Pokemon: The Legendary Trainer

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After securing victory in the second-round match, Sato praised Growlithe briefly before recalling him into his PokéBall. He then quickly returned to the temporary medical room to resume his duties.

By around 6 PM, the second round of matches finally concluded.

The St. Louis Pokémon Tournament had a participant cap of 100 trainers, and after two rounds, only 25 competitors remained.

Since the St. Louis was expected to dock at Slateport City the following afternoon, time was tight. As a result, the third round was scheduled for the evening.

Sato, in a stroke of "luck," was given a bye, meaning he wouldn't have to participate in this round.

At 7:30 PM, the third-round matches commenced as planned.

With fewer matches taking place, the number of injured Pokémon also decreased, allowing the temporary medical room where Sato was stationed to finally experience some downtime.

Naturally, Sato didn't waste this rare break. Instead, he took the opportunity to scout the competition.

Among the remaining 24 trainers, the one who intrigued Sato the most was Anna—a "maniac" who had actively sought him out for a challenge.

At this moment, she was engaged in a Pokémon battle against a skilled ship guard on the water battlefield.

The third round maintained the two-on-two battle format. In her first match, Anna was the first to send out a Pokémon, choosing a Lombre, a Water/Grass dual-type, as her lead. Her opponent responded by releasing a Tentacruel.

Sato recognized Anna's opponent—it was Hamas, a close friend of Hans. Hamas's strongest Pokémon was, without a doubt, the Tentacruel he sent out first.

Pokemon Details: 

Pokemon: Lombre

Level: 28

Type: Water/Grass

Ability: Swift Swim

Gender: Female

Known Moves: Astonish, Growl, Absorb, Bubble, Fury Swipes, Fake Out, Water Sport, Bubble Beam, Nature Power, Leech Seed (Egg Move), Counter (Egg Move), Rain Dance (TM), Ice Beam (TM)

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Pokemon: Tentacruel

Level: 32

Type: Water/Poison

Ability: Clear Body

Gender: Male

Known Moves: Reflect Type, Constrict, Poison Sting, Supersonic, Wrap, Acid, Toxic Spikes, Water Pulse, Bubble Beam, Barrier, Poison Jab, Aurora Beam (Egg Move), Scald (TM), Protect (TM), Hyper Beam (TM)

At Level 32, Tentacruel held a clear advantage over Lombre, who was only Level 28. Based on levels and type matchups, Hamas's Tentacruel seemed to have the upper hand.

However, the outcome of their battle left many spectators stunned.

Right at the start, Lombre, under Anna's command, landed a surprise Fake Out on Tentacruel, catching it off guard.

Using the momentary flinch, Lombre retreated and activated Rain Dance. With its Swift Swim ability, Lombre's speed skyrocketed in the rainy conditions, allowing it to take control of the battle.

The most memorable parts of the fight for Sato were Lombre's masterful use of Ice Beam and the game-changing Leech Seed.

Thanks to its Swift Swim ability, Lombre could even move atop the water, granting it exceptional mobility for a hit-and-run strategy against Tentacruel.

Initially, Anna directed Lombre to use Ice Beam not as an attack but to create obstacles in the water arena. Under her guidance, Lombre formed layers of ice barriers, thwarting Tentacruel's attempts to close in on its opponent.

Once Tentacruel was effectively trapped in the icy maze, Anna commanded Lombre to use Leech Seed, further restricting Tentacruel's movements while continuously sapping its strength.

As Lombre repeatedly used Ice Beam, the water battlefield gradually transformed into an icy terrain. Eventually, Tentacruel was confined to a narrow area surrounded by thick ice.

Hamas didn't lack skill—his strategy was to counter with Scald to melt the ice and prevent Tentacruel from being completely immobilized by Ice Beam. He also deployed Toxic Spikes twice, poisoning Lombre as soon as it touched the water.

However, due to his initial loss of momentum and the overwhelming disadvantage, even Hamas's mid-battle adjustments couldn't turn the tide.

Combining Leech Seed and Absorb for sustained recovery, along with precise ranged attacks, Lombre eventually overcame Tentacruel under Anna's meticulous commands.

Although victorious, Lombre was heavily poisoned by the end of the battle and could barely continue fighting. Effectively, it was a one-for-one trade. However, Hamas suffered the greater loss, as his strongest Pokémon had been eliminated.

In the second match, Hamas had to release his next Pokémon first. With the water arena still tainted by Toxic Spikes, he reluctantly sent out a Level 25 Pelipper. Anna, on the other hand, deployed a Level 32 Magneton, which had a complete advantage over Pelipper.

The second match was a foregone conclusion. Under Anna's direction, Magneton easily defeated Pelipper with a single Thunderbolt, dealing quadruple damage and leaving no room for resistance.

This battle seemed to deal a heavy blow to Hamas. By the end, he was utterly dejected, like a wilted plant.

Anna, satisfied with her victory, left the battlefield and quickly moved to other arenas to gather data on her potential opponents using her laptop.

By around 9 PM, the third round concluded. Including Sato, only 13 trainers remained in the Saint Louis Pokémon Tournament. Without exception, these remaining competitors were all exceptionally skilled.

In the fourth round, the lucky trainer who got a bye wasn't Sato this time, but a young female trainer named Hannah. Sato's opponent for this round was a young trainer named Heiji Kuroya.

With the help of Eileen, an exceptionally skilled Pokémon medical trainer, and her Chansey partner, all participants' Pokémon were swiftly healed. After over an hour of rest, most Pokémon were back in peak condition.

