“That arrogant new guy from our class is back at the battle arena!”
“He said there isn’t a single capable Trainer in the entire Beginner Division!”
“He even called everyone trash!”
The chubby boy ran from classroom to classroom, enthusiastically reciting the script Roy had prepared for him.
The skinny boy stared in disbelief.
“…You actually came back alive?”
“They didn’t beat you up?”
Ignoring the jab, the chubby boy continued making his rounds, spreading the news to every Beginner class.
When Roxanne and her friend heard the rumors, they were stunned.
After listening to the chubby boy’s deliberately provocative version of events, a crowd of angry students marched toward the battle arena.
By the time they arrived…
A large crowd had already gathered outside.
Standing directly in front of the entrance was a lone figure.
Roy.
He stood with his arms crossed, calmly blocking the doorway.
Beside him stood a large wooden sign.
Canalave Academy’s Strongest Beginner Trainer!
If You Don’t Agree…
Come Fight Me!
Students poured over from every Beginner class.
Even several Advanced Class students had come to watch.
Anyone enrolled in the Advanced Division already possessed at least one Pokémon above Level 40.
Watching the crowd grow larger and larger…
Roy couldn’t help smiling.
Looks like today would bring another huge batch of Popularity Points.
Many students had simply come to train their Pokémon.
Others came because of the chubby boy’s outrageous rumors.
They wanted to see exactly who had the nerve to insult the entire Beginner Division.
The kid really did a great job advertising.
One student whispered,
“Who is that guy?”
“He’s ridiculously arrogant.”
Instead of mocking Roy…
Many assumed he must be the heir of some powerful family.
No one dared make the first move.
Some students recognized Roy as the Ghost-type Trainer who had defeated Roxanne yesterday.
The moment they remembered that utterly disgusting battle strategy…
They quietly decided they wanted no part of it.
Roxanne wasn’t called the Queen of the Beginner Division for nothing.
She was incredibly durable.
She had even defeated a Level 31 Sandslash while her own Pokémon was at a lower level.
More importantly…
Her opponent back then was already a Middle Division student who had earned a Beginner Trainer License.
And yet…
Roy had still managed to defeat her through sheer psychological warfare.
The chubby boy immediately stepped forward with a look of contempt.
“What noble family?”
“He only beat Boss Roxanne yesterday with those disgusting cheap tactics.”
“What’s there to be proud of?”
Roy silently gave him a thumbs-up.
The skinny boy looked completely confused.
That wasn’t how the chubby boy had acted when Roy dragged him outside earlier.
Roy folded his arms.
“We Ghost-type Trainers respect only strength.”
“If you lose, then you lose.”
“As far as I’m concerned…”
“There isn’t a single Beginner Trainer at this academy who can beat me.”
“If anyone here defeats me…”
“I’ll immediately pay 10,000 League Dollars.”
“If you lose…”
“You lose nothing.”
The crowd exploded.
“Ten thousand League Dollars?!”
For many students…
That was a fortune.
As the saying goes…
Great rewards inspire brave challengers.
Several Advanced Class students stepped forward first.
After all…
No matter how talented Roy was…
He was still just a Beginner student.
With nearly a ten-level advantage…
How could they possibly lose?
Sure…
It was a little embarrassing.
But 10,000 League Dollars was real money.
Roy calmly pointed toward the bottom of his sign.
Then handed them a magnifying glass.
Tiny letters were written beneath the bold slogan.
So tiny they were unreadable without magnification.
Challenge limited to Beginner Division students only.
The Advanced students’ expressions instantly darkened.
They silently cursed him.
What a shameless guy.
Yet…
None of them could complain.
Were they really supposed to accuse Roy of…
Not letting them bully younger students?
Seeing the Advanced students quietly back away…
The Beginner students’ youthful pride immediately flared up.
One after another…
They volunteered to fight.
“I’ll challenge you.”
A deep voice rang out.
Roy turned toward the speaker.
It was a short-haired boy.
The chubby boy immediately recognized him.
“That’s Takeshi!”
“Class Two.”
“He’s really strong.”
His partner wasn’t ordinary either.
It was the evolved form of Kanto’s Fire-type starter.
Charmeleon.
Level 30.
He had earned his Beginner Trainer License just yesterday.
He was already preparing to take the entrance exam for the Intermediate Division.
Technically…
He was still a Beginner student.
