Mythical Pokémon Era: Global Ascension, Part 19

"Interrupt it—Rock Smash!"

Focus Energy was a status move that enhanced the ability to spot weaknesses and land critical hits for a period of time.

Roy naturally wasn't going to let his opponent stack buffs.

Riolu stepped forward, closing the distance. Its right hand gathered Rock Smash energy before swinging out like a pendulum.

Something strange happened.

Mankey maintained its Focus Energy stance, its feet seeming to slip off the ground as its body tilted backward. Rock Smash swept over its head, and the moment its feet touched down, it straightened back up like a roly-poly toy.

During that process, invisible currents of air flowed into Mankey's body, making its eyes shine brightly.

Focus Energy succeeded!

At close range, neither Trainer had time to issue another command. The Pokémon had to rely on their own initiative to continue the attack.

Mankey folded its three-fingered hands into a palm, gathering Fighting energy before chopping diagonally at Riolu's neck.

—The Karate Chop move.

Riolu neither dodged nor retreated. It answered with another Rock Smash, slashing toward Mankey's waist.

Both took a move head-on and were sent flying more than twenty meters before crashing to the ground.

If a human had taken that hit, several lives wouldn't have been enough.

Yet Riolu and Mankey didn't pause at all. Both sprang back to their feet and glared furiously at each other.

But just as Roy was about to issue his next command, he noticed Riolu's right shoulder trembling slightly.

The damage was worse than expected... Did it get hit in a critical spot?

Roy's Proficient Level reflexes let his brain process information far faster than an ordinary person's—at least much faster than Yang Dong's.

Focus Energy improved one's ability to spot weaknesses... The move itself wasn't frightening. If another contestant tried to use it, Riolu could easily interrupt them.

But Mankey's bizarre evasive movement just now had caused Riolu to suffer badly.

That evasive movement didn't belong to any known move. It was probably some kind of martial art.

A tactic built around Focus Energy...

If Roy had guessed correctly, Yang Dong's next command would still be...

"Focus Energy!"

Yang Dong smiled.

The Shenghai Fighting Gym specialized in Xing Yi Quan, modifying martial arts specifically for all kinds of Fighting-type Pokémon.

This Mankey had only joined a week ago, but it possessed exceptional comprehension. Under Yang Dong's instruction, it had been learning Monkey Form from the Twelve Animal Forms of Xing Yi Quan.

A week of training was far too short. Mankey couldn't possibly have mastered every move of Monkey Form.

At Yang Dong's direction, Mankey had focused on a single evasive move, practicing it to perfection.

A simple tactical setup built around Focus Energy...

Strictly speaking, this little tactic couldn't even be called a system. But one had to remember that the New Star Cup was full of newcomers who had only entered the Trainer path a week ago. In a competition at this level, this tactic was practically a dimensionality reduction strike.

Keep using Focus Energy to improve its ability to exploit weaknesses, then finish the opponent in one blow.

Pokémon skilled at long-range combat might fare better against this tactic, using wide-area AOE moves to force it to reposition.

But for Pokémon skilled in close combat, especially Fighting-type Pokémon lacking long-range options, it was practically a natural enemy.

"Agility."

Roy immediately changed his command.

You used a status move, so I'll use one too. Let's stack buffs together.

Riolu concentrated and applied its Inner Focus to itself.

In the VIP seats, Elite Four Xiao raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Where did it learn Agility? Riolu can't learn that naturally. Are you sure this Roy really came from an ordinary background?"

"An Egg Move?" Principal Fang guessed.

Elite Four Xiao neither confirmed nor denied it, merely commenting, "Agility isn't a move that newbie Pokémon can fully master. The burden is too great. It can't be used as a regular tactic, only as a burst option.

"With this Riolu's Inner Focus, it can only use Agility once. Any more than that, and its Inner Focus will be depleted, causing dizziness. Now we'll see whether its increased speed can break through Mankey's Xing Yi Quan."

"If it can't..."

Then it would lose.

