He thought for sure Yozora would send out Charmander again.
That was why Ritchie had deliberately chosen Zippo, preparing for a Charmander mirror match.
Of course, he knew very well that his own Charmander was no match for Yozora's, but he wanted to test the gap between them—and at the same time, give Zippo a higher goal to strive for.
Who could have expected that Yozora didn't send out Charmander at all, but instead released a Nidorino?
"After Charmander and Psyduck, Yozora finally sends out a new Pokémon—Nidorino! Let's look forward to its performance!"
Perhaps because Yozora's strength was simply too overwhelming, even the announcer gave him special treatment, providing far more introduction than usual.
Strictly speaking, Yozora's Nidorino was also an "altered" Pokémon, though not as obvious or flashy as Charmander.
Because of that, its appearance didn't cause any huge uproar.Even so, simply because it belonged to Yozora, the crowd's attention instantly sharpened.
"Battle, begin!"
As soon as the referee gave the signal, Yozora acted first."Go, Nidorino—use Tackle!"
"Shuu—!"
Nidorino charged forward at once, its sharp poisonous horn locked onto Zippo as it barreled across the field.
"What a sharp horn!" The announcer couldn't hold back a gasp. Only after careful observation did he realize something was unusual.
The audience nodded repeatedly, worry flashing in their eyes for Zippo.
Nidorino's horn was far too sharp—if it landed that Tackle, the force would be terrifying. With Zippo's frail body, could it possibly withstand such a blow?
But what they didn't know—
Nidorino's horn wasn't merely sharp. More importantly, it contained a terrifyingly potent venom.
At the elite level, aside from Steel-types that were completely immune, no Pokémon could hope to endure it.
It was this venom that gave Nidorino its frighteningly aggressive edge.
And that wasn't all.Even in close combat, Nidorino's very body was covered in venomous spines. Simply defending could still wound its opponent!
"Don't be afraid, Zippo—use Flamethrower!" Ritchie didn't retreat. Instead, he counterattacked head-on.
In his eyes, Zippo's fiery power was more than enough to drive Nidorino back.
Yet—
The flames engulfed Nidorino for less than a second before it burst through them, slamming its horn squarely into Zippo's body.
"Wuuuuhhh!"
Zippo screamed, knocked backward as its feet scraped across the ground, leaving a white shockwave trail.
"What a powerful Tackle! It broke straight through the flames—the impact is incredible!" the announcer cried. Ritchie stood frozen, eyes wide.
He had truly believed Zippo's fire could at least repel Nidorino.
But not only had it failed—it hadn't even singed a single hair?
What kind of monster was this Nidorino?! Its strength was absurd!
…
In truth, Ritchie's strategy wasn't wrong.Against a normal Nidorino, Zippo's flames would have been more than enough.
But Yozora's Nidorino was different.
It possessed the ability Poison Point, a gift that let its physical prowess surpass the limits of its level.
Just as fire was Charmander's inner drive, venom was Nidorino's.
There was no need for Blaze to activate. From the start, it was already a Poison King.
Though only newly advanced into the junior elite tier, its raw physique and move power rivaled that of mid-tier elites!
And when it came to poison—its dominance was even more overwhelming.Other than Steel-types, it could practically sweep through elites!
And now, Zippo was poisoned.
The once pale, round belly now darkened with purple-black blotches.Even Zippo's face took on a sickly shade—clear symptoms of severe poisoning.
The venom gnawed away at its stamina without mercy…
Already badly wounded from Tackle, Zippo's strength was nearly gone. Now, with poison ravaging its body, sweat poured down in rivers.
Its breath grew ragged. Its eyes lost focus. Its frame trembled uncontrollably.
"Zippo?!" Ritchie froze, horrified at the sight of his battered partner.
This Nidorino was terrifying.Utterly toxic!
"Bang—"
Not even a second later, Zippo collapsed.
"Charmander is unable to battle!" The referee raised his flag, then discreetly signaled the announcer, who quickly summoned the on-site medical elite for emergency treatment.
Ritchie's heart raced, panic overwhelming him. He couldn't even think about the match anymore. The battle was paused.
Fortunately, Zippo's natural toughness and swift treatment worked wonders—before long, it had stabilized.
Only then did Ritchie breathe a sigh of relief and request the match to continue.
"What a shocking twist! From this, it's clear Yozora's Nidorino carries venom far surpassing its level—an unbelievably dangerous Pokémon!" the announcer declared, still rattled.
After witnessing this battle, even the spectators' gazes toward Yozora shifted—wariness and awe mingled in their eyes.
Too terrifying.
This trainer, time and again, sent out rare and overpowering Pokémon—Charmander, Psyduck, and now Nidorino.Every one of them a nightmare to face!
"Charmander and Psyduck were already mid-elite tier… but this Nidorino—its level and strength aren't the real issue. Its poison is the most terrifying part!"
Among the crowd, Sherry had watched the entire clash, quietly analyzing. She was already considering what tactics she might use should she face Yozora.
And she wasn't the only one.
Most of the other competitors who had made it this far, save for Captain Edson, the blond gentleman, and the bald wanderer, all wore expressions of dread when they looked at Yozora.
They didn't even bother analyzing.All they prayed for was divine luck—that they wouldn't be matched against this monster.
Round after round, the number of contestants had dwindled. The top eight—and their honors and rewards—were within reach. Only one round remained.
And in that round, everyone begged the heavens:Please, anyone but Yozora!
Many who had once been proud and unbeaten were reduced to cowardly wishes.
Such was Yozora's intimidation.
"But no matter how venomous Nidorino is, it has to make contact for the poison to take effect. In that case, a Flying-type can handle it easily." Sherry thought to herself, firming her strategy.
Somewhere deep down, she had a feeling—her battle with Yozora was coming soon.
"Please, I'll count on you, Happy!"
Though only a rookie, Ritchie's instincts as a trainer shone. Sharing the same realization as Sherry, he restrained Sparky, who wanted to fight for revenge, and instead sent out Butterfree.
…
…
(End of Chapter)