“Apologies for that—I instinctively tried to boost my Pokémon's stats, thinking I could win os strength was high enough.” Lucas said sheepishly as he recalled his idos bato its Poké Ball.

  Throughout his journey, Lucas had noticed that most trainers didn’t bother teag their Pokémon status-altering or stat-boosting moves. That's why he kept fog on strengthening during the battle.

  Unfortunately, if Ursaring hadn’t used Bulk Up, idos might’ve had a ce to win by dodging while building up its stats.

  “Learning too many stat-boosting moves is pointless.” Paul eersely.

  In high-level battles, it’s rare to see Pokémon stantly boosting stats because such moves take time—too much time. Using them sparingly might work, but over-relying on them leaves an opening for the oppoo strike and attacks.

  “Hmm... That’s true.” Luodded thoughtfully.

  The more stat-boosting moves a Pokémon knows, the more time it takes to train for quick execution. If the Pokémon isn’t trained well enough, a faster oppo could easily seize the opportunity to attack.

  “Alright, enough talking. Send out your Pokémon!” Barry interjected impatiently.

  Both Paul and Lucas retrieved Poké Balls simultaneously and threw them.

  “Gible, get ready to battle!”

  “Clefairy, it’s your turn!”

  “Shaa~”

  “Clefairy~”

  Gible stared at the pink doll-like Clefairy with its wide eyes. The two Pokémon locked gazes, sizing each other up.

  Seeing Clefairy appear, Barry was stunned, and even Paul was surprised.

  After all, which serious trainer aiming for strength would catch a Pokémon that only young girls seemed to like?

  Lucas, however, didn’t mind. He had caught Clefairy for a reason—after careful sideration.

  “Clefairy, they’re uimating you. Use Metronome!”

  “Clefairy~”

  Clefairy smiled ily at Gible, raising its tiny fingers and waving them rhythmically. A mysterious energy began to gather, preparing to unleash a random move.

  Metronome was aremely unique move, capable of using any move from the entire move pool at random, making it nearly impossible to predict.

  “Fire Fang!” Paul anded.

  The unknown inspire fear, but Gible showed ation. With its mouth abze, it charged straight at Clefairy.

  “Clefairy~”

  At that moment, Clefairy’s Metroivated, releasing a beam of psychiergy—Psybeam!

  However, Gible sidestepped with a swift jump, easily dodging the attack, and closed in on Clefairy to bite down with fming fangs.

  Clefairy, however, didn’t panistead, it smirked slightly as if it had a trick up its sleeve.

  “Use Sweet Kiss!”

  Clefairy blew a heart-shaped kiss, which fluttered toward the approag Gible. The moment it made tact, Gible’s eyes became unfocused, and it wobbled unsteadily. Although its strong will allowed it to tis attack, Clefairy had already shrunk itself with Minimize, effortlessly dodging the Fire Fang.

  “Use Dig!” Paul anded.

  A fused Gible couldn’t pose much of a threat to Clefairy. Digging underground would buy time to recover from its fusion.

  Gible’s eyes briefly cleared as it burrowed into the ground.

  “Now, use Disarming Voito the hole, and don’t stop!”

  Clefairy’s eyes lit up. It opes mouth and unleashed a melodic cry into the tuhe sound echoed through the burrow, dealing signifit damage to the already fused Gible.

  It’s super effective!

  “Sand Tomb!” Paul called out.

  Despite the torment, Gible regained crity for a moment and turhe battlefield beh Clefairy into a vortex of sand.

  Caught off guard, Clefairy was dragged into the swirling pit.

  “Fire Fang!”

  On Paul's and, Gible leaped out from the sand pit, jaws abze, ready to strike Clefairy.

  “Jump with Spsh!” Lucas tered.

  In a surprising dispy of power, Clefairy uself into the air, narrowly avoiding Gible’s attad esg the Sand Tomb’s range.

  “Disarming Voice!”

  The soothi powerful cry resonated again, knog Gible out cold in the sand.

  With Gible defeated, the Sand Tomb dissipated, leaving the unscious Pokémon on the ground.

  “Gible is uo battle. Clefairy wins! The score is now tied at 1-1.” Barry announced.

  After deg the result, Barry couldn’t help but grumble. Was this the kind of battle he wao see? Why did it feel se?

  “ you two have a normal battle for once?”

  “What’s wrong with this strategy? I’ve thought it through carefully, and it seems effective." Lucas replied as he recalled Clefairy.

  Clefairy’s seemingly harmless appearand versatile move pool made it a formidable oppo against many Pokémon of simir levels. That was why Lucas had chosen it.

  Even against Paul, Lucas was fident Clefairy could win a few more matches. With moves like Sweet Kiss, Sing, Attract, and Disarming Voice, how could Gible stand a ce?

  Paul, meanwhile, realized he o train his Pokémon to better haatus ditions, though there was no rush. Such training could wait until his team had mastered the basics. For now, his focus remained on strengthening their raw power.

  “Final round—choose your Pokémon!” Barry remihem weakly. As usual, his impatience as a referee showed he wasn’t cut out for the role.

  This time, Paul and Lucas exged gnces before simultaneously tossing out their Poké Balls.

  “Go, Chimchar!”

  “Elekid, ready for battle!”

  “Chim-char!”

  The eic Chimchar jumped out of its ball, brimming with fighting spirit. But upon seeing its oppo, its movements stilled, and its expression turned serious.

  “Bzzt~Bzzt~”

  Elekid leaned zily to one side, arms crossed, exuding a fident and almost dismissive demeanor. When it reized Chimchar, it smirked disdainfully.

  Chimchar’s eyes fred with a the provocation.

  “Chimchar, use Fmethrower!” Lucas anded.

  Fuming with rage, Chimchar unleashed a trated jet of fmes that seemed to melt the very air.

  Elekid, despite its arrogance, remained vigint. Beh its casual exterior, it had already been preparing its move.

  “Thunder!” Paul ordered.

  In an instant, a golden bolt of lightning pierced through the Fmethrower, ralizing the attack.

  “Fme Wheel!”

  Chimchar twisted its nimble body, igniting itself into a rolling wheel of fire as it charged forward.

  “Thunder Punch!”

  Elekid met the attack head-on with arified punch.

  Boom!

  The two collided, appearing evenly matched, but Elekid's smirk suggested it had more strength to spare.

  “Thunder!” Paul anded again.

  Electricity surged from Elekid's body, c through its arm and overp Chimchar’s Fme Wheel.

  “Aaaah!”

  The fmes were extinguished, and Chimchar was left paralyzed, uo move.

  Elekid seized the opportunity to strike with a decisive Thunder Punch, sending Chimchar flying.

  “Finish it with Quick Attack!”

  In a fsh, Elekid delivered a final blow, smming into Chimchar and leaving it sprawled on the ground.

  “Chimchar!” Lucas shouted in arm.

  “Chimchar is uo battle…” Barry began, only to notice Chimchar stirring, struggling to rise.

  If you want to access advance chapters, please visit: patreon. / PMadz_23