"Raticate, use Sucker Punch!"
"Starmie, use Rapid Spin!"
On the open deck outside, a fierce Pokémon duel had reached its peak. Wherever Pokémon trainers gathered, matches like this were inevitable.
Driven by the same human curiosity as the rest of the crowd, Hisoka first withdrew his Kirlia and Weavile. Two Pokémon so rare in the Kanto region would easily cause a commotion if they were suddenly brought into a gathering of so many trainers.
On the deck area marked by white lines, the two Pokémon facing off were a Raticate and a Starmie. Raticate's trainer was a mature man in his thirties, sporting a top hat, a tailcoat, and a distinctive handlebar mustache.
His opponent was an ordinary-looking youth in a green short-sleeved shirt.
Under their trainers' orders, both Pokémon launched their attacks simultaneously. Unfortunately, because they weren't on a water-based battlefield, Starmie couldn't utilize its high swimming speed. It was struck dead in its back by Raticate's Sucker Punch before it could fully react.
Starmie let out a cry of pain and tumbled through the air, hitting the deck. It had sustained light injuries, but not enough to knock it out of the fight.
"Raticate, keep up the pressure! Use Super Fang!"
Taking advantage of the fact that Starmie had yet to regain its footing, the man in the top hat immediately barked out another command. Raticate's short-distance dash was incredibly swift. It lunged forward, baring its signature oversized incisors, and bit down hard on the octagonal red core in the center of Starmie's body.
The impact sent a shudder through Starmie's entire form. Raticate's claws gripped the edges of the starfish, preventing any hope of escape, while its sharp teeth clamped tighter. Finally, with a sharp crack, a large chunk of the red core was crushed under the force of Raticate's bite.
Having landed a critical blow, Raticate retreated instantly to prevent any final retaliation. Performing such a tactical move without a direct command proved that this Raticate possessed high combat instinct and had been well-trained.
The heavily damaged Starmie stood dazed for several seconds before collapsing onto the floor. On the electronic screen near the gentleman, the words "WINNER" flashed in large red letters.
"Are you okay, Starmie?" The youth in the green shirt knelt down and cradled his Pokémon, looking utterly dejected. He was frustrated by the loss, but he was far more worried about the extent of Starmie's injuries.
Watching the disappointed boy, the man in the top hat leaned on his cane, maintaining the haughty posture of a victor. "It was merely a mock battle. I suppose the Goddess of Victory simply prefers me today!"
At that moment, a beautiful woman in a pink trailing gown, her brown hair pinned up, stepped gracefully through the crowd in red high heels. She placed her left hand on the gentleman's shoulder and her right on his chest, gazing at him with admiration. "You are so strong!"
"Thank you, Mademoiselle," the gentleman said tenderly to his companion. He then turned back to the departing youth. "Go and train your Starmie to be a bit stronger."
"Don't worry, Starmie will be fine. The injury looks bad, but the core in the center of its body can regenerate. Just take it to the Pokémon medical room on the ship; it will recover in no time..." A girl with orange hair, wearing a yellow vest and short denim overalls, approached the boy to comfort him.
"Thank you!" The boy looked at her gratefully, then picked up his Starmie and ran out of the crowd.
The gentleman stroked his mustache with a finger, looked around, and projected his voice across the deck. "Alright, is there anyone else with the courage to challenge my Raticate?"
"That guy's Raticate is actually pretty tough..."
"Yeah, that was his third win in a row..."
Listening to the murmurs of the crowd, Hisoka felt a hint of amusement. It was just a Raticate, regardless of how strong it was. It was true that a Rattata's overall strength increased exponentially upon evolving, especially with moves like Super Fang and Hyper Fang, which could deal massive damage if they connected.
To counter a Raticate, one simply needed a Steel or Rock-type Pokémon. Unfortunately, the S.S. Anne's official regulations strictly prohibited the use of heavy-weight Pokémon for duels on the deck.
Unlike on land, if a trainer were to use a Rhydon to execute an Earthquake, it could potentially crack the deck. Causing structural damage to the ship in the middle of the ocean was a reckless disregard for the safety of every passenger on board.
"Whoa, I'm fired up now!" A boy wearing a red and white cap burst through the crowd. He ran to the opposite side of the gentleman, flipped his cap backward, and spoke with absolute confidence. "My Butterfree will be your opponent!"
"Very well," the gentleman smiled comfortably. He loved these hot-headed young boys; they rarely used their brains and only knew how to trade blows head-on.
"Good grief, Ash gets worked up the second he sees a battle!" The orange-haired girl from before sighed, placing her hands on her hips in exasperation.
"Ash?"
The name caught Hisoka's attention. He observed the hot-blooded youth carefully. His outfit and appearance were indeed identical to the protagonist of the animation. But where was the Pikachu that usually followed him everywhere?
Searching the surrounding crowd, Hisoka eventually spotted a young man with narrow eyes, dark skin, and black spiky hair. The yellow electric mouse was standing quietly by his feet.
That man was undoubtedly Brock, the Gym Leader of Pewter City. And the orange-haired girl who had spoken earlier had to be Misty, the youngest of the three sisters from the Cerulean Gym.
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