Chapter 297: Chimchar's Victory  

Since he couldn't stop them, Rex simply stepped aside, joining Yuli, Yui, and Karen to watch the fight between the two little Pokémon. He figured this was a good chance to see if Chimchar had been diligently training over the past month.

"Boss, aren't you going to stop Bagon and Chimchar from fighting?"

Yuli looked worried as she watched the two Pokémon exchanging blows—Bagon with its headbutts and Chimchar with its punches.

"It's fine. Just think of it as battle training. They'll stop when they're tired, and with us watching, nothing serious will happen," Rex replied with a smile, keeping his eyes on the battle.

"Boss, you're trying to turn Chimchar and Bagon into rivals, aren't you? That way, they'll push each other to train harder and improve," Karen said, giving Rex a knowing look, as if she'd seen right through him.

Karen had spent a lot of time learning about Pokémon training recently to help her Taillow grow stronger. No longer the novice she once was, she immediately recognized Rex's intentions.

"Haha, looks like you've made great progress, Karen. Your Taillow seems like it's close to evolving," Rex said, looking at the Taillow circling above her.

"I think so too! Taillow has been training really hard, and its strength has grown quickly. I'm confident that before long, I'll be soaring through the sky on it," Karen said, looking up at her Taillow with determination.

Hearing Karen's words, Bagon momentarily glanced her way, clearly moved by her statement. However, this brief distraction allowed Chimchar to land a solid punch on Bagon.

Bagon's strength lay in its powerful, heavy attacks. If it managed to hit Chimchar, the blow would be hard to endure. On the other hand, Chimchar's advantage was its agility, allowing it to dodge and counterattack effectively.

Overall, Bagon was getting hit more often, but its tough hide let it tank most of the damage. Chimchar, while nimble, would occasionally get caught by a blow, and when that happened, it would feel the effects for quite a while.

At first glance, it seemed like Bagon had the upper hand, but its attacks were too straightforward. As the battle progressed, Chimchar began to adapt to Bagon's attack patterns, making it increasingly difficult for Bagon to land a hit.

Bagon's go-to move was Headbutt, but the move's linear nature made it predictable. Once Bagon committed to an attack, it couldn't easily change its trajectory, giving Chimchar plenty of opportunities to exploit its openings.

Chimchar, having studied Bagon's rhythm, skillfully dodged its attacks while alternating between Fire Punch and Thunder Punch, relentlessly striking Bagon and forcing it to cry out in frustration.

Thanks to Chimchar's Iron Fist ability, its punching moves packed an extraordinary punch. Combined with the battle experience it had gained from frequent excursions into Petalburg Woods with Ursaring and the others, Chimchar had a clear advantage in combat experience over Bagon.

Chimchar also displayed clever strategy, focusing its attacks on the same spot on Bagon's body, gradually worsening the injury in that area.

Finally, Bagon was knocked down by a decisive Thunder Punch from Chimchar. The move's additional effect activated, paralyzing Bagon completely.

With Bagon both injured and paralyzed, the battle was over. Rex quickly stepped in to stop Chimchar from continuing its attacks and declared it the winner of the fight.

Chimchar, clearly proud of its victory, leapt onto Rex's shoulder and stuck its tongue out at Bagon, making playful faces.

Bagon, on the other hand, was furious. Its loud cries of frustration were accompanied by tears rolling down its face. The pain from its injuries and the paralysis only made things worse, and the sight tugged at the hearts of Yuli, Yui, and Karen.

"Alright, Bagon, it's okay to lose a battle. Just train harder and win next time," Rex said, kneeling down to pick up Bagon and offering comforting words.

Hearing Rex's encouragement, Bagon wiped its tears and nodded firmly, determination shining in its eyes. It silently vowed to train harder and one day defeat that smug little monkey.

Chimchar, meanwhile, snorted dismissively, feigning indifference, but it secretly resolved to train even harder to ensure it always stayed one step ahead of Bagon.

Rex then took Bagon to the glass greenhouse. The moment he stepped inside, he noticed that the concentration of life energy had grown significantly compared to a month ago.

The Jumpluff had returned to the greenhouse, and Rex was surprised to see two additional Jumpluff among them. It seemed that two of the Hoppip had successfully evolved during his absence.

At Rex's command, the Jumpluff flock simultaneously used Grassy Terrain, causing the greenhouse to fill with a vibrant green light. The concentration of life energy spiked dramatically.

Both Bagon and Chimchar immediately felt their injuries begin to heal. The soothing green light enveloped them, quickly restoring their strength and easing their pain.

Rex also noticed that the Revival Herbs and Energy Roots growing in the greenhouse had progressed far beyond their seedling stages. Clearly, their growth rate in the greenhouse was much faster than it had been in the backyard.

If it would normally take 7-8 months for these plants to mature outdoors, it seemed they might reach maturity in just six months inside the greenhouse.

This accelerated growth was due not only to the greenhouse's ability to retain life energy but also to the increasing strength of the Jumpluff flock.

Their frequent use of Grassy Terrain had greatly improved their mastery of the move. This not only allowed them to execute the skill more effectively but also enhanced the quality and concentration of the life energy it generated, making the move's effects even more powerful.

Additionally, the Jumpluff flock's constant exposure to life energy had steadily boosted their overall strength, creating a positive feedback loop of growth and improvement.

After spending some time in the greenhouse, Rex decided to step outside. While the dense life energy was beneficial for Pokémon, it wasn't ideal for humans to stay in such an environment for extended periods.

It was similar to oxygen intoxication—too much of a good thing could become harmful. Rex could feel his body constantly repairing itself under the influence of the life energy, but this process consumed his internal energy reserves.

Moreover, human cells could only divide a limited number of times. The accelerated metabolism and cell regeneration triggered by the life energy would ultimately shorten his lifespan if prolonged.

While short visits posed no significant risks, Rex decided it was best not to take any unnecessary chances. After all, it wasn't worth gambling with his own longevity.

(End of Chapter)