Back when he fought Giselle, Charmander had unlocked a surge of hidden potential, comprehending a powerful Fire-type physical move on his own—Flare Blitz.
With that early breakthrough, Yozora and Charmander spent the following weeks refining the technique, soon developing a weaker but highly practical move: Flame Charge.
Unlike Flamethrower or Fire Spin, which relied on special attacks, both Flare Blitz and Flame Charge were Fire-type physical moves.
And more importantly—they were charging techniques, allowing Charmander to close the gap quickly and unleash relentless offense.
The two moves shared similarities, but each had its strengths.
Flare Blitz delivered overwhelming power and explosive impact, but the toll it exacted on Charmander's stamina was severe. Injuring the foe also meant injuring himself.
Flame Charge, on the other hand, had modest power, but it was fast, efficient, and carried a unique bonus: Speed Boost.
In other words, each time Flame Charge landed, the user's speed increased. After multiple uses, Charmander could reach terrifying levels of swiftness.
"Charmander, use Flame Charge!"
At Yozora's command, fire erupted across Charmander's body. In the blink of an eye, he became a blazing fireball that rammed hard into Electabuzz.
Electabuzz groaned in pain, staggered backward uncontrollably.
At the same time, golden light flashed beneath Charmander's feet—the Flame Charge had connected, triggering its special effect. His speed rose by at least thirty percent!
"Finish it—Tackle attack!"
"Char!" Charmander roared, surging forward again. With his boosted speed, the Tackle landed like a steel battering ram, slamming Electabuzz into the air.
The Electric-type was hurled across the field and crashed to the ground, where it lay unconscious.
"Electabuzz is unable to battle!" the referee declared immediately after a quick inspection.
The moment the words fell, the crowd erupted.
"That Charmander is insane!"
"Yeah! Denji's Electabuzz was a bona fide Senior-level Pokémon, and it still got taken down instantly!"
"There are more than a hundred Charmander here today, but none of them—not even the few Charmeleon in the crowd—could compare to that one!"
The spectators were in awe.
In this world, strength spoke louder than anything else. Those with power earned respect and admiration with ease.
Several young women in the audience even cast enamored looks toward Yozora.
His sharp features, calm and steady demeanor, humble courtesy, and undeniable strength made him an ideal figure to admire.
Yet his clothing was plain, almost modest, as though he came from an ordinary family.
And still—he had a Shiny Charmander, a Pokémon so rare it was nearly mythical. Around its neck glittered a pendant made from a Thunder Stone.
Combined with the scholarly aura Yozora carried from years of research, his background was impossible to gauge.
Perhaps that was why the noble ladies limited themselves to silent admiration, rather than openly approaching.
For in high society, names and status dictated everything.
After Electabuzz's defeat, Denji recalled his partner. He glanced at Yozora, smirking.
"Your Charmander really is extraordinary, Yozora. But the next Pokémon I send out will definitely give you a headache!"
He hurled his second Poké Ball. From it emerged a hulking, dark-colored Graveler.
Pokémon: Graveler
Type: Rock + Ground
Rank: Senior-level, beginner stage
Potential: Gym Leader-level
Graveler's dual typing was a nightmare matchup for Charmander. Both Rock and Ground moves dealt super effective damage against Fire-types.
On top of that, Rock-type Pokémon resisted Fire moves naturally.
Which meant Charmander's attacks would do little harm, while Graveler's blows would land brutally hard.
And given Graveler's famously high defense and stamina, breaking through it would be close to impossible.
"What now, Yozora? Even with that amazing Charmander, you've hit a wall this time, haven't you?" Denji taunted with a smug grin.
Yozora's lips curved slightly. "I admit, Charmander isn't the best match against a Graveler. But I've already said—I don't fight alone. Charmander isn't my only partner."
"Return, Charmander!"
He recalled his first Pokémon, then tossed out a different ball.
A burst of white light revealed… a Shiny Psyduck.
The arena exploded.
"No way…! Yozora has a Shiny Psyduck too?!"
The announcer nearly dropped his microphone in shock, shouting what everyone in the stands was already thinking.
Two ultra-rare Pokémon in one trainer's hands? It was beyond enviable.
In a corner of the stands, Sherry's eyes widened as she gazed at Yozora's Psyduck.
At first, she had thought him just another wandering boy looking for battles.
But after days of quiet observation, he had proven more and more mysterious.
Now, sending out a Shiny Psyduck…
"Interesting. I'm starting to look forward to battling him myself," Sherry whispered.
Elsewhere, Captain Edson, seated in a special section of the stands, gave Yozora a look of approval.
"Shiny or not, switching to Psyduck was the correct choice. With this, the field has reversed completely."
Against Graveler, Charmander had been hopelessly disadvantaged. But Psyduck? It was the perfect counter.
Fire versus Rock was resisted, halving the damage.
But Water versus Rock/Ground struck for quadruple damage.
The gap between the two situations was a full eightfold swing, the tables had completely turned.
This was the essence of Pokémon battles—the intricate web of type matchups.
Mastering these fundamentals was the first step toward becoming a true trainer.
"Tch, so he baited me." Denji scowled. "Fine then. Your Psyduck may counter my Graveler, but don't think this'll be easy! Graveler, use Defense Curl, then Rollout!"
And with Denji's shout, the second round of their match began.
(End of Chapter)