"Is that a Machoke with a Frenzy Talent…" the elder Chang'an muttered under his breath.
In this era, the concept of Abilities had not yet been formally proposed.
And yet, some Pokémon displayed traits so distinct that they could not be ignored—like Charmander's Blaze, Machoke's No Guard, or Slaking's Truant.
Most Charmander, once gravely injured, would burn with fighting spirit, unleashing strength far beyond their level.
Many Machoke, with their fiery, unyielding tempers, could ignite the emotions of their opponents, dragging both sides into a brutal, fist-to-fist slugfest.
And as for Slaking… almost every single one was unbearably lazy.
Back in this time, there was no concept of "Ability." People simply called it "Innate Talent"—a gift the Pokémon was born with.
For example:Charmander with Blaze were said to possess the Berserk Talent.Machoke with No Guard were said to have the Frenzy Talent.Slaking with Truant were labeled with the Lazy Talent.
Of course, not everyone knew of these so-called talents. They were far more obscure and complex than Types, barely mentioned in contemporary textbooks.
Only veteran Trainers, who had seen countless Pokémon and survived countless battles, could recognize some of these innate gifts.
And the higher-ranked the Trainer, the more of these talents they tended to know. They often entered battles already prepared.
However…
The frustrating part was that even Pokémon of the same species could have entirely different talents.
It was far too complicated.
So, to this day, no one dared claim they had mastered knowledge of all Pokémon talents.
Even Professor Oak himself was, at present, still limited to studying the talents of Kanto's native Pokémon. In another year or two, he would introduce the term Ability to the world.
Then why "Ability" and not "Talent"?
Since "Talent" was already widely recognized among higher circles, why would Professor Oak feel the need to repackage it as "Ability"?
Could it be that Professor Oak, too, craved empty glory and acclaim?
Of course not.
Yozora had pondered this question himself…
The answer was simple.
The word Ability was neutral, while Talent carried an inherently positive connotation.
When people spoke of "Talent," they naturally thought of something good.
But in truth, powerful abilities were rare. Many were mediocre at best, and some—like Truant—were outright detrimental.
Thus, "Talent" was far from accurate.
That was why Professor Oak insisted on introducing the term Ability.
"A Pokémon with Frenzy Talent can stir its opponent's emotions, heating up the blood, driving both sides into reckless collision…"
Elder Chang'an nodded slightly. With his seasoned eyes, he had immediately seen through Machoke's gift. "In that case, let us have a battle of passion!"
With that said—
The elder reached up to the fifth shelf of his counter and retrieved a Poké Ball.
That shelf was reserved for opponents who had traveled for years, veterans of many regions, seasoned and powerful.
To him, Yozora, though young and newly debuted, already stood at such a level.
"Come forth, Machamp!" Elder Chang'an released his fourth Pokémon.
Without doubt, Machamp was Machoke's evolved form.
Taller than Machoke at around 1.6 meters, it boasted four burly arms and a physique carved from stone.
Yet Yozora's Machoke was no ordinary specimen—whether in height or bulk, it stood on even ground with its evolution.
If there was any difference at all…
It was that Machamp had four arms, while Machoke had only two.
[Machamp] (Fighting): Commander-tier, Commander potential.
Yozora swept his eyes across Machamp's data. This one did not carry No Guard, but some ordinary ability.
Even so—
The instant Machamp faced Machoke, its eyes burned crimson, as if consumed by frenzy, entering a No Guard-like state.
There was no doubt: this would be a pure clash of strength!
"Machoke, use Brick Break!"
"Machamp, Brick Break!"
The commands came almost in unison.
Both Pokémon roared, lunging forward with razor-sharp hand chops that struck against hardened flesh again and again.
"Use Thunder Punch!"
"Fire Punch!"
"Ice Punch!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The two Pokémon exchanged blow after blow.
Yozora's Machoke carried Huge Power, its strength surpassing its level, bolstered further by Adaptability and the earlier Bulk Up.
At this moment, Machoke's power did not fall short of Machamp's.
But as their fists slammed into one another, Machoke's body rapidly accumulated far more injuries than Machamp's.
The reason was simple—
Machoke had two arms. Machamp had four.
If this were a simulation game, no matter how many arms Machamp had—even a hundred—it could only strike once per turn.
But reality was different. Four arms were a tremendous advantage.
In a single second, Machamp could strike twice as often as Machoke.
Gradually, Machoke's stamina faltered. Breath ragged, its once-proud strength weakened.
Finally, a Thunder Punch from Machamp sent Machoke crashing to the ground.
"Machoke is unable to battle—Machamp wins!" the referee announced. Yozora recalled his partner, gaze lingering on Machamp.
Though victorious, it was hardly unscathed. Bruises of blue and purple covered its body.
And across its chest was a scarlet burn mark.
Not an ordinary wound, but a burn inflicted by Machoke's Fire Punch.
The injury smoldered with sparks of flame, eating away at Machamp's stamina bit by bit.
Even so, Machamp still stood strong for now, its breathing steady, energy reserves intact.
"You did well, Machoke. Against a Machamp, your strength was no less—you were only lacking two arms…" Yozora reassured his partner, shrinking the Poké Ball and fastening it to the hidden magnetic clasp on his belt, perfectly suited for holding smaller balls.
Yozora gently stroked the Poké Ball before clipping it back onto the magnetic clasp hidden on his belt, designed for storing the smaller spheres.
Without pause, he hurled another Poké Ball into the arena.
"Come out—Gengar!"
This was Yozora's third Pokémon, while Elder Chang'an's Machamp was already his fourth.
"Whoa! That Gengar's so fat!"
As Yozora's Pokémon floated into the air, arms crossed and a crimson cloak fluttering behind it, the surrounding disciples burst into exclamations.
Gengar were naturally plump creatures; there were almost no slim ones.
But Yozora's Gengar was particularly rotund, its body perfectly round and puffed. Compared to its kin, it lacked a trace of eerie malice, instead giving off an oddly comical, almost endearing air.
"Jie-jie-jie…"
Hearing itself called fat, Gengar folded its arms across its chest, wearing an immensely smug look—as though it had just been praised.
For Ghost-type Pokémon, growing fat was no simple feat. It required absorbing vast amounts of yang energy, rich with vitality and life force.
For Gengar to achieve this form had been no easy journey. And for that, it had always been proud.
…
…
(End of Chapter)