"Wow, this map is gonna be useful"
"Useful! It's going to be a lifesaver!!"
"Oh yeah, this is where i am going to stop"
"…Oh yeah"
"Hahaha no need for that sad atmosphere"
"You're right! Well see each other again some time"
"Alex, thank you for the pokemon that you gave"
"Hahaha, no need for that! Those 13 pokemon were only applins"
"Well, you know how to contact us so"
"Hahaha, ill see you guys again"
"See you!!"
After saying goodbye to Alex, we immediately rented a room in the poke center, where we decided to stay for 2 weeks before moving forward again
"Come on growlithe one more flame thrower!"
A trainer yelled
"Lokix dodge to the right and use skitter smack follow by double kick"
Growlithe damage by the skitter smack couldn't dodge the double kick
"Grrrr!!!"
"Growlithe!"
"Lokix finish this Axe kick!"
Damage by Lokix, Growlithe didn't have enough strength to dodge the axe kick delivered by lokix
"That was a good match"
"…Tsk, here's the pay bug catcher"
"Thanks 😊"
"Anymore want to challenge me?"
The crowd watches me, whispering, sneering—but none of them have the guts to step forward. Their hesitation only makes my grin wider.
"Fine," a voice carries through the tension. "I'll take you on. But I want to challenge your Durant."
A trainer takes the bait. He steps forward, smug, tossing his bet money to the referee. The stakes are set—if he wins, i triple his money. If I win, I take it all. A dangerous game, but one I've played well over the past ten days.
"But I don't need the cash," he adds, his smirk sharpening. "I want information. A specific kind of training."
i study him for a moment, then let out a short laugh.
"Fine," i say.
A beat of silence. Then, his expression twists into something fierce.
"Haha! Just don't regret what you said! Magmar, enter!"
A burst of fire erupts as his Magmar steps forward, waves of heat rolling off its body. The battlefield distorts in the haze, and the crowd murmurs at the sight of the fire-type's raw power.
I stay unfazed. I've faced worse.
"Durant, come."
A metallic screech tears through the air as my Durant lands in front of me, claws scraping against the dirt. Its steel body gleams under the light, mandibles snapping with anticipation.
The match begins.
"Magmar—Fire Punch!"
"Durant—Sand Attack into Dig!"
Magmar lunges, its fist engulfed in fire. But just as the strike comes down, Durant hurls sand into its eyes, forcing it to stagger back. Before Magmar can recover, Durant vanishes underground.
"Tsk! Cowardly move," the trainer spits. "Magmar, stay alert!"
Magmar shifts its stance, muscles tensed, scanning the battlefield. The heat around it flickers as it waits, trying to sense Durant's movement beneath the earth.
"Now! Follow with Crunch!"
A moment later, Durant erupts from the ground, slamming its steel jaws into Magmar's exposed underbelly. Magmar lets out a pained grunt but retaliates instantly.
A Fire Punch lands clean, sending flames rippling across Durant's metallic shell. The crowd gasps.
"Endure it!" I command. "Dig—then Metal Sound!"
Durant doesn't flinch. No burns. It tunnels back underground, dodging further blows.
"This is getting nowhere!" The trainer grits his teeth. "Magmar, smog the hole!"
Toxic smoke pours into the cracks, a desperate attempt to flush Durant out.
"Durant! If you hear me—Agility into Iron Head!"
"You really think that'll work?!" he barks. "I know you've beaten a bunch of trainers here, but they're all beginners!"
I chuckle. "If it works, that's enough."
His face twists in frustration. "You—!"
Magmar, sensing its trainer's anger, glances back for just a second.
"NOW!"
Like a bullet from a gun, Durant explodes out of the ground, steel body glowing with momentum. The crowd gasps as the final strike lands.
The battle is over.
The trainer stands frozen, his Magmar slumped over, defeated. Silence washes over the crowd. Then, I step forward, hand outstretched.
"I'll take my winnings now."
The trainer scowls but tosses over the cash. I pocket it without a second glance.
"Better luck next time," I say, turning away.
The whispers start again, but this time, they carry a different tone. Not mockery. No doubt.
Respect.
out of the ground and, with the power of dig and iron head, knocked out magmar