You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
Traveling often gets romanticized in books, portrayed as a journey full of breathtaking sights and thrilling encounters at every turn. But in reality, most days are much quieter.
Luther and Mai typically walked in peaceful silence, occasionally drawn toward nearby Pokémon they couldn't resist observing up close.
This curious habit of theirs often startled the Pokémon, sending them fleeing into the underbrush in panic. Most of their journey consisted of these calm, unremarkable moments, days defined more by anticipation than excitement.
Of course, a little adrenaline never hurt. After all, some excitement now and then added flavor to the routine.
"Evade it, then counter with 'Psychic'!"
Luther's Kirlia narrowly avoided the 'Fire Punch' thrown by the rapidly advancing Infernape. The heat of the attack swept past her, and Kirlia quickly levitated backward with 'Psychic', just enough to dodge.
That small repositioning was all Luther needed to spot a chance to fight back against the opposing Trainer, a young woman in a thick, padded jacket.
"Predict its landing point. Use 'Focus Blast'!"
Infernape's flaming punch struck the ground instead, and it used the recoil to launch itself into the air. While airborne, it twisted its body mid-fall, readying a counterattack.
Just from that move, it was clear this Infernape was no rookie; it had battle experience.
Kirlia had no more room to retreat. Luther couldn't bet on Infernape miscalculating its strike.
"Take it head-on, fire 'Psybeam'!"
The vibrant 'Psybeam' clashed directly with the incoming 'Focus Blast'. The impact kicked up a cloud of dust and forest debris, wrapping the area in a haze.
But the opposing Trainer didn't hesitate; she continued giving commands through the mist.
"Feel her presence. Trust your instincts. Even if you can't see Kirlia, use 'Screech', now!"
Infernape's piercing cry echoed through the trees, disorienting Kirlia, who had been trying to lock onto her opponent's location.
And it wasn't just Kirlia. Even Luther, Mai, and Infernape's Trainer had to cover their ears. The sheer volume of that Screech, whether due to power or just raw force, was staggering.
Kirlia reeled, her focus scattered, her mental defenses shaken.
"Don't lose your rhythm! If our defenses are lowered, then raise them, Calm Mind, now!"
Kirlia took a deep breath, centering herself as her aura pulsed with renewed strength, boosting both her special attack and special defense.
The mist still lingered, but the other Trainer remained bold.
"Keep using 'Screech'!"
A mental tug-of-war had begun, while Kirlia raised her stats, Infernape tried to bring them crashing back down. It became a question of persistence. Who would blink first?
"Keep using 'Calm Mind'!"
"Screech!"
"Calm Mind!"
…
Eventually, the mist cleared. Wild Pokémon watching the battle scattered, spooked by the ferocity of Infernape. If it hadn't looked so menacing, some of them might've tried to teach it a lesson themselves.
Infernape was left hoarse from its relentless cries, while Kirlia stood drenched in sweat, one worn out physically, the other mentally.
"Close Combat!"
Infernape dashed forward with blistering speed. To gain a better angle, it sprang from tree to tree, darting through the canopy like lightning zigzagging across the sky.
"Don't get distracted by the movement, it'll strike from close range! Charge Psybeam!"
After several rapid jumps, Infernape vanished from view. Kirlia focused, letting go of tracking its position, and instead readied a concentrated blast of 'Psychic' energy for the first clear opportunity.
Then came the whoosh of air, a sudden rush.
"Psybeam, fire upward!" Luther shouted, spotting Infernape descending directly overhead.
Kirlia unleashed her attack just as Infernape's Trainer issued a new command.
"Drive through with 'Close Combat'! Hit the ground!"
Infernape plunged straight through the Psybeam, pushing past the 'Psychic' force with sheer will. Upon landing, it slammed the ground, sending up a spray of dirt that blinded Kirlia.
In one fluid motion, Infernape twisted mid-sprint, clenched its fist, and lunged.
Kirlia, her defenses weakened, couldn't possibly endure a full-force hit, but dodging seemed impossible now…
"Hold your ground, force out 'Psybeam'!"
Infernape's punch struck hard, sending Kirlia flying. But just before losing consciousness, Kirlia managed to launch one final Psybeam at her opponent.
Two heavy impacts echoed through the clearing.
Mai and a girl beside her ran forward, stunned, and after checking both Pokémon, they gave the verdict: double knockout.
Both Luther and the opposing Trainer stepped in to gently lift their Pokémon.
Infernape stirred first, looking up at its Trainer with guilt in its eyes.
"It's fine," He reassured him, ruffling his fur. "That opponent was strong, way different from those rookie Trainers or half-baked Gym Leaders we usually face."
