Capítulo 238: Chapter 238
On the first day of Alliance City's opening to contestants, over four hundred trainers had already arrived.
Four hundred might not sound like a lot, but according to Alliance statistics, less than seven hundred trainers in the One Piece world had earned the eight gym badges needed to qualify for the tournament.
Much of this could be attributed to the efforts of Kizaru (Borsalino) and Dragon.
Kizaru played his part in the early stages. Once trainers formed strong bonds with their Pokémon and genuinely wanted to fulfill their Pokémon's wishes, passing Kizaru's test wasn't as hard.
Dragon came into play later. His gym was guarded by two powerful Pokémon: Salamence and Garchomp, which became nightmares for countless trainers.
Many trainers who earned the Dragon-type gym badge early on initially dismissed the warnings from other trainers they met at the Pokémon Center, thinking, "If it's tough, just train more."
But when these trainers, with their confidence, faced off against the Dragon-type gym, they often suffered crushing defeats.
In fact, many trainers began using the Dragon-type gym as a form of pre-tournament training, but they continued to fail repeatedly.
With Kizaru at the front, Dragon at the end, and the diligent and stubborn Magellan in the middle, it was no surprise that the number of trainers who qualified for the tournament wasn't higher.
However, Dak viewed this as a good thing. Over six hundred participating trainers were already quite a lot.
Compared to the Pokémon World's tournaments, this was a hundred or two more participants.
When watching the original series, it might have seemed, from Ash's perspective, that earning eight gym badges to enter the tournament wasn't too difficult.
But one must consider how long Ash traveled and how much experience he accumulated, and what his results in the tournaments were.
In his first journey, Ash practically stumbled his way to eight gym badges, with the Cerulean Gym badge being gifted because he helped the Sensational Sisters clean their pool.
In his second journey, challenging the Orange League, Ash won the championship, showcasing his strength and talent.
In subsequent leagues, Ash consistently approached the champion's title, eventually becoming one of the Masters Eight.
His battles, such as Sceptile vs. Darkrai in the Sinnoh League and Greninja vs. Mega Charizard X in the Kalos League, were highlights.
Thus, the difficulty of earning eight badges shouldn't be judged solely from Ash's perspective—he was an exceptional rookie, not an average person.
With a month remaining before the tournament, arriving early in Alliance City meant trainers could scout their competition and even train specifically to counter stronger opponents.
But where could the contestants gather this information?
When building the central district of Alliance City, Dak established a Pokémon Club under the Alliance's official name.
The Pokémon Club sounded like a recreational organization, but in reality, in the Unova region, the Pokémon Club served as a semi-official battle platform.
Within the club, a machine would randomly match trainers against opponents, and they would engage in mock battles under the official tournament rules.
Trainers could choose between a 3v3 preliminary format or a 6v6 elimination format, depending on their preferences.
When Dak set up the club on the entertainment street, he essentially copied the model from the Unova region, but he added a ranking point system.
From 'Bronze' to 'Champion' tiers, different ranks allowed trainers to unlock rare or hard-to-get items from the breeding houses and specialty shops in the club.
For example, rare evolution stones not always available in the specialty shops could be found in the club at a lower price.
This had become one of the daily entertainment activities for Pokémon Island residents.
Pokémon clubs weren't just in Alliance City; Fishman City, Angel City, and even the soon-to-be-established Yggdrasil would have Pokémon Clubs.
And now, the Pokémon Club had become the perfect place for contestants to engage in pre-tournament training.
At this moment, Alliance City's only club had gathered around two hundred trainers.
Among them were tournament contestants and Alliance City residents who had come to join in the excitement.
They gathered to compete in ranked matches or to watch, spying on the real strength of the contestants.
Currently, on the battle stage, a tournament contestant was facing off against a student from Pokémon Academy.
[Bug Catcher (Bronze)] vs. [Comet Girl (Diamond)]
That's right, the Pokémon Club allowed trainers to use aliases in battles, and it was perfectly fine not to use real names.
Trainers could even dress up in bizarre outfits and compete without revealing their true identities.
"Wow, Bug Catcher is doomed to lose."
"Yeah, going up against that nasty player, he's bound to lose badly."
"Hahaha, she's already laughing."
