Pokémon: Trainer Paul

"Boom!"

At last, the blade pierced through the Solar Beam, pressing forward with unstoppable momentum.

"Dodge it!"

The Grass-type Turtwig was locked onto by the force of the attack. Given their proximity, there was seemingly no way to avoid it. Yet, just as the distance shrank to less than three meters, Turtwig moved!

Rather than leaping back or dodging sideways as it had done before, Turtwig lunged forward, taking two bold steps ahead.

The blade struck the ground, sending dust flying and shattering the earth beneath.

As the dust cleared, the only thing standing was a visibly weakened Dewott, its scalchops trembling in its hands. Turtwig, however, had vanished beneath the surface.

"Cha...Cha…"

Dewott turned to gaze into the swirling depths of the Sand Tomb.

It turned out that at the critical moment, Turtwig had stepped forward intentionally, allowing itself to sink into the Sand Tomb it had created earlier. This clever maneuver saved it from the devastating attack.

Now, firmly rooted underground with the aid of its Ingrain, Turtwig began to stabilize the Sand Tomb, gradually ceasing its movement.

"Cha…Cha…"

Exhausted from its recent outburst, Dewott hesitated to enter the Sand Tomb. Instead, it resorted to a weakened Hydro Pump, its power reduced significantly by the Sunny Day effect.

While the attack packed a punch, the reduced strength only managed to deal a quarter of its usual damage against Turtwig, which resisted Water-type moves.

"Twiig!"

Turtwig, enduring the hit without dodging, used the opportunity to deactivate the Sand Tomb and emerge onto the surface.

"It's over. Solar Beam!"

As Turtwig withdrew its roots, another Solar Beam was unleashed from its mouth.

Dewott, now too drained to evade or counterattack effectively, could only muster its remaining strength to perform one last Razor Shell, striking out like a desperate swordsman swinging a final blade.

But an attack devoid of power stood no chance against the overwhelming Solar Beam.

Boom!

An explosion erupted, and as the smoke cleared, Dewott lay on the ground, defeated. Its scalchops had been blasted several meters away.

"Return, Dewott."

Winter's expression darkened as he silently recalled Dewott into its Poké Ball and hurriedly left the battlefield.

Paul had wanted to speak with Dewott's trainer after the battle, but since Winter had left, there was no need to do that. However, his gaze fell upon the discarded scalchops, and he frowned slightly.

For Dewott, scalchops are similar to a chef's knife or a warrior's sword. Losing them significantly hampers their combat effectiveness until they can reform new ones.

Paul recalled how Ash's Oshawott once lost its scalchop in the anime. It was so distraught that its limited strength became entirely ineffective.

Leaving the battlefield without retrieving Dewott's scalchops was negligent on the trainer's part. After some thought, Paul bent down and picked them up.

"Twig!"

Turtwig, now beside Paul, raised its head awaiting his evaluation of its performance.

"You did well. You displayed most of your power in that battle. However, remember what I told you—seize every opportunity and use all gaps to Grow. Integrate the Growth training method into your battles."

Paul's evaluation was positive, but he also noted some areas for improvement. Despite Turtwig's victory, it had only demonstrated 80% of its potential strength.

The remaining 20% included half a portion attributed to its Overgrow ability which hadn't been triggered, and another one and a half portions lost due to not fully utilizing Growth during the battle.

This match with Dewott and its trainer highlighted the crucial role a trainer plays in a Pokémon's success.

While a trainer isn't just a commander, their ability to give effective directions is indispensable.

An average trainer can bring out a Pokémon's baseline strength. A strong trainer can showcase their Pokémon's full potential. But an inept trainer? They not only fail to enhance their Pokémon's abilities but may actively hinder their performance.

"Twig!"

Turtwig nodded in understanding. It was its first time incorporating the Growth method into a battle, and it felt a bit unfamiliar. Paul's praise was enough for now.

"Electabuzz, stay here and challenge the other trainers. Let's go."

Paul glanced at a nearby Kabuto, which had fallen asleep on its back and frowned. Leaving a potion and a few Berries, he headed to the adjacent battlefield.

"Twig!"

As Turtwig began to follow, it noticed the snoring Kabuto and doubled back to flip it upright with its head. After calling out to it, Turtwig quickly caught up with Paul.

"Kabuu!"

Startled awake, the Kabuto hesitated for a moment before following, leaving Electabuzz behind.

Paul's Electabuzz, now fully evolved and battle-hardened had both the strength and stamina to serve as a "BOSS" for other trainers to challenge.

Rather than wasting time battling one opponent after another, Paul left Electabuzz behind as a stationary challenge for others. He himself moved on to direct other Pokémon in nearby battles, effectively multitasking.

While this approach might draw resentment from others, Paul didn't care about his reputation. Spectators initially struggled to understand his strategy.

Then Electabuzz leapt into the arena, provocatively gesturing at the surrounding Trainers.

"Buzzz!"

It pointed its thumb downward, rotated it 180 degrees, and beckoned challengers with its other hand.

The crowd fell silent for a moment before realizing the audacity of the move.

"Wait… is it challenging all of us?!"

"This guy is unbelievable!"

The trainers erupted into a heated debate. Some doubted their chances, while others grew determined.

"Just one Electabuzz? No big deal. I just caught a Rhyhorn."

"My Dugtrio and Lightning Rod Pikachu will handle this."

"I've got Eeve and Pachirisu."

"Perfect timing—I just returned from Unova with a Blitzle."

"Mine's already a Zebstrika!"

"Bring out Nidoran!"

"Onix!"

"Swampert!"

The names of Pokémon advantageous against Electric-types rang out from all directions. The Trainers were ready to show Paul the power of the people.

In the midst of the chaos, someone quietly added:

"Garchomp!"

The crowd froze.

Everyone turned to the trainer who had just spoken, their faces filled with disbelief.

Who would've thought that this small town harbored someone who had caught a Garchomp?

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