Chapter 26: Tropius’s Hidden Ability
The Ekans Trainer was a seemingly thin youth, his skin dark and weathered by the sun.
Lu Li noticed the youth’s hands were calloused and his gaze was bright, full of confidence.
“A genius from First High School, I’ve heard much about you. Please guide me from now on,” the Ekans Trainer said with a broad smile.
Lu Li smiled and praised, “To dare use an Ekans as a starter Pokémon and command it perfectly, you are the true genius.”
Lian Sheyi’s smile froze; he felt as if the other person was subtly mocking him.
In fact, Lu Li was indeed praising Lian Sheyi.
He knew Lian Sheyi’s background; after all, when he was receiving the poor student subsidy, Lian Sheyi was next to him, and his grandfather had also come.
Lian Sheyi’s parents died when he was young. His grandfather raised him.
Lian Sheyi’s family background could be described as among the poorest of commoners. As for the Ekans in his hand, it was Lian Sheyi’s opportunity. Without this opportunity, Lian Sheyi wouldn’t even have the qualification to become a Trainer.
So Lu Li genuinely admired him; it wasn’t easy for a commoner to reach this point.
One knows their own situation. Lu Li has always been afraid to admit he’s a commoner genius because he’s cheating.
Those who cheat don’t try to compare themselves to geniuses.
Lian Sheyi released his Ekans, and Lu Li squinted, carefully observing the Ekans on the field.
The Ekans was very well-nurtured by Lian Sheyi. Its skin, so dark it was almost purple, indicated that its Poison Type Talent had been developed to an outrageous degree.
“It’s one thing for Jin Huang to come from a small Qingfeng City First High School, but I didn’t expect to encounter a Poison Type genius like this,” Lu Li praised inwardly.
Lu Li also released Tropius.
“Tropius, this opponent isn’t simple, be careful!” Lu Li reminded it.
As the referee announced the start of the match, Ekans moved first.
Like an arrow from a bow, Ekans shot towards Tropius, its target being Tropius’s neck.
“Attacking with a fatal blow right away, this Ekans must have experienced many wild battles,” Lu Li thought.
“Tropius, dodge!”
Lu Li used the Dodge Divine Skill.
Ekans opened its mouth, its long fangs gleaming with a faint purple radiance. This alone showed that Ekans’s attack was not simple, and Lu Li wasn’t going to let Tropius take it head-on.
Ekans’s Poison Type Talent was already developed far beyond its peers, coupled with its STAB Poison Fang, Tropius would be poisoned 100% of the time, if not heavily injured, by taking a Poison Fang.
Tropius, hearing the command, quickly flapped its wings and flew up.
Ekans, missing its target and not yet having landed, was excitedly shouted at by Lian Sheyi: “Ekans! Seize this opportunity, Poison Tail!”
Ekans’s tail flashed with purple light, then heavily struck Tropius’s wing.
With its wing injured and losing balance in mid-air, Tropius almost fell from the sky.
Given Tropius’s size, falling to the ground from the sky would definitely result in secondary damage.
Tropius’s wing, swept by Poison Tail, instantly turned purplish.
Seeing this, Lu Li’s heart sank. Tropius was poisoned.
“Poison Tail’s poison rate is this high?”
Lu Li, complaining inwardly, quickly shouted: “Tropius, let’s use Leech Seed while we have the chance.”
Before the just-landed Ekans could react, Tropius’s Leech Seed landed on it.
Tropius’s Leech Seed was its focus of training. While it might not be a hundred percent accurate, against an Ekans not yet in its growth stage, Tropius’s Leech Seed was definitely a hundred percent successful.
“Hoo~”
Seeing that Leech Seed had successfully hit, Lu Li heavily sighed in relief.
The disadvantage was instantly turned around, and they even gained a slight advantage.
Compared to being poisoned and hit by Leech Seed, being hit by Leech Seed was undoubtedly more painful.
After all, Leech Seed not only continuously drains HP but also helps the opponent recover HP, whereas poison only continuously drains HP.
Seeing this, Lian Sheyi said dejectedly: “Leech Seed? You’ve been hiding this quite well.”
Lu Li also said dejectedly: “I was originally planning to save this move for Jin Huang.”
Lian Sheyi grumbled speechlessly: “According to you, should I feel honored?”
Lu Li: “…”
Lian Sheyi helplessly said to the teacher beside him: “Teacher, I surrender!”
The referee teacher next to them was also confused, then couldn’t help but ask: “Student, aren’t you going to try harder?”
“There’s no need,” Lian Sheyi shook his head.
If Ekans had been hit by other moves, he might have considered prolonging the battle, but Leech Seed was different.
Ekans currently had no recovery moves or any moves that could clear negative status conditions. Furthermore, Tropius could fly. Lian Sheyi truly didn’t know how he could win.
Unlike other students still in their ivory towers, Lian Sheyi was a Trainer who had truly experienced wild battles, so he was better at assessing the situation.
After Ekans was hit by Leech Seed, Lian Sheyi knew the match was over.
“Alright.”
The referee teacher reluctantly announced the match result.
Seeing Lian Sheyi’s decisive surrender, Lu Li also smiled and shouted: “Tropius, eat a Peachy Berry.”
Hearing the command, Tropius plucked a Peachy Berry from its neck and stuffed it into its mouth.
The effect of a Peachy Berry was to cure a Pokémon’s poisoned status. Different grades of Peachy Berries could counter different levels of poison.
The Peachy Berry on Tropius’s neck was of high quality and could even cure the poison of an Elite Level Pokémon.
Seeing the rich variety of Berries on Tropius’s neck, Lian Sheyi’s mouth twitched slightly.
“Tropius with the Harvest Ability too. Fortunately, I surrendered early,” Lian Sheyi thought dejectedly.
In the Pokémon World, Tropius’s Harvest Ability allowed the Berries on its neck to become more diverse, not limited to just one type.
Tropius had four types of Berries on its neck, two of each, meaning Tropius could be immune to at least four negative status conditions twice each during a battle.
After Tropius’s poisoned status was cured, Lu Li returned to the audience seats with Tropius.
Looking at Lu Li returning, Jin Huang said with envy, “Pokémon with Hidden Abilities are truly enviable.”
Lu Li curiously asked, “By the way, what’s your Corphish’s Ability?”
Hearing this, Jin Huang immediately became wary and replied, “I’ll tell you after the match.”
Lu Li: “…”
After just a few battles, Lu Li really couldn’t tell what Jin Huang’s Corphish’s Ability was.
However, one thing was certain: Ekans’s Ability was definitely not a Hidden Ability.
“Next is your match against Lian Sheyi. How confident are you?” Lu Li asked curiously.
“What do you think?” Jin Huang gave Lu Li a speechless look.
Corphish could be immune to Ekans’s Poison-type attacks, and Ekans’s displayed fighting style was all Poison-type moves. Jin Huang truly didn’t know how he could lose.
Lu Li also realized he had asked a very foolish question.
Ekans was too heavily countered by Corphish; the next match had no suspense.
“What a shame.”
Lu Li sighed with regret, having expected to see a fierce battle.
