NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Battling an Elite-Level Pokémon
As Takumi sprinted through the forest, his primary companion, Arbok, stayed steadfastly at his side, never leaving him for a moment.
In Takumi's arms was a bulging backpack, held tightly even amidst his desperate flight. No matter how perilous the situation, he refused to loosen his grip.
Relying on Arbok's natural heat-sensing ability, Takumi deftly evaded wild Pokémon, avoiding unnecessary entanglements while creating obstacles for the pursuing wild Pokémon behind him. This was his sole sliver of hope for survival.
For now, Takumi had only one objective: to flee as far as possible until his pursuer gave up the chase.
Glancing around once more, Arbok suddenly detected the presence of hidden creatures nearby. Before he could alert Takumi to change course, a primal instinct urged him to flee immediately.
Without hesitation, Arbok trusted his instincts—but it was too late.
A Machoke, lying in wait, emerged like a ghost and struck Arbok from behind with a devastating Close Combat. The sudden attack sent shockwaves through the forest, startling Takumi, who froze in place. He scrambled to release another of his Pokémon, but Machoke's speed was unmatched.
With brutal efficiency, Machoke dislocated Takumi's arm and snapped his neck in an instant. The predator wasted no time, turning its focus back to Arbok.
Though Arbok's heat-sensing ability pinpointed Machoke's location, its speed left Arbok helpless. Forced to endure repeated blows, Arbok collapsed after only three strikes.
Takumi, who had narrowly escaped death at the hands of a pursuing Pokémon, now lay lifeless at the hands of Ron's Machoke.
Emerging from the shadows, Ron's gaze lingered on the bulging backpack Takumi had clung to so desperately, even in his final moments. This unrelenting grip piqued Ron's curiosity.
Even as his Meowth warned him of another Pokémon rapidly closing in, Ron decided to inspect the contents of the backpack instead of seizing a strategic hiding spot.
Unzipping it, he discovered a single, unassuming item: a glowing, purple Pokémon egg.
Ron had already suspected as much. Given the trial setting—a dense forest—valuable finds were typically rare Pokémon, materials, or items. But from Takumi's desperate struggle, it was clear this egg had extraordinary potential.
It didn't take much to deduce the truth: the Pokémon that had been chasing Takumi was likely the egg's rightful guardian, and its strength was far beyond that of Takumi's level-28 Arbok. In other words, it was an elite-tier Pokémon.
As if to confirm Ron's suspicions, a Nidoqueen-like roar echoed from the forest depths. Moments later, a towering Nidoking, its presence akin to a monstrous kaiju, emerged. The aura of an elite-tier Pokémon radiated from its body, suppressing weaker creatures within the vicinity.
Ron quickly pieced together the story. Takumi must have stolen the egg from Nidoking's nest, setting off the relentless pursuit that had culminated here.
Three days prior, Takumi had ventured into the habitat of elite-level Pokémon with his Arbok, lured by the prospect of rare materials or Pokémon with exceptional potential. Takumi's gambler-like mentality told him that even if he couldn't win a fight, he could always escape with something valuable.
When he stumbled upon the Nidoking's nest and spotted the egg, Takumi's instincts as a former Pokémon breeder's apprentice kicked in. He recognized the egg's unparalleled quality at first glance—its surface shimmered faintly, marking it as extraordinary. Confident in his skills and planning, Takumi spent two days observing Nidoking's routine and ensuring it was alone, without a Nidoqueen to guard the nest.
However, luck turned against him. Just as he escaped with the egg, Nidoking returned and began its relentless pursuit.
Though Ron didn't know the full story, he grasped the essentials. The egg in his hands belonged to Nidoking, and its quality was remarkable.
Having considered capturing a Nidoran♂ previously, Ron saw this as an unexpected opportunity. He turned to face Nidoking, his expression calm but resolute.
"Nidoking, the thief who stole your egg is dead by my hand. The egg is safe now," Ron declared, his tone firm. "I challenge you to a battle. If you win, I'll return the egg to you. But if you lose, the egg becomes mine. Do we have a deal?"
Nidoking's fury, stoked by the long chase and now Ron's bold provocation, erupted like an inferno. It charged without hesitation.
Ron's Machoke sprang into action, intercepting Nidoking's charge with a Soru-enhanced strike, combining Karate Chop with precise footwork to block the attack and push Nidoking back.
Despite the powerful counter, Nidoking barely flinched, its elite-tier resilience evident. Seeing this, Machoke's eyes glimmered with excitement, its battle spirit igniting further.
Ron activated his special link with Machoke, gauging Nidoking's power through their shared perception. "Level 32," Ron muttered, noting Nidoking's strength. It was indeed a freshly ascended elite-tier Pokémon.
In the Pokémon world, strength is divided into clear tiers. Below level 30, strength scales directly with level. However, upon reaching level 30, Pokémon experience a profound transformation every ten levels, ascending through Elite, Advanced, and Master tiers. Those who surpass level 60 achieve the coveted Champion tier.
Elite-tier Pokémon, like Nidoking, gain more than just raw power. They exude an oppressive aura, capable of suppressing weaker opponents and even mitigating the effectiveness of their attacks.
This explained why Nidoking shrugged off Machoke's initial blow as if it were nothing.
"Machoke, Bulk Up!" Ron commanded, his voice steady.
Machoke immediately entered a meditative stance, fortifying its body while awaiting Nidoking's next move. The tension between the two Pokémon was electric, each one poised for an epic clash.
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