Chapter 191: Prankster! Whimsicott!
Pure.
Looking at Zephyr, Kenji couldn't help but think of that word.
Someone like Zephyr... perhaps he became a Pokémon trainer out of a genuine, heartfelt love for these creatures.
As for Kenji? He loved Pokémon, of course. But he knew he could never be as "pure" as Zephyr.
Based on what Kenji knew of him, if Zephyr had somehow acquired the TFT System, his personality would probably prevent him from ever using it. He likely wouldn't have the heart to fuse other Pokémon just to "star up" his own.
After all, no matter how you tried to sugarcoat it, the core mechanic of the Star-Up System was cruel. It required sacrifice.
But did that make the system wrong? Or evil? Kenji didn't think so.
This world wasn't the utopia of the original anime.
It was a reality governed by the law of the jungle. Sheep ate grass, wolves ate sheep. Whether in the wild or in human society, the underlying logic was the same.
Kenji, a transmigrator who started as an orphan, knew this all too well. Without the system, the absolute ceiling for someone like him would be mediocrity—just another average trainer lost in the crowd.
To achieve his dreams, to stand on the highest stage, the system was his greatest weapon. It was the only capital he had to compete against the scions of wealthy clans and powerful families, people like Zephyr, Bai Bai, and Xie Mu.
In Kenji's eyes, using the system to star up his team was no different than a Pidgeotto hunting a Caterpie out of hunger.
That was the real world. There was no good or evil, only different perspectives and positions.
But this reality meant Kenji could never be a trainer like Ash Ketchum.
Yet, looking at Zephyr, Kenji felt like he was seeing a shadow of that "stupid kid" from Pallet Town.
"What's wrong?" Zephyr asked, noticing Kenji's stare. His voice broke Kenji's trance.
Kenji shook his head, pulling himself back to the present. "Nothing. I just envy you a little. You're a very pure trainer. No wonder your Pokémon love you so much."
Zephyr smiled. "You're a great trainer too, Kenji."
Kenji didn't confirm or deny it.
For the rest of the break, the two chatted happily. They actually got along quite well.
But twenty minutes passed in the blink of an eye.
"For the upcoming battle, please don't go easy on me," Zephyr said with a faint smile.
Kenji nodded. He had no intention of holding back.
Going easy on an opponent like Zephyr—on a stage like the National League—would be a massive insult to both of them.
Zephyr had chosen the Forest Field for the second half. It was a terrain that gave him a huge advantage.
The vast arena was now dense with vegetation and towering trees.
In this environment, large Pokémon like Gyarados would struggle to move freely. Of course, titans like Tyranitar—who could simply bulldoze the forest—were exceptions to this rule.
"Go!! Electivire!"
"You're up!! Whimsicott!!!"
"Whim-si~~~"
At the referee's signal, Kenji and Zephyr threw their Poké Balls simultaneously.
Kenji didn't swap. He sent Electivire back out to continue its rampage.
Zephyr, on the other hand, sent out his fifth Pokémon of the match.
Whimsicott.
[Whimsicott]
Level: 55
Type: Grass / Fairy
Ability: Prankster (Gives priority to Status moves, allowing them to be used before the opponent attacks.)
Potential: A
Whimsicott. Evolved from Cottonee using a Sun Stone. It was tiny, usually standing only about 70 centimeters tall. Its small brown body was enveloped in fluffy white cotton, and with the green, curled horns on its head, it looked remarkably like a sheep.
Sheep were likely one of the inspirations for its design.
Its base stats only totaled 480. However, its Speed was a blistering 116. While its other stats were unremarkable, that Speed combined with its Ability made it a nightmare.
Prankster. A broken Ability that allowed the user to execute non-damaging moves with priority speed.
"Whim-si~~~"
The moment it hit the field, Whimsicott moved first.
Tailwind!
A gust of wind whipped through the arena, blessing Zephyr's side of the field. For the next few turns, his team's speed would be doubled.
But as the wind howled towards Electivire, it carried something else with it—a storm of fluffy cotton.
Clumps of white fluff drifted rapidly on the breeze. Upon contact with Electivire, the cotton stuck fast, clinging tightly to its fur and limbs.
Cotton Spore!
The sticky cotton drastically lowered the Speed stat of any Pokémon it touched.
Tailwind plus Cotton Spore. A nasty combo.
Not only did it boost Zephyr's speed, but it crippled Kenji's.
Worse, the blizzard of cotton balls acted as a smokescreen, making Whimsicott's tiny body even harder to spot in the dense forest.
Electivire scanned the battlefield, frustrated that it couldn't pinpoint the little prankster.
"Electivire! Discharge!!"
"Elec-bzzzt!!!"
Electivire slammed its fists against its chest. Electric energy erupted from its core, exploding outward in a terrifying omnidirectional blast.
POP POP POP!!!
In mid-air, the cotton spores sizzled and burst as the electricity hit them. The sticky fluff clinging to Electivire's body was instantly incinerated and blown away.
"Whim-si~~~"
A giggling cry echoed from a distance. Whimsicott had used the cover of the cotton storm to retreat far away, dodging the range of the Discharge. And now, it was setting up something else.
Sunny Day!
Thanks to Prankster, the move was executed almost instantly. In seconds, the harsh sunlight began to beam down through the forest canopy.
Seeing this, Kenji reacted fast. Electivire fired an Electroweb into the trees while simultaneously activating Quick Attack. Trailing sparks and lightning, it rocketed toward the source of the cry.
But just as the Electroweb was about to snare the target, a red beam of light engulfed Whimsicott first.
"Return, Whimsicott."
Zephyr recalled the fairy just in time, immediately swapping to another Poké Ball.
"I'm counting on you! Shiftry!!"
"Shif-tryyy!!!"
The red light hit the forest floor.
A bipedal, brown Pokémon appeared. It had leaves for hands, a long nose, and a face that resembled a tengu or a goblin. It wore shaggy white fur and had geta-like feet.
[Shiftry]
Level: 55
Type: Grass / Dark
Ability: Chlorophyll (Doubles Speed during harsh sunlight.)
Potential: B+
This was the final Pokémon in Zephyr's lineup.
Shiftry.
Evolved from Nuzleaf via a Leaf Stone. These Pokémon were known as guardians of the forest in ancient times and disliked human contact. They lived deep in the mountains.
This Shiftry was also Level 55.
"Shif-try!!"
The moment it appeared, Shiftry leaped into the trees. Under the harsh sunlight set up by Whimsicott, its Chlorophyll Ability kicked in. It moved like a phantom, ascending to the high canopy in a single breath, looking down on Electivire from above.
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