The regulars at the Pokémon Club, seeing 'Comet Girl' on the screen, could already predict the outcome.
But, of course, not everyone saw it this way.
"Looks like the opponent isn't a tournament contestant."
"Isn't that just bullying?"
"Of course. We're 'professional trainers' after all. How could those amateurs compare to us?"
"Bug Catcher is sure to win. No need to keep watching."
In the eyes of the contestants, Bug Catcher, as a tournament participant who had earned eight badges, had to be stronger than someone who hadn't even entered the tournament, right? They didn't even bother paying attention to the 'Diamond' rank next to Comet Girl's name.
The match was a 3v3 format.
The battle started quickly.
"Go, Beedrill! Show them the power of our bond!"
Bug Catcher roared, as if trying to unleash his inner cosmos.
"What an idiot…"
On the other side, Comet Girl, wearing a peacock mask, smirked. "Just finish it quickly, Dodrio."
To her, battling such a fool was an insult.
Her real name was Kujaku.
She was the granddaughter of Vice Admiral Tsuru of the Marines, the class president of Pokémon Academy's first batch, Class 1, and the one who constantly clashed with Thatch and Sabo.
Hearing that the trainers who had earned eight badges had arrived in Alliance City, Kujaku sneaked out to test their strength.
So far, Kujaku hadn't encountered any satisfying opponents.
These trainers weren't bad. They'd probably score above average in practical courses at the Pokémon Academy.
But if that was all, then there wasn't much to look forward to in this Pokémon Battle Tournament.
It was rumored that Sabo, the Class 2 president, had taken the time to challenge all eight gyms and was planning to participate in this tournament.
Kujaku thought this would be a prestigious competition worth her time since her worthy rival was so invested. But now, it seemed unimpressive.
Bug Catcher was swiftly defeated by Kujaku's one-Pokémon sweep.
After a quick match, Bug Catcher was utterly demoralized and ran out of the club crying.
"So strong?!"
"No way, she's not a professional trainer, right?"
"Idiot, didn't you hear? She's a top student at Pokémon Academy! Really skilled."
"My goodness, are all the students in Alliance City this strong?"
"I suddenly feel a lot of pressure."
After Kujaku's impressive performance, the other contestants were instantly filled with anxiety.
Many trainers began feeling uneasy because their skills were roughly on par with Bug Catcher's.
However, there were still plenty of trainers who were not convinced, believing Bug Catcher was just too weak.
"Hmph, if this is the level you guys are at, you should go home early and skip the tournament. This is going to be broadcast to other worlds; don't embarrass us in the One Piece world."
Kujaku stood on stage, arms crossed, looking down at everyone below with disdain.
The remark infuriated many contestants!
Yet, there were also many non-participants who nodded in agreement.
The scene was becoming increasingly heated, on the verge of a confrontation.
"In that case, let me test your skills. I'd like to see what gives you the courage to spout such nonsense."
A boy with tired-looking eyes stepped out from the crowd.
"Whoa, it's the Surgeon of Death."
"It really is him. I heard he's been honing his skills by hunting criminals at sea."
"This guy's combination of the Op-Op Fruit and his Pokémon in combat is insane."
"I heard he's strong in these challenge matches too. He should have no problem taking down that girl."
Law was quite well-known among the trainers in the One Piece world.
Especially in the realm of wild battles, Law was considered to be in the top tier among trainers.
However, the Pokémon Battle Tournament followed standard rules, and wild battle tactics were prohibited.
"You? Heh, state your name."
Kujaku scrutinized Law, sensing he might have some strength.
"You can call me 'Rosinante.'"
Law only took two seconds to come up with the name he would use in the club from now on.
"Rosinante? Hmph, what a strange name. Whatever, I'll beat you down. Let's go, 3v3."
Not wasting any time, Kujaku registered herself on the self-service machine and prepared to release her Pokémon on the stage.
Since her Dodrio had been exhausted from the last match, Kujaku had to use a different Pokémon.
It was an Altaria.
Altaria was one of the Alliance's starter Pokémon, a Dragon and Flying-type. After Mega Evolution, it became a Dragon and Fairy-type, known as the 'Dragon Slayer' Pokémon.
Kujaku's decision to release her Pokémon first was a blatant display of contempt.
