Battle Chateau, Salon.
This is not just a battle facility; it's also a social venue.
In the Salon, you can choose opponents for battle based on your noble rank.
There were two people Li Wei knew here:
Chacklo, who was always climbing walls...
Violet, who never put her camera down...
"Once you've chosen your opponent here, you can proceed to the battle area outside."
The battle area was in the middle of a lake, but the platform was wide enough to be indistinguishable from flat ground.
After Butler Yi Kong finished introducing the Battle Chateau, Li Wei asked the most important question.
Was there a Lucarionite here?
Yi Kong nodded, saying, "Yes, but if you wish to choose Lucarionite as a reward,
you need to be promoted to Duke, which is the rank of Elite Four Siebold."
"According to the rules, starting from Count, if you wish to be promoted to Duke, you need to accumulate 265 points."
"For reference, defeating a Count earns you 3 points."
265 ÷ 3 = ???
Defeat 89 Counts?
Li Wei wondered if even a month would be enough.
This was truly beyond Li Wei's capacity.
Although it might be rude, Li Wei had to ask.
"I can't stay in the Kalos region that long. Is there a faster way?"
Yi Kong pondered, "There isn't no way. You can choose to challenge someone of a higher rank; if you win, you can be promoted to the same rank."
Li Wei thought, [Hmph, if there's a rule like that, you should have said so earlier.]
Yi Kong then added, "However, because you are challenging someone of a higher rank, if your opponent doesn't agree, there's nothing you can do."
Violet, holding her camera with one hand, smiled and said,
"If you don't mind, I can be your opponent. I am a Marquise, coincidentally one rank higher than you."
Violet genuinely wanted to battle Li Wei, and also intended it as an apology.
Mr. Yi Kong nodded, "That works too."
The battle music began to play, and the glass doors opened outward.
This meant another battle was about to begin.
The maid Julia bowed slightly with her back to the open doors,
"Please, Lord Li Wei and Lady Violet, proceed to the battle area."
"All you knights present may also go to the outdoor terrace to spectate."
Led by the maid Julia, Li Wei and Violet stood on opposite sides of the battle area.
The knights in the Salon also came to the terrace to watch the battle.
"A battle between a Gym Leader and a Breeder?"
"One is a Marquise, the other a Count. It seems like Marquise Violet has the advantage no matter how you look at it."
"You're wrong, you're wrong! Haven't you seen the battle where Count Li Wei tied with Champion Lance?"
"No, I haven't."
"Seriously, do you have to be so out of touch with the world?!"
While they were fiercely debating who would win,
under the maid Julia's instruction, Li Wei and Violet gradually walked towards the center.
A Luxury Ball and a Poké Ball touched.
Violet smiled,
"Let's have a good battle."
Li Wei mimicked her,
"Let's have a good battle."
The maid Julia acted as the referee,
"Then, the battle between Marquise Violet and Count Li Wei is about to begin."
"According to the promotion rules, as long as Lord Li Wei defeats Lady Violet, he will be promoted to Marquise. Please enjoy your battle."
"Gah! Gah!"
(Go, duck!)
Galarian Farfetch'd was cheering for his teacher.
Farfetch'd wanted to become an angel and learn the spirit of chivalry, so he apprenticed himself to Lucario.
"We're starting, Vivillon!"
"Go, Lucario!"
Li Wei was here to obtain Lucarionite, so he naturally sent out Lucario.
Li Wei had already planned to defeat Violet this afternoon, and then see if he could defeat a Duke directly tomorrow to be promoted.
But Dukes were extremely rare here.
Currently, Li Wei only saw one wearing a red cape, who was Gym Leader Siebold.
Two flashes of light appeared, and Lucario and Vivillon simultaneously emerged on the spacious battleground.
Vivillon floated in the air, its wing patterns dazzling in the sunlight, and pollen scattered with each beat of its wings.
Lucario landed steadily, his eyes resolute, and his Aura quickly spread out.
Li Wei's Identification, at intermediate level, immediately provided Vivillon's information.
[Name]: Vivillon (Garden Pattern)
[Type]: Bug, Flying
[Ability]: Compound Eyes (Increases the accuracy of its moves)
[Moves]: Safeguard, Psychic, Bug Buzz, Energy Ball, Powder, Sleep Powder, Psybeam, Draining Kiss, Supersonic, Quiver Dance...
[Strength Rating]: Master Initial
This should be one of Violet's ace Pokémon; even if not her strongest, it was definitely in the top tier.
Violet made the first move,
"Vivillon, use Tailwind!"
Vivillon elegantly flapped its wings, creating an updraft.
Li Wei wasn't concerned; with Extreme Speed and Aura Sphere, it wouldn't be difficult for Lucario to hit Vivillon.
Li Wei also chose to boost,
"Lucario, Swords Dance!"
Given Lucario's striking power, an Extreme Speed boosted by Swords Dance had the potential for a one-hit knockout.
Sharp sword shadows coalesced around Lucario, and the upward-pointing sword shadows slowly rotated.
Violet's lips curved upward. Did he want to defeat her with a boost? It wouldn't be that easy.
"Vivillon, Sleep Powder!"
Aided by the speed boost from Tailwind and the accuracy increase from its Compound Eyes ability,
Vivillon's speed was astonishing, and in the sunlight, Vivillon's patterns shimmered, somewhat dazzling.
Accompanying the twitching of Vivillon's wings, a large cloud of shimmering Sleep Powder accurately sprinkled towards Lucario!
Siebold murmured, "How will you deal with this?"
It seemed this Sleep Powder couldn't be dodged.
Unless he used Protect, but Protect couldn't evade forever.
"It's time to show the results, Lucario, continue Swords Dance!"
Lucario's eyes glowed blue; that was his Aura.
Under the control of his Aura, the six sword shadows of Swords Dance rapidly spun, and a Twister began to rage on the field!
The Twister completely blocked the Sleep Powder, and even caused a slight impact on Vivillon in return.
A strange look flashed in Violet's eyes,
"What!"
Violet had never imagined that Swords Dance could be used in such a way.
Even Siebold had never seen it.
"Truly a surprisingly effective choice."
But as a Gym Leader, Violet did not panic.
"Rise into the sky with the wind!"
Fortunately, the Twister wasn't too strong, and Vivillon, having created distance, stabilized its form.
[I can't let Lucario keep boosting like this...]
"In that case, Hurricane!"
Violet's idea was to counter storm with storm!
Vivillon forcefully flapped its wings, and a massive Twister swept across the field.
The rotational speed of Swords Dance could block slow Sleep Powder, but it couldn't stop Hurricane!
Lucario's Swords Dance was interrupted!