time to present our championship prizes!
The winner will receive an Evolution Stone of their choice, generously sponsored by the Eevee Brothers of Stone Town, and a Charcoal boosting Fire-type moves by 10%!"
Even though Tetsuya already knew the rewards, he still felt a surge of excitement.
The crowd, which had just been cheering for his victory, fell into hushed whispers upon hearing the announcement.
Even among this wealthy audience, there was envy. The usual sponsorship only included an Evolution Stone.
After all, the Eevee Brothers had more than enough Evolution Stones to spare.
But the addition of a Charcoal with a 10% boost? That was a rare stroke of luck.
As the sun set, dusk enveloped the entire Vermilion City harbor, and the S.S. Anne docked at the port.
Tetsuya stepped off the boat and stretched, finally ending his journey.
At the party after the tournament, he met many trainers his age and exchanged contacts with them. The next two days were spent in a relaxed routine—chatting, swimming, playing games, and snacking together.
Every afternoon, he went fishing for Pokémon, chatting with experienced trainers and learning from them. The days passed like this.
To be honest, this kind of laid-back life was enjoyable for a day or two, but after five days, he couldn't stand it anymore. In his past life, he would have collapsed from the monotony, but in this life, his adventurous spirit burned too strongly. Now, all he wanted was to train and travel.
Rest? What even is that?
So, the moment the S.S. Anne docked, he said his goodbyes and couldn't wait to get off the ship. If he stayed any longer, there would be endless small talk and formalities.
The feeling of solid ground beneath his feet was comforting. Tetsuya sighed in relief.
He hurried toward the Pokémon Center, hoping there were still rooms available. If not, he'd have to find a B&B or hotel.
Remembering that he had a Leaf Stone waiting for him at the Pokémon Center, his mood lifted, and his steps grew lighter.
Upon arrival, he asked Nurse Joy about room availability. Fortunately, there were a few left, so he quickly booked one.
After handing over his ID, he mentioned the package he was expecting. Once his identity was confirmed, Nurse Joy retrieved a beautifully decorated brocade box from under the counter and handed it to him.
Tetsuya discreetly checked the contents before thanking Nurse Joy and heading to his room. After all, flaunting wealth in public was never a good idea. He wasn't about to stand in the lobby, open the box, and foolishly announce that he had just hit the jackpot.
The Leaf Stone wasn't for immediate use but was a key part of his long-term plans.
Stonejourner only needed special rocks to grow, and no evolution stones had been found that matched its attributes. Many Pokémon researchers believed that unique natural stones were the best substitutes for evolution stones when it came to Rock- and Ground-type Pokémon. These special rocks didn't just enhance their evolution but provided various boosts beyond simple energy increases.
Blaziken, on the other hand, could use a Fire Stone to accelerate its growth. However, Tetsuya felt that his Blaziken was already progressing fast enough. Any faster, and it might struggle to control its own power.
He also needed to ensure that all six Pokémon in his main team developed evenly. Favoring only one or two would create an imbalance and ultimately be detrimental.
That's why he had chosen the Leaf Stone as his tournament reward—because his fourth Pokémon was planned to be a Grass-type.
Of course, all of this would have to wait until Blaziken and Stonejourner reached their final evolutions. There was no rush.
That also meant the Leaf Stone would be in his possession for a while, which was a bit of a security risk.
After some thought, Tetsuya pulled out his watch and made a call.
Beep—
"Hello, this is Brock."
"Don't play dumb. I know you've already heard the news," Tetsuya rolled his eyes—though Brock couldn't see it anyway. "I chose the Leaf Stone. I'll send it over later; you can pick it up when it arrives tomorrow."
"Alright, no problem. You could've just messaged me about this." Brock chuckled.
"Yeah, well, I mostly called to follow up on that thing you asked me to look into. The Leaf Stone is just a side note."
Tetsuya sat down on the sofa.
"Right, about that... First off, it does exist." Brock hesitated for a moment before continuing.
The background noise on his end disappeared, indicating that he had moved to a quieter location.
"I did some research, and the technology is real, but it's in its infancy. Right now, there's no hope of success. The funding is minimal, and only a handful of companies are even experimenting with it. Even Pewter Gym is letting its researchers explore it without any serious investment. After all, reviving fossils is practically reversing time and creating life—it's incredibly difficult.
Honestly, I didn't even know about it until you asked. How did you even come up with this?"
"Nothing special," Tetsuya replied calmly. "A rookie challenged my Blaziken, and I won a small prize. Plus, I vaguely remember reading some papers on the topic, so I thought I'd ask you to look into it."
"Huh, makes sense. Oh, and there's also an update on that favor I asked my uncle about."
Brock's voice suddenly grew excited, like he had just remembered something important.
"...You don't have to yell, I'm not deaf," Tetsuya deadpanned.
"Hehe," Brock laughed awkwardly. "So, my uncle, Gehao, said he'd be happy to give your Stonejourner some pointers when he returns. He's in a really remote area right now, and it took me a lot of effort to get in touch with him."
Tetsuya hummed in acknowledgment. "I'll send you my finalized training plan for your Geodude later. I finished it while I was on the ship."
"Awesome! Geodude's been slacking off lately, so this is perfect timing to whip him into shape."
"Alright then, talk later. I'm hanging up."
"Got it. Later."
Tetsuya ended the call, mulling over what Brock had just told him.
So, fossil resurrection technology was still in its early stages. The timeline for its development was unclear, and so was its feasibility. Betting on fossil investments was a risky move—technological advancement wouldn't wait for his convenience.
There were also major unknowns: How big did a fossil need to be for successful revival? Did the amount of DNA within it affect the resulting Pokémon?
Too many variables. Too many risks.
Making money wasn't going to be as easy as he had hoped.
After thinking it through, he decided to put this plan on hold. He didn't have the funds to gamble on something so uncertain.
At best, if the technology ever succeeded, Brock would remember their conversation and let him in on the action.
Still, fossils were already valuable. If revival technology became a reality, their prices would skyrocket. If he could get his hands on some before that, he could turn a huge profit.
For now, though, this money-making idea was dead in the water.
Sighing, he concluded that he wouldn't be heading to the Rock Tunnel anytime soon. The ancient Pokémon down there were likely far more dangerous than the sanitized versions seen in games and anime. He wasn't about to risk getting eaten alive.
Besides, sneaking into a major fossil excavation site was a logistical nightmare.
His best bet? A strong Psychic-type Pokémon. That would make everything easier.
If only he had started with a Psychic-type, he'd already be soaring to the top.
At least there was one silver lining—Brock's uncle, Gehao, was willing to mentor him. As a wandering expert who rivaled Gym Leaders, Gehao was a powerhouse, with a Tyranitar that truly lived up to its title as the Desert Tyrant.
Maybe luck was on his side after all.
Tomorrow morning, he'd send the Leaf Stone to Pewter Gym and then figure out his next move.
With six months until the Indigo League, should he challenge the Vermilion Gym next?