"I'm also from Pallet Town. What's it to you?"
Delia stepped forward, slightly shielding Roy behind her. Her husband-protecting instinct immediately flared up, and her tone became more serious.
She was usually gentle, but if anyone targeted Roy, she would never back down.
"What's wrong with Pallet Town? I'm not from Pallet Town, so I can't pass through here? You fat pig, are you discriminating based on hometown?"
Misty's verbal assault continued, her chest heaving with anger.
"I... I'm not, I'm not discriminating..."
Being rebuked by the two of them in turn, the Samurai Youth's face turned the color of pig liver, and he could only quickly state his reason.
"I just want to find a Trainer from Pallet Town to challenge!"
"I lost to two Trainers from Pallet Town before, I just want to get my revenge quickly!"
He seemed to have found a legitimate excuse, and his voice grew a bit louder.
"Oh, right, a Samurai only accepts battles with male Trainers..."
"You're sexist too?"
Misty's eyes widened, looking like she was about to launch another storm of insults.
"Misty."
Roy stepped forward at this moment and reached out to grab Misty's slender wrist.
Misty's momentum faltered, and she looked back at him.
Roy shook his head gently at her, signaling with his eyes to leave it to him.
He wasn't trying to protect the Samurai Youth; rather, seeing the fat kid's stubborn and punchable face, he knew verbal education would be useless.
He had to get serious.
Incidentally, he could also complete the system's "Profound Education" mission.
"Alright, since he's looking for me, leave it to me."
Roy's voice was calm, yet it carried a reassuring power.
Delia and Misty exchanged a glance.
"Hmph, consider him lucky."
Misty curled her lip, but she still obediently stepped back a few paces with Delia to clear the field.
Only, the spot on her wrist where Roy had held her felt a bit hot.
Seeing the two fierce beauties retreat, the Samurai Youth breathed a huge sigh of relief.
At the same time, a surge of secret joy rose in his heart.
Ha!
This pretty boy really does rely on women for protection!
He looks like a weakling at first glance!
He remembered the two Pallet Town Trainers he met before; he had lost to both.
Especially that spiky-haired one with the Squirtle, who even mocked him after winning.
It left him full of pent-up rage, so he had been squatting in this forest for days, just wanting to find someone from Pallet Town to reclaim his dignity.
Now, it's perfect!
He finally met a soft target!
The humiliation he suffered last time could finally be vented on this weakling protected by women!
The Samurai Youth straightened his back, and the plastic toy sword in his hand swung with more vigor.
"Hey! You're the Trainer from Pallet Town?"
He lifted his chin, pointing his nostrils at Roy.
"That's me." Roy nodded, released Misty's wrist, and took two steps forward.
"You were looking for a Trainer from Pallet Town, and here I am. If you want a duel, I can agree to it."
Roy paused here, a 'kindly' smile appearing in his eyes.
"However, I have one requirement."
"Ha! A requirement?"
Hearing this, the Samurai Youth was even more amused.
Truly a weakling! Making requirements before the fight even starts!
He must want to propose some condition favorable to himself, like limiting Pokémon types or banning certain moves.
That's how the weak are!
"Fine! Name it!"
The Samurai Youth waved his hand, feigning generosity.
"I am a man who will inherit the bushido! Meeting the requests of the weak is the measure of a Samurai! Speak!"
He was beaming with pride, spinning the plastic sword in his hand.
Roy smiled and held up one finger.
"My requirement is simple. I accept your duel, but it will be two matches."
"Two matches?" The Samurai Youth was stunned.
"Yes. The first match, a Pokémon duel. The second match..."
Roy's smile widened, his gaze 'kindly'.
"...A physical duel. Just you and me, no Pokémon, bare-handed."
"Huh?"
The Samurai Youth was completely dumbfounded.
He thought he had misheard.
Not just him, even Delia and Misty behind him blinked in surprise.
However, the two women quickly reacted, exchanging a look as their lips curled into strange arcs.
"You... You want to have a physical duel with me? Hahaha!"
