On the spacious battlefield, Servine glared furiously at Corviknight, as if itching to tear a chunk of flesh off it.
Meanwhile, Corviknight looked utterly confused.
Wait—why are you mad?
Corviknight genuinely didn't get it.
From its perspective, all it did was ask a simple question. Then suddenly, this little grass snake just lost its temper.
What's going on here?
Are you picking a fight with me?
At that thought, Corviknight's eyes sharpened instantly.
Normally, it didn't care much about trivial things, but provocation? Now, that was unacceptable.
Guess there was no choice but to go all out now.
In a flash, Corviknight had already planned out its victory lines, post-battle poses, and the perfect expression to strike after winning.
As for battle tactics?
Yeah… that was a bit too complicated for Corviknight's brain.
Back when it was still a Rookidee, it had to think about keeping its distance, kiting opponents, and all that.
But after evolving into Corviknight, its defense skyrocketed, and with it came overwhelming confidence—along with a noticeable drop in strategic thinking.
Now, its battle plan boiled down to one thing: Iron Defense + Brave Bird.
Any remaining brainpower was dedicated to memorizing dramatic catchphrases and yesterday's anime episodes.
There just wasn't enough space left in its memory to remember past opponents—whether they were ones it defeated or the rare few that had defeated it.
Corviknight had its own philosophy:
Why bother remembering the ones you already beat? No point in that.
And as for the ones that had beaten it?
Why relive painful memories?
Shouldn't happiness be the priority in life?
On that, Corviknight felt it had a pretty solid understanding.
"Servine!"
Go ahead and laugh while you can! I'm gonna beat you so bad you won't even be able to cry!
Servine huffed, trying its best to look intimidating.
Unfortunately, despite its furious expression, it still looked adorable.
Not threatening at all.
"Caw, caw!"
Come at me, all of you. I'm on a schedule.
"Caw, caw, caw!"
Bring as many as you want, it's not gonna change the fact that you're all first-rate weaklings.
"Caw!"
And after I'm done, make sure to run back to your Trainer and whine about how mean I was.
Before the battle had even started, Corviknight had already turned its trash-talking up to max volume.
This was exactly what Mei had asked of it.
After the Gym Battle, Mei suddenly realized something—forget power levels for a second, her Pokémon were lacking in mental resilience.
This was a common problem for rookie Trainers. They focused entirely on making their Pokémon stronger but overlooked other important factors—willpower, move mastery, and battle awareness.
These were all crucial for a truly strong Pokémon.
Of course, Mei's request was just a suggestion.
At the end of the day, Corviknight still listened to Natsume.
And Natsume had told it:
"Take it slow. Don't pressure them too much at the start."
"You'll break the poor kids."
Corviknight nodded in understanding.
So basically, hold off on the insults for now, right?
Got it.
I completely understand.
"Servine!"
You damn feathered freak! Just wait—I'm gonna pluck you bald!
Fuming, Servine unleashed its moves in rapid succession—Bullet Seed, Magical Leaf, and Vine Whip—all firing at Corviknight one after another.
It tried to remind itself to stay calm, but when emotions ran high, logic wasn't exactly the first thing that kicked in.
"Caw, caw, caw!!"
Pathetic! Weak! Your attacks are as soft as your vines!
You need me to teach you how to scream like a real warrior?!
With a single powerful flap, Corviknight lifted off, keeping its distance while spamming Iron Defense.
By the time it had stacked five layers of Iron Defense, its physical defense had maxed out.
Even when Servine's attacks did land, they barely left a scratch.
Now, it was time to turn the tables!
With a mighty beat of its wings, Corviknight revealed its full, imposing form—
Then plummeted from the sky, diving toward Servine like a shadow blotting out the sun.
Under the sheer pressure of Corviknight's descent, Servine froze on the spot.
It wasn't from any move effect—this was pure, primal fear.
A reaction hardwired into its genes when facing something massively larger than itself.
BOOM!
Corviknight crashed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris.
Mei and Natsume's vision was instantly obscured.
"Servine!"
Mei called out in concern, unable to see through the thick smoke.
"Slow."
Standing at the sidelines in a referee uniform, Slowking nonchalantly raised a hand and waved.
A psychic pulse swept across the field, blowing all the dust away in an instant.
Normally, referees weren't supposed to interfere, but hey—this was pressure training, not an official match.
When the dust settled, the battlefield became clear once more.
Standing tall, Corviknight folded its wings, while Servine sat on the ground, still visibly shaken.
If that attack had landed, it would've been game over.
Was this damn bird trying to kill me?!
"Caw."
Hmph. That's all you've got?
"Caw, caw, caw."
Seems like you forgot one thing—you are the challenger here.
"Servine!"
You bastard!
Servine furiously scrambled to its feet, but its anger was nothing more than powerless frustration.
Truthfully, right before Corviknight had landed, Servine had just managed to break free from its fear and react.
In a desperate move, it threw itself into a roll to the side, barely dodging the full impact of the attack.
Even so, the sheer force of Corviknight's wing sent it tumbling across the field.
In those final moments, Servine had launched a Leech Seed, Giga Drain, and a Leaf Blade—probably the best Leaf Blade it had ever performed in its life.
And yet—
It didn't even break through Corviknight's defenses.
Meanwhile, Corviknight had swatted it aside without even thinking.
That was the reality of their strength difference.
Now, Mei and Natsume could see it clearly.
"Caw."
Alright—who's next?
Completely ignoring Servine, Corviknight turned its gaze toward Dewott and Steenee at the edge of the battlefield.
As for Tepig?
Yeah, Corviknight didn't even acknowledge it. That thing was still recovering from the morning's training.
"Dewott!"
I'll take you on!
Dewott stepped forward, gripping its scalchops tightly, eyes full of determination.
"Caw, caw!"
Then let me show you just how far apart we are!
Meanwhile, hidden in the bushes at the edge of the battlefield—
A disguised Ralts watched the fight with shining eyes, occasionally jotting down notes in a tiny notebook.
"Lalu, lalu."
So that's how it works! I completely understand!
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