Mythical Pokémon Era: Global Ascension

"Sand Veil Ability!" the commentator shouted. "In a sandstorm, Sandshrew blends into its surroundings like a chameleon, making it extremely difficult to spot. Just like in the top-eight match, Competitor Huo Qing has used his weather strategy again!"

"How will Competitor Roy respond?"

Roy's response was to adapt to all changes by remaining unchanged.

In the games, during a sandstorm, Pokémon other than Rock-, Ground-, and Steel-types would take damage.

But in reality, which was not turn-based, relying on a sandstorm alone to inflict damage was only possible if the opponent was far, far weaker.

Riolu: Oh! Am I an idiot? I'll just stand still and let your sandstorm blow all over me?

Weather strategies were a classic and popular tactic.

Although it was Roy's first time encountering one, experts had long analyzed this overused tactic from high-level leagues online.

The simplest way to counter a weather strategy was to overwrite it with another kind of weather.

—Fight weather with weather.

The weather specialist with greater mastery over weather moves would seize the initiative.

That option was out. Riolu was not a weather specialist.

The other methods were somewhat difficult for a newbie Trainer, but Roy had prepared for them long ago.

He gave no command. Like Riolu, he stared intently at the sandstorm-shrouded battlefield.

A faint azure glow surfaced in Roy's eyes.

As though sensing the arrival of a certain moment, Roy suddenly spoke.

"Lightning Charge!"

A simplified command, as the name implied, was Lightning Body Tempering plus Agility.

Riolu slammed its fists together. Lightning coursed through its entire body as it simultaneously completed Agility.

"Hm?" Elite Four Xiao exclaimed in surprise.

Before he could say anything, Roy swept out his hand and grinned excitedly like a hunter who had spotted his prey.

"Seven o'clock! Rock Smash!"

"What—?!" Huo Qing's expression changed drastically as he hurriedly shouted, "Protect!"

Sandshrew, which had been crawling through the sand, jolted. Its Sand Veil camouflage vanished as it hurriedly leaped up and used Protect.

However, its mastery of Protect was clearly lacking, and Riolu was simply too fast.

Protect had only been half-formed when Riolu's Rock Smash shattered it.

Sandshrew cried out miserably and was sent flying into the air.

Roy had no intention of passing up the chance to kick an opponent while it was down.

"Rock Smash! Rock Smash! Rock Smash!"

Riolu threw punch after rapid punch, its fists leaving afterimages. Unfortunately, it did not come with an "ora ora ora" voiceover.

Sandshrew had no ability to fight back and was struck again and again.

Seeing that defeat was inevitable, Huo Qing completely lost it and muttered in confusion.

"Why... why can't Protect protect...?"

It was merely an unintentional remark born from emotional turmoil. Once Huo Qing calmed down, he would be able to identify the reason for his defeat.

But at that moment, the microphone Huo Qing wore faithfully fulfilled its duty, broadcasting his careless words throughout the stadium.

"Hahahahaha!"

"Protect or Not Protect—damn it, why does that make me want to laugh so badly?!"

"Your sense of humor is weird. Pfft, no, I'm laughing too."

"The question is, what exactly did Sandshrew say?"

"Case solved. Sandshrew said: Protect or Not Protect!"

"666666!"

"Sandshrew has lost its ability to battle. The winners are Riolu and Competitor Roy!"

The referee announced the result.

Only then did the audience calm down from joking about "Protect or Not Protect," and they were all astonished to realize that the battle had ended so simply.

Excluding the waiting time, the actual battle had lasted less than ten seconds.

It could only be described as a one-sided stomp.

Roy had struggled against Yang Dong in the previous match, but this one had been a stomp?

"He crushed a recommended candidate. Something's not right here. Does he really have a shot at the championship?"

"I drew in a sharp breath. This kid is terrifying!"

"You're still inhaling? Global warming is caused by people like you."

