Following A.J through a stretch of forest,
a cleared open space appeared before them.
On the open ground, a simple arena had been built using rough wooden planks and stones.
Several flags were planted around the arena, with words like "Beast Dojo" and "99-Win Streak" crookedly written on them.
The most conspicuous feature was an electronic counter standing next to the arena.
"This is my personal Dojo."
A.J cracked his whip, his tone full of pride.
"Here, I have defeated ninety-nine Trainers."
"And you..."
He turned around, his whip pointing at Roy.
"Will become the hundredth!"
Misty curled her lip. "This broken place is a Dojo?"
"Less talk." A.J jumped onto the arena and cracked his whip.
"Let's begin!"
"Let me see just how much substance you, this 'Lustful Trainer', actually have!"
Roy shook his head helplessly.
So he really couldn't shake off this title, could he?
He lightly leaped onto the arena with clean, agile movements.
Misty and Delia sat down on the wooden posts by the arena, preparing to watch the battle.
"Go Roy!"
Misty shouted.
Although Delia didn't shout, she cast an encouraging look toward Roy.
On the arena.
A.J took a poké ball from his waist.
He stared at Roy, his gaze turning serious.
Although he called Roy frivolous, how could someone who had achieved over two hundred victories really be a fool?
He decided to test him first.
"Go, Butterfree!"
The poké ball opened.
A Butterfree flew out, the scales on its wings shimmering in the sunlight.
Roy estimated it with a glance; it was also a Common Grade (lv20) Butterfree.
The level was decent, and its physical condition was excellent, with strong wings and sharp eyes.
It had indeed undergone solid training.
"A Butterfree, huh..."
Roy thought for a moment and also took a poké ball from his waist.
"Then I'll use you."
"Butterfree, take the stage!"
Another Butterfree flew out.
The two Butterfree met in the air, circling and observing each other.
A.J's Butterfree immediately took a combat stance.
As for Roy's Butterfree... it elegantly spun in the air, its wings flapping gently as scales fell like it was dancing.
"What are you doing?"
A.J frowned.
"This is a battle! Be serious!"
Roy just smiled. "I am already being serious."
"Butterfree, Gust."
A Frillish command.
Roy's Butterfree flapped its wings, and a whirlwind swirled up.
A.J's Butterfree immediately countered: "We use Gust too!"
The two whirlwinds collided in mid-air.
Bang!
Air currents scattered in all directions.
They seemed evenly matched.
But A.J keenly noticed that his Butterfree's wing-flapping frequency was faster and its consumption was greater.
Meanwhile, Roy's Butterfree produced the same effect with just a few gentle flaps.
"This..."
A.J felt a chill in his heart.
This was the gap in skill mastery!
"Don't panic! Use Confusion!"
A blue light flickered in A.J's Butterfree's eyes.
Psychic waves surged toward Roy's Butterfree.
"We'll use Confusion too."
Roy remained as calm as ever.
Both Butterfree used Confusion simultaneously.
Invisible forces clashed in the air.
This time, the gap was even more obvious.
A.J's Butterfree's body began to tremble.
Roy's Butterfree, however, even had the spare energy to adjust its posture in mid-air, keeping its wings at the optimal angle for the wind.
"How can this be..."
A.J grit his teeth.
Their levels were clearly similar!
They were both Butterfree!
Why was his just a bit worse?
He stared at Roy's Butterfree.
Suddenly, he understood.
That Butterfree had a more symmetrical build, broader wings, and the luster of its scales was more vibrant.
Even its flight posture was as elegant as a performance.
"Damn it!"
A.J couldn't help but curse out loud.
"Just because his Butterfree looks a bit better?"
"Does this world only care about looks!"
He refused to accept it.
But the facts were before his eyes.
With the same skills, Roy's Butterfree used them more easily and efficiently.
A.J decided to use a big move.
His Butterfree flapped its wings with all its might, and silver powder formed a whirlwind that swept forward.
This strike was quite powerful.
But Roy just lightly raised his hand.
"Dodge it, then use Sleep Powder."
A simple command.
His Butterfree performed a graceful side-flip in the air, perfectly avoiding the front of the whirlwind.
At the same time, its wings gave a shake.
A faint powder drifted down.
A.J's Butterfree was about to pursue, but it inhaled the Sleep Powder.
