"Charmeleon, use Smokescreen to cover for Gastly's sneak attack!"
Raaa—
Charmeleon still had the strength to use heavy-hitting moves, but the narrow space was a problem. To avoid any explosive reactions between Fire-type and Poison-type attacks, Kazuki decided to keep Charmeleon in a support role and let Gastly take the lead.
"Gastly! Finish with Shadow Ball!"
Their opponent was a wild Pokémon, so Kazuki didn't bother holding back—he gave the full combo straight away.
Since Gastly couldn't smell the Stench from Muk, the Poison-type's odor-based attacks were only half as effective. Even though the wild Muk was high-level, it couldn't withstand the coordinated assault of these two battle-hardened Pokémon.
But this Muk was clearly the stubborn type. Even as it was being pinned down from both sides, it still forced out a Sludge Bomb! Filthy, reeking black muck exploded in all directions.
Taking advantage of the chaos while Gastly and Charmeleon dodged, Muk leapt into the nearby water channel, trying to use the murky current to escape Charmeleon's attack range.
The water was clouded, and once Muk sank below the surface, Gastly lost track of its presence.
Then suddenly—Muk burst out of the water, lunging straight at the floating Gastly!
But just as it reached midair, Muk froze in place.
Kazuki flicked his fingers—and Muk was crushed into a shapeless heap, then slammed back down onto the floor.
"I might not have a Psychic-type Pokémon that directly counters you, but I do have psychic powers."
"Charmeleon, use Flamethrower! Gastly, hit it with Shadow Ball!"
Stunned by Kazuki's psychic strike, Muk was instantly overwhelmed by the follow-up attacks from Charmeleon and Gastly. In no time, it was knocked into a weakened state.
A Poké Ball flew out—click!
Kazuki successfully captured the boss Muk that had caused the whole disturbance.
[Pokémon: Muk]
[Base Stats: 500]
[Level: Lv38 (Elite Rank)]
[Potential: Elite Four Tier]
[Ability: Poison Touch — Has a chance to poison on contact!]
[Moves: Sludge Wave, Sludge Bomb, Screech, and more!]
Level 38 with Elite Four-tier potential!
Once Kazuki saw the stat panel, he immediately understood how this Muk had dared to go toe-to-toe with two highly trained Pokémon.
It wasn't just the level or potential—it had the rare Poison Touch ability. If it managed to grab hold of its opponent even once, it could easily poison them and swing the battle in its favor.
If Muk had landed a single hit on Charmeleon or Gastly, it might've won.
Unfortunately, Kazuki had been careful. He'd kept Charmeleon at just the right distance, dodging Muk's reach, while Gastly stayed ghostly and unpredictable, impossible to pin down.
Muk had even tried to pull off a sneak attack in the murky water—but was stopped cold by Kazuki's Aura power and psychic abilities.
You had to give it credit—Muk gave it everything it had. Too bad its signature stench had zero effect in this particular fight.
If this had been a rookie trainer, they'd have passed out before they even threw a Poké Ball.
With Muk now captured, the emergency mission was completed successfully.
[Congratulations, host, for resolving the Gringey City Power Plant crisis and capturing the boss Muk responsible!]
[Zapdos's initial favorability increased by 50 points.]
[Heartfelt Reputation +1]
Seeing the rewards pop up, Kazuki knew there was no need to check the rest of the tunnels. He took Gastly and Charmeleon back to the Pokémon Center.
"Thank you so much! If it weren't for you—wait, huh?" Nurse Joy stepped forward, but the moment she got close, she pinched her nose shut.
"Did you… did you all help with maintenance in the Power Plant's sewage system or something?"
"That smell is something else! You should all take a shower—your Pokémon are recovering right now!"
"Huh? Smell?" Misty and Suzie both leaned in to sniff themselves.
"I don't think I smell bad at all! Actually, I think I smell pretty good!"
"I think it's probably this guy." Kazuki pulled out the Poké Ball containing Muk.
"Urgh—blegh—ugh! I-it's that one!" Nurse Joy quickly backed away a few steps.
Kazuki laughed and put the ball away. "Alright, I get it. Guess it's time for a deep scrub. Charmeleon and Gastly could use a little spa day anyway."
Still holding her nose, Joy rushed forward to grab the two Poké Balls, then bolted a safe distance away.