By 10 PM, the fourth-round matches began in earnest.

Sato knew little about his opponent, Heiji Kuroya, as the latter had never sought his medical assistance. Sato had only observed one of Heiji's matches thus far.

Heiji Kuroya's appearance made him look like a martial artist. Dressed in a black martial arts uniform and wearing wooden clogs, he gave off a fierce impression.

However, it was surprising to many that he was a short and slender man, standing less than 1.6 meters tall.

Despite his small and thin stature, Heiji Kuroya's martial arts skills were formidable—extremely so, in fact. He was known for his fiery temper and despised anyone commenting on his height or attire.

Sato personally witnessed a tall, burly sailor, slightly drunk, who had mocked Heiji, only to be beaten thoroughly.

This sailor, hailing from the Unova region, was an imposing 1.9 meters tall and as strong as a bear, yet he stood no chance against Heiji, showing just how skilled the diminutive fighter was.

As a Pokémon Trainer, Heiji specialized in Fighting-type Pokémon. Sato had acquired information about his team by paying a few informants.

Up to now, Heiji had only used two Pokémon in the tournament: a Hitmonchan and a Hariyama. In the one match Sato had witnessed, Heiji had deployed his Hitmonchan.

This Hitmonchan was a Level 32 powerhouse proficient in moves such as Mach Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, and Fire Punch.

Sato also observed that the Hitmonchan seemed to have mastered a technique that combined Mach Punch with one of the elemental punches, a skill known as "Dual Punch Fusion."

(Note: "Dual Punch Fusion" refers to the blending of Mach Punch with one of the elemental punches to create moves like Mach-Ice Punch, Mach-Thunder Punch, or Mach-Fire Punch.)

With its Iron Fist ability enhancing its punch moves, the Hitmonchan relied on rapid footwork and a broad attack range to overwhelm opponents with quick, calculated strikes. Once it got in close, its lightning-fast Mach Punches left adversaries reeling.

In an earlier match, Heiji's opponent had fielded a Level 29 Kingler and a Level 31 Charmeleon.

Both were defeated by Hitmonchan, which managed to pull off a clean 2-0 sweep. By the end of the match, Hitmonchan had taken almost no damage, leaving its opponents disoriented and unable to fight back.

Now, this formidable opponent stood in Sato's way for the fourth round. The prospect of facing such a skilled adversary stoked the fires of Sato's competitive spirit.

The battle between Sato and Heiji attracted a large crowd. After Sato's strategic and methodical victories in the earlier rounds, many spectators had taken notice of him.

Though his cautious and precise battling style frustrated some more hot-blooded viewers, it earned the admiration of those who appreciated tactical prowess.

Heiji, despite his rebellious personality, respected strong opponents.

He had observed Sato's strength during the previous St.-Louis security battle, where Sato's Golbat and Bellossom demonstrated exceptional coordination and power.

This respect was evident as Heiji gave Sato a traditional martial artist's salute, clasping his hands and bowing slightly.

Though Sato wasn't familiar with the gesture, he returned it to show mutual respect. Heiji smiled faintly in response, his usually stoic face momentarily relaxed.

The audience, unsure of the gesture's meaning, began imitating it in confusion, creating an awkward yet amusing scene.

The match soon began. The arena for this round was a rocky battlefield, and Heiji was chosen to send out his Pokémon first.

"Let's go, my trusted partner! Let's show them a fiery battle!" Heiji roared as he threw his PokéBall with dramatic flair.

A flash of white light revealed his Hitmonchan, whose lean but solid frame exuded determination. To warm up, the Hitmonchan launched a flurry of punches at nearby boulders, reducing them to dust in seconds.

The Hitmonchan's domineering display drew thunderous applause from the audience, who treated it like a martial arts superstar. Seemingly invigorated by their cheers, its aura became even more imposing.

While Hitmonchan showcased its strength, Sato quietly scanned its updated stats using his system:

Pokémon: Hitmonchan

Level: 33

Type: Fighting

Ability: Iron Fist

Gender: Male

Known Moves: Comet Punch, Close Combat, Counter, Focus Punch, Revenge, Agility, Pursuit, Mach Punch, Bullet Punch, Feint, Vacuum Wave, Quick Guard, High Jump Kick (Egg Move), Thunder Punch (Tutor), Fire Punch (Tutor), Ice Punch (Tutor), Protect (TM) , Double Team (TM)

"After consecutive battles, it's already leveled up to 33. Its power has definitely grown," Sato thought, his expression serious. He then prepared to send out his Pokémon to challenge this fearsome opponent.

"Bellossom, I'm counting on you to take the lead this time!"

With calm composure, Sato pressed the button on his PokéBall, releasing a beam of light. A graceful Bellossom appeared on the rocky field.

Unlike Hitmonchan's intimidating entrance, Bellossom began to dance gracefully, her rhythm unaffected by the uneven terrain. The audience erupted in cheers, captivated by her elegance.

Bellossom's beauty and helpful nature as a medic during the past few days had made her immensely popular among both trainers and Pokémon aboard the St. Louis.

Her appearance now elicited even louder cheers than Hitmonchan's earlier display.

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Read up to 35+ (previously 25) advance chapters of [Pokemon: The Legendary Trainer] and up to 25 (previously 20) chapters of [Pokemon: I refuse to be a supporting character!] exclusively on my Patreon!