Its movements suddenly stalled.
Its eyelids began to droop.
"Oh no! Wake up quickly!"
A.J shouted in desperation.
But it was already too late.
Roy's Butterfree used Tackle, accurately hitting the Butterfree that had fallen into a slumber.
Butterfree fell to the ground, losing its ability to battle.
A.J stared blankly at his Butterfree.
The same Pokemon, the same skills.
How could he have lost?
"Come back."
He recalled Butterfree, his face looking grim.
But soon, he raised his head again.
His gaze became fierce once more.
"It seems I underestimated you."
"But it doesn't matter..."
He tightened his grip on the whip in his hand.
"That was just a warm-up."
"Now, let me show you my true ace!"
He threw out his second poké ball.
"Sandshrew, go!"
Sandshrew landed, its claws scraping against the ground with a piercing sound.
Its gaze was fierce, and its aura was imposing.
Roy glanced at it; it was roughly at the peak of Common Grade.
It indeed had the capital to be arrogant.
This level was already considered high-tier among wilderness Trainers.
Combined with A.J's cruel training methods, this Sandshrew's actual combat strength might be close to the Superior Grade threshold.
However, the peak of Common Grade was still Common Grade.
"Pidgeotto, I'm counting on you for the second round."
Roy chose the Superior Grade Pidgeotto.
"It's actually Pidgeotto and not Pikachu?" A.J was slightly surprised.
Could it be that that silly electric mouse was something he intentionally kept outside to make people underestimate his strength?
A good tactic! I almost got careless!
"It seems you have some basic knowledge, knowing to use a Flying-type against my Sandshrew."
"But my Sandshrew has undergone special Type-Advantage training!"
He cracked his whip, the sound ringing out loudly.
"Don't think a Flying-type can win for sure!"
"Sandshrew, let—"
His boastful words weren't finished yet.
They got stuck in his throat.
Because... after Roy's Pidgeotto fully revealed itself, its size directly terrified him.
A.J looked up with his mouth agape, unable to close it for a long time.
"What kind of bird... is this big?"
He had trained Sandshrew to fight Flying-types.
The method was simple—Defense Curl, Rapid Spin, and then slamming into them like a cannonball.
Flying-types generally had fragile bodies.
As long as the hit was solid, it could basically decide the outcome.
But... looking at the giant Pidgeotto in the sky,
only one thought remained in A.J's mind:
If it slams into that... who knows who will be the one getting dizzy?
Sandshrew also looked up, its claws scratching the ground uneasily.
It had fought many Flying-types.
Pidgey, Spearow, and even a Fearow.
But a Pidgeotto this large... it was seeing one for the first time too.
Roy's voice rang out with a faint smile.
"Didn't you want to be a Type-Advantage Master?"
"Let me see how much skill you have."
A.J's face turned ashen.
But the arrow was on the string and had to be fired.
He grit his teeth and cracked his whip.
"Sandshrew, Defense Curl!"
Sandshrew immediately curled into a ball.
This was its most familiar opening move.
"Then... Rapid Spin!"
Sandshrew began to spin rapidly, like a gray cannonball.
Its speed got faster and faster.
It brought with it the sound of rushing wind.
"Not bad."
Roy nodded.
It had indeed practiced hard.
A spinning impact at this speed was truly difficult for an average Flying-type to dodge.
However... "Pidgeotto, Gust."
The simplest Flying-type skill.
Pidgeotto flapped its wings.
A violent wind suddenly rose!
It was several times stronger than the Butterfree's Gust from before!
Dust on the arena was swept up.
A.J's clothes flapped loudly in the wind.
He had to raise his hand to shield his eyes.
As for the spinning Sandshrew... blown by this gale, its spinning trajectory was instantly thrown into chaos.
Its speed also slowed down.
"Damn it!"
A.J cursed inwardly.
He hadn't expected Pidgeotto's Gust to be this powerful!
"Sandshrew, hold steady!"
"Keep spinning!"
Sandshrew struggled to maintain its spin.
But under the interference of the gale, it was like a small boat in a storm, swaying left and right.
It couldn't control its direction at all.
"Pidgeotto, fly a bit higher."
Pidgeotto gave a clear cry and soared high.
Its altitude instantly shot up.
Then it flapped its wings violently!
A storm even more fierce than before descended!
