Nemo's First Battle

Pepper jolted when Luo Mu called his name. He looked around, unsure how he'd been found, but Luo Mu's gaze was fixed squarely on the spot where he was temporarily hiding.

After hesitating for a moment, Pepper made his way over to Luo Mu and Nemo, his face full of indecision.

Seeing him like this, Luo Mu knew he was still agonizing over what had happened earlier. What a stubborn kid, he grumbled to himself.

Nemo, by contrast, was the complete opposite of Pepper. She studied him for a moment, immediately remembered who he was, and waved energetically at him as he approached. "Isn't that Pepper from Class G?"

"You're..." Pepper looked up when she called his name. After staring at Nemo for a while, he ventured uncertainly, "Nemo from Class A?"

Nemo put her hands on her hips. "Didn't we have a few classes together before? You forgot what I looked like that quickly?"

"No. You've changed so much, I'd be amazed if I recognized you at a glance!"

Pepper remembered Nemo before the holidays as a cute girl from the neighboring class who wore her hair in twin tails. She was worlds apart from the energetic girl standing before him now, who practically sparkled from head to toe, the only thing unchanged being her fair skin.

How to put it? It was like she'd suddenly grown from a childish little kid into someone a bit more mature.

Nemo pouted and muttered, "The teacher recognized me right away."

"What was that?" Pepper perked up his ears, apparently unable to make out Nemo's faint murmur.

Just then, a hand settled on each of their shoulders. Luo Mu glanced toward the open battle court beside the sports field. "Didn't you want to battle? There's a spot open over there."

Luo Mu stood on the left side of the court and called to Nemo on the other side. "The rules are a one-on-one Single Battle, with False Swipe rules. Is that okay?"

Nemo nodded firmly. "Of course!"

Pepper, standing between them, looked rather dispirited.

It wasn't just that Luo Mu was treating him as casually as ever, making Pepper feel like a fool for agonizing over things for so long. It was also the job he'd been given.

"It's just a friendly match. Does it really matter if there's a referee?" Pepper complained.

"Having a sense of occasion matters too," Luo Mu called back. Then he turned to Nemo. "Is it okay if you battle my Growlithe?"

At Luo Mu's call, Growlithe, who had been lying on the ground in boredom, sprang up and trotted onto the court.

"Is that... a Growlithe?" Nemo blinked. This Growlithe looked quite different from the one she remembered. Still, that didn't stop her from eagerly sending out Sprigatito to face it.

Luo Mu spread his hands. "You can go first."

Nemo nodded. Her heartbeat gradually quickened, but strangely, she wasn't nervous at all. She felt only a surging excitement well up inside her.

Her gaze sharpened, and she waved her hand. "Thunder Shock!"

Sprigatito squeezed its eyes shut and strained with all its might. The electric sacs on its cheeks flickered with a few faint sparks, then, a few seconds later, a thin golden current burst forth.

The three- or four-second windup, not to mention its tightly shut eyes—everything about it showed that Nemo and Sprigatito were still complete novices.

Luo Mu calmly uttered two words: "Dodge it."

Growlithe stepped to the side, easily avoiding the Thunder Shock, which had been somewhat off target.

If not for the current's naturally incredible speed, the attack would have looked like slow motion to Growlithe.

Nemo wasn't discouraged by the miss. She immediately ordered Sprigatito to use Quick Attack. Wrapped in white light, it charged toward Growlithe.

"Take the hit, then use Howl," Luo Mu said.

As a Rock-type Pokémon, Growlithe could easily withstand Sprigatito's attack.

Sprigatito rammed headfirst into Growlithe's igneous-rock mane, pushing Growlithe back half a meter.

Growlithe ignored the attack. A glint flashed in its eyes beneath its fur as it raised its head and howled at the sky.

In the next instant, a faint red glow surrounded Growlithe as its strength increased. When Sprigatito charged again, Growlithe braced itself and headbutted it head-on!

"Sprigatito!"

A dull ache shot through Sprigatito where they had collided, and Growlithe sent it flying. Its body hurtled backward beyond its control.

Sprigatito hit the ground. Dust clung to its formerly sleek, orange fur, leaving it looking a little battered.

"Sprigatito!" Nemo cried in concern, covering her mouth. Sprigatito struggled back to its feet and gave Nemo a few determined cries, seemingly telling her not to worry and showing that it still had plenty of fight left.

Nemo seemed naturally suited to battle. She nodded firmly, her face intent, and called out, "We have to prove our strength to the teacher! Use Mach Punch on Growlithe!"

Nemo remembered her father's special instructions when he had entrusted Sprigatito to her. He had emphasized that Sprigatito had a unique quality.

Its Ability was Iron Fist, which boosted the power of punching moves. What's more, Sprigatito had known Mach Punch ever since it hatched from its Pokémon Egg. The two together made it Nemo and Sprigatito's strongest means of attack.

Sprigatito pushed itself upright on its hind legs. Its wide, innocent eyes turned sharp, and its paw-like hands clenched into fists as white light enveloped them.

Sprigatito dashed in front of Growlithe, gusts of air swirling around its fists as it rapidly punched at its opponent!

Growlithe endured the rapid punches. Even with its tough body, it could feel the pain of the super-effective attacks.

Luo Mu's eyes lit up slightly. Throughout the battle with Nemo, he had simply been responding to each of her moves. He'd wanted to see how much fighting strength Nemo and Sprigatito could display.

The results were encouraging. Their commands and battle awareness were still quite immature, but Luo Mu could already see the talent they possessed.

Now that he had reached his conclusion, there was no need to hold back anymore.

Of the moves Growlithe currently knew, it had two that could counter Sprigatito: the Egg Move Double-Edge and the move it had learned naturally, Flame Wheel.

Growlithe had only been born three days ago. Double-Edge would put a heavy strain on its body, and it could also leave Sprigatito seriously injured. Luo Mu quickly made his decision and called out, "Growlithe, counter with Flame Wheel!"

Enduring Sprigatito's attacks, Growlithe quickly curled itself into a wheel and flames swept over its body.

The heat from the flames made Sprigatito stop attacking despite itself. By then, Growlithe had finished building up its Flame Wheel. The rapidly spinning wheel of fire slammed straight into Sprigatito and sent it flying!