You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
After much thought, Luther finally decided on the three Pokémon and twelve Moves he would use for the match. Under Matsuto's watchful eyes, he and Gym Leader Endou entered the data into the computer together.
The battle, as expected, was to be held on that uneven, bumpy field. Luther studied the ground carefully and made his calculations.
"I'll be the first to send out my Pokémon here." Gym Leader Endou tossed his Poké Ball onto the field, and a Hitmonlee leapt out.
One of the common Fighting-type Pokémon found in Fighting Gyms, compared to other Fighting-types, this one had a much longer attack range. After all, Hitmonlee's legs could extend to twice their normal length. Combined with its kicking techniques and a bit of speed, it would be a troublesome opponent.
Luther rubbed his chin, then glanced at Kirlia. Kirlia looked back at him eagerly, clearly itching to battle.
"Alright, you it is. Be careful. The Gym might look old and a bit shabby, still clinging to outdated battle rules, but the atmosphere here is fierce. It may be a tougher fight than it seems."
Kirlia gave a small cry in acknowledgment and stepped into the arena.
When Endou saw Kirlia enter, he quietly instructed Hitmonlee: "The opponent is a Pokémon League Pokedex Holder. Don't underestimate them. As soon as the battle begins, hit with your strongest move to break their rhythm, try to end this quickly."
Hitmonlee nodded, turned, and fixed its gaze firmly on Kirlia. It began gathering power into its legs, ready to go all out the instant the battle started.
Matsuto, acting as referee, confirmed that both sides were ready. He raised his flag.
"Battle begins!"
"Hitmonlee, strike first, High Jump Kick!"
Opening with one of the strongest Fighting-type moves, the kind that even causes recoil damage if it misses. Just as Luther expected, Hitmonlee was incredibly fast. It leapt gracefully into the air and landed right in front of Kirlia, legs snapping forward like springs to strike.
Seeing that Luther hadn't even issued a command, Gym Leader Endou clenched his fist.
So what if this young man was already a League Pokedex Holders? With so little real battle experience, he was bound to pay for it. Endou's opening "sure-kill" move had always worked wonders, taking advantage before the opponent could fully focus.
While others stuck to the old Four-Move Limit rules, probing cautiously, Endou preferred to cut straight through and seize the early advantage. Information could always be gathered later, first, secure the lead.
And judging by how Kirlia wasn't kept in its ball but stayed at Luther's side, this was clearly his best-trained, strongest partner. If he could take down this one, Endou's chances of passing the evaluation would rise significantly.
Hitmonlee's 'High Jump Kick' struck Kirlia solidly, wait, no. Why was Hitmonlee flying backward instead?
Endou blinked in shock. His Pokémon was sent crashing to the ground in pain. Looking again, he saw a shimmering barrier surrounding Kirlia.
'Protect!'
But Luther hadn't given a command…?
Kirlia stared at the crouching Hitmonlee, then waved her hand lightly behind her. Luther responded with a thumbs-up. Luther had already instructed Kirlia during the team selection: if she was sent out first, she was to open with Protect immediately.
Most Fighting-types specialized in devastating close-range techniques. If the opponent happened to have a particularly fast one that tried to overwhelm with an opening blitz, Kirlia's Protect would allow her to come through unscathed.
Endou examined Hitmonlee's state. That kick had been launched with full force. The recoil damage from slamming into Kirlia's barrier was severe, Hitmonlee was now unsteady on its feet.
Luther's thumbs-up, matched with Kirlia's gesture, made it clear to Endou: his plan had been predicted before the match even began. Even if Luther hadn't "read" him exactly, he had anticipated this possible scenario and chosen the safest countermeasure.
Endou clenched his fists tighter, then made up his mind.
"Reversal!"
The less stamina the user had, the stronger this move would hit.
Since Hitmonlee's stamina had dropped drastically, it might as well go all in. Protect had major drawbacks if used consecutively, sometimes even failing entirely. Luther surely wouldn't risk it.
Psychic-type Pokémon might have the advantage over Fighting-types, but preparing a Psychic-type Move requires mental focus. Hitmonlee's speed could easily get the jump before that.
At the instant the command was given, Hitmonlee's body blurred into an afterimage, reappearing above Kirlia in a flash.
"Psyshock."
Before Hitmonlee's legs had even fully extended, Kirlia stood calmly in place, unfazed by its intimidating dive. The force of Psyshock pierced into Hitmonlee. Still holding its kicking posture, the Pokémon flipped mid-air and crashed heavily into the ground.
Matsuto sighed and raised his flag.
"Hitmonlee is unable to battle. Kirlia wins."
He glanced at his father, Gym Leader Endou, and shook his head.
Knowing full well the opponent was a League Pokedex Holders, and still trying to catch them off guard with such a reckless strategy? If League Pokedex Holderss were really that easy to beat, would Gym Leaders across the regions be so wary of them?
Clearly, Gym Leader Endou and his son Matsuto had misunderstood Luther's identity. But at this moment, Luther remained unaware.
Sweat trickled down Endou's brow. He realized something: Kirlia had fired off Psyshock without even the slightest preparatory gesture.
Of course she had. Ever since Kirlia learned Psyshock, Luther had her train under Espurr, watching demonstration after demonstration of how to use it seamlessly. The subtle, hidden release had been mastered along the way.
Luther was strict about eliminating unnecessary movements when using Moves. Even the briefest adjustment of stance could decide victory or defeat in battle.
Despite the win, Luther still felt a bit puzzled.
Weren't the old Four-Move Limit rules supposed to be more about information gathering? Why cling to them like this? Endou's style seemed far more suited to the new rules. Forget scouting, he could just go all-in from the start.
After some hesitation, Gym Leader Endou looked toward the Machamp standing beside him. Machamp understood the signal, cracked its knuckles, and strode onto the field.
Kirlia had won the first match far too easily. With her stamina and condition still pristine, Luther chose not to switch.
"Dynamic Punch!"
The command was barely spoken before Machamp's powerful thigh muscles propelled it across the ground like a rocket.
Luther had no intention of using 'Protect'. The first 'Protect' had been purely to avoid an unexpected knockout. But 'Protect' consumed a lot of energy, it wasn't suited for consecutive use, and repeated use would only waste a Pokémon's stamina.
"Use Psyshock first, then try to dodge."
But there was no real room to dodge. It was obvious that Endou had raised his Pokémon with a focus on sheer power and speed. As Machamp's Dynamic Punch closed in, Kirlia's Psyshock struck out simultaneously.
The scene was much like Kirlia's earlier clash with Etorre's Primeape, a last-second exchange of blows.
Kirlia, struck by 'Dynamic Punch', spun dizzily and slid across the field before Luther recalled her into her Poké Ball.
'Dynamic Punch' came with the added effect of confusion. Keeping Kirlia in battle was far too risky.
Machamp, meanwhile, wasn't in terrible shape. Though it had been hit by Psyshock, the damage seemed manageable. It grimaced in pain for a moment before pounding its chest and confidently flexing its four arms.
"Power and speed, is it?"
Luther's lips curled upward. He, too, had a Pokémon trained along similar lines of development, and it was slotted into this battle.
Just as Gym Leader Endou breathed a sigh of relief after heavily injuring Kirlia, Luther released his next Pokémon, a round, plump figure popped out of the Poké Ball.
It wasn't a power-and-speed fighter like Machamp. But it was a Pokémon that had developed speed and endurance together, Chansey.
"Come on then. Let's see whether your Fighting-type's strength is greater, or if my Chansey's resilience wins out!"
(End of Chapter)