"Magnezone, teach her a lesson."
(End of Chapter)
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Capítulo 239: Chapter 239
Law's Magnezone had a special evolution path.
In the Pokémon world, Magneton can evolve into Magnezone by fulfilling one of two conditions: either being in a special magnetic field or using a Thunder Stone.
As for Law's Magnezone, it evolved using a Thunder Stone on Thunder Island, meaning it fulfilled both evolution conditions.
The result of this dual fulfillment was that Law's Magnezone was brimming with Electric-type energy.
Magnezone, an Electric and Steel-type Pokémon that could also fly, had an almost unbeatable combination of typing and abilities in battles.
Anyone with even a basic understanding of Pokémon battling knew how formidable it was.
Magnezone's 18 different type interactions allowed it to resist 12 types, be weak to only 3, and have neutral interactions with the remaining 3.
And if that wasn't impressive enough, consider this: Magnezone's only quadruple weakness was Ground-type moves, yet as a flying Pokémon, it was immune to Ground-type attacks in the first place.
In other words, Magnezone was a highly underestimated Pokémon. At least in the original anime, Magnezone's full potential was never truly depicted.
A good type combination in battle could be more advantageous than even high-stat pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
As a top student at Pokémon Academy, Kujaku was naturally aware of Magnezone.
Specializing in Pokémon battle studies, she knew that Magnemite, with its Electric/Steel typing, was considered overpowered. It was one of the first Pokémon discussed in class due to its strong attributes.
"Tsk."
Kujaku furrowed her brow, realizing that this battle would be more troublesome than she initially thought.
She hadn't expected that among the tournament participants, someone would own a Pokémon with a complex evolution requirement like Magnezone.
Altaria, being a Dragon and Flying-type Pokémon, would have its Flying-type moves only deal a quarter of the normal damage to Magnezone, and Dragon-type moves would deal half.
To effectively damage Magnezone, one would need Ground, Fighting, or Fire-type moves.
Unfortunately, Altaria didn't have any moves of those types in its arsenal.
This would be the most challenging battle Altaria had ever faced, one where it would truly understand what it means to be whittled down.
"Begin the battle."
While Kujaku was contemplating her strategy, the referee announced the start of the battle.
"Altaria, use Dragon Breath!"
Kujaku quickly ordered Altaria to attack first, not wasting any time.
Altaria's strengths lay in Flying, Dragon, and Normal-type moves, with Flying-type moves having minimal effect and both Normal and Dragon Breath being halved in effectiveness.
This battle didn't allow for Altaria to make any highly effective attacks, so Kujaku could only rely on skill and strategy to gradually wear down the opponent.
However, Kujaku's pride prevented her from switching out Altaria, seeing it as a sign of weakness.
If she were willing to switch Pokémon now, the battle might not be as difficult.
"Mirror Coat."
Law calmly extended a finger, instinctively making a gesture associated with using his Op-Op Fruit powers, forgetting that they were suppressed on Pokémon Island.
But Law remained unfazed because he had anticipated this scenario long ago.
He had heard the rumors that all powers were suppressed on Pokémon Island. So he figured that participating in the tournament here would likely mean no Devil Fruit powers and perhaps even no Haki.
It was known that some challengers used Observation Haki as a form of battle support when challenging gyms.
This wasn't considered cheating, much like how abilities like telepathy, Aura, and Dragon Tamer skills were natural gifts for trainers and could be used in Pokémon battles.
But such abilities were unusable on Pokémon Island.
Trainers who had grown accustomed to relying on Observation Haki for support in the One Piece world would see a significant drop in their battle command skills upon coming to Pokémon Island.
Law had taken this into consideration.
Therefore, unless he was in a wild battle, he generally refrained from using any external support, relying solely on experience and his eyes to command battles.
Magnezone took Altaria's Dragon Breath head-on, barely feeling a thing as it shrugged off the attack.
Immediately after, a light screen materialized in front of Magnezone, reflecting the Dragon Breath back with double the power.
"Protect."
Seeing this counter, Kujaku frowned and ordered Altaria to use Protect.
Protect was almost guaranteed to shield against the first attack, but its effectiveness would decrease with repeated use.