This time, the wind was mixed with sharp air currents.
Sandshrew lost control completely.
It was blown by the gale, tumbling wildly across the arena.
Its Defense Curl state was forced to end.
"Sandshrew!"
A.J shouted in panic.
But it was to no avail.
"Pidgeotto. Wing Attack, dive down."
Pidgeotto, which was fanning the wind, paused its movements.
It folded its wings and dove down like a meteor!
"What?"
A.J was stunned.
He hadn't expected Roy to let Pidgeotto get close!
Sandshrew was also dazed.
Looking at the giant figure getting closer and closer, it actually forgot to react for a moment.
Just at the moment Pidgeotto was about to collide with Sandshrew,
Roy's voice rang out again:
"Feather Dance."
Pidgeotto's wings vibrated.
Countless feathers fell off, turning into blade-like air currents that enveloped Sandshrew.
Swish swish swish!
Sandshrew was hit by the feathers, its defense weakened.
"Sandshrew, Dig!"
A.J finally reacted and shouted urgently.
Sandshrew instinctively executed the command.
Its claws dug into the ground frantically.
It wanted to burrow underground.
But Pidgeotto's speed was too fast!
Just as half of Sandshrew's body had burrowed into the soil, the Wing Attack arrived!
A loud bang.
Pidgeotto's wing slammed heavily onto the arena.
It hit the back half of Sandshrew's body that hadn't completely burrowed in.
Sandshrew let out a shrill cry.
It was slammed right out of the soil, its entire body tumbling as it flew away.
It crashed into a wooden post at the edge of the arena.
Sandshrew slumped on the ground, its eyes swirling, having lost its ability to battle.
A.J stared blankly at his Sandshrew.
Then he looked at Pidgeotto, which had soared back into the sky.
Finally, his gaze fell on that counter; the 99 had been reset to zero.
He had waited so long.
He had prepared for so long.
He was only one match away from completing the hundred-win feat.
Then he would have officially set out to challenge Gyms and participate in the League Tournament... Now... A.J knelt on the ground.
His face wore a mask of pain... Roy recalled Pidgeotto and jumped off the arena.
He walked to A.J's side and glanced at him.
Then, he said indifferently:
"If you have a type advantage, use it to its fullest."
"Why try to be a Type-Advantage Master for no reason?"
Twisting the knife.
A.J's body trembled.
He almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
Roy ignored him and turned to walk toward Misty and Delia.
"Let's go."
Misty watched the show-off Roy, her mouth twitching.
She remembered that after Roy had won against the type advantage at the Pewter Gym, he had bragged during dinner that "Type advantage is all fluff; finding the weakness is king."
Now he was lecturing others instead.
However... she looked at the despondent A.J and snorted again.
She'd let Roy have this moment of showing off!
Who told this Beast Tamer to say that the Cerulean Gym was a third-rate Gym.
Serves him right!
"Wait for me!"
Misty quickly caught up with Roy.
Delia also gave a slight smile and followed.
The three of them left this crude "Dojo."
Leaving A.J alone on the arena, questioning his life... On the road.
Misty was still excitedly reliving the battle just now.
"Roy, that line 'Why try to be a Type-Advantage Master for no reason' was too mean!"
"Did you see A.J's face? It almost turned green!"
Roy smiled. "I was just telling the truth."
"Tch, show-off."
Misty said so, but her eyes were full of joy... On the subsequent journey,
Roy and the others encountered several more groups of Trainers on the road.
There were rookies who had just set out.
And there were veterans who had been traveling for a while.
Roy accepted all challengers.
Pikachu, Pidgeotto, and Butterfree took turns on the stage.
Every match was won cleanly and decisively.
Misty and Delia also occasionally participated to train their own Pokemon.
Finally, after defeating a Trainer using a Mankey,
the system prompt sounded in Roy's mind:
[Congratulations to the host for completing 300 wins together with Delia and Misty.]
[Task rewards are being distributed...]
(Roy) [Pokémon: Pikachu, Level: lv26→lv29]
(Misty) [Pokémon: Starmie, Level: lv27→lv30]
(Delia) [Pokémon: Eevee, Level: lv22→lv25]
[Reward 2: vip experience badge has been placed in the system inventory]
Random Pokémon level increases have been randomly assigned to the first Pokémon of each of the three.
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