"Did you explain everything to Roilu?" Luna asked...
Caleb gave an affirmative hum, his mind already working on how to determine this island's geographical location and coordinates.
Before leaving the Instance, he had to attempt to venture beyond the island and explore the outside world. But first, he needed to complete the main quest.
With that in mind, he looked up at Luna and said, "How about we exchange info on our Pokémon's capabilities?"
"Sure." Luna agreed.
She then pulled up Pachirisu's stats panel as she chatted casually, "You said your name is Terrence Jones, right? Was that the Viridian Power earlier? I've been in the Infinite World for three months, and you're the first player I've seen with this ability! That thing is ridiculously expensive... 500 000 points, that's more than half the price of a Pokémon World ticket!"
Caleb skimmed Pachirisu's panel and replied distractedly, "Yeah, that's me. The price isn't too bad, considering how useful it is."
«Pachirisu»
- Level: 78
- Gender: Female
- Type: Electric
- Ability: Volt Absorb
- Egg Move: Follow Me
- Known Moves: Quick Attack, Endure, Nuzzle, Thunder, Thunderbolt, Sweet Kiss, Thunder Wave, Discharge, Super Fang, Toxic, Double Team, Substitute, Protect...
After reading the panel, Caleb hesitated to speak... His gaze lingered on Toxic, Substitute, and Protect, momentarily at a loss for words.
Luna noticed his expression and asked, "What's with that look?!"
Caleb pointed at the infamous Sub+Toxic combo, then replied, "Why did you teach Pachirisu these three moves?"
Luna flushed, "Because a friend told me this strategy was really strong..."
It's a steady and underhanded tactic... It was perfect for annoying opponents, and the ideal combo for a slow-thinking and old-school trainer like her.
Caleb understood now. This girl was probably a collector or story-focused player, not someone who dabbled in competitive battles.
Just as he was about to admit he wasn't well-versed in PvP either, Luna added, "So I equipped each of my Pokémon with Substitute, Protect, and Toxic. And let me tell you, this tactic works!"
'She equipped it to all her Pokémon... How devious. Absolutely, shamelessly devious...'
Caleb had nothing left to say except to give this madwoman a thumbs-up, "Respect."
He then shared Dragonite's stats panel. As for Riolu, since it hadn't been caught in a Poké Ball yet, he couldn't view its details.
Luna skimmed the list, noting moves like Hyper Beam, Dragon Rage, and Outrage... all of which sounded impressively powerful.
Though she didn't fully grasp their nuances, that didn't stop her from chanting, "Big bro, you're insane!"
Caleb sighed, "...Alright, enough. Stop calling me 'big bro'. Any more flattery and it'll sound fake. I really am just a newbie."
Luna rolled her eyes and pointed at her own face, then asked, "See what's written here?"
Caleb saw nothing and honestly shook his head.
Luna continued, "I'm not stupid. What newbie can afford a 500 000-point ability like the Viridian Power?"
Caleb feigned innocence, "I didn't buy it. I won it in a gacha draw... well, Dragonite drew it for me."
As Luna opened her mouth to retort, Caleb raised a hand to stop her, "OK, instead of debating this, how about we focus on that Butterfree outside?"
Luna promptly shut her mouth, gesturing for him to continue.
Caleb reviewed Pachirisu's move list, then spoke, "We'll wait until dawn, just before Butterfree reverts to normal, to challenge it. Dragonite will be our main attacker, while your Pachirisu provides disruption and support. Don't hesitate, hit it with confusion and paralysis inducing moves right away."
Luna nodded emphatically, her expression smug.
After a pause, Caleb added, "Don't let your guard down. That Butterfree's level is too high... we might not survive its attacks. So be prepared. If Pachirisu can't hold on, bring it to me immediately for healing. At that point, Dragonite will take over the fight. Likewise, if Dragonite runs low on hp, we'll rely on your Pachirisu."
Luna nodded, and said, "No worries. Pachirisu has Follow Me and Endure... it'll definitely tank Butterfree's hits and buy you enough time."
- Follow Me: A Normal-type move that draws all attacks to the user...
- Endure: The user survives a fatal blow with 1 HP, though consecutive uses may fail...
Luna thumped her chest confidently and assured, "Besides those, Pachirisu is holding a Leftovers item for gradual HP recovery. Trust me, we can stall for ages."
Honestly, Caleb wasn't convinced. He had personally experienced Gigantamax Butterfree's power.
Max Airstream had nearly sent his soul straight to the afterlife. And this tiny Pachirisu... Wouldn't it just get blown away by the gale?
Riolu stood silently nearby. After listening, it looked at Caleb questioningly: "Rio?" (What about me? What can I do?)
Caleb considered it for a moment, then replied, "For now, observe the battle from my side. After we defeat Butterfree, I'll start proper training with you."
Before leaving, he needed to help Riolu grow as much as possible...
...
Several hours passed in a flash...
As the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, Caleb and Luna arrived at Butterfree's location. The surrounding trees had been snapped in half, the once-lush forest was now reduced to ruins.
Gigantamax Butterfree's shadow loomed over the land, its crimson eyes glaring down at everything below.
"Lure it down!" Caleb said deeply.
Luna nodded and shouted, "Pachirisu, use Thunder!"
Electricity crackled across Pachirisu's cheeks before surging skyward, coalescing into a violent bolt that struck Butterfree's translucent wings.
Butterfree shuddered, letting out a piercing shriek as it plummeted to the ground, its massive body kicking up a cloud of dust.
Caleb glanced at Butterfree, then he turned to Luna and reminded, "Remember our plan!"
"Got it!" Luna couldn't hide her nervous excitement. This was her first proper battle against a Gigantamax Pokémon in the Infinite World.
Unaware of her thoughts, Caleb gave a final reminder before rushing off with Dragonite. Of course, Dragonite had already maxed out its Dragon Dance boosts beforehand.
"Use your speed to dodge Butterfree's attacks! Now, close in and hit its wings with Fire Punch!" Caleb commanded as he ran.