Kirlia, cradled in Luther's arms, blushed faintly and clutched the spot where she had taken the hit, eyes full of quiet pride.
"It's my fault. I gave the command too late. If I'd had you use 'Calm Mind' at the start and followed up with an attack, the outcome might've been different."
Mai rummaged through her bag, pulling out a healing spray to tend to Kirlia's injuries.
Luther called out with admiration, "Etorre, your Infernape is ridiculously strong!"
Etorre smiled as he glanced over at his companion, who was kneeling beside Infernape, checking for injuries. "As much as I hate to admit it, your Kirlia's reaction speed and endurance were seriously impressive. That punch landed clean, yet she still managed to get off a Psybeam. I didn't see that coming."
After confirming that neither Pokémon was seriously hurt, the two groups returned to their shared campsite. They sat around the fire and removed the simmering pot, ready to enjoy dinner together.
Etorre and his girlfriend Mao, a dedicated Pokémon Breeder, were about the same age as Luther and Mai. Like Luther, they were also preparing for the upcoming Lily of the Valley Conference.
Their paths had crossed earlier that day thanks to their Pokédexes. Etorre and Mao were both in possession of prototype models, just like Luther and Mai. At the time, Luther had been picking berries while Mai was gathering them in her shirt when their Pokédexes simultaneously chimed.
Etorre had been wandering nearby, searching for the source of his own alert, and they all happened to run into each other.
According to Etorre, he hadn't encountered another Pokédex holder in quite a while.
Sharing a campsite with strangers might normally be cause for caution, but the moment Luther learned they were fellow Pokédex holders, most of his wariness melted away. After all, being chosen as a Pokédex holder carried a strong reputation. It was a small, respected circle, any kind of misconduct could seriously damage a Trainer's future.
Both duos were aiming for the Lily of the Valley Conference, so talk naturally shifted toward battles. Before long, they couldn't resist testing their skills in a friendly match.
After the fight, both Luther and Etorre felt their tension ease, mutual respect settling in.
Meanwhile, Mai and Mao were completely absorbed in a different kind of exchange, sharing Pokémon breeding techniques, both clearly enjoying the conversation.
"You've only got two Badges?" Etorre asked, surprised, as they ate together.
"Yeah, isn't that normal? There's still more than half a year until the Lily of the Valley Conference."
"That's not exactly how it works," Etorre said, shaking his head. "You can't just count down the days. Travel eats up time, and resting after Gym battles is a must. Plus, popular Gyms always get crowded closer to the deadline, you might end up waiting in line. And don't forget, Lily of the Valley Island is way down south. The climate there's totally different, so most Trainers head there a month early just to acclimate."
"Not to mention all the prep work once you get there," he continued. "You'll want to spar with other competitors, analyze potential opponents, and finalize your team line-up before the real battles begin…"
Luther broke into a cold sweat as he realized just how much he'd overlooked. Beside him, Mai had already started jotting notes, nodding in agreement.
Etorre opened his Badge case, revealing six gleaming Badges. Luther immediately recognized the Oreburgh Gym Badge and the Hearthome Badge, but the other four were unfamiliar.
"No need to squint. The Gym Leaders from those other towns are pretty average," Etorre said with a grin, catching Luther's expression. "They do their best, sure, but it's nothing like facing the big names."
"When I fought Rorak at the Oreburgh Gym, he sent out an Aggron right off the bat. That was brutal. Fantina at the Hearthome Gym didn't hold back either, she threw out Gengar and Dusclops right away."
"I was stuck at the Oreburgh Gym for nearly two weeks. Hearthome was even worse; I barely scraped through. After that, I figured I'd try my luck at some of the lesser-known Gyms, and sure enough, they were way easier by comparison."
Listening closely, Luther began to understand a common trend: many Trainers deliberately avoided the high-profile Gyms endorsed by the League and instead pursued victories at smaller, but still official, Gyms.
The reason was simple: those major Gym Leaders had dangerously adaptable teams. Luther could relate. The memory of Gardenia's Exeggutor still haunted him.
Another factor was route planning. The official Gyms formed a winding, often inconvenient path on the map. Realistically, most Trainers battled wherever they happened to pass by. Few would intentionally bypass a Gym just to challenge a select few at the end of a long detour.
Mai gave Luther a long, meaningful look. You need to figure this out for yourself.
Indeed, there was one such stubborn Trainer here. Judging by their current travel path, they were heading straight for Snowpoint City.
Their journey, quite literally, was headed north.
(End of Chapter)
PS-"For every 100 power stones, I'll release one bonus chapter (Current-10)! (Resets Every Week on Monday)"