Chapter 135: The Apprentice's Gauntlet
As long as his opponent was not at the Gym-Leader level, Giovanni was confident of victory. This was not arrogance; it was a simple statement of fact.
They took their positions on opposite sides of the training floor. The boy across from him immediately threw a Poké Ball. "Go, Hitmonlee!"
Giovanni's eyes flickered. The power of Viridian allowed him to assess his opponent in an instant. Its ability was Limber—largely useless. This would be a simple test.
He casually opened a Poké Ball, and Nidorino appeared in a flash of white light.
The boy wasted no time. "Hitmonlee, Double Kick!"
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, Hitmonlee's leg extended like a spring, lashing out at Nidorino.
Heh. Not even giving me the time to prepare.
Giovanni glanced at Kaito. The Gym Leader remained impassive. Giovanni understood. Some dojos adhered to older, more brutal rules—pure, wild fighting with no referee to intervene.
In some cases, the Trainer was even expected to join the fray. It was fortunate this boy lacked the courage for that.
Giovanni whispered a command. "Counter with Double Kick."
Nidorino reared up, its own legs lashing out to meet Hitmonlee's— but it was not a natural Fighting-type, and its technique was unrefined. Its kicks lacked the piston-like power of Hitmonlee's, and it was steadily forced back.
"Poison Sting," Giovanni commanded calmly.
The spines on Nidorino's back flared, unleashing a dense shower of toxic needles. Hitmonlee, poised to press its advantage, was forced to defend. It hastily threw up its arms, but several of the toxic barbs found their mark, piercing its skin. Its movements immediately grew sluggish as the poison took hold.
The boy frowned, realizing his mistake. "Hitmonlee, Focus Energy, then Blaze Kick!" he shouted, hoping to burn away the poison's effects.
A faint, fiery aura enveloped Hitmonlee as it leaped into the air, its leg wreathed in flame as it kicked toward Nidorino.
A slight smile touched Giovanni's lips. The move was predictable. "Fury Attack."
Nidorino's claws became a silver blur, a vicious flurry that met the Blaze Kick in mid-air. The collision erupted in a blinding flash of light and a deafening roar. While the forces canceled each other out, Nidorino was in better condition.
Close proximity to Nidorino had activated its Poison Point ability, deepening the toxins already coursing through Hitmonlee's system. The advantage was his.
The boy was growing anxious. If this continued, his Pokémon would inevitably succumb to the poison. "Hitmonlee, hang in there! Use Revenge!"
Gritting its teeth against the poison, Hitmonlee dodged Nidorino's next attack and found its opening. It leaped, its legs a blur as it struck Nidorino with a devastating kick. The sheer power of the Revenge attack sent Nidorino flying, and it crashed heavily to the ground.
Giovanni watched, unfazed. "Get up. Use Toxic Spikes."
Nidorino struggled to its feet, spitting a salvo of venomous caltrops that littered the field, trapping Hitmonlee and leaving it with no safe place to step.
"Now," Giovanni said, his voice laced with cold satisfaction, "continue with Poison Sting. Wear it down."
A sinister grin spread across Nidorino's face as it unleashed another volley. Hitmonlee, immobilized by the field of spikes, could neither dodge nor block. The boy could only watch in a sweat-soaked panic as his Pokémon was overwhelmed, the poison finally turning critical.
"You insidious bastard!" he screamed at Giovanni. "Fight fair!"
Kaito's voice boomed across the dojo. "Silence! You lost. Go run. That is how a Poison-type is used. He is playing to its strengths. In a real battle, no one will fight fair with you. This entire exercise is to make you understand that."
The boy, humiliated, trudged out of the room.
Kaito waved a dismissive hand. "Next."
Another apprentice stepped forward, releasing a Hitmonchan. This one was slightly stronger. "I won't be as foolish as him," the new challenger declared. "Prepare for defeat!"
Giovanni ignored him. "Poison Sting."
The now-familiar rain of toxic needles shot toward Hitmonchan.
"Bullet Punch!" the boy commanded.
Hitmonchan's gloved fists became a blur, intercepting every single needle with a series of sharp, metallic clangs.
"Hmph. How about that?" the boy snorted. Behind him, Kaito's brow furrowed.
"Lay down Toxic Spikes," Giovanni said, his voice a monotone. "Then finish it with Poison Sting." It was the same strategy, but effective nonetheless.
Nidorino spat another field of spikes, severely restricting Hitmonchan's movement. Then came the inevitable volley of poison.
"Mach Punch!" the boy shouted desperately.
Hitmonchan's fists moved like windmills, knocking the needles from the air, but the toxic field made it impossible to maneuver. Every step was a risk.
"Focus Energy," Giovanni commanded. "Then Horn Attack. Finish it."
Nidorino's body glowed with gathered power. It leaped, its horn aimed like a spear. Hitmonchan tried to dodge, but its movements were clumsy and slow, hampered by the spikes.
The horn struck true, sending the Pokémon flying backward, landing squarely on the Toxic Spikes— the poison immediately turning critical.
It was over.