Chapter 326: Surprise Evolution

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At 8:35 PM, in the second most bustling eastern district of Saffron City, inside a high-class Pokémon battle venue, an arena packed with spectators was hosting an intense battle.

On the battlefield, two trainers were commanding their Pokémon in a fierce showdown.

One trainer used a well-developed, muscular Nidorino, while the other commanded a slightly longer-than-average Onix.

From the current situation, Nidorino was suppressing Onix by employing a hit-and-run strategy.

Thin, icy-blue beams shot out from the purple horn atop Nidorino's head, leaving small, snow-white scars on Onix's massive body.

Though the scars were small, the pain was anything but. Each time Onix was hit by Nidorino's Ice Beam, it let out a pained howl before recklessly attempting to slam its enormous body into Nidorino.

Despite Onix's much larger size and its Sturdy ability allowing it to endure, its agility paled in comparison to Nidorino's.

The battlefield was spacious, and the rocky terrain provided plenty of surfaces for Nidorino to use as leverage. Onix's attacks failed to land, as Nidorino agilely dodged each one.

"Darn it! Onix, use Rock Tomb to block its surroundings, then finish it with Take Down!"

Onix's trainer, frustrated at Nidorino slipping through like a greased eel, changed tactics to limit Nidorino's mobility.

"Roar!"

Onix roared in response, its body glowing with a brownish hue.

Moments later, several boulder-sized rocks materialized above Nidorino, crashing down.

"If you truly can't dodge, use Psychic to assist yourself. Warm-up's over—finish it with Water Pulse."

Clad in a standard trainer uniform and wearing a Ditto-patterned mask, Sato furrowed his brow as he issued his second command since the battle began.

Nidorino's large ears perked up at Sato's voice. It also carefully listened to the sound of falling rocks cutting through the air.

Using these auditory cues, Nidorino danced through the "rain" of rocks created by Onix's Rock Tomb, nimbly evading them all.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

The arena's high-definition screens showcased Nidorino's dazzling movements, drawing cheers and applause from the audience.

As the spectators roared, Onix's massive body lunged directly at Nidorino from the pile of rocks. Its body radiated white light, signaling its use of Take Down.

This time, however, Nidorino didn't dodge. Golden streaks of energy flowed over its body as it entered a focused state.

Simultaneously, a water-blue energy sphere formed in its open mouth.

In less than a second, a half-meter-wide Water Pulse shot from Nidorino's mouth, slamming into Onix's head.

With a heart-wrenching howl, Onix collapsed before it could get within five meters of Nidorino.

The Water Pulse hit Onix's head with devastating effectiveness, landing a critical hit. The eightfold damage instantly drained all of Onix's stamina.

"Onix is unable to battle. Nidorino wins!"

As the referee declared the result, the battle ended. Onix's trainer quickly recalled it and sent out a Fearow as the next challenger.

Three minutes later, Fearow crashed to the ground, charred black from Nidorino's Thunderbolt.

Seven minutes after that, with a critical Poison Jab attack, Nidorino defeated the trainer's last Pokémon, a Ponyta.

After nearly thirty minutes of intense battling, under Sato's guidance, Nidorino achieved its first-ever three-on-one victory. This concluded the three-on-three Pokémon battle.

"Looks like you've gotten the hang of your new body. Well done on securing a three-win streak."

In the trainers' lounge, Sato crouched to pat Nidorino's head, now reaching his waist, and smiled.

Previously, Nidoran resembled a robust domestic dog. Now, as Nidorino, it was like a sturdy calf.

Evolution had significantly increased Nidorino's size and enhanced its abilities, particularly its psychic power. The larger brain capacity allowed for greater mental strength, a substantial leap compared to its Nidoran days.

"Nido! Nido!"

Nidorino was clearly thrilled with its streak of victories. For the first time, it experienced the exhilarating joy of winning battles back-to-back, understanding the excitement shared by its teammates like Swampert. The audience's cheers only fueled its fighting spirit.

"Meow~"

At this moment, Meowth approached with a steaming burger in its mouth, offering it to Nidorino in a flattering gesture to celebrate its prowess.

Touched by the gesture, the simple-hearted Nidorino accepted the burger and thanked Meowth before eating it.

Sato, however, regarded Meowth with a cold stare, making the cunning Pokémon visibly uneasy.

The truth was, Nidorino's evolution had much to do with Meowth.

Having been part of a Meowth gang, it had long developed a habit of stealing. Unable to resist, Meowth had swiped Nidoran's Everstone necklace.

At Level 32, Nidoran had already accumulated enough energy for evolution, and the Everstone was the only thing suppressing it. The moment it was removed, Nidoran was immediately engulfed in an evolutionary glow.

By the time Sato arrived to stop it, it was too late.

According to Sato's plan, Nidoran's evolution would have been delayed by another week. By then, nearly two months old, Nidoran would have fully matured further, gaining even greater benefits from evolution.

Now, with Meowth disrupting the plan, Sato was naturally a bit upset.

"Remember, stealing is wrong. If you must, only steal from enemies. Nidorino's being gracious this time, but I won't be so forgiving next time. Prepare yourself—you'll be starting in the next battle."

As Sato received confirmation of a transfer of 5 million PokéDollars as base earnings and an additional 5.5 million in winnings, his foul mood lightened somewhat. Still, he shot a glare at Meowth and gave it a stern reprimand, coupled with a swift hand-flick as punishment.

Deep down, Sato blamed himself as well, acknowledging that he should have accounted for Meowth's ingrained thieving habits.

However, what was done was done. Sato could only issue a warning to Meowth, hoping to prevent future missteps.