Yozora's Kangaskhan possessed the Scrappy Ability. Because of this, even Normal-type or Fighting-type moves could strike Ghost-type Pokémon.
However, in this era, the concept of Abilities had not yet been clearly defined. Yozora couldn't explain it outright, so he simply spread his hands and said,"I don't know why either. All I can say is, it can easily hit Ghost-types."
"A natural gift that allows it to strike Ghost-types, huh?" Derrick nodded slightly. As he recalled Gengar, he sent out his second Pokémon.
From the second round onward, Derrick's Poké Balls were all Luxury Balls.
With a flash of white light, a four-legged blue sea beast appeared on the field.
It stood about 1.5 meters tall, with the physique of a tiger or leopard. Its head and limbs were covered in yellow shell-like armor.
Most striking was the sharp, sword-like horn jutting from its head, exuding terrifying power and an aura of unstoppable force.
This massive creature was none other than the fully evolved form of the Unova Water-type starter, Samurott!
"Oh! Contestant Derrick's second Pokémon is actually Samurott! What a rare sight!" the announcer cried out.
After all, Samurott came from the distant Unova region. In Kanto, it was incredibly rare—no, super rare.
Many spectators present had never even seen a Samurott before. All eyes were fixed on it, filled with shock and curiosity.
"Whoa, what kind of Pokémon is that? It looks insanely strong!"
"Yeah, just look at its build—you can tell it's powerful. And that blade-like horn on its head? One glance is enough to see how devastating its charges must be!"
While the crowd murmured in awe, the second round had already begun. Derrick took the initiative:
"Samurott, use Aqua Jet!"
Unlike Water Gun or Hydro Pump, Aqua Jet was a physical Water-type move, known for its incredible speed. Much like Quick Attack, it allowed the user to strike first.
The instant Derrick's command left his lips, Samurott turned into a rushing torrent, crashing toward Kangaskhan.
The speed was overwhelming. Kangaskhan had no time to react before being struck head-on, letting out a pained cry as it was hurled backward.
In just a moment, Kangaskhan had taken severe damage.
Normally, Aqua Jet was considered a minor move, its power comparable to Quick Attack.
But in Samurott's hands, the attack was nothing short of destructive. Its strength turned the simple Aqua Jet into a devastating blow.
Such was the might of a Commander-tier Pokémon.
"Follow up with Hydro Pump!" Derrick shouted again.
Kangaskhan barely had time to steady itself before a roaring blast of water slammed into it.
"Gah—!" Kangaskhan groaned, eyes spinning as it collapsed onto the ground with a heavy thud.
"Kangaskhan is unable to battle!" the announcer declared. The arena erupted into cheers, the crowd awestruck by Samurott's overwhelming strength.
Pokémon: Samurott
Type: Water
Level: Commander-tier, Initial Stage
Potential: Commander-tier
Notes: One of Derrick's main battlers. Well-rounded and exceptionally strong.
"Contestant Yozora's Kangaskhan has gone down in an instant! What a powerful Samurott! Which Pokémon will Yozora send out next?" The announcer's voice rang loud and clear.
Many spectators couldn't help but sweat nervously for Yozora.
So far, the cruise tournament had seen countless Water-type Pokémon appear, yet Yozora had never once used an Electric- or Grass-type.
Water-types only had two weaknesses—Electric and Grass.
Which meant Yozora wasn't holding back his counters—he simply didn't have any.
Because of this, most believed Yozora was at a disadvantage entering this competition.
"If the opponent is Samurott, then there's no choice. Go, Charmeleon!" Yozora thought quickly and sent out Charmeleon.
His original plan had been to let Psyduck and Kangaskhan wear opponents down, leaving Charmeleon as his main attacker.
But against Samurott—a Water-type of higher level—Psyduck wouldn't even last long enough to stall.
There was no helping it.
Plans never keep up with change. At this point, Yozora had no choice but to call on Charmeleon.
"Yozora's Charmeleon has frightening firepower," Derrick muttered, then gave his command. "But my Samurott is just as formidable. Samurott, Aqua Jet!"
"Charmeleon, Flame Charge!" Yozora countered almost instantly.
On the field, water and fire collided head-on.
BOOM! A deafening explosion rang out.
The clash of forces erupted into a massive cloud of steam, thick and white, instantly engulfing the battlefield in fog.
Within moments, visibility dropped to zero.
"What a collision! That power is incredible!" the announcer cried, while the audience sat frozen, wide-eyed, unable to look away.
A few tense seconds passed.
The mist began to fade.
And then—
"What?!"
Derrick, the announcer, and countless spectators all gasped in disbelief.
From within the fading fog, Charmeleon unleashed a towering whirl of fire. Samurott was nowhere in sight—clearly trapped within the blazing vortex!
"How is this possible?! In that fog, visibility was zero! How could Charmeleon land a direct hit? Don't tell me… even in the mist, its eyes can still see clearly?!" Derrick's thoughts raced in shock.
But the truth was different.
It wasn't Charmeleon's eyes at all.
It was Yozora's Aura.
He didn't need sight. He could perceive the battlefield directly through Aura, locking onto Samurott's position with pinpoint accuracy.
This was Yozora's natural gift—something he had possessed since birth.
And recently, his bond with Charmeleon had deepened, reaching the level of true synchronicity.
Through this connection, Charmeleon often didn't even need spoken commands. It could act directly from the heart, making the sharpest, most precise decisions in battle!
Because of this, Charmeleon's combat prowess had practically doubled.
"Samurott! Use Water Pulse to break free from the flames!" Derrick shouted anxiously.
Samurott finally burst out, dousing the fiery vortex that trapped it. But the moment it regained freedom—
"Fire Blast!" Yozora's voice rang out.
Samurott's eyes widened in horror.
A blazing, cross-shaped inferno surged toward it, unstoppable…
(End of Chapter)