Kaeya decided to try again, "Machop, use Attract on Chikorita."
"Machop…" Machop reluctantly obeyed its trainer's command.
Countless little red hearts flew towards Chikorita.
Chikorita stood calmly in the field, seemingly immune to the move, showing no sign of being affected by Attract at all.
Eula seized the opportunity and gave a command without hesitation, "Vine Whip, bind it."
The vines sprouted from Chikorita's back, coiling around Machop like two long snakes. Its arms and legs were bound tightly, unable to move.
"Machop…" Machop let out a pained cry.
Kaeya wiped his sweat, "Don't panic, use Low Kick to get rid of the vines."
Machop tried to bend its leg to execute the move, but it was firmly pressed down by the vines, unable to muster the strength.
"Lift it up and slam it hard onto the ground."
"Chiko!" Chikorita obeyed, lifting Machop into the air with its vines and slamming it onto the ground, creating a small crater.
"Machop!" Kaeya shouted, concerned.
Sitting in the stands, Amber and Lisa also stood up to get a better look.
Machop struggled to get up after the heavy blow.
Eula said calmly, "Kaeya, why not stop here? I think Machop is done for. Are you really willing to let it faint just for ten servings of high-quality Pokémon food?"
Lisa, who was sitting in the stands, clenched her fists secretly. Was Eula trying to cue her?
Kaeya thought for a moment. Letting his newly-obtained Pokémon get severely injured just for some food wasn't worth it.
He asked, "Machop, should we give up?"
"Machop, Machop…" Machop turned its head, its face twisted in determination as it shouted.
Xerneas glanced at Takashi, asking for direction.
"Is it related to a hidden move effect?"
"No."
"Then translate."
"Machop says it can still fight," Xerneas conveyed Machop's feelings gently to everyone present.
Kaeya chuckled, "This little one is quite stubborn. Alright then, let's keep going. But if you can't hold on, don't push yourself too hard."
"Machop…" Machop raised its arms, showing off its muscles.
Eula crossed her arms. "If you're not giving up, then we won't hold back either."
"Chikorita, use Poison Powder."
Chikorita flicked its leaf, releasing a cloud of purple powder towards Machop.
Kaeya immediately instructed, "Cover your mouth and nose. Hold on, don't breathe it in."
Machop tried to cover its mouth and nose, but the pain in its muscles made it slow down just for a moment. The purple powder was inhaled, and Machop's expression changed. Poisoned by the powder, it grew weaker.
It was already on the verge of collapsing.
Eula decided it was time to finish the battle.
"Give it a final Tackle to end the match."
"Chiko…" Chikorita ran forward, gathering power for the Tackle.
However, just as it was halfway there, something changed in Machop.
It suddenly stopped in its tracks, causing everyone to focus on it.
Takashi's eyes widened slightly, "Could it be… Machop is going to evolve?"
Machop's muscles were taut, and it seemed to be enduring unbearable pain. A faint white glow flickered over it.
When the light faded, Machop's gaze was sharper than before, and the muscles in its arms and legs seemed even more developed. It looked as if it was filled with an unstoppable force.
Kaeya stared in amazement and took out the Pokédex to scan Machop.
"Guts Ability: When the Pokémon is affected by a status condition, its attack power increases significantly. This represents its final fighting spirit."
Eula immediately pointed at Machop, "Chikorita, don't just stand there, give it a final hit."
Kaeya clenched his fists, feeling the fire inside him ignite along with Machop's fighting spirit, "Machop, use Low Kick with all your strength."
"Chiko…"
"Machop…"
In the blink of an eye, Chikorita and Machop clashed mid-air.
The air froze for a moment.
"Thud."
"Thud."
Two sounds almost simultaneously rang out. Both Pokémon collapsed to the ground, exhausted from their fierce battle.
Kaeya, Eula, Amber, and Lisa all widened their eyes in surprise.
As the referee, Takashi immediately stepped forward to announce the result, "Both Chikorita and Machop are unable to continue. This match ends in a draw."
Upon hearing the result, Kaeya breathed a sigh of relief, feeling both amused and exhausted.
He had initially thought that getting a Pokémon would help him reduce his workload, but to his surprise, this small battle had stirred such strong emotions in him. It was more thrilling than fighting on the edge of danger.
Apart from the last encounter with a Fatui Harbinger, it had been a long time since he'd felt such tension.
It felt like a burden had been lifted.
Yet his heart still pounded relentlessly.
He could really use a drink of "Death After Noon" from Angel's Share right now to calm himself.
Eula took a quiet breath. She had been dominating the second half of the match and was about to win. She hadn't expected the concept of abilities—that Chikorita's Poison Powder would become Machop's last saving grace.
She felt like a player losing to a sudden trump card in a game of cards.
Though her emotions were turbulent internally, she maintained a cold demeanor on the surface.
Kaeya stepped forward and offered a knightly salute, "Eula, well fought."
Eula returned the gesture, "Likewise."
Takashi gave Xerneas a signal, and Xerneas led Machop and Chikorita to the Pokémon Center.
The four trainers gathered around Takashi, looking for a post-battle review.
Takashi paused for a moment, then said, "Aside from that slightly awkward moment at the beginning, both of you performed well for first-time trainers. Miss Eula's use of Vine Whip to deal significant damage was quite creative, and Captain Kaeya's determination at the end was impressive."
Kaeya, being the smooth character he was, knew that Takashi was just being polite. That was normal, of course, to take care of customers' feelings and experience.
Still, there was a question that had been bothering him.
"By the way, shopkeeper, I've been wondering, why didn't Machop's Attract work on Chikorita?" Kaeya asked.
Takashi answered seriously, "Because Machop, like Chikorita, is female. Attract doesn't work between Pokémon of the same gender."
Kaeya: "...(Am I adorable?)"
Eula: "...(So that's how it is, learned a new fact.)"
Amber and Lisa couldn't help but burst into laughter upon hearing this.