Ever since this journey began, Jin felt his encounters with both Pokémon and trainers had become increasingly stimulating. Meeting Liko, his beloved, capturing new companions, and even the chance to battle unique Pokémon known as the Six Heroes—all of it had added excitement to his adventure.
"Snorrrrr!"
And now, yet another formidable opponent stood before him. The Sleeping Pokémon, Snorlax. While not exactly a rare Pokémon, its immense potential was evident, proven in its recent battle against Fuecoco. Snorlax was not an opponent to be underestimated.
"Alright, show me what you've got..."
With that declaration, Jin tossed a Poké Ball into the air. A Pokémon burst forth with a roar.
"Scep-tiiiile!"
Jin had chosen his partner, Sceptile. While another choice, like Annihilape, could have been more advantageous in countering moves like Hammer Arm or Yawn, Jin had a specific goal in mind for this battle. For that reason, he deliberately selected Sceptile.
(But first, let's see what kind of battle this Snorlax fights...)
In its battle with Fuecoco, Snorlax had employed Yawn to put its opponent to sleep. Whether it was merely lazy or deceptively clever, Jin wanted to determine this through their battle.
"Snorlax, I'll let you take the first move."
"Snorlax?"
"You took some damage in your last battle, right? I want this to be as fair as possible. Come at me without hesitation."
Snorlax hesitated for a moment, but Jin gave no commands, and Sceptile didn't move. Convinced of Jin's sincerity, Snorlax began pondering its strategy.
(Alright, how will you approach this?)
Snorlax soon locked eyes with Sceptile, its expression sharpening. It didn't move from its spot but instead began slapping its large belly with both hands.
"...Belly Drum right off the bat, huh?"
Belly Drum halved Snorlax's HP to max out its attack power by six stages. Snorlax's already considerable strength was now on an entirely different level.
(The moment I gave it the first move, it went for this... You've got quite the personality.)
Jin couldn't help but admire the audacity. Normally, Belly Drum left a Pokémon wide open to counterattacks, requiring careful setup. By giving Snorlax the opportunity, Jin had essentially invited this outcome and couldn't complain.
"Snorrrrr!"
With its attack power maxed, Snorlax charged toward Sceptile, right fist glowing with an icy chill.
(Ice Punch...)
A move highly effective against Sceptile's Grass type. A direct hit would undoubtedly deal massive damage—but only if it connected.
"Detect!"
Sceptile dodged the Ice Punch at the last possible moment, narrowly twisting its neck to avoid the blow. Snorlax's powerful but unwieldy attack created an opening—perfect for a counterstrike.
"Slash through with Leaf Blade!"
Sceptile's arms glowed green as it unleashed a series of rapid slashes across Snorlax's belly. The already-depleted Snorlax groaned in pain, attempting to grab Sceptile with its massive arms.
"Detect again!"
Anticipating this, Jin called for Detect once more. Sceptile leapt backward just in time, putting distance between itself and Snorlax.
"Surround it with Double Team!"
Sceptile created five identical clones, encircling Snorlax. It turned its head back and forth, unable to discern the real one.
"Don't give it a chance to retaliate! Bullet Seed!"
All five Sceptiles launched Bullet Seeds from their mouths simultaneously. While only the real Sceptile's attacks dealt damage, the onslaught kept Snorlax confused and under pressure.
"Snorrrrr..."
Though Bullet Seed wasn't particularly powerful, the continuous hits began to take their toll. Snorlax curled into a defensive position using Defense Curl, minimizing the damage, but it was clear the tide was turning against it.
"Snorrr... zzz... zzz..."
"Wait, did it just fall asleep!?"
"In the middle of all this!?"
"No! It's trying to recover HP by sleeping!"
Watching from a distance, Liko and Roy were stunned as Snorlax began snoring amidst the relentless Bullet Seed barrage. However, Dot, the most knowledgeable about Pokémon, recognized what was happening.
"Sceptile! Get in close and use Leaf Blade repeatedly!"
Realizing Snorlax's plan, Jin acted quickly. Sceptile stopped its Bullet Seed assault and closed the gap, preparing to strike. But before it could land a blow, Snorlax stirred slightly, even as it remained asleep.
"zzz... zzz..."
"Sleep Talk... Pull back!"
Sleep Talk randomly activates one of the user's known moves while asleep, making it difficult to predict. Jin knew this unpredictability made it dangerous.
"zzz... zzz..."
Snorlax's arm glowed white as it swung a Hammer Arm, narrowly missing Sceptile but destroying one of its Double Team clones.
