As expected.
Seeing Liepard's pained expression, a look of joy spread across Smoker's face. Smoker graduated at the top of his class in the naval training camp. Despite his gentle demeanor, there is a deep-seated arrogance that he can't seem to shake off, a remnant from his upbringing. This arrogance persisted even after Ace defeated him, and it only grew stronger after acquiring Gastly, bolstering his pride.
Seeing Liepard's exhausted look, Smoker sprang into action. Thick smoke emanated from his body, spreading out like a wave.
"Gastly, finish it off! Use Sneak Attack!"
Smoker commanded loudly.
In an instant, a dark light flashed, slicing a vacuum path through the white smoke.
"Ghost~"
Gastly appeared right in front of Liepard, grinning with a malevolent aura, and rammed directly into Liepard.
"Surprise... attack?"
A look of confusion flickered across Liepard's eyes. It couldn't comprehend why the opposing trainer kept instructing Gastly to use *Dark*-type moves... Didn't he know that *Dark*-type moves only do half damage against it?
The same thought crossed Kuro's mind. But he soon realized...
The naval captain across from him clearly hadn't studied Pokémon thoroughly on his Rotom phone.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be making such a blatant mistake!
But...
This works in their favor!
"Liepard, use *Torment*!"
No matter what, he need to block at least one of his skills.
Peng!
When Gastly collided with Liepard, Liepard suddenly opened its mouth and let out a bizarre roar at Gastly.
All at once, *Dark* energy seeped into Gastly's body.
Though there were no visible changes, it effectively prevented Gastly from using *Sneak Attack* again.
The opponent was clearly a *Ghost*-type Pokémon, yet kept using *Dark*-type moves over and over.
Kuro thought to himself that even an amateur trainer wouldn't make such an obvious blunder! Unless there's something unique about this Ghost Pokémon!
Based on the battle videos Kuro had watched on his Rotom phone, he suddenly had a theory...
This Ghost Pokémon was undoubtedly a rare, shiny Pokémon. Although its appearance hadn't changed much, its *Ghost*-type abilities were probably weak.
As expected.
The moment Gastly and Liepard parted, Kuro immediately noticed Liepard's expression tighten, as if it was experiencing some unknown pain.
"Poisoned!?"
Kuro's heart skipped a beat as he uncovered Gastly's secret.
Although he knew Gastly possessed toxic energy, what Gastly had just used was clearly *Dark*-type energy.
In other words, Gastly used close contact to poison Liepard!
This ability is even more formidable than Pokémon with innate *Poison*-type traits!
"Damn!"
Seeing such a talented Pokémon again, Kuro expressed his displeasure and promptly ordered:
"Liepard, use *Pursuit*!"
So what if it's poisoned!?
They allowed Gastly to land a hit just for this moment!
*Pursuit* is similar to *Payback*. While *Payback* doubles the strength after being attacked, *Pursuit* doubles the strength after the opponent uses a move or item.
Having just been attacked, Liepard met the conditions for *Pursuit*.
All of a sudden!
Amplified by *Dark*-type energy, Liepard shot towards Gastly like a sharp arrow.
"Ghost!!!"
Gastly, already weak against *Dark*-type energy, cried out in agony as the doubled power hit it.
The entire ghostly form was sent flying backward.
"Gastly!?"
Smoker was stunned, clearly unable to comprehend the situation.
Kuro grinned and said gently:
"I'm sorry, Colonel Smoker, but it seems like..."
"You haven't grasped the true essence of Pokémon battles!"
Kuro waved his hand and shouted again:
"It's our turn! Liepard, use *Surprise Attack*!!!"
"Ku~"
Although it was poisoned, Liepard still had at least half of its strength left and wouldn't be hindered by the poison for some time.
Upon receiving the command, a fierce light shone in its eyes.
The purple body leaped high, forming a full moon in mid-air, and its huge tail swung towards Gastly.
Boom! ! !
The immense power focused on a single point, even hitting Gastly's ghostly form.