"All set! Go ahead and freshen up! If you want Muk to recover as well, just mark it and leave it at the counter—I'll take care of it once I've, uh… braced myself!"
She finished her sentence and ran off before the smell could catch up.
Kazuki frowned and stared at Muk's Poké Ball in his hand.
…Is it really that bad?
My Heartfelt Reputation just went up by one, and now Nurse Joy's favorability looks like it's plummeting!
If I carry Muk around every day, there's no way I'm passing any future girlfriend compatibility checks!
Sure, Elite Four-tier potential is great and all—but let's just leave this one for Professor Oak to level up.
I believe in you, Professor! You've got this!
After some serious consideration, Kazuki decided to ship Muk back to Professor Oak's lab after he finished researching Poison-type battle tactics.
…
Once the Pokémon had fully recovered, Kazuki resumed his research on Poison-type matchups.
"Whoa… Kazuki, your Muk is really strong!"
"It held its own against three Pokémon in a row! That's nuts!"
"…Is that a genuine compliment?" Kazuki turned to glance at Misty, who was standing a good ten meters away.
"Ha—ha ha… O-of course I mean it! That strength is real, no doubt!" Misty laughed nervously.
"Yesterday I thought Nurse Joy was overreacting, but… nope. That smell really is brutal!"
She wasn't wrong. Kazuki, despite building up some resistance to the stench, still needed to rely on the custom perfume Erika had given him just to finish the fight.
And that premium perfume—legendary for its scent-masking power and absurd allure—was not something he wanted to waste masking Muk.
"You did great, Muk. Time to rest!" Kazuki recalled the Muk and sent it off to Professor Oak's lab.
As soon as the stinky ball was gone, Misty practically skipped over.
"Hehehe~ Kazuki, it's not like I hate your Muk or anything!"
"It's just… it was really stinky, okay? Reflexes and all!"
"If you're researching Poison-types, you've still got Nidoran and Nidorino, right?"
"I'll help you catch some next time!"
Misty giggled and swung his arm back and forth playfully.
"I get it, I get it. But if Muk stops being stinky… doesn't that also take away half its power?"
"I've got the feed all prepped!" Suzie piped up from nearby. She saw Misty clinging to Kazuki and figured Muk must've been sent away, so she jogged over.
They'd packed more food than usual, and her backpack was heavier than expected. She tripped as she approached—momentum carrying her straight into Kazuki.
Kazuki stepped sideways and caught her by the waist.
Suzie was wearing a tight-fitting white undershirt today, and with the collision, her chest pressed firmly into him. He couldn't help but notice how soft she felt.
…
Suzie flushed and quickly pulled away. "S-sorry, Kazuki! The backpack was really heavy and I… I lost my balance!"
Ever since being exposed to Kazuki's premium perfume back at the power plant, Suzie's temporary attraction had started to become something a bit more… permanent.
Every time she got close, her mind would scatter. That brief moment of being in his arms had her heart pounding like crazy.
Misty noticed Suzie's blushing face and smirked, quietly brainstorming how she could help Kazuki win this one too.
"No worries. Here, split the food with me—I'll carry half." Kazuki unzipped his own bag and started transferring the load.
Misty gave him a thumbs-up for his gentlemanly behavior and began helping with the transfer as well.
"I'll carry some too!"
"Wait—Misty, don't take so much! It's heavy!" Suzie looked worried for her friend's slim figure.
But even though Misty was younger and smaller, she was way stronger than she looked.
As Suzie watched Kazuki and Misty working together to help her out, she felt her heart warm.
I really want to be part of their world…
Kazuki and Misty were both pro-poly, so that wasn't the issue. But how was she supposed to get there?
Just jump him?
No no no—that's way too much! He'd think I was… that kind of girl!
Better to test the waters. Start with some emotional connection…
A kiss. Then a hug. And then… that.
Yes. That's the order! That's the plan!
Kazuki wouldn't even need to make a move. Misty was already plotting ways to get Suzie closer.
And Suzie… well, she was already halfway through her own mental strategy guide.
And just like that, the dynamic between the three of them began to shift in a subtle, unmistakable way.
After dividing the food, the trio continued on their journey toward Fuchsia City.
Laughing, chatting—their little group warm and cheerful.
But back in Pallet Town, Professor Oak... was about to stop smiling.
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