(Recovering HP with Rest, covering its vulnerability with Sleep Talk... It's a common strategy, but it's definitely effective...)
Snorlax had already regained its strength, its attack power still maxed from Belly Drum. It was now even more formidable than before its battle with Fuecoco.
(Alright, now I can start going all out...)
Snorlax continued using Sleep Talk, alternating between Hammer Arm and Crunch to destroy the remaining clones. Once the last clone vanished, it opened its eyes and scanned the battlefield.
"...Looks like it's awake now."
The awakened Snorlax spotted Sceptile and immediately jumped on the spot, stomping the ground with tremendous force. The resulting vibrations unleashed a powerful Earthquake, shaking the entire area violently.
"Jump!"
Sceptile leaped to evade the incoming Earthquake. Snorlax saw this as an opportunity and cloaked its fist in icy energy, preparing a Ice Punch as it charged toward Sceptile's landing spot.
In this situation, it seemed nearly impossible for Sceptile to avoid the attack. While its impressive speed could help it evade on the ground, being airborne left it vulnerable. Even if it tried to intercept with long-range moves like Bullet Seed or Energy Ball, the fully powered Snorlax could easily deflect them and land its attack.
But...
"Not so fast! Grass Knot!"
Sceptile's eyes glowed green, and the grass beneath Snorlax's feet suddenly twisted and coiled into a loop. Snorlax's massive body tripped over the loop and fell heavily to the ground. Given its sheer weight, the fall inflicted significant damage.
"Alright... I think it's time."
With Snorlax temporarily incapacitated by Grass Knot, Jin seized the opportunity and reached into his pocket, pulling out a special item.
"Is that...?"
"A Tera Orb!"
Liko and her companions had seen Jin use a Tera Orb during training before. Unlike Mega Evolution, Terastallization could empower any Pokémon, making it a fascinating phenomenon. Their curiosity about what Jin was about to do heightened.
"Shine like the stars! Terastallize!"
Energy gathered within the Tera Orb Jin held aloft before he hurled it at Sceptile, which had just landed. Shimmering crystals enveloped Sceptile, transforming it into a radiant form. Its body sparkled like a gem, and a crown adorned with blooming flowers appeared atop its head.
"Follow up with Energy Charge!"
But Jin wasn't done yet. The newly Terastallized Sceptile summoned an Energy Ball, not to fire but to consume. As it swallowed the energy, Sceptile's glowing body emitted a blinding green aura, increasing its brilliance even further.
"Snor... Snorlax?"
The fallen Snorlax managed to rise, but the sudden transformation left it bewildered. Even before, Sceptile was a formidable opponent, but now it had surpassed its previous strength. Fear began to creep into Snorlax's expression, though it fought to suppress it, readying another Ice Punch as it charged forward.
"Leaf Blade!"
Sceptile faced Snorlax's oncoming Ice Punch and retaliated with a Leaf Blade at lightning speed.
"Huh? ...Gah... Snor... lax..."
Snorlax didn't even realize it had been struck until moments later. As the pain set in, it let out an agonized roar and dropped to one knee.
"Snor... lax!"
Mustering all its strength, Snorlax stood up and glared at Sceptile. However, Sceptile was moving too fast, zipping across the battlefield at blinding speed. Snorlax couldn't track its opponent and realized it was rapidly running out of options. Determined not to go down without a fight, Snorlax prepared for one final attack.
"Snorrrrr... lax!"
Snorlax gathered the last of its energy and leaped high into the air—a feat surprising for a Pokémon of its size and weight, nearly a ton.
"What the—!?"
Jin couldn't hide his shock as Snorlax soared upward. At its peak, Snorlax curled into a ball, engulfed itself in flames, and aimed directly at Sceptile. This was Snorlax's final gambit: Heat Crash, a move that grew more powerful with the user's weight. Given Snorlax's immense size, the move could easily crush Sceptile in one blow.
"No choice... Sceptile, prepare to counter!"
Sceptile could have dodged Heat Crash, but doing so would have left the shockwave from Snorlax's landing to wreak havoc across the battlefield, potentially endangering Liko and the others. Instead, Jin decided to test the full power of a Terastallized, energy-charged Sceptile.
"Sceptile! Full power Tera Blast!"
"Sceeeptiiiiile!"
The gem on Sceptile's head shattered, and a brilliant green beam of energy erupted from its mouth, streaking toward the descending Snorlax. The two attacks collided mid-air, unleashing a massive explosion that engulfed Snorlax in smoke and flames.
Everyone held their breath as the smoke cleared. Moments later, Snorlax's charred body emerged from the haze, tumbling to the ground. Its eyes swirled in defeat.