She had to defend against the reflected Dragon Breath. As a Dragon-type move, it would hit Altaria with amplified damage, which would be devastating.
While Magnezone's attributes were certainly impressive, its movepool was somewhat limited.
It could mainly learn Electric, Steel, and Normal-type moves, which were moderately effective against Altaria.
"Electric Terrain."
Law's expression remained steady and calm throughout the match.
Compared to when he first commanded a Magnemite, Law had grown significantly in battle acumen.
Magnezone emitted numerous electric waves, creating a shimmering electromagnetic field on the battlefield.
In this terrain, Electric-type moves were strengthened, and Pokémon on the field couldn't fall asleep.
Not only did this enhance Magnezone's attack power, but it also preemptively countered any potential sleep-inducing moves Altaria might have.
"Misty Terrain."
Kujaku, wary of Law's tactics, gave a quick command. She already realized Law wasn't an opponent to be taken lightly.
Law wasn't like those trainers who only spammed offensive moves; he was a strategist who used his head in battles.
Trainers like him could bring out the best in their Pokémon, making the combination more than the sum of its parts.
Most Pokémon, especially those hatched from eggs, were simple-minded and lacked the survival training of the wild, making them seem clumsy or foolish in battles.
This was why trainers needed to guide them, to think, see, hear, and strategize against their opponents.
If most trainers only commanded their Pokémon to use offensive moves, they might as well let the Pokémon battle on their own.
Kujaku's move was designed to deal with trainers like Law. Misty Terrain was an effective defensive move against Electric-type Pokémon.
It prevented her Pokémon from being affected by any negative status conditions for a while.
Electric-type moves often had a high chance of inflicting paralysis. For a Pokémon like Magnezone, which inherently possessed moves like Tri Attack, there was even a chance of inflicting burn or freeze.
Therefore, Misty Terrain was a necessary precaution.
"…"
Law raised an eyebrow, noticing that Kujaku seemed well-acquainted with Magnezone's movepool.
It appeared that Pokémon Academy's teachings were thorough. Kujaku's confidence wasn't baseless; she could go far in the Pokémon Battle Tournament.
"Metal Sound."
"Mist!"
As soon as Law's command was given, Kujaku anticipated it and quickly had Altaria surround itself with mist.
Metal Sound would have significantly lowered Altaria's Special Defense, but Mist prevented it from having any effect.
"Huh, interesting… Use Gyro Ball."
Magnezone began spinning rapidly, transforming into a spinning top that charged at Altaria.
The slower the user of Gyro Ball compared to its target, the more damage it would deal.
Law wasn't familiar with Altaria's specifics, but he knew that as a Flying-type Pokémon, it likely wouldn't be slow.
"Cotton Guard, then use Take Down!"
Altaria's fluffy body swelled, and it charged toward Magnezone.
Kujaku believed that while Altaria's damage would be reduced due to type disadvantages, Cotton Guard would significantly raise Altaria's Defense, while also lowering Magnezone's attack.
A head-on collision would generally result in a fair exchange of damage with Take Down.
Boom! The loud clash between the two Pokémon made everyone in the club involuntarily shrink back.
Did it seem like they were evenly matched?
"Stick close, then use Discharge."
However, Law's goal had never been to use Gyro Ball to attack Altaria but to get close enough to prevent it from evading Magnezone's attacks with its superior speed.
Now, Magnezone was unleashing its most powerful Electric-type move, supercharged by Electric Terrain. Even if Altaria wasn't knocked out immediately, it would be severely injured.
"Caw!!!"
Altaria screeched in pain, clearly suffering immensely.
"Altaria?!"
Kujaku was in a panic.
She had never encountered an opponent this strong, not even Sabo had pressured her this much.
This Magnezone was terrifyingly powerful!
It couldn't be put to sleep, its signature moves were ineffective, special attacks were reflected with double power, its type was fully countered, and its level wasn't any lower than hers…
She couldn't win!
She wasn't a match for this 'Rosinante'!
Kujaku considered using Dodrio, her ace Pokémon, to deal with Magnezone, but it seemed the outcome wouldn't be much different.
Dodrio primarily relied on close-range physical moves, while Magnezone could use Magnet Rise to float, making it hard to approach.
She had lost.
(End of Chapter)
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