Chapter 46
[Call Me a Ghost-Type Expert: A holographic projection?! That equipment can’t have been cheap...]
The comment drifted across the screen.
"Really? No wonder it looks so high-end."
Mike nodded before asking, "By the way, how does Poké Battle actually work?"
After the viewers walked him through the rules, he finally understood the basics.
It was fairly similar to the battle simulators from his previous life.
In this world, the Pokémon Battle Platform—more commonly known as Poké Battle—had been developed by Devon Corporation.
Battles were divided into several formats: Standard Battles, Mega Battles, Dynamax Battles, and Terastal Battles.
As the names suggested, Standard Battles only allowed ordinary Pokémon battles without any special battle systems.
Mega Battles allowed certain Pokémon to Mega Evolve, while Dynamax and Terastal Battles supported their respective mechanics.
"Devon Corporation really did think of Trainers from every region."
Mike sighed in admiration after reading through the rules.
He remembered that Devon Corporation’s heir was Steven Stone, the former Hoenn Champion and a devoted stone collector.
[Penance_Stair: Imagine creating an international battle platform just to fund your rock collection.]
[Akabara: Steven already had enough money to buy every rock in Hoenn.]
[Yopleasee: There is no such thing as enough rocks when you’re Steven Stone!]
"So, what should we play today?"
Mike thought about it for a moment.
"I don’t understand the other modes yet, so let’s start with a Standard Battle."
He selected the Standard Battle format and began building his team.
[BugTypesAreTheCoolest: Didn’t you say Bug-type Pokémon were strong? Hurry up and show us your Bug-type army!]
As more viewers entered the livestream, the comments quickly grew heated.
[EarlyRouteTrainer: There’s nothing wrong with raising Bug types at the beginning of a journey.]
[PseudoLegendaryDreamer: Beginner Trainers already have limited resources. Spending them on Bug types is basically throwing those resources away.]
[CaterpieBeliever: You literally just said beginners lack resources. Doesn’t that make Bug types, which evolve quickly and are easy to raise, even more useful?]
[DragonTypeOnly: Then name one Bug-type Pokémon that’s actually worth using!]
[LightningGodWolf: Scizor, Volcarona, Heracross, Vikavolt, Ribombee, Golisopod...]
[DragonTypeOnly: Most beginners can’t get those.]
[Genie_Unshackled: Most beginners can’t get a Dragonite either, yet here you are.]
[Kiyan_Tribe: His username got countered before the battle even started lmao!]
[Gholdengo Is Number One: Could everyone stop arguing for five seconds and see which Pokémon he chooses first?]
The comment drifted across the screen.
Mike’s viewers were generally fairly reasonable.
They might argue fiercely about which Pokémon were strong, but they rarely turned those arguments into personal attacks against the streamer.
Once Gholdengo Is Number One stepped in, the comments temporarily settled down.
But the livestream wasn’t only being watched by ordinary viewers.
...
At Sinnoh League headquarters, Lucian, Flint, and Aaron sat together on a sofa while the stream played across a large screen on the wall.
"What Bug-type Pokémon do you think he’ll use?" Aaron asked.
Everyone assumed Mike would probably build his team around Bug types.
"Maybe Volcarona?" Flint scratched his large afro.
As a Fire-type specialist, he was also quite fond of Volcarona.
"It’s powerful, and its Fire typing gives it excellent offensive coverage."
"Vikavolt is another possibility," Lucian said. "He might be planning a Trick Room team."
"Why couldn’t it be Beautifly or something similar?" Aaron asked.
The moment he finished speaking, Lucian and Flint both turned to stare at him.
Everyone knew that the Pokémon Aaron had mentioned struggled badly in high-level battles.
...
Inside her office, Cynthia sat in her chair and watched the livestream on her phone.
"Garchomp, what Bug-type Pokémon do you think he’ll use?"
"Gar..."
Garchomp had absolutely no idea.
...
At Professor Rowan’s laboratory, the professor and several of his assistants were also watching the stream.
Mike had no idea that such a casual livestream had attracted this much attention.
He was Professor Rowan’s assistant even though it was temporary, and the professor had openly praised him in front of thousands of people.
That alone was enough to make many people curious about him.
After all, Professor Rowan rarely praised anyone in public.
The last person he had spoken so highly of was a little girl who had since grown up to become the Champion of the Sinnoh region.
...
Once Mike finished choosing his team, he entered matchmaking.
While waiting for an opponent, he noticed the comments and laughed.
"Let me make one thing clear first. I’m not a Trainer who specializes in battling, so please don’t be too harsh if I make a mistake."
The viewers finally saw his team.
Gengar, Sceptile, Garchomp, Infernape, Drowzee, and... Kricketune?
They understood the first four. All of them were powerful Pokémon.
But what were Drowzee and Kricketune doing there?
[GreatBallGrinder: Streamer, are you sure you didn’t choose the wrong Pokémon? What is Kricketune doing there?]
[SinnohNetizen: Kricketune? Seriously?]
[RankedBattleVictim: And this is Great Ball-rank matchmaking. This battle is already over.]
[Pikune: Four monsters, one sleepy tapir, and somebody’s orchestra teacher.]
[Keyos: That team looks like he let Glameow choose the last two.]
[MaryCrossoverAddic: Don’t blame Glameow. She would’ve built a better team!]
