Chapter 390: Seizing Seven Consecutive Wins and the Art of Provocation

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After defeating Yoshiko, Sato took a brief rest for about ten minutes before another challenger stepped up.

However, this challenger from the Johto region was even weaker than Yoshiko. The entire battle lasted less than five minutes. His prized Meganium and Vileplume were both sent flying out of the battlefield with a single punch from Swampert.

At this point, the remaining challengers finally realized a serious issue—this battlefield, which had now turned into a muddy swamp, had essentially become Swampert's home turf.

Here, Swampert's usual speed disadvantage had been completely negated. In the muddy terrain, its speed had effectively doubled, and any Pokémon that couldn't fly had no choice but to engage in direct combat with it.

Despite this, four more challengers stepped up one after another, only to see their Pokémon instantly knocked out by Swampert's Ice Punch, or or a simple yet devastating Hammer Arm, each one sent flying out of the battlefield and sustaining severe injuries.

Despair began to creep into the challengers' hearts as they realized that no Pokémon they had seemed capable of competing with Swampert in this swamp.

Of course, some still refused to accept defeat so easily.

One trainer, who specialized in Fighting-type Pokémon, sent out Machamp and Hariyama, two Pokémon renowned for their raw power, hoping to face Swampert head-on.

However, Sato had no intention of fighting them conventionally. Both Machamp and Hariyama struggled to move in the swamp, their speed reduced to a snail's pace, as the thick mud made it nearly impossible for them to advance.

Meanwhile, Swampert moved through the terrain effortlessly, like a fish in water. It didn't even bother engaging them in direct combat.

Instead, it simply kept its distance and unleashed Muddy Water in wide, sweeping attacks, gradually wearing them down until both Fighting-types collapsed in defeat.

Another challenger, who specialized in Grass-types, attempted a different approach. He sent out Jumpluff and Tropius—both Grass/Flying-types—to minimize Swampert's close-combat advantage while exploiting its Grass-type weakness.

This trainer from Hoenn had a clever strategy. He planned to have Jumpluff scatter a massive number of cotton spores, some carrying Leech Seed and others infused with the three powder moves: Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and Poison Powder. His goal was to drain Swampert's strength over time.

Initially, this strategy seemed effective. The Leech Seeds quickly sprouted and spread throughout the swampy terrain.

Unfortunately for him, Swampert possessed Refresh, an ability that granted it immunity to most status conditions. Jumpluff's cotton spores, despite carrying debilitating powders, had no effect on it.

Moreover, with one powerful use of Icy Wind, Swampert not only rendered Jumpluff's floating spores useless but also froze all the plants that had sprouted from the Leech Seeds.

In the end, the freezing wind proved too much even for Jumpluff, a Pokémon known for drifting with the breeze. Overwhelmed by the cold, it ultimately collapsed into the icy swamp.

As for Tropius, it initially posed some trouble for Swampert. However, under Sato's command, Swampert used Rain Dance once again, causing a heavy downpour.

This drastically weakened Tropius' aerial mobility, making it struggle to stay airborne.

With its evasiveness reduced, Swampert capitalized on the opportunity—grabbing a rock, rapidly cooling it with Ice Punch, and hurling it at Tropius.

The frozen rock struck true, sending Tropius plummeting from the sky. Before it could recover, Swampert delivered a finishing blow, knocking it out instantly.

With this, Sato effortlessly secured his seventh consecutive win, while Swampert extended its undefeated streak to fourteen victories.

After achieving seven straight wins, the remaining challengers on the sidelines looked visibly shaken. They exchanged glances, their faces filled with uncertainty.

For nearly ten minutes, not a single trainer dared to step forward and challenge Sato.

"I never expected this kid to be so strong… His Swampert's sheer power is simply monstrous! I used to think the rumors about powerful Swampert pulling massive cargo ships were exaggerated, but now I believe them. Even if his Swampert can't pull a giant cruise liner, I bet it could easily tow a mid-sized one. On this battlefield, I doubt any Pokémon of the same level could stand against it."

Disguised as a referee, Joe Kondo observed both the hesitant challengers and the battle-scarred walls surrounding the battlefield.

His gaze then shifted back to Swampert, still radiating an intense fighting spirit, and he murmured to himself in admiration and disbelief.

"Interesting… A Swampert with such unnatural strength is truly exceptional. And this kid actually managed to catch one with such incredible potential. Not only that, but Swampert seems to be wearing some kind of treasure that continuously restores its stamina and heals its injuries. Even after battling fourteen opponents in a row, it's still full of energy. No wonder its growth is so rapid. This kid… he must have some serious luck on his side."

Meanwhile, Giovanni, who was also watching Sato's battles, displayed an expression of approval.

As a top-tier Ground-type specialist, his keen eye allowed him to immediately assess Swampert's true potential just from the battle footage.

Without a doubt, in Giovanni's view, Swampert was an elite-tier Pokémon. A Swampert of this caliber was rare even in the vast Pokémon world—perhaps one of a kind.

"Hmph. A bunch of cowards. Are you all really that afraid of losing?"

Sato finally broke the silence, his voice cold as he turned toward the hesitant trainers.

"My Swampert has already battled fourteen opponents. He's tired. If you're still too afraid to challenge him in this state, then do me a favor and get lost. Stop wasting my time."

"Swampert!!!"

At that moment, Swampert pounded its chest and let out a thunderous roar toward the challengers.

With fourteen consecutive victories under its belt, Swampert had now reached level 44. Its fighting spirit was at an all-time high, and the sheer force of its roar sent a wave of pressure crashing over the spectators.

It felt as if a massive beast was towering over them, growling menacingly. The challengers instinctively recoiled, their faces turning pale.

But these were trainers who had dared to challenge Kanto's most formidable Gym. Their pride would not allow them to back down so easily.

Now, provoked by Sato and Swampert's taunts, their pale faces turned red with fury.

"How arrogant! Let me test your Swampert's strength myself!"

"No, I'll go first!"

"The hell with that! Step aside—this one's mine!"

Suddenly, the entire audience erupted in a frenzy, as trainers rushed forward, eager to challenge Sato.

"Now that's more like it. If all of you had chickened out, I would've had to find another place to battle."

Seeing the challengers fired up once more, Sato nodded in satisfaction.

"Just three more wins to go. Let's wrap this up quickly."