Gym Leader Endou really couldn't make sense of Luther's thinking. Kirlia had taken a 'Dynamic Punch', but she didn't seem seriously hurt. As a Psychic-type, she could effectively restrain Fighting-types and was fully capable of continuing the battle.
Yet Luther had decisively switched her out, replacing her with a Normal-type Chansey, who was not only weak to Fighting-type moves but, in Endou's experience, almost never participated in direct battles. Chansey usually worked as support in different professions. Sure, she was said to be sturdy and incredibly durable…
But no matter how durable she is, without real offensive power, wouldn't this just be one-sided punishment?
Did Pokémon League Pokedex Holders really evaluate Gym Leaders by testing both type advantage and type disadvantage? Or… was this some kind of leniency?
"Machamp, use Low Sweep. "
Endou decided his first strike should target Chansey's legs, lowering her speed to further amplify Machamp's advantage.
"Defense Curl."
Chansey immediately lowered her center of gravity.
As Machamp closed in and raised his leg for the sweep, suddenly his expression turned blank. Even Endou was dumbfounded at what unfolded before him. With Chansey crouched down, her short, stubby legs were completely hidden. Machamp's Low Sweep had nothing to connect with!
But the arrow was already on the bowstring; Machamp had committed to the strike. He could only swing through, his kick landing against Chansey's hands as she guarded the egg in her arms. She slid back a short distance, then cheerfully patted the spot where she'd been hit and dashed happily back toward Machamp.
She really did look happy.
Endou was stunned. She was hit squarely, yet she is still smiling. Was this his lack of experience… or did Chansey have some bizarre quirk?
Even Machamp froze. The scene was surreal. This was the first time in all his battles that an opponent he'd hit had run up to him as if saying: "Come on, hit harder!"
"Use more strength. The training I've gone through is way harsher than this."
That was exactly what Chansey said.
Feeling mocked, Machamp resolved to teach this Chansey a real lesson with his next move.
"Dynamic Punch!"
At the command, Machamp threw his entire weight behind his punch, not holding back in the slightest. Since Chansey was standing right in front of him, he didn't even need to aim; all that built-up power went straight into her.
"Safeguard."
Luther had accounted for the possibility of Fighting-types using the elemental punches: Ice Punch and its freezing effect, Thunder Punch and its paralysis, and Fire Punch and its burn.
Safeguard would effectively shield Chansey from such statuses.
Chansey made no effort to dodge. She completed Safeguard, then was blasted away by Machamp's blow.
Watching Chansey struggle to get back to her feet, Machamp finally felt relieved.
"That's what you get for showing off!"
Luther assessed her condition calmly and ordered: "Soft-Boiled."
The egg in Chansey's arms suddenly cracked, releasing a gentle healing glow that mended her body. As the light faded, she patted her pouch, another egg slowly squeezed its way out.
The atmosphere of the battle grew strange. Endou and Machamp both seemed to have lost their cool against this Chansey. Following Dynamic Punch, Machamp launched into Close Combat, sacrificing his defenses to unleash a furious barrage.
What was there to get worked up about? It wasn't as if Luther had taught Chansey to talk trash. That was Jumpluff's specialty.
Machamp poured all his strength into the flurry, fists raining down like a storm. Chansey raised her tiny hands in a futile attempt to block, but they couldn't stop much, most punches still landed squarely. Yet as Luther watched, the scene reminded him of a certain classic moment.
Maybe… he should give it a try? After all, he had just taught Chansey one offensive move.
"Chansey, Fire Punch!"
This was a Fighting-type Gym. Landing a burn effect from Fire Punch could make all the difference. Luther wasn't even going to bother with Earthquake.
At the same time, Endou revealed Machamp's fourth Move, clearly prepared to deal with Flying-types: Thunder Punch.
Machamp's four arms alternated wildly, hammering down Thunder Punches. Chansey, with only one hand initially able to use Fire Punch to counter, quickly learned from Machamp's movements, her left hand flared with fire too. Now, with both hands ablaze, she traded blows with Machamp like a boxer.
In an instant, the scene turned into something straight out of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Left side "muda muda muda," right side "ora ora ora"?
Neither side had any intention of defending. Chansey was absurdly tough, too lazy to dodge or block. Even if she accumulated damage, Luther could simply have her heal with Soft-Boiled. There was no concern at all.
Machamp, realizing Chansey's punches barely hurt, just stood his ground and brawled with her head-on.
Come on then, who's afraid of who!
Luther was deep in thought, looking even more confused than Gym Leader Endou.
Endou's Machamp was running four straight offensive Moves, with no setup or support at all. Combined with Hitmonlee earlier, it was clear Endou's style was "deal a thousand, lose eight hundred."
The old Four-Move Limit rules, supposedly about information gathering, were in Endou's hands nothing more than a chaotic slugfest.
Matsuto, the referee, was sweating buckets. As a bystander, he could see everything clearly, his father had completely lost his cool.
Chansey was protected by Safeguard, meaning Thunder Punch couldn't paralyze her. Judging by how she absorbed hit after hit without flinching, it was obvious the attacks weren't really effective. Her refusal to dodge or block was proof enough.
But Machamp's situation was becoming dire. Why wasn't he dodging the Fire Punches? Even if Chansey's damage was low, the burn chance from Fire Punch was all too real…
Matsuto slapped a hand over his face. 'Exactly what I was afraid of.'
A flame ignited on Machamp's palm, the spot where Chansey's punch had landed. The searing pain made him stumble back a few steps, dropping into a crouch.
The burn had struck his hand, his palm now throbbed so badly it was hard to even clench a fist.
"Come back, Chansey."
Luther recalled Chansey and sent Kirlia out again.
Chansey had already unraveled Endou's battle rhythm and disrupted his judgment. Now it was Kirlia's turn to finish Machamp off.
"You can still endure, right?" Endou asked, worry in his eyes.
Machamp gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain in his hand.
If they lost this match, the Gym might never survive. Endou had told him that countless times. The Rockfist Gym had little fighting power left in this generation. Endou, a latecomer to training, wasn't particularly strong as a trainer. But Machamp, having guarded this family for generations, bore the duty of keeping the Gym alive.
"I know my skill can't fully bring out your strength… so fight on your own."
At those words, Machamp's eyes hardened. Though burned, his speed hadn't faltered. In just a few strides, he closed the distance, descending on Kirlia with Thunder Punch.
"Slip past him, get behind Machamp, and use Psyshock!"
The towering Machamp never expected Kirlia to vanish from the strike zone at the last second. Only Endou's shout alerted him. By then, Kirlia had crouched low, her psychic power propelling her body as she slid beneath his legs, unleashing Psyshock from behind.
The accumulated damage on Machamp's body made it hard for him to stand. But his fighting instincts sensed the attack's direction, and he swung out with a desperate Low Sweep.
Yet the moment he lifted his leg, Machamp realized he'd lost his balance. His body wavered unsteadily. Still wondering what had happened, he heard a dull thud at his side, then his consciousness slipped away.
(End of Chapter)
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