Pokemon Battle System: I Reincarnated As A Charmander

The sun shone brightly amidst a cloudless sky.

Lian lay relaxed on the soft and lush green grass, his tail flickering with flames at its tip. With wide-open eyes, he gazed up towards the azure heavens, basking in the warmth of sunlight upon his fiery red body.

From a distance, it appeared as just a small orange Charmander, displaying two sharp fangs from its slender upper jaw, while its round white belly resembled a tiny inflated ball.

Lian couldn't recall exactly which day he had been transported to this world, but when he realized he transformed into an adorable little fire dragon, he wasn't particularly thrilled.

Unlike many protagonists who crossed over due to unsatisfactory lives, Lian's situation before the transition was quite different. His parents left behind ample wealth, ensuring he could comfortably indulge until old age.

He barely had time to enjoy such a laid-back and leisurely lifestyle when, upon waking up one day, he found himself turned into a Charmander in an unfamiliar world. The mere fact of being transmigrated would have been manageable, but specifically becoming a Charmander felt rather inconvenient.

Growing up, Lian had played countless iterations of Pokémon games, leaving deep impressions on him.

According to the anime's premise, Pokémon do not have absolute freedom; at any given moment, some Bug Catcher or Gym Trainer could appear and throw a Poké Ball at you.

At that point, your fate would be sealed with no control over it. If captured by a decent Trainer, then perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, but if they were cruel and impoverished, it would become a living nightmare.

"Oh, how I wish to return to Earth!" This thought echoed repeatedly in Lian's mind, knowing full well it was highly unlikely. The only solace he found was that so far, he hadn't encountered any humans, as this area seemed predominantly forested.

He appeared to be the dominant force in this region, with only a few Pokémon attempting to encroach on his territory. Being a fire-type Charmander, most grass- and bug-type Pokémon native to these woods feared him due to their vulnerability to fire, deterring them from getting close and causing them to flee at a distance.

"Thinking about it, I haven't fought yet, but battling isn't the life I desire. If I could just spend each day lounging under the sun, eating my fill, sleeping comfortably, and enjoying every moment, I'd be perfectly content," Lian murmured to himself. He had absolutely no interest in Pokémon battles, as they required physical exertion and risked injury.

His favorite pastime was lying down, squinting his eyes while basking in the sun, and not worrying about anything else.

The warm sunlight made Lian yawn, feeling drowsy.

Half-asleep, he shifted to one side, adjusting his position for more comfort before drifting off.

A long time passed.

His stomach rumbled with hunger.

Opening his eyes, Lian leisurely stood up, the flame at the tip of his tail flickering steadily, indicating his content mood.

He slowly headed towards the forest where a fruit tree bearing Pecha Berries awaited - currently serving as Lian's primary food source.

As a Charmander, Lian is omnivorous; however, obtaining meat in this forest would require engaging in battles. Thus, he opted for consuming fruits from trees instead.

Being naturally lazy, he preferred situations where he could enjoy delicious meals without having to fight. Of course, if there were effortless ways to savor tasty food, that would be even better.

Casually strolling to his destination, Lian lifted his head, gazing at the lush green leaves above him, adorned with pink Pecha Berries. These berries closely resembled peaches, boasting a sweet and delightful flavor.

The tree was abundant with Pecha Berries, causing Lian's mouth to water just by looking at them.

However, his expression turned slightly discontented as the height of the Pecha Berry tree exceeded Charmander's reach. To obtain the fruit, he would need to climb, undoubtedly consuming energy.

For Lian, the only downside of eating Pecha Berries was that they grew on trees. Why couldn't they simply grow on the ground? It would be so much more convenient, allowing him to enjoy them while lying down.

Extending both claws, Lian glanced up at the tall tree, wagged his tail, took a deep breath, and swiftly leaped towards its brownish-black trunk.

Although Lian disliked climbing trees, having done it numerous times before, he had gained some experience. His claws quickly gripped the trunk, enabling him to ascend onto a branch. With open jaws, he forcefully bit down on the tender twig holding the nearest Pecha Berry. A snap echoed as the branch broke, and the Pecha Berry dropped with a thud onto the ground.

"Mission accomplished."

Having completed his task, Lian skillfully descended from the tree, feeling elated at the prospect of soon savoring the sweet Pecha Berry.