The other man didn't finish, but Professor Xing had already imagined the outcome.

Riolu took a deep breath, then charged at Mankey. Its speed was two levels faster than before.

A sharp Rock Smash swung out once more.

Mankey...

"It dodged it!!"

A wave of startled cries erupted from the audience.

Yes, though it had been extremely close, Mankey had indeed narrowly dodged it.

"It even knows Agility!" Yang Dong had broken into a cold sweat just now. That wasn't a move a newbie Trainer could teach.

Fortunately, even after the boost, the opponent's speed hadn't exceeded Mankey's limit.

But this time, Mankey's Karate Chop failed to hit as well. With Agility boosting it, Riolu was simply too fast.

Still, Yang Dong wasn't worried at all. She had already secured an unbeatable position.

She only needed to stall out the duration of Agility. Mankey only had to use Focus Energy and dodge, so its stamina consumption was far lower than its opponent's.

"Keep going. Focus Energy."

Yang Dong stuck to her tactic.

Once an attack enhanced by repeated Focus Energy landed, she was confident it could take down Riolu in one strike.

"The outcome has been decided," Professor Xing sighed.

What bad luck.

Roy and Riolu's level had exceeded expectations.

If they had faced another recommended student, someone like Lin Shixian, this Riolu would have had every chance of winning. Yet it had run into the natural enemy of Fighting specialists.

Could it be that the dark horse meant to break history still wouldn't appear?

"Riolu, Thunder Punch!"

Roy said.

Had he gone crazy?

That was the first thought that crossed Professor Xing's mind, as well as the minds of the spectators who understood the match.

What use could Thunder Punch possibly have at a time like this?

Only Lin Shixian, who had been staring intently at the Weighted Bracelets on Riolu's hands, suddenly lit up.

—It was coming!

"Chaaah!"

Riolu let out a long cry. Lightning wrapped around its fists as it slammed them together in front of its body.

The electricity conducted through its limbs.

Only faint arcs of lightning remained flickering over its fur.

Bang!

A chair was abruptly knocked over as Elite Four Xiao shot to his feet, shock written across his face.

"A self-created move?!"

Once Pokémon reached a certain threshold of strength, they would naturally comprehend new moves and skills.

Every move that all types of Pokémon could learn had been recorded in a book called the "Skill Encyclopedia."

The moves listed in the "Skill Encyclopedia" were collectively known as natural moves.

Moves not listed in the "Skill Encyclopedia," developed through human training, created from nothing, or derived from natural moves, were collectively known as self-created moves.

Self-created moves weren't necessarily stronger than natural moves.

However, Pokémon and Trainers who possessed self-created moves had undoubtedly carved out their own path.

Professional-level Trainers basically all possessed their own self-created moves. It wasn't rare.

But those were Professional-level Trainers...

This battle was only an entrance test for Pokémon University.

Pokémon and Trainers who had only just begun their Trainer path a week ago—what gave them the right to master self-created moves?

"Quick Attack!"

The moment Roy's words fell, Riolu shot forward like an arrow.

Mankey's expression changed drastically. It abandoned its Focus Energy stance and hurriedly dodged. But with Riolu now completely overwhelming it in speed, how could it possibly be allowed to escape? Another practiced Rock Smash swung out.

Mankey barely raised its arms to block. The tremendous force drove its feet into the ground, carving a trench two meters long.

The next second, a cry of agony rang out.

Riolu leapt again, and a Metal Claw raked across Mankey's face, leaving behind a horrifying scar the size of a bowl.

In the VIP seats, Xiao Rong gave Roy a deep look, then smiled.

"Old Fang, your school's history is about to be broken."

Principal Fang said nothing. The way he looked at Roy was like an antique collector looking at an uncarved piece of jade, filled with admiration and affection.

They both knew the battle was over.

With just the boost from Agility, Mankey could still resist using the martial principle of overcoming hardness with softness. But once that Electric attribute self-created move was unleashed, Riolu's physical abilities improved even further, becoming the final straw that broke the camel's back.