"Bewear really doesn't know Foresight," Shiro muttered under his breath, though his expression remained calm.
Even without Foresight, Bewear was not limited to Fighting and Normal-type moves. It still had Dark-type moves, along with several others that could deal damage to Spiritomb.
Besides, Spiritomb was not especially fast, nor was it particularly durable. Against it, Bewear could slowly wear it down and win in the end.
This battle reminded him of something. Many of his Pokémon had already improved in level and strength, but some, like Corviknight, Growlithe, and Bewear, still needed to learn moves later on. They needed TMs.
On the other side of the field, Cynthia took advantage of the moment when Shiro switched Pokémon and ordered Spiritomb to use Nasty Plot, boosting its Special Attack.
After that, both trainers gave their commands at the same time.
"Spiritomb, use Dark Pulse!"
"Bewear, push through it and use Brutal Swing!"
On the battlefield, Spiritomb gathered a mass of dark energy in front of itself. In an instant, it turned into spiraling waves that surged toward Bewear.
Bewear ran forward without hesitation. Thanks to its type resistance and the thick hide granted by its ability, it showed no fear at all. The dark energy slammed into its body, but instead of stopping it, the attack shattered on impact.
"Beweaaar!" (I'm coming!)
Its appearance was almost comical. It looked less like a fierce battle Pokémon and more like an oversized stuffed toy cheerfully greeting a friend, devoid of any visible threat.
But in Spiritomb's eyes, as it kept retreating and firing Dark Pulse, that figure began to look more and more terrifying. That strange blank look, as if it did not understand anything yet was charging forward to attack, made it uneasy.
"It's getting closer…" Cynthia narrowed her eyes and shouted, "Spiritomb, use Hypnosis!"
Before her command had even fully left her lips, Spiritomb switched moves, sending a wave of drowsy psychic energy forward. At such a short distance, there was no way to dodge it.
Shiro did not hesitate and immediately recalled Bewear mid-charge. Even if it could win in the end through grinding, there was no need to let it take unnecessary damage.
He threw another Poké Ball.
"Come out, Growlithe!"
Meanwhile, Cynthia seized the chance and had Spiritomb use Nasty Plot again, further boosting its Special Attack.
When she saw the imposing Growlithe across from her, she was slightly surprised.
'So he isn't a trainer who focuses on a single type.'
She reached that conclusion instantly and gave her command without pause.
"Spiritomb, use Night Shade!"
Ghost and Dark had no advantage over Fire. This would come down to raw strength. On top of that, Spiritomb had already boosted its Special Attack twice, so a quick strike might end the fight.
"Growlithe, dodge and use Howl!" Shiro gave his order.
It had been a long time since he had commanded Growlithe in a real battle. In fact, due the circumstances leading up to now, it rarely had the chance to fight.
But now it had reached a solid level and its training had paid off. It was time to see what it could truly do.
On the field, Spiritomb's body was instantly covered by a thin layer of shadow. A ghostly figure appeared behind it in a flash and lunged toward Growlithe at high speed.
"Grooowl!"
Growlithe didn't panic. As it moved, it raised its head and let out a long, resonant howl.
The move increased its attack power.
In the blink of an eye, a streak of flame began to glide lightly across the grass. Growlithe's swift figure, wrapped in thick, fluffy flaxen fur, looked like it was burning from a distance.
Night Shade had neither guaranteed hit nor tracking ability, so it was easily dodged.
"This is bad…" Cynthia tightened her grip on her Poké Ball, a trace of unease rising in her heart. "Growlithe is too fast!"
It wasn't just her. Even Spiritomb itself couldn't lock onto Growlithe's position. All it could see was a thin trail of fire darting across the field.
Spiritomb wasn't fast to begin with, and it lacked any move to counter this. It could only rise higher, waiting for the opponent to reveal an opening.
"Flamethrower!" Shiro called out.
Growlithe suddenly turned its head and locked onto Spiritomb in the air. The moment it opened its mouth, a swirling mass of blazing fire formed inside.
Flamethrower with a touch of Ember mixed in.
It always remembered Unown A's teaching. No matter what was added, Flamethrower was still Flamethrower, only the effect would change slightly.
A curtain of fire spread out, covering nearly half the sky above the battlefield. There was no way Spiritomb could endure that.
Cynthia judged the situation in an instant and waved her hand sharply.
"Spiritomb, use Sucker Punch!"
Her in-battle instincts were excellent. Spiritomb vanished from its spot at once, dodging the flames while appearing behind Growlithe.
'Behind you! Use Fire Fang!'
Shiro didn't speak out loud. He gave the command directly through psychic power. The speed of telepathy was almost the same as thought itself, far faster than sound.
"Growl!"
Just as Spiritomb prepared to strike from the shadows, flames gathered around Growlithe's jaws as it spun, biting down with precision. The Fire Fang, still carrying residual heat from the previous Flamethrower, snapped shut around Spiritomb before it could even register what was happening.
"Return!"
Cynthia quickly recalled Spiritomb in a flash of red beam and took out another Poké Ball.
Spiritomb had basically lost the ability to continue fighting.
"Go, Lucario!"
She threw the Poké Ball.
On the other side, Growlithe completed its second Howl, raising its attack even further.
"Lucaa…"
Lucario appeared calmly and lowered its stance, ready for battle.
"A Gym-level Lucario…" Shiro had already checked its information and observed it with interest.
Lucario was a rare species, known as the Aura Pokémon. It often appeared in ancient legends, and many people even mistook it for a legendary Pokémon.
He remembered that Lucario's evolution was closely tied to friendship. This one was likely raised by Cynthia since it was very young.
'Maybe Professor Carolina found its egg in some ruins…' He felt a bit envious.
On the battlefield, the two Pokémon faced each other. One stood upright, while the other stayed low to the ground.
In the silence, Growlithe made the first move. It barked in greeting and even lifted its front paws, trying to mimic Lucario's stance.
It looked a little ridiculous.
Lucario frowned deeply. It felt like it was being mocked by the dog.
"Aura Sphere!"
"Flame Wheel!"
Both trainers gave their commands simultaneously.
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