Mike was using Gholdengo Is Number One’s account, not a single viewer believed he was going to win.
Seeing the comments, Mike merely smiled and stroked the Glameow resting in his arms.
"Kricketune isn’t that bad. It can sing beautifully, and its base Attack is a respectable eighty-five."
[Propht: He mentioned the singing first. We’re cooked!]
At that moment, matchmaking finished and the battle screen appeared.
The opponent’s first Pokémon was Charizard.
Mike’s first Pokémon was... A Shiny Drowzee!
The opposing player stared at the pink tapir on the field for a long time without reacting.
"Look at that. Our little pig froze the opponent the moment she appeared."
Mike grinned.
"They had to stop and check the Pokédex. Doesn’t that prove I already have the advantage?"
Drowzee’s Forewarn Ability activated as soon as she entered the field, revealing that Charizard knew Flamethrower.
After a while, the opponent apparently returned from checking Drowzee’s information and sent a confused question-mark emote.
Mike politely replied with a question-mark emote of his own.
[MurkrowAfterDark: Why are you taunting them too?!]
[Penance_Stair: He doesn’t know what’s happening, but he refuses to look weak.]
[Akabara: That question mark was pure confidence.]
[EaCalibur: Pure confusion, you mean.]
Both sides finished selecting their commands, and the battle officially began.
The opponent ordered Charizard to use Flamethrower.
On the screen, Charizard unleashed a wave of scorching flames that completely swallowed Drowzee.
"Nooooo! My Peppa Pig!"
Mike cried out in pain.
"Don’t turn into roast pork!"
Drowzee endured the Flamethrower and survived with only twelve HP remaining.
"Huh? She’s surprisingly bulky. Her Focus Sash didn’t even activate."
Mike was genuinely impressed by Drowzee’s durability.
"Use Trick Room."
Since the game supported voice commands, it was much easier to control.
Drowzee raised both hands, and the space around the battlefield began to twist and distort.
"Now the move order is reversed, right?"
Mike pointed toward Charizard.
"Drowzee, use Endeavor!"
Drowzee swung her trunk and charged into Charizard.
Charizard’s HP immediately dropped to twelve!
[Dao_Of_The_Turtle: When the world turns upside down, the slowest shall stand above the swift.]
[Genie_Unshackled: He used Trick Room, Shakespeare.]
[Dao_Of_The_Turtle: That is what I said.]
[AshlesSmiley: No, you added a prophecy for no reason!]
The opponent then ordered Charizard to finish off the weakened Drowzee.
Mike recalled her and sent out the true star of today’s battle.
Kricketune!
The viewers stared at the Kricketune on the screen.
Although none of them had much faith in Mike’s team, they were still curious to see what he planned to do with it.
The opponent was clearly just as stunned.
"Didn’t expect that, did you?"
Mike grinned.
"One Drowzee leaves, and then a Kricketune appears."
He pointed toward Charizard.
"Fell Stinger!"
The opponent apparently didn’t consider Kricketune much of a threat and chose to sacrifice Charizard.
Kricketune’s stinger struck cleanly and finished Charizard off.
It then released a sharp insect cry as its Attack rose dramatically.
...
At Sinnoh League headquarters, Aaron watched the scene before calmly saying, "The battle is over."
Flint turned toward him in confusion.
"Fell Stinger sharply increases the user’s Attack if it defeats the target," Aaron explained.
...
Back on the screen, Kricketune’s HP dipped slightly.
The opponent’s second Pokémon was Hydreigon.
Mike looked at the three-headed dragon standing across the battlefield and grinned.
"Well, look at you, a Hydreigon. Still trying to act scary?"
He pointed forward.
"Take another Fell Stinger from Kricketune Man!"
Boom!
Hydreigon’s HP instantly dropped to zero!
[DragonTypeOnly: WHAT?!]
[PiplupSupremacy: WHERE DID ITS HEALTH GO?!]
[Pikune: Bro spawned in and immediately died....]
[Daze_Imagination: The Poké Ball hadn’t even cooled down yet!]
"And that was a critical hit!" Mike shouted, growing more excited with every turn. "How exactly was your Hydreigon supposed to survive Kricketune Man’s Fell Stinger?!"
Kricketune’s HP fell slightly again, while its Attack climbed even higher.
The opponent’s final Pokémon was Blaziken.
"Blaziken? You think I’m afraid of Blaziken?"
Mike thrust one hand toward the screen.
"Take this Aerial Ace!"
Kricketune soared into the air before crashing down on Blaziken.
Blaziken’s HP was completely emptied!
A perfect victory!
Mike let out a relieved breath.
"That was close."
He wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead.
"We barely won."
[Route201Camper: ???]
[PiplupSupremacy: Wait... what? What just happened? Can an expert explain that battle?]
[DragonTypeOnly: I don’t understand. Why did Hydreigon’s health disappear instantly?!]
[BugTypesAreTheCoolest: Kricketune? No—that’s Kricketune Man!]
[Xerotia: "Barely won" after deleting an entire team with a violin bug is insane.]
[Dao_Of_The_Turtle: A dragon may have three heads, but the bug needed only one stinger.]
[Propht: Please stop narrating the battle like an ancient legend!]
----
Gonna insert another dao dude so we have 2 fake cultivator in the chat and maybe add a guy who’s obsessed with games.
Leave a comment here if you also want to appear in chat.