"Roserade, Weather Ball!"
"Cacturne, Dark Pulse."
Under the blazing sun, the powered-up Fire-type Weather Ball and Dark Pulse collided, triggering a violent explosion.
Cacturne charged straight into the smoke, attempting to close in on Roserade, but Roserade had already taken advantage of the cover to shift its position.
"Roserade, Sludge Bomb!"
"Back jump, dodge it."
"Chase it down!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Roserade's timing and reaction were both incredibly fast and precise. The Sludge Bomb landed directly on Cacturne, inflicting massive damage.
"That's enough!"
Joseph acted as the referee and stopped the battle. Though reluctant, Cacturne had no choice but to admit it had been outplayed.
"Take it slow. Battles are just a method, getting stronger is the ultimate goal." Sato patted Cacturne's leafy hat to comfort it.
"Turnee~"
Cacturne nodded obediently, but whether it had truly taken those words to heart, only it knew.
It had been three days since the four of them had crushed the Pokémon Hunters in Helvetia Town. Naturally, they had already set off on a new journey and were now taking a short break somewhere in the forest.
Three days ago, Cacturne had challenged and defeated a Magnezone of a higher level. Yet despite the victory, no breakthrough occurred. It remained stuck at the Peak Elite…
Cacturne's confusion was understandable, and even Sato was momentarily at a loss.
When in doubt, ask a teacher!
So, Sato called Drake. After receiving some pointed guidance, Sato finally understood the issue.
It had been too smooth...
Sato's journey had gone far too smoothly!
More accurately, it was his Pokémon whose progress had been too smooth, especially those caught later in his journey.
Thanks to his memories from a past life, every experience felt like a replay for Sato, causing no disruption. On the contrary, it helped him fill in any gaps.
But for Pokémon like Cacturne… things were different. Ever since joining Sato, it had eaten custom food prepared by the Breeder Joseph and undergone the best training methods distilled from countless adjustments.
Even their opponents were handpicked by Sato; Pokémon that provided maximum benefit for their growth.
Not to mention the Potential Enhancement Serum, Energy Crystals, and other items. If it was useful, Sato spared no effort in acquiring it for them.
Crushing others of the same tier/level was no longer a challenge. Their overall battle records remained undefeated.
This kind of growth path was excellent, yet it deprived them of moments of "sudden realization" and the ability to self-reflect.
When growth and strength become overly formulaic, it's a warning sign for both Trainer and Pokémon: they're no longer moving forward.
"Forget pride. Embrace what you can't do."
That was Drake's advice to Sato… and to Cacturne.
So Sato sent Cacturne into the field to spar with Cynthia's Roserade, starting fresh by completely forgoing Drain Punch!
"Meganium, Aromatherapy!"
Because Cacturne had been hit by Sludge Bomb, Joseph worried about possible lingering toxins and had Meganium administer a quick treatment.
"Your Cacturne is troubled. It didn't fight at full power," Cynthia said, approaching with Roserade and offering her perspective.
"Yeah, slowing down's not so bad. I'll adjust with Cacturne together." Sato nodded, not denying it.
"Rose~"
Roserade gently raised its little fist toward Cacturne, as if cheering it on.
"Turnee~"
"THEN LET'S PICK UP THE PACE! Boss Cynthia, how much farther is it to Celestic Town?" Mark shouted.
"If we hurry, we'll get there in three to five days," Cynthia said with a slight frown, clearly displeased with being called 'Boss.'
It made her sound like the leader of some gang of delinquent girls…
Of course, since Sato and the other two were all guys, they clearly didn't qualify as delinquent girls.
'So... delinquent boys?'
"Let's pack up and head out. The map shows there's a small village nearby, maybe we can stay there for the night."
In the end, it was the reliable Joseph who checked the map and led the group onward.
As evening mealtime approached, Sato and the others finally saw the village marked on the map. It was just the right time for smoke to be rising from kitchen chimneys.
Passing through vast fields outside the village, they gradually made their way to the village center.
It must have been dinnertime, even the kids playing in the fields had been called home by their moms to eat.
The four wandered around a bit longer before finally coming across a simple-looking young girl.
"Diplomat" Joseph stepped forward to ask for directions. With his friendly demeanor, it didn't take more than a few words before the girl invited them to her home, and brought Sato and the others along too.
"When guests come to the village, it's usually Miles ojisan who welcomes them. Oh right! He lives at the village entrance, so he sees the most outsiders."
"Everyone's probably eating right now. That's why we didn't see anyone while wandering around," Joseph said with a smile.
The young girl suddenly understood, then turned her head away with a slightly flushed face to avoid Joseph's smile, quickening her steps…
Joseph blinked innocently. He really just wanted to be kind! It wasn't… flirting!
Soon, the girl brought Sato and the others to her house. Before she could even open the door, she shouted loudly, "MOOOOM, DAAAD! We've got guests~"
The door opened quickly, and a rather stocky man stepped out. His eyes first showed confusion as he looked at Sato's group, then caution, and finally turned toward his daughter.
"Dad, they're..."
The young girl explained "seriously". Since outsiders weren't unheard of in the village, the man soon broke into a smile and warmly invited them inside.
"Judging by your age, you're about the same as my daughter. Out traveling on your own already, that's… impressive!"
The man wasn't much of a talker, but he still tried his best to compliment them.
But if it were his own son or daughter trying something like that? He'd break their legs~
Don't they know how dangerous it is out there? Even a slightly stronger wild Pokémon could kill them!
Just then, two more people came out from inside: a boy around twelve, and a chubby lady with a very kind smile.
"You're from outside~? Are you Trainers~? Have you caught a lot of Pokémon? Can I see them~? I also have…"
"SHUT UUUUP! Grown-ups are talking, kids don't interrupt!" the big man of the house suddenly shouted, only to get a cheeky face from the kid, who then bolted off.
"Chanel, go catch your brother, give him a beating, and bring him back~" Said the kind-faced lady… though her tone wasn't kind at all.
Seeing the girl named Chanel take off at full speed, Sato and the others exchanged glances with the lady; eyes now changed.
"Don't worry. Chanel knows her limits as a big sister. She won't beat him too hard~"
Wait!
…This is what we're worried about?