Pokemon Battle System: I Reincarnated As A Charmander

Initially, Lian thought today's battle would only record his fight against the Electrike. However, the system also included Pidgey's combat data.

Additionally, both the Electrike and Pidgey entries had a name attached: Aaron. Lian guessed that since Aaron was the Trainer, the system considered it as one battle involving all three Pokemon rather than two separate battles.

Lian's eyes lit up, realizing that if he battled Trainers in the future and defeated all their Pokemon, could he potentially earn more Combat Points?

No, no, no!

Lian firmly shook his head. Fighting one Pokemon is exhausting enough; battling multiple like two or three would be overwhelming and possibly too strenuous.

In summary, a Trainer should be treated as a single entity, regardless of how many Pokemon they have, counting as just one battle.

Apart from this realization, what delighted Lian most was his level-up, progressing from Level 6 to Level 7. His abilities saw significant improvement, and notably, his Special Attack broke past 200, reaching 214.

With a Special Attack over 200, Lian estimated that without the system, achieving such a value would typically require being at least Level 10 or higher. Now, he reached this milestone already at Level 7.

However, Lian felt slightly puzzled by the significant increase in Special Attack after leveling up, suspecting it might be overly generous.

He recalled using Combat Points to enhance his Special Attack by a total of 69 points, which equates to spending 375 Combat Points. Initially, he spent 100 points for a 20-point boost, then raised it further from 142 to 178, with each point costing only 5 Combat Points. Later, the cost increased to 15 Combat Points per additional point.

With this level-up, Special Attack jumped directly to 214, gaining 23 points at once. Comparing this surge to the incremental increases in other abilities, Lian had a bold hypothesis:

Could the extra Combat Points previously spent have actually boosted his potential, akin to increasing Base Stats in a game?

Did it truly raise his Base Stats?

Lian wasn't entirely sure, as Base Stats define a Pokemon's ultimate limit. If they could indeed be increased, wouldn't that imply limitless growth potential?

Shaking his head, Lian decided to set aside these thoughts for now, knowing there was no immediate answer. Instead, he focused on checking the awarded Combat Points from this battle.

Looking at the final combat rating, similar to his match against Nuzleaf, he received a C- score again. However, the rewarded Combat Points were slightly lower this time, totaling only 336.

Nevertheless, it was still a pleasant surprise for Lian, as he initially expected only Electrike's performance to be considered, which would have resulted in at most an E-grade rating.

Having used the system for some time now, Lian realized that differences in Pokemon levels and Base Stats did not significantly impact combat outcomes. Instead, ability gaps and output were crucial factors determining the majority of Combat Points earned. In other words, facing Pokemon with higher Stamina Base Stats in future battles would yield greater rewards upon victory.

Uninterested in pondering over Pokemon with high health but low defense, Lian decided to focus on how to utilize his Combat Points first.

Huh?

Standing before the data panel, Lian noticed a faintly displayed move added under the skills section - it was Smokescreen.

However, he recalled that Smokescreen typically couldn't be learned until around level 8 or 9. Could the system be showing moves one or two levels ahead, indicating those about to be mastered?

Lian remembered seeing a dim Ember skill when he reached level 5. Does this mean he could now instantly learn Smokescreen by spending just ten Combat Points?

With this thought, Lian directly clicked the plus sign next to Smokescreen, considering ten Combat Points insignificant for him at this point.

Click... Click... Click...

With ten consecutive clicks, the Smokescreen move gradually brightened from its dim state. After consuming ten Combat Points, it became as clear and accessible as his other moves.

However, Lian didn't spend any more Combat Points unnecessarily. After all, Smokescreen was just a relatively ordinary auxiliary move; being able to use it when needed was sufficient.

Now, Lian had 333 Combat Points remaining, and he planned to use them all to enhance his Special Attack ability value.

This time, instead of wildly clicking, he decided to observe the consumption of Combat Points with each click.

As soon as Lian opened the plus sign next to Special Attack and made the first click, his expression darkened dramatically - it felt like a massive rip-off!