Whew!

Just as Lian was about to land on the ground, a black shadow swiftly flew beneath him, stirring up gusts of wind and scattering fallen leaves.

Before he could react, the Pecha Berry he had just plucked disappeared!

Looking up, he spotted a bird Pokemon - unmistakably a Spearow by its silhouette. Lian immediately noticed the Pecha Berry clutched in the Spearow's claws, causing his eyes to flare with indignation.

"Damn Spearow, stealing my food right under my nose!"

Enraged at having his Pecha Berry snatched away, Lian didn't ponder why the Spearow would suddenly steal from him; without hesitation, he chased after it.

"Nope, too exhausting."

After sprinting for a short distance, Lian abruptly stopped, feeling unwilling to continue but also discontent seeing the Spearow flying further away.

If he let this slide, there'd be more instances of others stealing his food. He needed to teach the thief a lesson.

"I've got an idea." Lian quickly grabbed a stone and forcefully hurled it towards the distant Spearow.

In reality, Spearows aren't particularly fast flyers. After tossing several stones, Lian luckily struck one of its wings. The Spearow, not adept at swift flight, instantly lost balance.

The disoriented Spearow rapidly plummeted sideways, crashing heavily into a tree before falling into a distant patch of grass.

Lian smiled triumphantly and approached cautiously. Fortunately, his prior training before crossing over still gave him some proficiency, even as a Charmander.

Parting the grass, Lian spotted a furious Spearow staring back at him. With a flap of its wings, it lunged directly towards Lian, beak extended like a hook.

Enraged, Lian hadn't yet retaliated; he initially planned to retrieve the Pecha Berry and let the matter drop. However, the Spearow unexpectedly attacked first.

Caught off guard, Lian's vision blurred momentarily, and he was struck by the Spearow's beak. The force knocked him off balance, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Ouch." Feeling a sharp pain in his stomach, Lian noticed the Spearow's eyes blazing with fury, seemingly ready for another assault.

Lian's temper flared; as a Fire-type Charmander, he couldn't let a mere Spearow defeat him.

At this moment, despite his reluctance to fight, Lian had no choice but to engage. Although he was lazy, with the Spearow already attacking, not responding would make him appear cowardly rather than laid-back.

As the Spearow swooped down again, Lian raised his claw, ready to counterattack. Currently, his only means of attack were using his claws and teeth. Despite being a Charmander, he hadn't yet gained any control over flames.

The sharp beak collided with Lian's claw, causing a tingling sensation that made it difficult for him to hold firm, forcing him back several steps.

Unfazed, the Spearow circled in the air once more before diving towards Lian again.

An intense battle ensued between the two Pokémon. The Spearow continuously pecked at Lian, who tried to dodge. While successful a few times, he still got struck once.

However, Lian's claws frequently caught the Spearow's wings, eliciting painful cries and scattering feathers around them.

After a series of exchanges...

During another Spearow attack, Lian's claws struck again, causing the bird to fly away momentarily. However, instead of continuing its assault, it appeared exhausted and weakly perched on a nearby branch.

Suddenly, a loud cry resonated from the Spearow's beak, piercing through the entire forest with its shrill sound.

Lian, unable to fully savor his victory, instantly panicked. He nearly forgot that Spearows were not solitary creatures but social Pokémon; this call was summoning reinforcements.

Dealing with one Spearow was already challenging enough; facing a whole flock would surely put his life at risk!

"Run first... Wait, my Pecha Berry!" Just as Lian was about to flee, he remembered his precious fruit and turned back, determined to retrieve the Pecha Berry stolen by the Spearow.

"So it was a Caterpie all along!" As Lian parted the grass, he discovered that only half of the fallen Pecha Berry remained intact. A vibrant green Caterpie had burrowed halfway into the berry, eagerly devouring the remaining portion.

Clearly, the Caterpie had consumed part of the Pecha Berry. However, Lian noticed traces of purple on the Caterpie's skin, indicating it might be poisoned.

Lian, about to burst with anger, paused as realization dawned on him. The Caterpie, being poisoned, needed an antidote, and the only cure available in the forest was the Pecha Berry.

The Spearow wasn't after the berry itself but rather aiming to catch the Caterpie hidden inside, as insect-type Pokémon were its favorite prey.

