Pokemon: The Gameboy Effect-Chapter 233: Throwing Hands

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The battlefield was set on the grassy field of Chiba Gym. The crowd buzzed with anticipation as the referee took his place. Everything was ready.

John stepped forward, locking eyes with Isaac Newton, who stood across from him with a knowing smile—the kind that belonged to a man who always had a plan. The old fox had definitely set this up from the beginning, ensuring that John would have to win the Legendary Flower through battle. This wasn't just about earning the prize; it was about proving his worth in front of everyone.

"Well, Isaac, if this is the game you want to play, then let's do it," John muttered, shaking his head with a smirk.

His opponent for the battle had already been decided: Mark had informed him on the way here that he would be facing off against Jack, the N°1 Gym Trainer of Chiba Gym and Isaac Newton's adopted son.

It made sense. If anyone was going to represent the gym's disciples, it had to be him.

"The battle rules are set at four-on-four," the referee announced. "Each trainer has six Pokemon to choose from, but the battle ends when four Pokemon from either side are unable to fight."

A standard official match format. No restrictions on switching, meaning there was plenty of room for strategy. John raised an eyebrow.

He reached for a Pokeball just as Jack did the same. Both Pokeballs soared through the air, bursting open in flashes of light.

On Jack's side stood a Vileplume, its deep blue body contrasting with the massive red petals on its head. A faint purple mist seeped from the center of the flower, like smoke curling from the mouth of a volcano. But this wasn't ordinary smoke—it was Poison Powder.

John, on the other hand, sent out Hariyama.

Originally, this fighting powerhouse had been more useful in John's kitchen than on the battlefield, but after seeing the sheer strength a well-trained one could have, John had changed his mind. A few levels of intense training later, and Hariyama had climbed to LV 51.

If this were a fight against Isaac, John wouldn't have considered using Hariyama. But against his student? That was a different story.

"Oh! A Shiny Hariyama!" gasped one of the watching disciples.

Whispers spread through the audience. Shiny Pokemon were so rare that many had never even seen one before.

The referee didn't care about the spectacle. He simply raised his hand and signaled for the match to begin.

"Battle start!"

"Hariyama, Earthquake!"

"Vileplume, Sunny Day!"

The two trainers gave their commands simultaneously.

Vileplume fired a fiery red orb into the sky, which burst overhead, bathing the battlefield in intense sunlight. The temperature seemed to rise instantly, the heat pressing down on the field like a heavy blanket.

Meanwhile, Hariyama clapped his enormous hands together, then slammed them into the ground. The earth trembled violently, shockwaves rippling outward in every direction, tearing through the field toward Vileplume.

"Petal Blizzard!" Jack called.

Thanks to Sunny Day, Vileplume's Chlorophyll ability doubled its speed, allowing it to react faster than usual. It spun in place, releasing a storm of razor-sharp petals that swirled into a protective barrier. The force of Earthquake hit the storm of petals head-on but lost much of its strength in the process.

A solid defensive move.

John smirked. "Aura Sphere."

A crackle of energy formed in Hariyama's right hand, gathering into a glowing blue sphere. With a sudden step forward, the Fighting-type launched the attack with the precision of a baseball pitcher.

The Aura Sphere shot through the air and disappeared for a split second. Then—

Boom!

A deafening impact shook the battlefield. The swirling petals were blown apart, and the sphere smashed into Vileplume's chest, sending it flying backward until it crashed into the wall behind it. A faint shimmer rippled through the gym's protective Energy Barrier, the only thing preventing the damage from extending beyond the battlefield.

The crowd collectively sucked in a breath.

Vileplume slumped to the ground, struggling to rise. It was still conscious, but barely. The attack had done some serious damage.

But before anyone could process the moment, another invisible force struck Vileplume again, slamming it against the wall a second time. This time, it didn't get back up.

Jack's expression shifted in confusion.

The audience looked at each other, equally puzzled. Where had that second attack come from? Wasn't Aura Sphere the only move Hariyama had used?

John chuckled. "You didn't see it?"

A realization dawned on Jack's face. "It was another move..."

"Yep. Bulldoze."

Gasps erupted from the audience.

John had executed a well-hidden technique: layering an unnoticed move within a stronger, flashier one. The moment Hariyama had launched Aura Sphere, he had also subtly executed Bulldoze with his footwork, masking the movement in the chaos of the previous attack.

It was a trick John had learned from a seasoned veteran, one that played on human psychology. When people focused too much on a big, powerful attack, they often missed the smaller, equally dangerous ones hiding in plain sight.

The result? A clean knockout.

The referee raised his flag. "Vileplume is unable to battle! The round goes to John!"

The audience erupted in cheers, some in excitement, others in disbelief at the clever strategy.

Jack sighed, returning Vileplume to its Pokeball. "Alright, John. You got me with that one."

John simply shrugged, crossing his arms. "Hey, you set the rules. I'm just playing the game."

With a small smile, Jack pulled out his next Pokeball. "Well then, let's see how long you can keep up."