Sometimes, battles reveal a Pokémon’s true potential.

  The instant the match began, the chattering Corvisquire fell silent. It spread its wings and swiftly asded, dodging Snivy’s initial Bullet Seed attack. Seeds struck the ground, kig up a cloud of dust and dirt.

  “Tsk.”

  Snivy clicked its to had assumed this oppo was all talk, but Corvisquire’s quick reflexes were surprising.

  More importantly...

  Snivy’s gem-like red eyes locked onto Corvisquire. As much as it hated to admit it, this bird was a serious threat.

  Its owoire of moves was limited, and it cked effective anti-air tactics. Worse still, it had no idea whether this oppo possessed le attacks. If it did, things could bee dire.

  Thinking this over, Snivy unched another wave of attacks, alternatiween Vine Whip and Bullet Seed. But Corvisquire evaded them effortlessly.

  “Snivy, don’t rush,” Mei called out, her tone calming and analytical. “We’ll focus on a defensive terattack strategy. Corvisquire’s special defense isn’t high—if our attad, we’ll have the upper hand.”

  Mei’s words helped Snivy regain its posure.

  A true trainer’s role in battle isn’t to yell meaningless phrases like “Dodge it!” or “Hang in there!” Pokémo robots. If they’re in dahey’ll naturally dodge. If there’s an opening, they’ll naturally strike.

  Instead, Mei’s mind raced, analyzing the situation.

  “From what I’ve read ohis Corvisquire knows a lot of moves—Protect, Roost, and aerial moves like Drill Peck. A prolonged battle isn’t in our favor, but Snivy’s current tactics are all about endurance…”

  She furrowed her elegant brows, mentally noting the o teaivy more moves after this battle.

  Still, it couldn’t be helped. With Snivy’s trary ability, its potential as a “future ace” was uionable. O evolved into Serperior and learned Leaf Storm, its bat power would skyrocket. But until then, it was merely “det.”

  “Caw!”

  High above, Corvisquire fpped its wings, sending several transparent bdes sshing toward Snivy. It was using Air Ssh, a move it had only just learned yesterday. Though its mastery wasn’t high, it got the job done.

  Many times, profi a move only o be “good enough,” as demonstrated now.

  Corvisquire rained down Air Ssh attacks, f Snivy into a frenzied retreat to dodge. Occasionally, it would dive at high speed, delivering a cle Drill Peck before retreating to safety.

  “Ugh!”

  Snivy narrowly avoided a Drill Peck, rising from the ground covered in dirt. Its emerald body was now stained with mud, and its red eyes burned with fury.

  Its own attacks had been utterly iive. Even its Magical Leaf, which should have homed in, was mostly blocked by Corvisquire’s Protect. The few hits that nded barely fazed the bird, who still looked as eic as ever, hurling taunts with its usual fervor:

  “Such pitiful efforts amount to nothing!”

  “Kneel and gaze up at me in awe!”

  “Realize your weakness and despair!”

  If Butterfree’s typical bo was something like “Stun Spore → Toxic → Psybeam → Air Ssh,” Corvisquire’s strategy could be summed up as:

  “Air Ssh → Trash Talk → High-Speed Dive → Trash Talk → Drill Peck → Trash Talk x3 → Air Ssh → Cle Trash Talk.”

  If there ever came a rule banning mid-battle dialogue, Corvisquire’s bat effectiveness would be halved.

  Eventually, Snivy colpsed i. Its attacks, though accurate, cked impact—a cssic case of “scratg the surface.”

  This was uandable. While Snivy’s special attack stat was det, there’s a thing called level suppression.

  At just over level 20, Snivy had only retly learned Leech Seed, an impressive milestone for a novice trainer’s Pokémon. But Corvisquire was already level 35 and nearing evolution. The gap was undeniable.

  Defeat was iable, though Snivy wasn’t sure whether it lost due to Corvisquire’s strength or sheer frustration.

  If it could, Snivy would’ve gdly yanked out Corvisquire’s beak and shoved it somewhere unpleasant.

  Just you wait, feathered freak. One day, I’ll tear that smug look off your fad pnt grass on your skull!

  Cradled in Mei’s arms, Snivy gred daggers at Corvisquire.

  “We’ll stop the battles here for now,” Mei said, applying a potion to Snivy’s injuries. “My other two partners would likely fare er than Snivy.”

  She offered an apologetic smile to Natsume. “I’ll return for a rematce we’ve grown stronger.”

  Some trainers advocate for stant bat, arguing that losing builds character. But sending your Pokémon into a clearly unwintle just to “learn their limits” is pointless. Mei had no i in subjeg her parto unnecessary beatings.

  “Sorry for the trouble, Natsume,” Mei said, her demeanor shifting back to that of a bright and cheerful girl.

  Accepting the small, reseable bag Natsume handed her, she peered curiously at the glistening Pokéblocks inside.

  She’d heard about these osume was supposedly a master at crafting Pokéblocks, surpassing even reized experts. But ah on sense knows not to fully trust online information. At best, believe 30–40% of it. The rest is likely exaggerated.

  Still, she couldn’t deny her curiosity.

  “It’s no trouble at all,” Natsume replied, waving dismissively. He wasn’t particurly ied in battles. If challengers came, he’d fight. If not, he’d sunbathe.

  Most of the time, he let his Pokémon hatles for him while he mahe farm.

  “By the way, Mr. Natsume,” Mei asked as they walked, “what made you decide to take over this farm?”

  Gcell