“…How did I forget about him?”
The chubby boy suddenly felt Roy might actually lose this one.
Roy smiled.
Finally.
A challenger.
Without another word…
He picked up his wooden sign and walked into yesterday’s battlefield.
The referee blinked.
He had originally planned to ask Roy what Pokémon he’d used yesterday.
That way he wouldn’t embarrass himself again by announcing,
“The winner is Roy’s…
um…”
Before he could ask…
A massive crowd flooded into the arena behind Roy.
The referee rubbed his forehead.
Why does this kid attract a full audience every single time?
Confused or not…
He still performed his duty.
The whistle blew.
The battle began.
“Takeshi, send it out!”
“Go, Charmeleon!”
A burst of red light flashed.
A crimson Charmeleon landed proudly in the center of the battlefield.
System Scan
Pokémon: Charmeleon
Level: 30
Gender: Male
Ability: Blaze
Moves:
Scratch
Growl
Ember
Fire Fang
Slash
Flamethrower
Smokescreen
Dragon Breath
Held Item: None
Egg Moves:
Iron Tail
Metal Claw
Individual Value: 17
TM/Tutor Move:
Body Slam
A Level 30 Blaze Charmeleon…
Takeshi immediately shouted,
“Charmeleon!”
“Flamethrower!”
He clearly had battle experience.
Before Litwick could even set up Black Mist…
A roaring stream of fire blasted straight toward it.
Unfortunately…
There was one thing he didn’t know.
Flash Fire.
Litwick’s Ability completely nullified Fire-type attacks.
Instead of taking damage…
The flames were absorbed into the tiny candle atop Litwick’s head.
Its own Fire-type attacks became even stronger.
Roy’s eyes suddenly lit up.
A new strategy.
Through telepathy…
He stopped Litwick from using Minimize.
Instead…
He gave it another order.
Act.
Although it had no idea what Roy was planning…
Litwick instantly became an award-winning actor.
Its tiny body writhed dramatically within the flames.
It rolled around in agony.
It looked as though Charmeleon’s fire was about to burn it to ashes.
The audience gasped.
The chubby boy nearly had a heart attack.
“Don’t tell me…”
“He’s going to lose in the very first match?”
Takeshi completely fell for it.
“Charmeleon!”
“Keep attacking!”
“Maximum-power Flamethrower!”
The flames intensified.
Litwick appeared to be suffering terribly.
Takeshi smirked.
“You can still surrender.”
“Don’t force your Pokémon to endure this.”
Roy raised his fist dramatically.
“We haven’t lost yet!”
“Litwick!”
“Show him the bond between us!”
“Liiit!”
The tiny flame atop Litwick’s head suddenly exploded into a blazing inferno.
The audience stared.
“…What?!”
“It got stronger?!”
Litwick hadn’t forgotten Roy’s instructions.
Still pretending to struggle…
It slowly stood.
Brilliant rainbow-colored light suddenly burst from its flame.
Confuse Ray!
The attack struck Charmeleon squarely while it was busy maintaining Flamethrower.
Charmeleon’s flames abruptly stopped.
Its eyes spun.
Several imaginary Psyduck began circling around its head.
“Litwick!”
“Hex!”
Dark ghostly spirits burst from Litwick’s flame and charged across the battlefield.
Hex
A Ghost-type move that deals greatly increased damage to targets suffering from status conditions.
With Roy’s 1% Extreme Ghost Power…
Combined with the 10% boost from the Spell Tag…
Ghost-type attacks now dealt 11% additional damage.
Because Charmeleon was already afflicted with confusion…
Hex’s power doubled.
The spectral apparitions slammed into Charmeleon one after another.
The Fire-type Pokémon staggered backward repeatedly.
It struggled back onto its feet.
The flame on its tail suddenly flared violently.
Blaze had activated.
Its confusion finally faded.
Takeshi clenched his fist.
“Charmeleon!”
“One more Flamethrower!”
“Finish it!”
Roy answered calmly.
“Litwick.”
“Hex.”
Ghostly shadows and blazing fire collided in the center of the battlefield.
Flamethrower engulfed Litwick once again.
The ghosts crashed straight into Charmeleon.
The audience collectively leaned forward.
Everyone wanted to see the result first.
When the smoke cleared…
Charmeleon collapsed.
It had lost the ability to battle.