Chapter 221: Southern Cloud Gym!
[Snivy] (1-Star)
Gender: Female
Level: 13
Type: Grass
Ability: Contrary
Base Stats Total: 308
Moves: Glare, Sweet Scent, Tackle, Leer, Vine Whip, Wrap, Growth
Potential: S-
Snivy hadn't inherited many egg moves, only Glare and Sweet Scent, but that was a minor issue.
With Snivy's aptitude, learning new moves wouldn't be difficult.
...
Two days passed quickly.
After spending time together, Snivy gradually became familiar with the unfamiliar environment. It was no longer as constantly vigilant as it had been at first.
Perhaps because it shared a similar past with Kenji, plus the fact that he had saved its life, Snivy began to rely on him more and more.
Its attachment was rivaling Arbok's back when it had first hatched.
Southern Cloud Gym.
Kenji walked up to the gym with one hand in his pocket, glanced at the plaque above the entrance, and strode inside.
"Hello, sir..."
As he entered the lobby, a staff member approached him. Kenji casually took off his sunglasses.
Revealing the rest of his face, the staff member paused.
"You are..."
Clearly, the staff member recognized him.
Kenji nodded with a smile. "Hello. I'm here to challenge the Southern Cloud Gym."
"Please follow me this way. We will notify Leader Hua immediately..."
The staff member respectfully led Kenji to a waiting room and then hurried off.
A moment later, the staff member returned.
"Mr. Kenji, please come this way. Leader Hua is waiting for you in the arena."
The staff member gestured for him to follow.
Kenji stood up and followed.
The title of National League Champion was truly useful. Ordinary challengers didn't get this kind of VIP treatment.
Soon, Kenji was led into a battle room.
Beside the indoor arena, Hua Mingyan was already waiting.
Although she was nearing forty, she looked incredibly young, appearing no older than a fresh college graduate in her early twenties.
"Kenji, right? I've heard a lot about you!" Hua Mingyan greeted him warmly, discreetly sizing him up.
Even before the National League, she had heard of the Metropolis Academy prodigy.
Now that he had won the championship for Metropolis, his fame had skyrocketed.
"I've admired Leader Hua for a long time as well. Everyone knows your mastery of Bug-type Pokémon represents the pinnacle in Huaxia," Kenji replied politely.
Hua Mingyan laughed heartily, not feigning modesty. She clearly enjoyed the compliment.
"I heard your ace is a Beedrill?" she asked.
Kenji nodded. "That's correct."
"Hmm... I've done some research on Beedrill. After our battle, I might be able to offer you some pointers," Hua Mingyan said with a smile, rubbing her chin.
Kenji smiled and thanked her, but inwardly he thought, It seems she doesn't know just how strong my Beedrill has become.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be so confident about "offering pointers."
"Thank you in advance, Leader Hua."
"I also request that Leader Hua battle me with her full strength."
Hua Mingyan nodded. "No problem!"
Given the strength Kenji displayed in the National League—with Pokémon rivaling or surpassing Gym Leader level—using standard gym challenge rules would offer him no challenge at all.
"Challenger Kenji vs. Southern Cloud Gym Leader Hua Mingyan. 3v3 Battle. Three substitutions allowed."
"The match ends when all Pokémon on one side are unable to battle."
"Battle... Begin!!! —"
"Go!! Ninetales!"
"Go!! Scizor!!"
Two Pokémon landed on the battlefield simultaneously.
In front of Hua Mingyan stood a Scizor, covered in crimson armor, with two pairs of translucent wings on its back.
Compared to its pre-evolution Scyther, Scizor's exoskeleton had fully evolved into metal.
While this granted superior defense and attack power, the increased weight rendered its wings useless for flight.
Instead, they were used to regulate body temperature by flapping rapidly, preventing the metal armor from melting during intense battles.
On the other side, the snow-white, heterochromatic Ninetales appeared.
[Scizor]
Level: 72
Type: Bug / Steel
Ability: Technician
Potential: B+
Although Hua Mingyan wasn't the top dog among provincial leaders, she wasn't weak.
Ideally, her main team members should all be Level 85 or higher.
Clearly, although she promised to use her "full strength," she was still holding back.
This Scizor was obviously not one of her main team members.
"Return, Scizor."
Before a single move was exchanged, Hua Mingyan raised her Poké Ball and recalled Scizor.
She had no choice. The Bug/Steel typing gave Scizor amazing resistances, but it came with one fatal flaw.
A 4x weakness to Fire.
Even though Ninetales was lower level than Scizor, Hua Mingyan dared not risk it against a quadruple weakness.
"Go!!! Araquanid!!"
Scizor was recalled, and a spider-like Pokémon with a blue water bubble encasing its head appeared on the field.
[Araquanid]
Level: 73
Type: Water / Bug
Ability: Water Bubble
Potential: B
Araquanid wasn't particularly strong stat-wise, with a base total of only 454.
But it possessed an incredibly broken Ability: Water Bubble!
It halved Fire damage, granted immunity to burns, and doubled the power of its own Water moves.
Any single one of those effects would be considered a strong Ability on its own.
With Water Bubble, Araquanid was undoubtedly a hard counter to Ninetales.
It resisted Fire, and its Water moves—already super effective against Ninetales—would hit with double power.
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