Under the influence of the *Dark*-type energy, it took double damage, causing its gaseous body to slam into the ground, creating a huge crater.
The flying dust and smoke, combined with the smoke released by Smoker, obscured everyone's view.
"This... how is this possible!?"
Seeing Gastly suffer heavy blows in quick succession, Smoker's face turned pale.
A moment later.
As the dust and smoke settled, the desolate look on Smoker's face deepened, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Because after the smoke cleared, Liepard had returned to Kuro's side, ready for more.
But his Gastly was lying in the pit, its eyes spinning in a daze, unconscious.
Why?
Smoker was perplexed.
He could clearly sense that the Liepard opposite him wasn't as powerful as his Ghastly.
The opponent's Pokémon was also poisoned, proving his close-contact poisoning strategy worked.
But... but...
Gastly still lost.
Is my commanding ability truly this lacking?
Smoker felt a pang in his heart!
But the match wasn't over yet.
Although Gastly was down, as a trainer, he still had the will to fight.
At the very least, let's finish this match!
Smoker, shaken, steadied himself and picked up his jitte again, exhaling thick smoke.
"It seems I underestimated you…" he said quietly.
Yet, in response to Smoker's words, Kuro simply smiled.
At this point, he didn't know what else to say.
The skills Smoker had Gastly use were all ones that Liepard was immune to.
Conversely, the moves Liepard used were specifically chosen to counter Gastly.
Even though Gastly's level was higher than Liepard's, in a battle where power is so dynamically adjusted, the outcome was clear.
The only successful move by Gastly was to poison Liepard.
However, as time passed, Liepard's poisoned state had begun to fade, and it seemed it wouldn't be affected for much longer.
A *Ghost*-type Pokémon with potent *Poison*-type abilities…
In Kuro's eyes, such a Pokémon was exceptionally powerful.
It's a pity...
It ended up with a trainer who couldn't understand its potential.
With a sigh, Kuro kept his thoughts to himself, choosing not to mock Smoker.
After all...
Although Gastly was taken care of, it was evident that Smoker standing before him was even more challenging to deal with than Gastly!
After careful consideration, Kuro ultimately decided not to back down and resolved to fight alongside Liepard. Even if he couldn't win, he wanted to witness the strength of the truly powerful individuals in this world. A user of logia fruit abilities, a Navy Headquarters Colonel, and a Guardian at the entrance to the Grand Line—these titles, each capable of shaking the east blue, were all embodied in this one man.
Had this been before he obtained his Pokémon, Kuro would have fled from such a formidable opponent without hesitation. But now, to buy time for the revolutionary army, he chose to confront him head-on. Perhaps, even without realizing it, Kuro's personality had begun to shift after spending so much time with Liepard day and night. Trainers and Pokémon gradually assimilate each other.
"Be careful, Liepard. This opponent might go all out!" Kuro warned, a bead of cold sweat trickling down his forehead. Fixing his gaze on Smoker, he steeled himself for the battle ahead. Though they were up against a formidable foe, Kuro and Liepard couldn't help but smile at each other.
At that moment, Smoker suddenly raised his hands, aiming them at Kuro and Liepard. "Let's end this farce quickly!" he declared. He intended to demonstrate his prowess as a trainer, but it backfired, leaving Smoker, proud as he was, feeling humiliated—perhaps even more so than when Ace had bested him.
Ace was now a renowned pirate on the Grand Line, having recently declined an invitation from the World Government's Shichibukai. Losing to such a powerful individual was nothing to be ashamed of. But for Kuro, a nobody from the East Blue Sea, to be capable of commanding Pokémon more effectively than himself was unacceptable.
"White Out!"
Boom!
Smoker channeled his pent-up frustration into power, unleashing a massive burst of white smoke that propelled him swiftly toward Kuro. The jitte he wielded transformed into a sword in his giant smoke form, thrusting toward Kuro.