The Samurai Youth snapped out of it and burst into laughter as if he had heard the world's biggest joke.
He patted his round belly and showed off his thick arms—though they were mostly fat.
"Kid, have you thought this through? I am a man who will inherit the bushido! I've been doing physical training since I was little!"
He pointed at Roy's seemingly "slender" frame.
"With your little body, I could flatten you just by sitting on you!"
"Less talk."
Roy didn't bother arguing with him and stated his stance directly.
"It's the bushido I'm fighting. Just say it, do you accept?"
"I accept! Why wouldn't I!"
The Samurai Youth's temper was flared by Roy's attitude.
I wanted to teach you a lesson anyway, and now you're delivering yourself to be beaten up?
Excellent!
"You asked for this! Then I'll clean your clock in both ways!"
Perhaps his layers of fat gave him unparalleled confidence, or maybe the pride of the "bushido" couldn't be lost, but he already seemed to see the scene where he sat on this arrogant kid with his own body.
Hearing the Samurai Youth agree without hesitation to the physical duel with Roy, Delia and Misty in the back simultaneously let their lips curl up, revealing meaningful smiles.
Delia was a woman who had felt Roy's physique and strength thoroughly and intimately; she knew better than anyone the explosive power and endurance hidden beneath that seemingly well-proportioned frame.
Although Misty's experience wasn't as deep, when she was being carried by Roy in Viridian Forest earlier, that broad, firm back, solid, powerful arms, and the clearly felt muscle lines under his clothes made her cheeks burn while also making her well aware of Roy's strength.
They could already roughly foresee what would happen to this Samurai Youth in a moment.
"Then it's a deal."
Roy cracked his neck, making a slight clicking sound.
"First the Pokémon duel, to warm up."
"Suits me fine!"
The Samurai Youth was full of confidence. He stepped back a few paces to create distance and pulled a Poké Ball from his waist.
"Let me show you the partner of a future Great Samurai!"
"Come forth, my blade—Pinsir!"
A flash of red light.
A sturdy Pokémon with huge, sharp horns on its head appeared in the clearing.
A Pinsir!
A Bug-type Pokémon, its double horns were its trademark, and it possessed impressive strength.
This Pinsir had a fierce gaze, and as soon as it emerged, it ground its massive mandibles together, making a threatening "clack-clack" sound.
Its momentum indeed looked decent.
Roy used his Aura to sense it briefly.
Energy level... roughly Novice Level.
It seemed this Samurai Youth had good luck, or used some means, to get such a Pokémon that could be considered powerful in the early stages.
But that was all.
Judging by Pinsir's slightly unstable Aura and unrefined energy, after the Samurai Youth captured it, he likely only cared about showing off and hadn't conducted any proper training or cultivation.
"Hahaha, scared, aren't you!"
The Samurai Youth, seeing that Roy didn't immediately release a Pokémon, became even more smug.
"To catch it, I teamed up with several brothers who also believe in the bushido, set a trap, and spent a lot of effort to succeed!"
"This isn't something those Caterpie or Weedle you see everywhere on the roadside can compare to!"
He boasted, as if he already saw victory.
"It certainly isn't something a Caterpie can compare to."
Roy nodded, his tone flat.
"Therefore, you should train it well, rather than using it to satisfy your ridiculous vanity and..."
His eyes turned cold.
"...your vile behavior of ambushing others."
"What do you know! Can a Samurai's actions be called an ambush? It's called a surprise attack!"
The Samurai Youth's face reddened as he used flawed logic.
"Enough talk! Quickly release your Pokémon! Let me defeat you with Pinsir's Guillotine."
Roy didn't bother with more words either and tossed a Poké Ball.
"I choose you, Pidgeotto!"
A clear bird cry echoed through the woods.
A figure, more than a size larger than an ordinary Pidgeotto, appeared in mid-air accompanied by a white light.
Its wings unfurled, bringing a gust of strong wind.
Its sharp gaze instantly locked onto the opponent below.
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