"Go! Poké Ball!"
With Snorlax unable to continue, Jin threw a Poké Ball. It struck Snorlax, enveloping it in red light before sealing it inside. The ball shook a few times before stopping with a satisfying click.
"Gotcha! Snorlax, captured."
Jin retrieved the ball and used its Pokédex function to review Snorlax's data.
"Looks like it'll be useful."
Snorlax's durability added a valuable asset to Jin's team, which was otherwise composed of fast but relatively frail Pokémon. The addition of Snorlax would provide much-needed balance.
(And I gathered good data, too...)
The combination of Terastallization and Energy Charge proved to be highly effective. While not as explosively powerful as Mega Evolution and Energy Charge, the former was much more stable and versatile.
"Scep..."
Sceptile appeared tired but still seemed capable of fighting another battle. While it might lack raw power, its usability was superior.
(But under the Tera Form, even with Energy Charge, I can't use Burst Attack - Forest's Flash. Is it an energy issue or a lack of compatibility? Either way, using Energy Charge in Mega Evolution form should probably be reserved as a trump card against stronger opponents...)
Against regular or evenly matched foes, Mega Evolution or Tera Form combined with Energy Charge would suffice. Jin concluded that the physically taxing combination of Mega Evolution and Energy Charge, or techniques like Forest's Flash, should only be used against truly formidable opponents.
"Jin! You did it!"
"...Yeah, thanks."
As Jin was mulling over his thoughts, Liko approached him from behind and clung to his arm. Without hesitation, she hugged him in front of their group, prompting Jin to smile faintly as he lightly patted her head.
"Hey! Let me get a rematch with Snorlax next time!"
Roy, following Liko's lead, approached Jin with a bold request. While he had stepped aside at Jin's urging earlier, Roy clearly still felt stung by his defeat. Though he understood that Fuecoco couldn't match up to Snorlax in sheer power, it didn't make the loss any easier to swallow.
"Sure. I'll make some adjustments, but I'll try to set it up soon."
For Fuecoco, whose primary weapons were special moves, battling Snorlax with its high Special Defense would make for excellent training.
"...By the way, you caught Snorlax, but what about feeding it?"
"Feeding it?"
"Snorlax has an insatiable appetite and needs to eat about 400 kg of food daily. Plus, the one you caught is even larger than the ones recorded in the Pokédex, so it'll probably need even more. I don't think we can handle that much food on the Brave Olivine…"
"400 kg!?"
When Dot explained Snorlax's eating habits, Liko and Roy were stunned. Even if they pooled all the food aboard the Brave Olivine, it wouldn't be enough to feed Snorlax for a single meal. Their astonishment was well justified.
"Don't worry. I've got it covered."
"...Really?"
"Yeah. I'd rather not have Murdock get mad at me."
Mollie, who managed the group's finances, was gentle and kind to both humans and Pokémon but could get genuinely angry over wasteful spending. Having seen Friede, Murdock, and Roy face her wrath, Jin had resolved never to cross her.
"Well, let's put that aside for now and gather some more berries. We've spent enough time here."
"Oh, right! What about the Cheri Berries?"
Roy hurried to check the spot where they had stored the berries earlier. However, several Pokémon were already there.
"Greedeeeent?"
"Squirreeeeee?"
"H-Hey, it's them!?"
"...Persistent little guys, huh."
The Pokémon gathered there were the Greedent and Skwovet that Roy had fought earlier before Snorlax appeared. They quickly packed the Cheri Berries into their tails and bolted back into the forest.
"H-Hey, wait!"
Roy reached out, but it was already too late. The forest was the Greedent gang's territory, and once they disappeared inside, finding them would be nearly impossible.
(A classic opportunist strategy... Was I slipping, or are they just that good? Either way, we've been had.)
Jin couldn't help but reflect. Though he had been focused on Snorlax's battle, letting the Greedent gang get so close without noticing suggested that his edge from traveling had dulled. Still, their audacity in returning after being defeated was commendable.
"Th-they got away…"
"...Well, nothing we can do now."
"We'll help look for more berries!"
"...Alright, but just for a bit."
With all the berries they initially gathered either taken by Snorlax or stolen by the Greedent gang, Jin and his team began exploring the Wild Area again to find more Cheri Berries.
//END
A New Ally: Snorlax!
Jin's Snorlax differs from Ash's famous swimmer Snorlax, boasting extraordinary jumping power instead. This trait amplifies the power of moves like Heat Crash, Heavy Slam, and Body Slam.
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