"What speed!" Kuro exclaimed, realizing that the attack was directed at him. He barely had time to react and quickly took the fastest step of his life, narrowly dodging the strike. The jitte, infused with tremendous power, struck the spot where Kuro had stood a moment ago. The ground beneath shuddered, cracks radiating outward like serpents.
Smoker's blow shattered the earth, yet his face betrayed no satisfaction, only shock. "That move just now...was that Shave?" he muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief. Shave, one of the Navy's six styles—a technique even he hadn't fully mastered—had just been executed by an unknown individual.
In the past month, it wasn't just Liepard who had undergone intense training. To keep up with Liepard's battle rhythm, Kuro had also pushed himself relentlessly. Though his overall strength hadn't increased significantly, his physical fitness now allowed him to control the technique he had once struggled with. With his current abilities, Kuro's explosive movement was on par with Smoker's.
Kuro, who had evaded the attack, took a deep breath, a gleam in his eyes. The Captain of the Navy Headquarters truly lived up to his reputation! But...
Kuro's gaze intensified as he focused on Smoker. "Liepard, use Unreasonable Trouble!" he commanded swiftly, outlining his battle plan to Liepard. Understanding Kuro's strategy perfectly, Liepard extended its forelimbs, stomping the cracked ground with a strange sound. A unique energy coursed through Smoker's body.
Seeing the effect of Unreasonable Trouble, Kuro's eyes lit up. He immediately brandished the ten-blade cat claw, signaling, "Silent Step!" Whoosh! A dark silhouette darted by, and Kuro appeared behind Smoker, the ten sharp blades in his hands crossed, aimed at Smoker's back. "Ten Blades—Liepard Strike!" The ten blades roared through the air, leaving ten streaks of cold light as they slashed toward Smoker.
"What speed!?" Smoker marveled at Kuro's agility. But he didn't worry about the attack. Lacking the Sea Prism Stone or Armament Haki, Kuro's blows wouldn't penetrate his defense. As long as he could activate his elemental transformation…
Smoker's face suddenly twisted in horror as the blade glinted in his peripheral vision. At this crucial moment, he found himself unable to use his elemental powers! With a swift, slicing sound, Kuro's attack pierced Smoker's defenses, tearing through his back.
A breeze swept by, and blood sprayed from Smoker's wounds, forming a crimson mist. Beneath his torn clothes, deep gashes marred his back, bleeding profusely. Luckily, Smoker's rigorous training had endowed him with exceptional resilience; otherwise, these injuries alone would have incapacitated him.
"How... is this possible?" Smoker gasped, his disbelief palpable. He swung his jitte at Kuro, but Kuro dodged once more. Landing gracefully, a cunning smile spread across Kuro's face. "I can't believe it actually worked," he mused, licking his parched lips.
Liepard's Unreasonable Trouble had proven more effective than expected. The outcome of the battle remained uncertain. As Kuro contemplated his next move, Smoker's powers gradually returned, and white smoke enveloped him once more.
"What on earth is happening?" Smoker, prideful as ever, had neglected to study the Rotom's data on his mobile phone. He was unaware of Unreasonable Trouble's effects. But Kuro didn't give him a moment's respite. With a sly grin, he called out, "Liepard, use Thief!"
In a blur, the agile Liepard lunged, its claws striking Smoker. Smoker, wary of another trick, quickly parried the attack with his jitte, while instinctively using his elemental form for protection. However, this time, the attack was different. Liepard's true assault came not from its claws but from its jaws. It bit down on Smoker's jitte, a peculiar force compelling Smoker to release his grip.
Within moments, Smoker was disarmed, and Liepard clutched the jitte triumphantly. The Thief move—a physical attack that steals an opponent's held item—had succeeded!
Kuro's smile widened. He had discovered the key to countering elementalization and had deprived Smoker of his weapon. Liepard still had half of his energy, while Smoker was already bleeding profusely. The tide of battle had turned in Kuro's favor!
(End of this chapter)