Chapter 151:
The young boy who had been badmouthing Sabrina earlier, while relieved he hadn't been punished, would surely faint if he knew Sabrina had been right beside him at the time.
Sabrina had indeed wanted to teach the boy a lesson for his loose tongue, but Umbra had stopped her. Otherwise, she would have shown him what it felt like to be turned into a doll.
Regardless, she had committed the boy's face to memory. Girls tend to have a keen eye for such things.
...
Cain gathered that "Azure" everyone had mentioned must have been the young man in blue standing before him.
It was no small feat for trainers to earn the Saffron Gym's Marsh Badge in the annual Association competition.
Even the few who did manage to obtain the badge must have done so only when Sabrina was absent, by sheer luck.
In fact, most trainers preparing for the Pokémon League competition tended to overlook the Saffron Gym.
"If you want to enter, you must defeat me first," said the young man named Azure, looking at Cain impassively.
Azure only spoke with Cain because he sensed the faint psychic energy emanating from him. Otherwise, he might not have bothered.
"Let's go," Cain said, glancing at his Kadabra.
Pokémon: Kadabra (Green)
Gender: Male
Level: 27
Type: Psychic
Ability: Synchronize
Held Items: None
Egg Moves: Barrier, Thunder Punch
Basic Moves: Kinesis, Teleport, Confusion, Disable, Psybeam, Miracle Eye, Reflect
Taught Moves: Gravity, Snatch, Ally Switch
TM Moves: Protect, Shadow Ball, Light Screen
Though the AI system lagged a bit, it had no delay in scanning the Pokémon's data.
Azure's Kadabra's information was fully displayed before Cain's eyes.
Kadabra, the evolved form of Abra and the pre-evolved form of Alakazam, was a pure Psychic-type Pokémon.
Among Psychic-types, the Abra, Kadabra, and Alakazam family possessed incredible talent. If a trainer with psychic abilities teamed up with such a pure Psychic-type, the results would be far greater than the simple sum of their individual strengths.
Though Cain's team included Dark-type Pokemon like Murkrow and Sneasel, which were immune to Psychic-type moves, they were not completely safe from the threat posed by Kadabra.
Kadabra was one of those rare Pokemon that could naturally learn Miracle Eye, making Dark-type Pokemon less of a counter. Miracle Eye enabled Psychic-type moves to hit Dark-type Pokemon, diminishing Sneasel and Murkrow's advantage.
The crowd began to disperse, leaving ample space for the two trainers to battle.
"A single Pokemon battle to decide the victor; I choose Kadabra," Azure declared as Cain moved to create enough space for their battle. Cain nodded in understanding.
Cain threw a Great Ball, and Sneasel appeared on the battlefield after a flash of red light. As soon as the Dark- and Ice-type Sneasel emerged, laughter erupted among a few onlookers.
"Sure, Dark-type Pokemon are strong against Psychic-types, but is Azure's Kadabra just an ordinary Psychic-type?" someone jeered.
"Another one trying to bully Psychic-types with their Dark-types. They'll soon learn the true strength of Psychic-types!" another taunted.
Azure frowned as he stared at Sneasel, his keen perception far superior to the spectators'. As a powerful Psychic-type himself, Sneasel's aura made him slightly uneasy.
Umbra and Sabrina, who were watching from the sidelines, also noticed Cain's Sneasel. Umbra's eyes lit up, and a smile graced his lips. "This kid has had some luck recently. This Sneasel is quite the talent."
"Tch, he's just a lucky brat. His Psychic potential is so weak it's pitiful. He hasn't improved at all in so long – no different from a Muggle," Sabrina scoffed, her disdain evident at the sight of the Dark-type Pokemon.
"Ahem..."
Sabrina had clearly forgotten that the so-called "Muggle" she was referring to was standing right next to her. However, instead of feeling embarrassed, she beamed victoriously at Umbra's cough.
...
Regardless of the spectators' taunts, Cain remained composed, waiting for Azure to prepare. He wasn't some hot-headed kid who would change his choice of Pokemon just because others criticized him. Why wouldn't he use his advantage? Was he an idiot?
Gradually, the crowd quieted down, observing Cain's calm demeanor. It was evident he had no intention of switching Pokemon, so they had no choice but to silently watch the battle unfold.
However, some people were right. Azure's Kadabra had mastered Miracle Eye, so it could deal damage to Sneasel. Moreover, Kadabra wasn't limited to Psychic-type moves.
Cain had been torn between Murkrow and Sneasel but ultimately chose Sneasel. First, Sneasel's level was slightly higher than Murkrow's. Kadabra was at level 27, and although Sneasel was at a slight disadvantage, Murkrow's level difference was even more significant.
Another thing to note was that both Murkrow and Kadabra had green aptitudes, which meant that Murkrow wouldn't have an advantage in terms of talent either.
Cain had also planned to strengthen Sneasel's battle training for some time, especially since they had only recently partnered up, and their synchronization wasn't quite there yet.
With both trainers ready, the battle commenced.
"Sneasel, use Agility!" Cain commanded first.
"Kadabra, Miracle Eye."
When facing Dark-type Pokémon, it was crucial to use Miracle Eye first, or else the rest of the battle would be a waste of time.
Kadabra placed its spoon-wielding hand on its chest, and a sphere emitting colorful light emerged. A beam of light shot from the sphere, illuminating Sneasel.
Although it didn't seem to affect Sneasel, Kadabra sensed the hateful aura that emanated from the Dark-type Pokémon dissipate, and knew its psychic attacks could now be effective.
"Sneasel, Hone Claws!"
Since Kadabra had given Sneasel time to stack moves, Cain wouldn't waste the opportunity.
Miracle Eye would inevitably be used by Kadabra, as its beam was hard to dodge. So, Cain decided to make the most of the situation, boosting Sneasel's attack and speed as much as possible.