He was ready to curse aloud, damn this bullshit!

After that initial click, Special Attack increased to 215, but his Combat Points dropped by thirty directly. The cost for upgrading Special Attack had unexpectedly doubled again, now requiring 30 points per increment.

In other words, Lian's current three hundred plus Combat Points could only boost his Special Attack ability value by a meager 10 points.

Lian hesitated whether to continue enhancing it further. If the cost kept doubling, the next upgrade would require a staggering 60 Combat Points for just one point increase.

The system seemed intent on forcing him to use Combat Points to improve other ability values!

With over three hundred Combat Points at his disposal, Lian decisively continued clicking the plus sign next to Special Attack.

303... 273... 243...

Watching his Combat Points rapidly deplete like water flowing away, Lian's eyelid twitched. He focused intently on the Special Attack value as it gradually increased, finding some comfort in its ascent.

Finally, the Special Attack ability reached 225 points, an increase of 11 points from before.

Although not a significant boost, if Lian's hypothesis was correct, the next level-up would yield an even greater increment in Special Attack.

If these Base Stat enhancements were indeed permanent, it would be truly remarkable, as a Pokemon's potential is determined by their Base Stats.

Once again, Lian ended up with only three Combat Points remaining. He felt there was never enough, as they seemed to vanish quickly with just a few upgrades.

Seeing no further purpose in staying within the system space, Lian shifted his consciousness back into his dream.

The next day:

"Charmander, wake up."

Lian was jolted awake, feeling his tail being lifted and swung in mid-air, making it impossible to continue sleeping.

Opening his eyes, he saw Kalia's smiling face. Feeling irked, he wanted to give her a punch; he had been enjoying a peaceful slumber until she rudely shook him awake.

Seeing Charmander awake, Kalia released his tail and said, "Treecko has been up early today. Our destination is Kanah Forest."

Lian rolled his eyes, preparing to linger in bed for more sleep. He had no interest in morning runs.

"If you stay asleep, there will be no breakfast for you," Kalia casually remarked, causing Lian's closed eyes to snap open instantly.

How cruel!

Reluctantly, Lian got out of bed. That wicked Trainer actually threatened him with breakfast - infuriating!

Shortly after, dressed in casual workout attire, Kalia led Treecko and Charmander towards the hotel entrance.

Mounting her bicycle, she addressed the two Pokemon, "Let's go! Today's training focuses on actual combat."

***

As the sun rose, its oblique rays cast long shadows from afar, elongating Lian's silhouette.

Kalia performed a stylish drift on her bicycle, coming to a stop near Kanah Forest entrance.

Early in the morning, the forest was relatively quiet with few people around.

Breathing in the fresh air of the forest at dawn invigorated one's spirit. Kalia planned to have Treecko and Charmander engage in battles against wild Pokemon.

Practical combat is crucial, serving as the primary means for understanding a Pokemon's true capabilities. After several encounters, it becomes evident where the Pokemon may fall short.

"Let's start with Treecko."

Lian accompanied Kalia and Treecko into Kanah Forest. Surprisingly, even early in the morning, numerous Pokemon were just waking up near the outskirts.

Kalia meticulously searched for suitable opponents for Treecko. The most important aspect of practical combat isn't winning; while victory is ideal, not achieving it isn't a concern, given these aren't high-stakes battles.

The main objective is to familiarize the Pokemon with using their moves effectively, enhancing coordination between Trainer and Pokemon.

"That one will do." Kalia specifically chose a Ledyba clinging to a tree because bug-type Pokemon counter Treecko, and Ledyba also possesses both bug and flying types.

In real combat, encountering countering types is inevitable. It's essential for Treecko to overcome innate fear caused by such counters. By frequently battling bug and flying-type Pokemon, Treecko can reduce this natural apprehension.

Among bug-type Pokemon, Ledyba stands out little, lacking exceptional abilities across various aspects. Its only commendable trait might be its special defense, making it an apt opponent for Treecko.