Caterpie lifted its head, noticing Lian through its glossy black eyes. With a soft cry, it slowly began to emerge from the Pecha Berry, attempting to escape.

Lian sighed; the world of Pokémon could be cruel, especially for weaker creatures like Caterpie, often targeted by bird-type Pokémon. Their ultimate fate usually ended with being consumed.

If Lian hadn't intervened with the Spearow, this Caterpie likely would have met the same demise.

"Quick, run away!" Lian called out twice, aware that Pokémon share a common language allowing different species to communicate.

Gratefully, the Caterpie glanced at the Charmander before it, feeling both fear and relief. The fiery aura emanating from Charmander had initially terrified it, fearing certain death. Yet unexpectedly, the Charmander spared its life.

Ignoring the half-eaten Pecha Berry, the Caterpie had mostly recovered from its poisoning. Slowly, it moved deeper into the grass, deciding not to evolve into a Metapod this time; it vowed never to emerge again.

As Lian watched the disappearing Caterpie, he felt no anger despite losing his Pecha Berry.

Caterpie is among the weakest Pokémon at the bottom tier. Before evolution, they possess minimal fighting capabilities. Without intervention, it likely would have become prey for Spearows. Its plight was truly pitiful.

The most urgent task now was escaping the pursuit of the Spearow flock. Fortunately, the forest wasn't their primary territory. With ample tree cover, evading them wouldn't be difficult.

Lian already had a plan: Spearow and Pidgey are natural rivals. By heading into Pidgey's territory, he could shake off the Spearows easily.

Conveniently, Lian knew where the Pidgeys resided - near the eastern outskirts of the forest, not far from his current location. Pidgeys are known for their gentle nature, so even if he intruded on their territory, he wouldn't face attacks. Conversely, a large group of Spearows entering would surely provoke warnings and aggressive responses from the Pidgey flock.

***

As evening approached, within a cave deep in the forest.

Lian lay lazily on a stone, his swaying tail flame illuminating the dark cavern, creating a serene atmosphere around him.

The plan had executed smoothly. After summoning a large flock of Spearows, Lian swiftly entered Pidgey territory, successfully evading pursuit and nearly sparking a major conflict between Pidgeys and Spearows.

Unfortunately, both sides ultimately backed down without engaging in battle. Lian felt disappointed at missing the spectacle of a fierce confrontation. Eventually, he stealthily retreated back to his own territory.

"My strength isn't enough yet; sooner or later, other Pokémon will invade my territory," Lian lamented as he lay on the ground. The recent encounter with the Spearow flock had almost overwhelmed him; what if a stronger Pokémon appeared next time?

All he wanted was a carefree life, just eating and sleeping whenever he pleased, being a free-spirited Charmander. Why was it so difficult?

Feeling exhausted from the day's events, Lian decided it was time for sleep.

As drowsiness took over, Lian closed his eyes and drifted off, the flame on his tail continuing to burn steadily.

In his dreams, Lian suddenly sensed an unexpected voice echoing in his mind:

"Combat System Activating...

10%... 30%... 50%

70%... 90%... 100%!"

Suddenly, Lian's consciousness became clear as he found himself in a vast white world, with a continuous stream of data flickering before his eyes.

Intrigued, Lian observed until the fluctuating numbers ceased and formed a distinct data panel.

"What is this?"

Lian scrutinized the panel closely; it resembled a game's attribute screen and battle rating system. There were panels displaying information for both Lian and the Spearow, along with their combat performance ratings from earlier that day.

Charmander (Lian)

Gender: ♂

Type: Fire

Level: LV 5

Ability: Blaze

Moves: Scratch, Growl

Stats: HP 189, Attack 102, Defense 93, Sp. Atk 110, Sp. Def 100, Speed 115

Spearow

Gender: ♂

Types: Normal, Flying

Level: LV 3

Ability: Keen Eye

Moves: Peck, Growl, Leer

Stats: HP 154, Attack 86, Defense 68, Sp. Atk 67, Sp. Def 67, Speed 92

Battle Rating: F-

Level Difference Bonus: -2

Type Disadvantage Penalty: -4

Stat Disparity Penalty: -17

Output Performance Bonus: +32

Charmander Output: 154

Spearow Output: 122

Victor: Charmander

Battle Reward Settlement: 9 Combat Points

Total Combat Points: 9