"You're just hugging your books and engaging in useless theoretical education. You can't even defeat a second-rate Trainer in the wild." Red criticized mercilessly, giving no respect to anyone present. Giselle, who had been observing the battle from the side, did not refute him, because Red's strength was enough to point out the shortcomings of Pokémon Tech.
"Not going to continue challenging me? My Charmeleon is quite excited." Red looked at Giselle and said. After defeating five Pokémon in a row, Charmeleon showed not the slightest sign of fatigue—completely fired up.
"Please, Geodude!" Giselle threw out a Poké Ball, sending out a Rock-type Pokémon to counter the Fire-type, hoping to use the type advantage to defeat Charmeleon.
Seeing that Red had no intention of giving commands, Charmeleon decisively rushed forward and used Brick Break. Giselle quickly ordered Geodude to use Rollout. With the momentum of Rollout, Geodude endured Charmeleon's Brick Break, but what followed immediately was a powerful Iron Tail.
"Geodude, quickly use Stomping Tantrum!"
Geodude stomped heavily on the ground. The violent tremors made everyone lose their footing. Charmeleon, momentarily careless, was seized by Giselle's opportunity and struck on the head by Geodude's Brick Break, the pain unceasing.
"You only defeated a bunch of third-rate trash, yet you've grown so arrogant that you didn't even prepare for defense." Red reprimanded coldly. Charmeleon, accepting the criticism, looked ashamed. He clearly could have leapt into the air using Iron Tail to evade, yet because of blind confidence, he had taken a painful hit.
(What a strict guy…)
Giselle was astonished by both Red and Charmeleon. Charmeleon's talent alone would make most Trainers yearn desperately, yet Red not only didn't praise him, he openly criticized him over a single mistake. What puzzled her even more was that Charmeleon showed not the slightest displeasure, gladly accepting Red's instruction.
"Charmeleon, use Fire Spin to trap Geodude!"
At Red's command, Charmeleon quickly spewed flames, trapping Geodude within a pillar of fire. Though the flames couldn't deal effective damage, they could briefly restrict Geodude's movement.
"Oh no, Geodude, quickly use Stone Edge!" Giselle cried in panic.
"Too late. Charmeleon, Brick Break."
Trapped within the flames, Geodude didn't even hear Giselle's command clearly and directly endured the attack from outside the fire pillar. Charmeleon's close-range Brick Break struck Geodude's head, knocking it to the ground.
"Miss Giselle was completely crushed…" Joe said in disbelief. The idol he admired in his heart had been defeated so effortlessly. His resolve to continue staying at Pokémon Tech began to waver.
"How is that possible? That guy must've given Charmeleon stimulants!" the five lackeys clamored.
"Shut up! I know exactly how strong my opponent is!" Losing to Red wasn't unbearable, but being mocked like this by the five of them made Giselle feel utterly humiliated.
"What a powerful Charmeleon. As expected of a Trainer recommended by Professor Oak!"
A praising voice came from behind. Red turned around and saw a red-haired man in a cape standing at the doorway—the Dragon-type Elite Four member Lance—looking at him with admiration.
"You… you wouldn't happen to be Mr. Lance of the Elite Four?!" Giselle looked at him in awe, curious why he had appeared here.
"Actually, I came here at Principal Yutō's request. After all, I used to be a student of this academy as well."
Upon hearing that Lance had once studied at Pokémon Tech, Giselle and the others showed proud expressions. After all, Lance had graduated from their school, instantly salvaging the humiliation they had just suffered at Red's hands.
"…" Red said nothing, merely glancing at Lance calmly, without a trace of awe or fear—as if Lance were just an ordinary person.
(What sharp eyes… and that presence is astonishing…)
While Red sized up Lance, Lance was also observing Red. One of the reasons Lance had come to Pokémon Tech was precisely because of Red.
Previously, Professor Oak had applied to the League for authorization to use the Master Ball. To evaluate Red's strength, the League immediately entrusted Lance with the assessment. Based on the travel signs provided by Professor Oak, Lance had guessed Red would come to Pokémon Tech—and he had guessed right.
"Hello, Mr. Lance," Red said lightly.
"And hello to you, Red! I've heard a lot about you from Professor Oak. I didn't expect that not only are you an outstanding Pokémon Trainer, but your research on Pokémon is equally exceptional!" Lance praised.
"You're here to assess my authorization to use the Master Ball, right?" Red stated directly.
Lance was momentarily startled, then nodded approvingly.
"Correct. Authorization for the Master Ball is extremely strict. However, due to the remarkable contributions your papers have made to the League, the higher-ups have entrusted me to deliver these two Master Balls to you."
Lance took out two miniaturized Master Balls from his pocket and handed them to Red.
