Mythical Pokémon Era: Global Ascension — Part 11

"However, once Riolu evolves into Lucario, this weakness will vanish completely."

"But for now, we can't keep going like this."

Roy's eyes flashed. Faced with his opponent's formidable strength, he made a decision.

"Riolu, release—"

"Cha!"

His words were interrupted by Riolu's long cry.

The next moment, lightning began to crackle around Riolu's fists.

"Thunder Punch? Riolu actually knows that move..."

Lin Shixian looked surprised, then confused.

What use could Thunder Punch, a close-combat move, have in this situation?

Forget Thunder Punch—even a long-range Electric-type move couldn't change the situation.

Grass-type energy countered Electric-types.

The next moment, under their astonished gazes, Riolu suddenly slammed his fists together in front of himself!

"Crackle—!"

The currents collided. There was no explosion, no clash—they conducted!

Lightning surged through Riolu's body, spreading from his hands throughout his entire frame.

Lin Shixian stared dumbfounded.

What kind of maneuver was that?

I'm electrifying myself?

Riolu wasn't an Electric-type Pokémon. He couldn't charge himself.

Was this... self-harm?

At that moment, only Roy suddenly understood what Riolu wanted to do.

This was...

"Lightning Body Tempering in combat..."

Lightning stimulated the cells and increased their vitality. It could not only improve the efficiency of physical training, but also provide a certain boost to one's physical abilities.

However.

Using Lightning Body Tempering in battle required far greater control over electrical currents than using it during training.

Otherwise, one lapse in concentration would mean self-harm!

Could Riolu really be that confident?

Roy felt encouraged.

Meanwhile, Lin Shixian watched in confusion as Riolu charged forward again!

"Vine Whip."

He cautiously chose to continue using Vine Whip as a disruptive control tactic.

But in the next instant, a look of horror appeared on his face.

The Vine Whips descended where he had predicted Riolu would be, but halfway through their swing, Riolu's speed suddenly rose to another level.

In an instant, Riolu caught up to the falling Vine Whips.

"Riolu, use Endure!"

Riolu raised both hands and precisely caught the two descending Vine Whips.

The immense force made his body sink, leaving two deep footprints beneath his feet.

The Endure skill weakened the enemy's damage. Without needing his Trainer's command, Riolu suddenly exerted force with both hands.

"Bulbasaur, hold—"

Before Lin Shixian could finish saying "hold on," Bulbasaur's defense completely collapsed.

An irresistible force yanked Bulbasaur straight out of the ground and sent him flying toward Riolu.

"Use Vine Whip to protect yourself!" Lin Shixian immediately changed his command, having Bulbasaur form a defensive barrier in front of himself with his other two Vine Whips.

Roy shouted:

"Counter!"

Under game mechanics, Counter dealt fixed damage equal to twice the physical damage the user had last received.

No matter how high a Pokémon's level was, it could only deal that small amount of fixed damage.

In reality, that clearly didn't conform to scientific principles.

Thus, in this world, the principle of Counter was to strike back with the energy the opponent had left behind in one's body not long ago, combined with one's own strength.

The enemy's power, added to my own power.

That was what made it double!

Riolu's entire body glowed. This was the kinetic energy left behind by the Vine Whips.

The light gathered around his head. Then Riolu delivered a Headbutt, smashing viciously toward the incoming Bulbasaur.

"BOOM—!!!!!"

The dust settled.

At the center of a three-meter-wide crater, Bulbasaur had completely passed out. Riolu stood proudly, tiny electric arcs flickering around his body as he began to show his true prowess.

He turned around and looked at Roy with excitement and anticipation.

Roy grinned excitedly and answered with an approving look.

"Bulbasaur has lost the ability to battle. The winner is Competitor Roy!"

It wasn't until three minutes after Roy had left the arena that Lin Shixian spoke as if in a dream.

"I... lost?"

There wasn't much disbelief in his voice, only a dazed inability to understand.

It wasn't as though Lin Shixian had never lost before. When he was young, he had borrowed his parents' Pokémon to battle others his age, and he had lost plenty of times.

But those he had lost to were all second-generation Trainers with deep family foundations, never lacking resources or education!

Only someone whose parents were at least Professional-level Trainers could be considered a second-generation Trainer.

Lin Shixian had never lost to anyone his age who came from an ordinary family.

Before meeting Roy, his record of thirty-two battles and thirty-two victories at the Pokémon Center had been enough to prove everything.

"What exactly is going on with him and that Riolu?"

Lin Shixian calmed down and began reviewing the battle.

As a Trainer, Roy's decisions and commands during battle had been very immature, which fit his background perfectly.

His victory had relied entirely on Riolu's astonishing capabilities.

But a Pokémon's ability was a Trainer's ability. Their hearts and bodies were one, and the two could never be discussed separately.

Weren't Trainers who specialized in nurturing Pokémon development known as Pokémon Breeders?

"Compared to a Trainer, he's more like a Breeder."

That was Lin Shixian's conclusion.

But then a new question arose.

How could Roy, who came from an ordinary family, raise Riolu so exceptionally well?

Where had he gotten the resources? Where had he gotten the methods to nurture him?

Did he have some kind of cheat?

Or was he so handsome that some female Trainer was keeping him?

Huh? Should I get plastic surgery too?

Lin Shixian shook his head, brushing those absurd thoughts from his mind.

"Maybe there really are geniuses in this world who defy common sense."

"But he wasn't overwhelmingly strong. If Riolu hadn't suddenly erupted, I should have won this battle."

That was the only way Lin Shixian could comfort himself.

He packed up his things and prepared to take Bulbasaur for treatment when he suddenly recalled something that had happened during the battle.

"Riolu, release—"

That had been Roy's unfinished command during their stalemate.

Release what?

Could it be...

He was still hiding something?

Realizing a certain possibility, Lin Shixian shivered slightly, but he quickly dismissed his own speculation with a laugh.

Riolu's injuries weren't serious. After resting in the treatment pod for a while, he was quickly restored to full health.

It was Roy's first time seeing a treatment pod, and this black technology left him clicking his tongue in amazement.

Seeing his curious expression, Su Yan smiled and explained, "Pokémon power has brought us many changes. This treatment pod too... I heard it was created by analyzing the energy of certain healing moves and combining it with human technology."