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After achieving his fourth consecutive win, Sato did not continue challenging the Battle Tower as many spectators expected. Instead, he quietly left the arena.
The streak of victories hadn't gone to his head. Sato was well aware of his limitations.
At this point, his Marshtomp's battle style was likely understood by many trainers, and continuing to fight would inevitably lead to defeat for the Marshtomp, who had already endured 12 consecutive battles.
To maintain his winning streak, Sato needed to equip his Marshtomp and other Pokémon with more tools.
Currently, he had nine Water Stones in his possession—three mid-grade, five high-grade, and one exceptional-grade.
Apart from the Premium Water Stone, the other eight represented a substantial fortune in PokeDollars. However, money is only valuable when spent wisely.
The Water Stones sitting idle in his bag wouldn't improve his capabilities.
Only by exchanging them for useful resources could he enhance his Pokémon's abilities.
Marshtomp's battle style had become somewhat predictable: direct and aggressive.
While this approach worked against most opponents, any observant trainer with adequate preparation could counter it by deploying a nimble Pokémon adept at hit-and-run tactics and reconnaissance.
Yes, Pokémon like Golbat, which excel in "kiting" strategies, were Marshtomp's nemesis. They could render its immense physical strength useless.
Fortunately, Sato hadn't encountered such a Pokémon tonight. If he had, achieving four sets of three-victory streaks would have been uncertain.
Sato knew that Marshtomp, as a Water- and Ground-type Pokémon, could learn Icy Wind and Rock Tomb. Both moves were critical for Marshtomp.
These moves would allow Marshtomp to counter Flying- and Grass-type Pokémon effectively from a distance.
Moreover, Rock Tomb would synergize with Marshtomp's physical strength, enabling it to deal significant damage to swift Flying-types.
If paired with the move Fling, Marshtomp's immense power could turn it into a formidable projectile launcher, effectively becoming a rock-throwing powerhouse.
Both Icy Wind and Rock Tomb had the added effect of reducing the opponent's speed by one stage upon contact.
For a relatively slow Pokémon like Marshtomp, these effects were invaluable, helping it overcome its speed disadvantage.
Especially Icy Wind, a wide-area attack, would be ideal for countering Flying-types darting around in the air. Sato saw it as a future core move for Marshtomp.
Similarly, Nidoran, Growlithe, and the Shiny Wingull all needed enhancements via TMs to improve their capabilities.
Nidoran was already performing admirably in battles, with Poison Jab and Double Kick for close combat, Water Pulse and Thunderbolt for ranged attacks, and Confusion to boost accuracy.
Overall, Nidoran had reached a balanced level of competence.
However, to prepare for its future evolution into Nidoking, Sato wanted Nidoran to learn Ice Beam. This move would give it an edge against Dragon-types.
Growlithe, on the other hand, was developing its own unique battle style, excelling in guerrilla tactics. However, its physical build was still too frail, and its young age made employing a reckless "mad dog" fighting style a detrimental choice.
As a Fire-type Pokémon, Flamethrower and Fire Spin were perfect for Growlithe's hit-and-run strategy. These moves, once learned via TMs, could significantly bolster its effectiveness.
Flamethrower would replace the weaker Ember, greatly enhancing Growlithe's offensive capabilities, making battles less time-consuming. Meanwhile, Fire Spin would provide a trapping mechanism.
Growlithe, with its natural resistance to fire, could freely maneuver within the fiery vortex it created, leaving its opponent helpless unless they had a countermeasure.
For the Shiny Wingull, its biggest hurdle was its lack of evolution. Only upon evolving into Pelipper would its dual abilities, Drizzle and Rain Dish, fully unleash their potential.
A Pelipper with both Drizzle and Rain Dish could become an unstoppable artillery platform, with exceptional sustain, as long as it wasn't up against Electric-types.
Once evolved, the Shiny Pelipper would automatically learn Hydro Pump and Hurricane, two immensely powerful STAB moves. Combined with Drizzle, the former's power would be amplified, and the latter would gain perfect accuracy.
Additionally, with the Rain Dish ability and the Aqua Ring it inherited, Pelipper's survivability would be unparalleled.
Unless taken down in one hit, it could use its aerial advantage to recover continuously, potentially outlasting its opponent.
However, evolution brought an awkward issue. With increased body weight and a decrease in speed stats, the evolved Pelipper would be slower than its pre-evolution, a significant drawback.
In battle, speed isn't everything, but it is undoubtedly crucial. For a Flying-type like Pelipper, being slower than its opponent means being at a disadvantage, especially in aerial combat.
To mitigate this issue, Sato planned to purchase a TM for Agility.
Once Wingull learned this move via the TM, it could swiftly master it, as it would have naturally learned it at level 36 if it hadn't evolved.
Apart from Agility, Sato also wanted to teach Shiny Wingull Protect, Hidden Power, and Double Team to enhance its survivability.
TMs such as Icy Wind, Rock Tomb, Ice Beam, and others mentioned earlier were Sato's priorities. However, acquiring them required sufficient PokeDollars, which he currently lacked.
Thankfully, the eight Water Stones in his bag provided him with some peace of mind. A single ordinary Water Stone was worth over 2 million PokeDollars in the market, while high-quality ones were worth at least five to six times more, possibly even higher.
If he could sell them all, the proceeds would be enough to purchase all the TMs he needed. However, this required finding a channel to sell the Water Stones and a way to acquire the TMs.
If possible, Sato also hoped to find a few rare items similar to the mutated Supreme Blue Water Stone his Marshtomp carried. With his system's item appraisal function, he might get lucky.
After all, LaRousse City was an internationally renowned metropolis, possibly even more prosperous than Celadon City in Kanto.
Finding rare treasures here wouldn't be surprising—it just required a discerning eye.
The city's antique market, as mentioned in the LaRousse City guidebook, intrigued Sato. It seemed like a place that would reward someone with his keen perception.