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Success!
A long-distance kite tactic against Charmander!
A fleeting hint of delight crossed Li Xiang's face.
When all trainers are novices and Pokémon are at low levels, those with higher base stats have an edge over those with lower ones.
Ranged fighters have an advantage over melee ones, and flying types hold an edge over those stuck on the ground!
Currently, Li Xiang holds one of these three major advantages—ranged attacks against a melee opponent.
But advantages can shift easily, and kiting an opponent isn't as simple as it sounds.
Meanwhile...
Lin Feng furrowed his brows slightly when he saw Charmander being forced back by Heat Wave.
Clearly, he hadn't expected Litten to have such a trick up its sleeve.
If Charmander can't get close, it's game over—its only ranged move is Ember.
He had to rely on speed to maneuver!
"Run circles around it! Don't let it lock onto you!" Lin Feng shouted.
He believed that if Charmander moved fast enough, Litten wouldn't be able to keep track of it, allowing it to slowly close the distance.
It didn't need to get too close—just within lunging range would do!
Charmander let out a soft cry, abandoning a direct charge and starting to circle around Litten.
But this tactic?
Li Xiang had already anticipated it.
When someone can't approach head-on, nine times out of ten, they'll try a flanking attack.
It's not like it can attack from the sky, right? Even if it could jump that high, how would it get past the gusts of Heat Wave blowing upwards?
Freefall?
In any case, for a swift and agile Pokémon like Charmander, flanking was the optimal choice— if its opponent didn't have an area-of-effect move.
Unfortunately for Charmander...
Litten did.
"Keep it in your sights! Don't expose your back!"
Li Xiang commanded in a low voice.
Having just finished using Heat Wave and catching its breath, Litten perked its ears at the instruction. After a brief second of mental processing, it immediately began tracking Charmander's movement with its gaze and upper body, staying alert.
Just like a fighter needs to pause for breath in a brawl, Pokémon can't endlessly fire off moves like a machine gun.
Even a deep exhale needs to be followed by an inhale.
Using moves is akin to throwing punches—you strike, then retract, preparing for the next blow.
This is what's known as a "cooldown."
While Heat Wave has short startup and recovery times, they're not nonexistent.
That's why Li Xiang refrained from spamming Heat Wave, choosing instead to play it slow and safe, confident that he'd wear down his opponent sooner or later.
The Dark Souls series had long taught him the virtue of patience.
Sure enough!
As the saying goes, the more you do, the more mistakes you make.
Charmander, after all, was just a fledgling Pokémon, and Lin Feng was unfamiliar with it.
When Lin Feng told it to run circles around Litten, it took the instruction very literally, running in simple, predictable circles without any erratic movements.
Its trajectory was painfully easy to predict.
Li Xiang instantly deduced where it was heading and gave a decisive order:
"Left side, on the ground—Heat Wave!"
Simple commands often yield the best results.
Recalling its recent training, Litten's spirits surged as it inhaled sharply and let loose a fierce exhale!
Seething fire-smoke erupted from its mouth, rapidly expanding into a roaring wave of scorching wind that blanketed the ground ahead!
It was as if Charmander had willingly thrown itself into the Heat Wave's radius, taking a direct hit!
"Chaaaar!"
The intense impact sent the little Pokémon flying once more!
A second consecutive Heat Wave, powered by Nasty Plot, had pushed Litten's special attack to new heights.
Whether Charmander had taken the brunt of the move or not, its health was now critically low!
Lin Feng's expression froze. He had been watching Litten closely, hoping for an opening in its movements.
Never did he expect that Charmander would be the one to slip up first.
Focusing on one thing and neglecting another...
Naturally, Lin Feng couldn't comprehend the level of preparation a 'former adult' had undertaken just to ensure his victory.
Lin Feng was only 11—a kid, really!
Li Xiang had no mercy. Ruthless!
Downright monstrous!
But at that moment...
Something interesting happened.
As everyone knew, Charmander's standard ability was Blaze.
And what did Blaze do?
When its HP dropped to a critical level, its Fire-type moves got a power boost!
This was visually represented by the flame at the tip of Charmander's tail suddenly burning much more fiercely!
If it was previously a softly flickering flame, it was now a fiery torch fueled by high-pressure gas!
"Chaar!!"
The once weakened Charmander suddenly seemed reinvigorated, as if injected with pure adrenaline. With a ferocious roar, it bared its fangs and charged at Litten with increased speed!
Lin Feng was elated, shouting, "That's it! Go in with Crunch!"
Fire-type moves might struggle against another Fire-type, but a boosted Crunch with neutral damage was far more reliable!
Nearby...
'What the heck?! Is this Blaze or some kind of Berserker mode?!'
Li Xiang was startled by the fierce, black-energy-coated Charmander. This didn't look like a regular Blaze ability to him.
"Normal Blaze doesn't come with a Berserker boost, does it?"
"Evade!"
He commanded in a low voice.
Litten, already wary, had noticed Charmander's sudden surge of ferocity. Without hesitation, it sucked in a quick breath and bolted backward, increasing the gap between itself and its opponent.
Its movements and Li Xiang's order were perfectly synchronized.
Both knew that, whatever was causing Charmander's outburst—whether it was a boost or a trick—its health was undeniably low.
Li Xiang reasoned that one more Heat Wave, or even a single Scratch, would be enough to knock it out.
