NOVEL NEXT Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Battle on the Water Arena
"My luck must be incredible to meet such a handsome guy. But don't expect me to go easy on you!"
"Come out, Seel!"
As the Cerulean Gym Trainer, Daisy was the first to release her Pokémon to set the stage for Ron's counter.
[TL/N: The author mentioned Sakura here and in the previous chapter, not Daisy. I'm not sure if the author is unaware of the names of the 'Sensational Sisters' of the Cerulean City Gym, but for better alignment with Pokémon canon, I will use Daisy.]
Without hesitation, Ron sent out Bellossom, aiming to leverage the type advantage.
Although Bellossom lacked the upper hand in terrain, Seel, at level 28, was no match for the power Ron's Bellossom possessed.
"Bellossom, use Magical Leaf!"
The Cerulean Gym's battlefield was a water arena surrounded by rocky walls, with several stone platforms in the center providing footholds. The rest was entirely water, maximizing the strengths of Water-type Pokémon.
Bellossom, hindered by the environment, found it difficult to use Leaf Blade effectively. Thus, Ron commanded a probing attack with Magical Leaf.
"Seel, dive underwater and use Icy Wind!"
Diving quickly, Seel unleashed Icy Wind, freezing parts of the water's surface as it submerged, evading Bellossom's attack.
"Bellossom, use Growth!"
Rather than engaging Seel on its home turf, Ron focused on bolstering Bellossom's strength.
The Growth move successfully raised Bellossom's Attack and Special Attack stats, enhancing both Magical Leaf and Leaf Blade for future strikes.
"Seel, surface now and use Aurora Beam!"
Daisy's earlier command to evade now backfired. Allowing Bellossom to amplify its strength to such an extent meant even a single Magical Leaf could severely damage or incapacitate the Seel.
Through careful observation of the water's surface, Ron's mysterious purple eyes activated, granting him the ability to pinpoint Seel's exact location underwater.
"Bellossom, rear right! Magical Leaf, then Leaf Blade!"
Almost simultaneously as Seel burst from the water, Ron's command rang in Bellossom's ears.
Magical Leaf tore through Aurora Beam, striking Seel directly.
Taking advantage of the opening, Bellossom leaped forward, slashing with Leaf Blade and using Seel as a springboard to land back on its platform.
The seamless sequence left Seel no room to evade or counterattack.
Crashing back into the water with a massive splash, Seel could only endure as Bellossom used Growth again to amplify its power for a decisive blow.
"Seel, use Water Pulse followed by Iron Tail!"
Knowing that Seel was down to its final reserves of strength, Daisy sought to maximize its damage output to weaken Bellossom for her next Pokémon.
Unfortunately, under Ron's watchful eyes, every movement Seel made was laid bare, leaving its last attack ineffective.
A sphere of water emerged from the surface, hurtling toward Bellossom as Seel swam to its flank for a surprise Iron Tail strike.
"Bellossom, use Magical Leaf!"
With two levels of Special Attack boosts from Growth, Magical Leaf shredded the Water Pulse with ease.
Seel emerged, its tail gleaming with metallic light, lunging for Bellossom.
"Bellossom, redirect with Magical Leaf, then finish it with Leaf Blade!"
The remaining Magical Leaves intercepted Seel, inflicting additional damage while obstructing its vision.
"Seel, retreat and counterattack!"
Sakura's command came too late.
Leaf Blade struck true, leaving a slash across Seel's body and rendering it unable to battle.
Round one: Ron wins!
"Wow, it's been a while since I've faced someone this strong. Time for you to shine, Dewgong!"
With a flash of light, Seel's evolved form, Dewgong, appeared on the watery battlefield.
At level 35—three levels higher than Bellossom—Dewgong carried the added threat of an Ice-type, which gave it an advantage over Bellossom's Grass-type.
Fortunately, despite the disadvantage, Grass moves still dealt super-effective damage to Dewgong, and Bellossom's boosted stats from Growth remained a significant advantage.
Additionally, with Ron's uncanny ability to track movements underwater, even Dewgong's superior mobility in water wouldn't guarantee victory.
"Bellossom, use Growth!"
Ron decided to stick to his strategy, forcing Daisy to take the offensive.
"Dewgong, Signal Beam!"
With its evolution, Dewgong had learned a wide variety of moves, including the Bug-type Signal Beam, a perfect counter to Grass-types.
"Bellossom, use Magical Leaf!"
Exploiting the time it took Dewgong to charge, Bellossom managed a third round of Growth.
As Signal Beam neared, Bellossom successfully countered with Magical Leaf, its cascading green leaves absorbing the impact of the Bug-type attack.
"Dewgong, use consecutive Water Pulses!"
Daisy suddenly shifted tactics, ordering Dewgong to launch a barrage of Water Pulses.
Although this interrupted Bellossom's rhythm, the attacks failed to land significant damage.
One by one, the Water Pulses were intercepted, splashing water across Bellossom's platform.
Standing firm despite the damp terrain, Bellossom remained unshaken. Seeing this, Daisy's expression lit up with determination.
"Dewgong, charge in with Signal Beam!"
Changing her approach again, Daisy directed Dewgong to close the gap.
But Bellossom's Magical Leaf deflected the attack, forcing Dewgong into a direct confrontation.
"Leaf Blade!"
Bellossom prepared for close combat, its blade-like leaves glowing in readiness.
"Dewgong, use Sheer Cold!"
As the distance closed, Daisy abruptly gave an unexpected command.
"Jump to evade!"
Ron, caught off guard by Dewgong knowing Sheer Cold, quickly ordered Bellossom to avoid it.
But Dewgong, already prepared, released a freezing wave that instantly iced over the water's surface.
Earlier, the splashes caused by consecutive Water Pulses had left the platform damp, enabling Sheer Cold's ice to spread rapidly.
Caught in the freezing attack, Bellossom became partially encased in ice. At the last moment, it shattered the ice with Leaf Blade and leaped away, narrowly avoiding the full brunt of the attack.
Landing on the icy surface, Bellossom faced Dewgong's relentless pursuit...
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