The Master Ball, with its purple exterior and the letter "M" embedded in the center, rested firmly in Red's grasp. He knew he had passed the League's evaluation. Over the past three years, he had made considerable contributions—three papers that greatly promoted economic exchange within the Kanto Region. Combined with Professor Oak's endorsement, obtaining the Master Balls had practically been inevitable.
"This broken school can even produce an Elite Four Trainer?" Red asked in puzzlement.
"You—!" Giselle's face flushed red with anger, yet she had nothing to retort. After all, she had just been easily defeated by Red.
"Well…" Lance scratched his head awkwardly. "I didn't actually graduate from this school. I dropped out midway to travel. Because my theoretical foundation was lacking and I was always at the bottom, I simply left to journey instead—and that's how I grew to where I am today."
"How could that be…" Giselle said in despair. The powerful Dragon-type Elite Four Lance had once been a bottom student at Pokémon Tech. She felt an overwhelming sense of hopelessness about the school she attended.
"Long time no see, Lance!"
An elderly man approached. Aside from Red and the other two, the rest of the students were persuaded to leave by him.
"Grandfather!" Giselle hurried to the old man's side, sounding aggrieved.
"Long time no see, Principal Yutō!" Lance greeted respectfully, as the elderly man was also one of the League's higher officials.
"Grandfather, this guy just insulted our school!" Giselle complained.
"Giselle… in truth, every mistake this young man pointed out was correct. At some point, our school has strayed from its original intention." Principal Yutō sighed helplessly. He had founded this academy to be a place aspiring Trainers looked up to, yet it had become a greenhouse for the wealthy.
Giselle fell silent. She had already begun to waver about Pokémon Tech, and after hearing her grandfather's words, she became even more determined to set out on a journey.
"Grandfather, I want to travel like Mr. Lance. I'll personally defeat this guy at the Indigo Plateau Conference!" Giselle declared firmly, issuing a challenge to Red.
"Not a bad idea. I was just about to persuade you to travel. You've learned enough theory here—it's time to enrich your understanding through practice." Principal Yutō instructed the butler beside him to prepare Giselle's travel supplies.
"Wait. Before that, I want one final battle with you!" Giselle stopped Red as he was about to leave, taking out a carefully treasured Ultra Ball. Principal Yutō was startled—he hadn't expected his granddaughter to send out even her starter Pokémon.
"Please, Gabite!" Giselle declared proudly. "This is the starter Pokémon my sister gave me. Geodude was only one I commonly train with!"
"Is that so? I'm looking forward to it." Red calmly sent out Charmeleon again. After a brief rest, Charmeleon had returned to peak condition and was fully prepared to face Gabite.
"This Charmeleon's development is extraordinary. No wonder it's a mixed-blood Charmeleon." Lance naturally knew Charmeleon's background. It wasn't a secret within the League—while still being raised by the League, Charmeleon had injured most of the starter Pokémon and had long been a headache for the breeders.
"An outstanding Pokémon should be paired with an outstanding Trainer." Lance smiled. After a brief conversation with Principal Yutō, he quietly departed, not forgetting to take one last deep look at Red, committing his appearance to memory.
(Red, I'll be waiting for you at the Indigo Plateau Conference!)
...
Outside, the two made thorough preparations for battle.
"Gabite, use Sandstorm!"
Gabite roared, and countless grains of dust rose. The sandstorm made Charmeleon uncomfortable, its body occasionally suffering damage from the swirling sands.
It happened to be a bright sunny day outdoors, and Charmeleon's Solar Power Ability quietly activated. The flame on its tail burned fiercely as, under Red's command, Charmeleon used Fire Spin to clash against the surrounding sandstorm.
"Use Dual Chop!"
Gabite rushed forward, its glowing claws locking onto Charmeleon's movements—but Charmeleon evaded the attack.
"Flamethrower!"
At close range, flames surged forward. Gabite quickly used Slash in an attempt to split the fire apart, but with Solar Power's enhancement, the flames were not so easily dispersed. They broke through Gabite's Slash, scorching its claws.
"Damn it, that was reckless!" Giselle regretted. Her blind command had instantly collapsed the battle's momentum. She already lacked confidence in defeating Charmeleon, and now Gabite had fallen into the abnormal status condition [Burn].
Charmeleon endured the sandstorm's assault; Gabite endured the agony of burns. Neither yielded as they charged at each other, both using Dragon Claw simultaneously.
After several rounds of confrontation, the sandstorm's effects dissipated. Charmeleon sensed that this was the moment to decide the victor.
"Use Dragon Claw to grab Gabite—then finish it with Burn Up!"
Charmeleon roared, gripping tightly onto the Gabite that tried to escape. Giselle realized something was wrong and hurriedly ordered Gabite to dodge, but Charmeleon had already prepared Flamethrower. A blazing pillar of fire instantly engulfed Gabite's body. Due to Charmeleon's heightened excitement, the flames this time were an even more intense bluish-white.
When the fire dissipated, Gabite lay on the ground, its body covered in burns—unable to battle.