Litten could simply wait for Charmander to come close and counter with a slash or even a retaliatory Crunch.
But sometimes, the outcome can hinge on just one move.
Remember the Lily of the Valley Conference quarterfinals? When Paul's Electivire was shockingly defeated by Ash's Infernape?
That Infernape had gone full berserk mode, tanking hits and dishing out devastating counterattacks, refusing to faint, no matter how much damage it had taken.
Li Xiang feared such cheats—though he aspired to harness them himself, facing such odds was always nerve-wracking.
Thus, to ensure victory, caution was paramount.
Unfortunately...
The speed boost from Blaze was absurd.
Charmander, already enhanced by Dragon Dance, now surged even faster.
Its relentless advance rapidly closed the gap between it and Litten.
The battle had reached a decisive moment—
The Charmander leaped into striking range!
Li Xiang's heart skipped a beat.
"Char!"
With an enraged roar, the Charmander pounced like a ravenous predator, its mouth radiating Crunch's Dark energy, almost forming two tangible fangs aimed straight at Litten's chest!
But then—
"Stop!"
Li Xiang's sharp command rang out. Litten suddenly pushed forward and froze in place, seemingly offering itself as an easy target.
However, one immutable law of the world stood firm, much to Newton's delight—inertia.
The leaping Charmander, mid-air, had no way to brake itself. It could only watch as it sailed past Litten, its tail brushing against Litten's forehead, and crashed to the ground in front of it, its back now exposed.
Was there a more perfect opportunity for a counterattack?
"Meow!"
Without waiting for Li Xiang's instruction, Litten opened its jaws wide and bit down mercilessly on Charmander's back, completely disregarding the risk of getting scorched by its tail flame.
Crunch!
Boom!
The Dark energy erupted across Charmander's back, depleting its remaining stamina.
Charmander let out a final wail, and the flame on its tail visibly dimmed, no longer as lively as before.
This flame, a vital sign of Charmander's health, indicated its well-being. Most Trainers could assess a Charmander's condition just by observing its tail flame.
After the cry, Charmander promptly passed out.
"Charmander!"
Lin Feng rushed forward in panic, shouting with concern.
As a novice, he couldn't accurately gauge his Pokémon's condition. Hearing Charmander's cry, he assumed it had been severely injured.
In truth, Charmander was only temporarily knocked out. By the time Lin Feng reached it, it had already regained consciousness. Spotting its Trainer, it let out a soft, "Char~"
"You're okay? That's a relief!"
Lin Feng picked up Charmander, anxiously examining it all over. Finding only some bruises and a shallow bite mark, he sighed in relief and beamed. "You scared me! Screaming like that!"
"Char…"
Charmander didn't fully grasp what Lin Feng was saying, but it lowered its head dejectedly—it had lost.
"It's okay. We'll win next time. This is just the beginning."
Lin Feng patted its head reassuringly before returning it to its PokéBall. "Get some rest. I'll apply some medicine for you later."
On the other side, Li Xiang was ecstatic.
Partly because he had won—albeit by exploiting the inexperience of an 11-year-old boy who didn't yet understand concepts like inertia.
But a victory was a victory nonetheless.
More importantly, he confirmed that battles could yield Candies, even if they were just Small Candies!
"Meow!"
Litten enthusiastically ran over, proud of its flawless performance. With Li Xiang's guidance, it had secured a perfect victory—completely evading all of Charmander's attacks!
"Haha! You were amazing, little kitty!"
Li Xiang lifted Litten high above his head, swaying it back and forth amidst the applause of the onlookers.
His rare, unrestrained joy was evident, a testament to how much this victory meant to him.
Nearby, Purugly watched with a face calm, but its eyes betrayed a subtle warmth, clearly pleased with the outcome.
"Meow~"
Litten purred happily in response. It loved hearing Li Xiang praise it.
Every time it looked into his eyes in moments like this, it saw a love and warmth as sweet as honey, brimming in his gaze.
Litten had never encountered such an expression before, but it found it comforting—like the warmth it felt when basking in the sun with its companions in the past.
It loved basking in the sun.
"You've got some skills there! That was quite the battle!"
The voice interrupted Litten's thoughts, prompting Li Xiang to put it down.
The speaker was Lin Feng.
But instead of anger or frustration, the boy's face showed only a tinge of regret over his loss and genuine admiration for Li Xiang's strategy, as well Litten's performance.
"You flatter me," Li Xiang replied calmly, though his grin refused to fade. "I just did some homework beforehand. Not much to brag about."
"Hey, excessive humility can be arrogance, you know!"
Lin Feng playfully punched Li Xiang's chest. "But this was just the first match. Next time, I'll definitely beat you! And when I do, you'd better shout, 'Brother Feng is awesome!' loud and clear!"
Li Xiang's expression remained composed. "And if you lose again? Not only will you have to call me Brother Xiang, but you'll also have to split your family's watermelon with me. Hand-cut, of course."
Once, Lin Feng had invited Li Xiang to his family's watermelon store and dramatically split one with his bare hands. The melon split all right, but the surrounding white walls were splattered red.
Naturally, Lin Feng's father gave him a thorough scolding afterward.
As for Li Xiang, he shamelessly sat on a small stool nearby, laughing uproariously while munching on the watermelon.
"Screw you! That's so mean!"
Lin Feng pointed at Li Xiang, his face red as he seemingly recalled the humiliation and the faint soreness that still lingered from his father's punishment.
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