"However, I must first test whether you are worthy," the old woman said, her expression a bit peculiar. "Come, follow me."
Is this breeding center short on people to spar with their Pokémon again? Feng Che thought to himself, keeping his face impassive.
"Haha, another one tricked into being a sparring partner," the old woman mused inwardly with delight. "None of us are good at battling, and hiring professional trainers costs a fortune. Now that a powerful-looking trainer has delivered himself to our doorstep, we might as well make use of him!"
She led Feng Che to a large room, closed the heavy iron door behind him, and left. Inside, a multitude of Pokémon were released.
"If you can defeat all of these Pokémon, I will make the introductions you seek."
The battlefield was roughly 300 square meters, filled with various species that appeared extremely irritable—clearly, they hadn't seen combat in a long time. However, they were relatively restrained and hadn't started attacking each other yet.
Feng Che scanned the room. The most formidable among them were a Kangaskhan, an Electabuzz, a Rhydon, and a Chansey—the so-called "Pink Demon." They sat in the four corners, their powerful auras keeping the other Pokémon, like Tauros, Ekans, and Girafarig, in check.
Seeing a newcomer, a Tauros's eyes turned red. It exhaled a cloud of steam and charged at Feng Che with a fierce Take Down.
"Ivysaur, use Grass Knot!"
Feng Che released his Ivysaur. The charging Tauros tripped over the conjured vines, tumbled heavily, and fainted instantly.
"Great job, Ivysaur! Now, use Vine Whip!"
Ivysaur manipulated its eight vines, lashing out at the incoming Raticate and Sandslash. With two loud cracks, the opponents were sent flying into the walls and slumped to the ground. In just one second, Ivysaur had landed dozens of precise strikes.
"This trainer is very strong," the old woman whispered, watching from a hidden monitor. "Usually, the ones we bring in don't last a minute. I hope he can vent the pent-up aggression of these Pokémon."
Finally, after the smaller fry were cleared, the Kangaskhan opened its eyes. It stood tall, its brown armor-like skin and the small purple joey in its pouch making it an imposing sight. Its eyes were bloodshot, and its hands trembled slightly—a sign of a warrior starved for battle.
"Ivysaur, this one is yours."
[Ivysaur: That Kangaskhan looks tough... but for my trainer, I'll win!]
Ivysaur wove its vines together to form two massive green fists. Let's see if Ivysaur can learn something about punch-based moves from this opponent, Feng Che thought.
Kangaskhan lunged with a Dizzy Punch. Ivysaur countered with its vine-fists. BOOM! The impact created a shockwave. Kangaskhan was pushed back several steps, but Ivysaur stood firm, its feet anchored by tiny roots.
"It used Ingrain," Feng Che noted. "A double-edged sword. If those roots are ripped, the backlash will be severe."
The first exchange seemed to clear some of the fog from Kangaskhan's mind. It took a deep breath, its left hand igniting with fire and its right glowing with icy blue light. Fire Punch and Ice Punch.
"A veteran," Feng Che murmured. "It knows exactly which moves are super-effective against a Grass-type."
Despite the disadvantage, Ivysaur defended brilliantly. It layered Ingrain with Growth and Grassy Terrain, boosting its defenses and recovery. Any damage to its vine-fists was repaired almost instantly. Eventually, the Kangaskhan grew winded, its movements slowing. It looked exhausted, but the look of frustration on its face had been replaced by a sense of satisfaction.
"Ivysaur, wrap it up!"
Vines surged forward, binding Kangaskhan tightly.
"Seed Bomb!"
Several green orbs struck Kangaskhan's back, draining its remaining stamina. Finally, Ivysaur released a cloud of silver-white Sleep Powder. The mother Pokémon drifted into a peaceful slumber, a small smile playing on its lips.
"Impressive," the old woman nodded. "Next is the Rhydon. Will he use Ivysaur again, or something else?"
The Rhydon was a high-level Elite. Its drill-like horn could shatter diamonds, and its armored hide allowed it to survive in 2,000-degree lava.
"Go, Froakie! This is your training partner," Feng Che said.
[Froakie: A worthy opponent. I'll give it everything I've got.]
Rhydon let out a roar that shook the entire building. The noise was so loud it even woke the old man sleeping in the front office.
"What's the racket, old woman?" he grumbled.
"A new trainer is giving the residents a workout," she smiled. "These poor Pokémon have been cooped up for so long; they needed this."
Just then, Whitney, the Goldenrod Gym Leader, rushed into the building. "Grandma, Grandpa! What was that shaking? I felt it all the way down the street!"
"It's fine, dear. Just a duel in the back," the old woman replied.
Inside, Rhydon looked at the tiny Froakie and snorted. It used Stomp, intending to crush the "insect" in one go. But Froakie had already vanished, leaving behind a dozen Double Team clones.
Froakie's palms secreted a thin layer of water, gradually wetting the entire floor. Rhydon, annoyed, used Rock Tomb. Boulders rained down, but Froakie used them as stepping stones to get closer.
Suddenly, Rhydon's horn extended—Smart Strike. It waited for the real Froakie to get within range. Smart, Feng Che thought. But hitting Froakie is easier said than done.
The horn pierced a clone, which exploded into a splash of water that soaked Rhydon's head. The Pokémon roared in frustration.
"Froakie, Whirlpool!"
Dozens of Froakie clones raised their hands, each manifesting a miniature vortex. Rhydon couldn't tell which one was real.
"Fire them!"
The vortexes converged. Rhydon, eyes bloodshot with rage, used its ultimate move: Horn Drill combined with Smart Strike. The high-speed rotation pierced through the whirlpools, scattering the water everywhere.
But that was exactly what Feng Che wanted.
"Froakie, Ice Beam!"
A blue-white orb of freezing energy struck. The water covering the floor—and more importantly, the water soaking the Rhydon—flash-frozen. The massive beast was instantly encased in a giant block of ice, its eyes wide with shock.
Just as Froakie went to catch its breath, a crackling sound of electricity filled the air.
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