Gary walked in from outside with his fan club.
“Gary, Gary is the best! Gary!!!”
His fan club also cheered him on from behind, and the scene was quite chaotic.
Seeing Gary bring so many women, everyone present frowned.
Professor Oak, not bothering to hide his annoyance, sternly told Gary, “Didn’t I tell you? Don’t do all this.”
However, he also understood that it wasn't the girls' fault; it was his grandson's problem.
“Grandpa, traveling is all about enjoyment, isn't it? Besides, Yu Feng even has black tea and cake while fishing, so what’s wrong with me bringing a few girlfriends?”
Gary tidied his hair and boasted to Professor Oak with a hint of pride.
“He's enjoying life; what are you enjoying?”
Professor Oak was somewhat exasperated. What was wrong with someone eating well? If he had the chance to eat well during his travels, he would definitely choose to.
“Don’t say so much, just give me Squirtle.”
“You child, you’re such a headache.”
Professor Oak really didn't know how to educate his grandson, so he could only teach Gary what he had just taught Yu Feng.
“I'm off! I'll be waiting for you at the Indigo Plateau Conference, Yu Feng.”
Not wanting to listen to his grandpa's nagging anymore, Gary waved his hand and walked out.
“Young Master Gary!!!”
Amidst the infatuated shouts of his fan club, Gary walked out with his hands in his pockets.
“This child… it seems I’ve been too lenient with him.”
Professor Oak sighed, looking at the still self-indulgent Gary. He really had been too engrossed in his research and neglected Gary’s upbringing.
“It's okay, Professor. I believe time will change him.”
Yu Feng came over to comfort Professor Oak. Gary changed a lot after hitting a wall at the Indigo Plateau Conference, and after being stopped at the top 16 in the Silver Conference, he completely turned to Pokémon research.
“Perhaps. Well, Yu Feng, no matter which conference you plan to challenge next, I hope you achieve good results.”
Professor Oak was certainly not a fragile person and quickly recovered under Yu Feng’s comfort.
“Okay, then I’m leaving, Professor.”
“Be careful on your way.”
After bidding farewell to Professor Oak, Yu Feng walked outside. After navigating the complex paths out of the laboratory, Yu Feng arrived in the courtyard.
“Hey, Yu Feng, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. Come have a Pokémon battle with me.”
Gary, who had been waiting outside for a long time, approached, surrounded by his fan club, and challenged Yu Feng.
“With me?”
Yu Feng was a bit puzzled, wondering why Gary wanted to battle him.
“Nothing much, it’s just a shame not to battle when our eyes meet.”
Gary raised his eyebrows, tossing the Poké Ball in his hand up and down, and issued another battle invitation.
“Alright, then I won’t bully you. My Pokémon will be her.”
Yu Feng thought for a moment. He hadn't commanded a Pokémon in battle since arriving in the Pokémon world.
Don't even mention living in the forest for so long without ever commanding a Pokémon.
How to put it? Knowing that you are a Pokémon, I think your first choice wouldn't be to command Pokémon in battle, but to engage in physical combat with them yourself.
Commanding Pokémon in battle isn't as satisfying as engaging in close combat yourself.
“Lee!”
Charmander, receiving Yu Feng’s command, walked out from beside Yu Feng’s feet, trying its best to look powerful, its tail burning fiercely.
“Then my Pokémon will be him! Go, my darling!”
“Gary, Gary is truly great!!!”
Amidst the cheers of his fan club, Gary kissed the Poké Ball in his hand, then threw it out.
“Squirtle!”
What appeared in the light was a Squirtle with a large blue bald head, ahem, a Squirtle.
One of the fan club members stood in the middle, raising her arm and announcing, “So, Gary and Yu Feng from Pallet Town are having a 1-on-1 match. The battle ends when one side loses the ability to fight.”
“Then, let the battle begin!”
The referee in the middle swung her arm down, signaling the start of the match.
“Squirtle, use Tail Whip.”
Gary made the first move, having Squirtle use Tail Whip to lower Charmander’s defense.
“Charmander, Growl.”
Yu Feng followed Gary’s words with his own command.
Squirtle, receiving the command, immediately began wagging its tail at Charmander. Charmander, having no battle experience, didn't react in time. Seeing Squirtle’s Tail Whip motion, it instinctively relaxed.
