"Letting Metagross fight Scyther seems a bit like bullying it," Jiang Chen remarked as he watched the two Pokémon prepare to clash.
In terms of strength, Metagross was at Elite Four Stage 7, every bit Scyther's equal. But given Metagross's formidable defense, could Scyther even hope to break through? Even though Scyther's blades were terrifying and glinted with a cold light, shattering Metagross's defenses would be a monumental task.
The battle began. Scyther didn't bother with formalities; in the wild, the first strike usually decided the victor. A green blur flashed. Scyther was incredibly fast. One moment it stood directly in front of Metagross, and in the blink of an eye, it was behind it. Its massive scythes rose, and with a flash of white, Scyther brought them crashing down.
The attack was swift and sharp, but it struck only empty air. Metagross could use Teleport. No matter how fast one moved, it couldn't beat instantaneous spatial shifting. Reappearing to Scyther's left, Metagross launched a Bullet Punch.
Scyther's pupils constricted. It crossed its great scythes in defense. Though it was sent flying by the force, it managed to parry the blow and took no significant damage.
"What incredible reflexes. This Scyther is strong." Jiang Chen's eyes lit up. That reaction speed was truly impressive. He had expected Metagross's strike to land, only to see it blocked at the last second.
"I almost want to catch it myself," Xiao Luoxue said, her eyes shining. This Scyther was cool.
Hearing this, Ling Wanqiu said, "Then go for it."
"I'd love to, but I don't have the skill." Xiao Luoxue shrugged helplessly. Even all her Pokémon combined wouldn't be a match for this Scyther. It would likely cut through them like a hot knife through butter.
Jiang Chen could defeat Scyther easily, but catching a Pokémon required personal effort. One had to earn the opponent's respect, or they would never truly acknowledge a trainer.
The battle grew more intense. Metagross's body shimmered with a metallic sheen. It had just used Iron Defense, significantly boosting its already high defense.
Clang!
Scyther's blades struck Metagross, but it couldn't break through. It was like a sharp knife striking solid metal. Refusing to give up, Scyther used its speed to unleash a rapid-fire Fury Cutter, slashing at Metagross again and again.
Metagross, seemingly focused only on tempering its own endurance, didn't counter. It simply stood there, passively absorbing Scyther's onslaught. After three minutes of continuous slashing, Scyther was panting heavily, its scythe-like arms trembling slightly. Metagross remained unscathed, while Scyther was on the verge of collapse from exhaustion.
"Just how strong is that Metagross's defense?" Ling Wanqiu and Xiao Luoxue were speechless. By simply standing there and letting Scyther attack, Metagross proved it was practically invincible.
"Why don't you guess? Or maybe you'd like to have your own Pokémon try it out?"
"I'll pass," Xiao Luoxue declined without hesitation. Even if her team worked together, they were no match for that Metagross.
"Metagross is starting its counterattack." As a white light flickered in Metagross's eyes, Jiang Chen knew the defensive phase was over.
Using its Psychic power, Metagross pinned Scyther in place. The high-speed assassin was suddenly immobilized, unable to move a muscle. With Scyther trapped, Metagross raised its heavy metal fist and smashed it down with a thunderous Meteor Mash.
The blow drove Scyther straight into the ground. Like a falling meteor, Scyther slammed into the earth, sinking deep into a massive crater. Scyther was an assassin high attack, high speed, but low defense. It was physically fragile.
"I thought Scyther was cool before, but now I think I prefer Metagross." Metagross was clearly the superior combatant. No matter how cool Scyther looked, it couldn't break Metagross's defense, and failing to break defense meant defeat.
However, that single hit wasn't enough to knock Scyther out. No matter how fragile its build, a wild Pokémon with its experience was tougher than a normal specimen.
As Scyther struggled to its feet, Metagross continued the assault. Scyther immediately used Double Team, attempting to confuse its opponent with illusions. Facing the myriad copies, Metagross didn't bother looking for the real one. Instead, it decided to destroy them all.
A Flash Cannon swept across the field, and Scyther's illusions vanished instantly. Scyther crossed its arms to block the beam but was pushed back steadily, its feet carving deep furrows into the ground.
Before it could catch its breath, Metagross teleported behind it and slammed another Meteor Mash downward. Having mastered Teleport, Metagross's style was simple yet brutal: blink in and punch.
Bang!
Scyther was sent flying again. Before it even hit the ground, Metagross's Hyper Beam roared toward it.
"It's over." Jiang Chen was certain Scyther could take no more.
The energy blast slammed Scyther into the defensive barrier. It collapsed to the ground, its body trembling before it finally lost consciousness. The energy barrier faded. Jiang Chen walked over and circled Metagross first. Its body was as pristine as ever, without a single scratch. As expected, Scyther's attacks hadn't left a mark.
Jiang Chen then approached Scyther. The proud Pokémon tried to stand, but its injuries were too severe, and it remained pinned to the ground. Scyther was arrogant by nature; it refused to show weakness to anyone.
"Help treat Scyther's wounds," Jiang Chen said, looking toward his other Pokémon.
Once healed, Scyther stood up, its gaze still as sharp as a razor. Even in defeat, it hadn't lost its edge. Scyther was a Pokémon that lived on its sharpness; if it lost that, its blades would never be so keen.
"Scyther, how about becoming my sparring partner for the next few days?" Jiang Chen asked. "I know you crave battle. I can guarantee you'll have plenty of it if you stay."
At the mention of battle, Scyther's eyes glinted. It nodded to Jiang Chen, agreeing to become a training partner for his Pokémon. Whether it was called sparring or training didn't matter. It only cared about the fight.
"Impressive. You actually talked Scyther into being a training partner," Xiao Luoxue said, giving Jiang Chen a thumbs up. She hadn't expected the wild Pokémon to agree so easily. "Why don't you find a sparring partner for me too?"
"And me," Ling Wanqiu added. "I want my Pokémon to get more battle experience. The Hidden Dragon Cup Trainer Competition is coming up soon, and I don't want to embarrass myself there."
"Sure. I can recommend one. How about my Nidoqueen?" Jiang Chen took a miniaturized Poké Ball from his waist, pressed the button to enlarge it, and released Nidoqueen. "Nidoqueen is quite strong. She can handle your training. Besides Nidoqueen, Tyranitar and Dragapult are available as well."
Jiang Chen released both Tyranitar and Dragapult.
"If it's them, we can manage," Ling Wanqiu agreed, and Xiao Luoxue nodded in approval. They felt they could handle these three. If Jiang Chen had suggested Garchomp or Blastoise, they would have flatly refused. No one wanted to be completely crushed in training.
"Let's pitch the tents here. We'll be staying for a while." The forest was dense, but Jiang Chen looked around and found a clearing that wasn't completely shaded by trees, allowing a bit of sunlight through.
"This spot is perfect. Charizard, help clear the weeds and thorns. Keep your flames under control; we don't want a forest fire. Blastoise, stay close to Charizard. If the fire gets out of hand, put it out immediately," Jiang Chen commanded.
If they cleared the area themselves, it would take ages. With Pokémon, it was easy. One had to learn to utilize Pokémon in daily life; they weren't just for fighting.
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