Outsiders watched the excitement; insiders watched the technique.

A major reason Roy had struggled against Yang Dong was because he had wanted to hide his trump card.

If the two fought again, and Riolu entered its explosive Lightning Body Tempering plus Agility state right from the start, the match would end very easily.

Roy and Riolu's actual level already surpassed that of ordinary recommended candidates.

Yang Dong herself understood that, which was why she accepted her loss wholeheartedly.

But a new question arose.

The Trainers present were all puzzled.

Riolu's explosive power is too astonishing. You can't confront it head-on... Unlike Yang Dong's hard-hitting style, Huo Qing's weather strategy is perfect for a battle of attrition. If he could drag things out past Riolu's burst window, he had a great chance of winning.

Huo Qing had also planned for an attrition battle, but that raised the problem...

How did Roy find Sandshrew's position?

Everyone had countless theories, but none of them guessed correctly.

The answer was Aura Power.

After Roy's meditation training, that Psychic Seed had already grown into a small sapling.

Aura Power excelled at sensing. Though Roy's psychic power was not strong, it was enough to matter in Novice-level battles.

Sandshrew's bargain-bin weather strategy could not interfere with Aura Power's perception.

In the VIP seats, Principal Fang laughed heartily. "That kid... How did he discover Sandshrew? He sure has plenty of secrets. I'm starting to wonder whether he's Old Luo's illegitimate son."

Professor Xing nodded in deep agreement, then asked, "By the way, Elite Four Xiao, what were you surprised about earlier?"

"...There's just something strange." Xiao Rong did not hide it. "Didn't you notice? That Riolu's Agility proficiency is very high. It was able to use it simultaneously with that self-created move."

"This..." Principal Fang frowned uncertainly.

A move's proficiency determined its casting speed, accuracy, control, and energy conversion efficiency.

Sandshrew's Protect had failed precisely because its casting speed was too slow and its proficiency too low.

The simplest way to improve proficiency was to continuously use the move.

Principal Fang commented, "That Agility should be an Egg Move."

If it were not an Egg Move, Riolu could not have normally learned Agility. It could only have been taught by its Trainer...

That possibility was ruled out.

Raising Agility's proficiency to such a high level in one week was too unreasonable. Even training Agility twenty-four hours a day without rest would hardly be enough.

"Perhaps."

Xiao Rong neither confirmed nor denied it.

This Elite Four member still sensed a faint feeling of discord.

He was not familiar with Roy's Riolu, but he was familiar with Heavenly King Luo's Lucario.

That Lucario also knew Agility, but it was not actually proficient in Psychic-type moves. Its training direction was pure Fighting-type, using moves such as Thunder Punch and Fire Punch to broaden its type coverage.

If Riolu had inherited an Egg Move, he was more inclined to believe it had inherited Thunder Punch, because that was Lucario's superior gene.

Its talent is astonishing, and it has many secrets. Its future is limitless. In all these years, aside from his own daughter, Elite Four Xiao had never encountered another newbie Trainer he could not see through.

Perhaps I should report him to that Pokémon League list...

Xiao Rong hesitated.

Roy had only just returned to the lounge and sat down when he saw Huo Qing return as well.

His Poké Ball was not on him, so Sandshrew had clearly been sent for treatment.

Just as Roy was about to greet him, someone teased, "Teacher Huo Qing, why can't Protect protect?"

"So strange, so strange! Did something go wrong somewhere?"

"No way, no way. Surely there isn't really someone whose Protect can't protect, right?"

"Hahahaha, you guys are awful. I like it."

"..."

Seeing Huo Qing's dull, dead-fish eyes, Roy immediately shut his mouth.

Yeah, it was better not to provoke him.

Protect was a very miraculous and useful move.

The first time Protect was used, as long as the opponent's strength did not exceed it by several levels, it could basically block the attack with a hundred percent success rate.

However, the more times Protect was used within a short period, the lower its success rate became.