“Lee!!”
However, Charmander not reacting didn't mean Yu Feng didn't. After receiving Yu Feng's command, he immediately let out a cute Growl. Even though Gary quickly had Squirtle cover its ears, Squirtle still felt its body suddenly hollowed out.
In this exchange, neither side gained an advantage, and there was no significant impact.
“Damn it, was I predicted?”
Gary gritted his teeth. This was the first time he had been predicted by someone. Indeed, not everyone was a hothead like Ash.
“If lowering stats doesn't work, then let's go for a direct attack.”
“Squirtle, Tackle!”
Gary issued a new command, having Squirtle engage Charmander in close combat. After all, Water-type is double effective against Fire-type, so he wouldn't lose out either way.
“Charmander, go for it! Use Slash to knock him away!”
Charmander heard Yu Feng's encouragement, and the flames on its tail instantly burned more fiercely. Its claws glowed with a scorching white light, and it struck the attacking Squirtle's bald head, directly knocking Squirtle to the ground, leaving it stunned.
“What?!”
Gary looked at Squirtle, who was knocked to the ground and couldn't get up, with some disbelief. They were both newly received Pokémon, but this Charmander's strength was incredible. How did it look like it had activated Blaze?
But the problem is, Blaze doesn't increase physical damage, does it? Looking at Charmander's fiercely burning tail flame, Gary felt for the first time that his knowledge was insufficient.
“Charmander, press the advantage, use Ember.”
Charmander's burst of power even Yu Feng hadn't anticipated, but fortunately, with the aid of his Psychic power, he quickly reacted. Although he was going easy on a beginner, not pursuing a weakness would be too obvious a concession.
Charmander, hearing Yu Feng's command, produced sparks from its mouth and spat them out at the fallen Squirtle.
“Ah, Squirtle, withdraw into your shell! And then use Water Gun like that.”
Gary also belatedly commanded Squirtle to withdraw into its shell to reduce the damage from the flames. Regardless of whether Charmander was currently in Blaze state, it was better to minimize damage as much as possible.
Water Gun sprayed out from Squirtle’s shell, forming a water screen that blocked Charmander’s Ember.
“Charmander, rush in, pin him down, and use Ember inside his shell.”
“Don’t even think about it! Squirtle, keep up the Water Gun!”
Charmander used Slash to cut through the Water Gun aimed at it, then quickly ran to Squirtle’s front, forcibly holding down the rotating shell, its mouth gradually glowing brighter with flames.
Squirtle poked its head out, still wanting to resist, but as soon as it opened its mouth, its face turned green, and its eyes immediately spun into swirls, and it fainted.
Seeing Squirtle faint, Charmander was in a predicament. The skill was charged but couldn't be used, so it helplessly spat out the long-Charge Ember at an empty spot nearby.
“Squirtle!”
Gary exclaimed, seeing Squirtle faint. His girlfriend, acting as the referee, glanced at Squirtle's swirling eyes and announced the winner.
“Squirtle is unable to battle, so the winner is Charmander!”
“Ah! Young Master Gary!!!”
Upon seeing Gary lose, his fan club members also looked dejected, like eggplants hit by frost.
“I lost this time, but I’ll win it back next time we meet.”
Gary took out a Poké Ball, recalled Squirtle, and spoke to Yu Feng with a stubborn expression.
He believed that one day, he would be able to defeat Yu Feng and wash away the humiliation of this defeat.
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
Watching Gary walk out, surrounded by his fan club, Yu Feng gave him a thumbs up and looked forward to his next challenge.
“Next time, it won’t be this simple.”
Gary didn't look back, dropped a sentence, and walked out of Professor Oak's Laboratory.
“What a headache. Oh, right, didn’t Mom say she had to go back?”
Yu Feng scratched his head. He didn't know how he had annoyed Gary, but speaking of which, he remembered his mom saying he had to go back once he received his starter Pokémon.
“Kirlia. (Yes, but do you know how to get back?)”
Shiny Kirlia appeared from its Poké Ball and answered Yu Feng's question, though she also didn't know the way back.
“This... how about we try channeling Psychic power into the token when we leave?”
“Kirlia. (Good idea!)”