[Check Out My P4treon For +40 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! And get chapters before publishing them here for free on my p4treon][p4treon.com/echotales]
===
Long Yuling's pretty face stiffened. Her slender fingertips pressed on the screen, but she felt a sense of powerlessness. "I was here first…"
If she had known this, she should have remained silent just now and secretly matched herself. But You Lian Yue was quick-witted, matched at the same time as her, and then luckily got matched with the Master.
You Lian Yue patted Long Yuling's shoulder and smiled sweetly. "Don't be disheartened. I'll defeat the Master for you. I've made thorough preparations to face the Master, you know. Let's see what strategy the Master uses this time."
Both girls looked at the screen simultaneously. This time, the Pokémon that appeared on the opposite side was neither Aron nor the pink devil, Chansey. Instead, it was a cute-looking, seemingly harmless Cottonee.
Then they looked at its level. Level one. Hmm... it must be the Master, no doubt about it. In battles, only the Master would actively choose a level one Pokémon.
You Lian Yue's beautiful eyes sparkled. "Another level one Pokémon? Interesting. Today I'm going to experience the Master's new strategy. To counter the Master, I've made thorough preparations this time. I'm very confident I can defeat the Master this time!"
Long Yuling nodded at her words. Don't let You Lian Yue's seemingly carefree demeanor fool you; she was a genuine prodigy, on par with herself, and a top talent even across the entire Long Country. Perhaps the Master really would lose this time? For some reason, Long Yuling subconsciously dismissed this thought. She always felt that the Master wouldn't easily fail.
Kaito's Strategy
"You Lian Yue? I think I've seen that name somewhere?" Kaito pondered for a moment, then recalled that he seemed to have seen this ID in the comment section. This person, like Long Yuling, was also one of Long Country's prodigies, born into the Ghost-type Clan. Isn't this a coincidence? Let this Ghost-type Maiden fully experience the terror of Cotton Guard!
That's right. Today, Kaito was playing the extremely famous Leech Seed + Substitute stall strategy, often associated with Whimsicott (the Cotton Guard Strategy). But today, he was using Whimsicott's previous form—Cottonee. Winning this way would be even more satisfying.
"Is the first Pokémon Golurk?" The moment Kaito saw Golurk, he knew exactly what You Lian Yue wanted to do. She definitely wanted to use Stealth Rock. This could break the Sturdy and Focus Sash abilities of subsequent Pokémon.
"Not bad, after watching the video, you've improved. More people understand how to set up entry hazards now. Too bad I'm playing with Cottonee this time. If it were Aron, I might actually lose."
The battle began. Cottonee was the first to use the move—Leech Seed! Seeds flew onto Golurk, taking root on its body.
"Why did it attack faster than me? It's just a Level One Pokémon, isn't it?" You Lian Yue was stunned. She muttered to herself. She didn't understand. Could there be a problem with the game?
Long Yuling looked at the dazed You Lian Yue, as if seeing her past self. Indeed, the Master possessed a peculiar magic, always able to employ unexpected tactics.
A few moments later, You Lian Yue had a brainstorm and finally figured out the reason. "It's Cottonee's ability! Prankster!"
Prankster allows a Pokémon to use status moves first. Internationally, these abilities and moves are considered "priority moves." Prankster is a truly niche ability, just like the Endeavor move before. Few people paid attention to it.
"Leech Seed, huh? It's fine. My Golurk can knock it out with any move." You Lian Yue was full of confidence.
On the screen, Golurk used Stealth Rock. Rocks flew out, spread across the field, and then became invisible.
Just as You Lian Yue thought she could knock out Cottonee, Cottonee used another status move: Substitute. A green dinosaur plushie replaced Cottonee's position, capable of blocking one or more hits.
Immediately, a flash of green light swept past. Leech Seed drew HP from Golurk, feeding it back to Cottonee, causing Golurk's HP to drop.
You Lian Yue's pretty face stiffened. "Prankster, Leech Seed, Substitute…" "This can't be…"
It seemed my Ghost-type Pokémon couldn't deal with it, could they? She realized, I have walked into a dead end! I can only die in this cycle!
The Aftermath
"I won again," Kaito exclaimed. "What an extraordinarily stimulating battle."
You Lian Yue knew about his Level One Brute Force Strategy, so like Long Yuling, she chose to lead with Stealth Rock. However, this was useless. It even helped Cottonee better perfect its strategy.
The Cotton Guard Strategy has similar limitations to the Level One Brute Force Strategy—both are quite significant. But as long as it succeeds, one Pokémon can take down an entire team. The reason he called it stimulating was that he had initially worried whether You Lian Yue would bring Dark-type Pokémon, as Prankster is ineffective against them. The result was a lineup of exclusively Ghost-type Pokémon—Golurk, Dragapult, Chandelure… such a luxurious Ghost-type lineup was defeated by a Level One Cottonee.
Prankster, Leech Seed, Substitute, and Protect (if used) working together are devastating. One can only say that the Trainers in this world still need more practice.
After a moment of reflection, Kaito instructed his Rotom Phone to upload the video as usual. "Entertainment Tactics: The So-Called Cotton Guard Strategy".
You Lian Yue bit her lip lightly, her eyelids lowered. In the past, watching Long Yuling suffer setbacks, she hadn't had such a profound realization. It was only when she truly battled the Master that she could comprehend how terrifying tactical suppression truly was! It was as if every one of her actions, every thought, was foreseen by the Master, who had already prepared methods to deal with them. The Master truly lived up to the title of Master! This was a world-class existence!
You Lian Yue gently advised Long Yuling, who remained silent. Long Yuling was slightly moved, she raised her head, and a strong fighting spirit flashed in her eyes.
"No," Long Yuling said firmly. "I will take it to heart, and continue to challenge Master until I defeat him." Long Yuling clenched her right fist, indicating that she would fight to the end; this was her new goal! Her fighting spirit had ignited.
You Lian Yue couldn't help but sigh, pressing a hand to her forehead. Once her friend became like this, there was no pulling her back. She would most likely pester Master from now on.
That night, many people were wondering if Master would release a new strategy tomorrow. The name of Master was gradually resounding throughout the world!
Kaito has defeated the second of the Dragon Country's twin beauties and firmly established himself as a tactical genius. Given his success with niche abilities, which undiscovered or overlooked strategy from the core Pokémon games do you think he'll unleash next? 🤔
===
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 45 on my p4treon, go check it out
Gain access to exclusive early chapters, and so much more. This is your chance to get a ton of exclusive content while supporting my work.
p4treon.com/echotales
if you want more updates == supports with power stones
Every 10 Power Stones == Bonus Chapter
every three 5-star reviews == Bonus Chapter