Chapter 142: Defeat
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The Braviary flapped its wings vigorously, took flight once more, soared to a certain height, and then dove towards Lian with its red wings enveloped in a layer of white light.
As a Level 50-plus Braviary, its speed undoubtedly surpassed Lian's. He hadn't enhanced his Speed ability for quite some time, and it had yet to break past one thousand points.
With such a high level, even though the Braviary's base Speed stat was only 80, it still moved faster than Lian. Moreover, its attack power was utterly terrifying, likely surpassing 1,500.
Facing the charging Braviary, Lian refrained from using Smokescreen because this particular Braviary possessed the Keen Eye Ability, rendering the obscuring effect minimal and ineffective as defense.
"Let's give it a try," Lian decided, preparing to engage in a direct clash of moves with the Braviary. Although he couldn't currently use Flamethrower, he could employ other attacking moves to counter Wing Attack.
It's worth noting that due to Sunny Day, Fire-type moves were amplified. If Lian used Fire Punch, although it wouldn't outmatch Braviary's Wing Attack, it would significantly mitigate the damage, reducing the full impact of the attack.
Additionally, Fire Punch primarily consumes physical strength rather than fire energy, making it suitable for Lian to use at this moment.
As Braviary dove down, Lian clenched his claws into fists. With a burst, intense flames ignited around them, amplified by Sunny Day's effect, making the fire exceptionally fierce.
Lian let out a powerful roar to boost his momentum and swung a fiery fist towards Braviary. The blazing punch collided forcefully with Braviary's wings, producing a muffled sound upon impact.
The force of the collision from Lian's Fire Punch against Wing Attack sent him flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground. However, he managed to barely withstand the attack. Though appearing disheveled, the actual damage sustained was minimal as Fire Punch absorbed much of the impact.
Breathing slightly labored, using physical attacks felt somewhat exhausting for Lian. He typically relied on Special Attack moves due to his lack of expertise in direct combat techniques.
Regaining his footing, Lian noticed that Braviary had also stabilized itself and taken flight again. Without giving it a chance, he promptly unleashed Dragon Rage.
While Lian couldn't continuously chain moves indefinitely yet, during the confrontation with Wing Attack, his Dragon-type energy gradually recovered after using Fire Punch earlier.
Another powerful shockwave surged forth, directly targeting Braviary. Lian didn't need to issue any commands; once his energy recovered, he could immediately unleash moves, knowing precisely which ones to use.
In contrast, Braviary required its Trainer's instructions to continue acting, giving Lian a distinct advantage.
"Braviary, dodge and keep using Wing Attack," the young Trainer shouted loudly. He had been closely observing the battle, but both Pokemon moved at incredible speeds.
Once again, Charmeleon surprised him by mastering Fire Punch. Despite being primarily suited for Special moves, it managed to hold its own against Braviary without sustaining significant damage.
This was utterly bizarre—what sorcery was this?
He even began suspecting that perhaps this Charmeleon might have accidentally swallowed an Everstone, preventing its evolution into a Charizard, thus explaining its extraordinary strength.
Facing the shockwave from Dragon Rage, Braviary suddenly folded its wings, utilizing its momentum to glide sideways, attempting to evade the attack.
"It missed."
Lian observed the outcome, somewhat helpless. His mastery of Dragon-type energy was still not sufficient, and Braviary was no weakling, clearly trained in evasive maneuvers.
The fact that the young Trainer possessed a level 50 Braviary already showcased his skill, undoubtedly placing him among mid-level trainers. With any other Charmeleon, it likely would have been instantly defeated by Wing Attacks from the start.
Despite missing, Lian remained undeterred and swiftly increased the distance between them. He needed time to recover fire energy for launching Flamethrower.
Fortunately, Fire Punch consumes minimal fire energy, allowing him to replenish quickly without much delay.
Lian didn't want to keep enduring Wing Attacks' drain. Moreover, now prepared, he anticipated that the Braviary might not engage directly again but instead rely on its speed to evade his Fire Punches.
Therefore, Lian decided to unleash Flamethrower directly to defeat the Braviary. With Sunny Day active, the chances of Flamethrower overpowering the Braviary were significantly high.
Having already withstood Fire Blasts and Dragon Rage, adding Flamethrower's damage made Lian confident that even this formidable Pokémon couldn't withstand it all.
As the diving Braviary approached, Lian opened his mouth and unleashed Flamethrower. Knowing only Special moves can effectively counter each other, Lian wasn't concerned about the Braviary's Wing Attack blocking it.
Under the amplification of Sunny Day, Lian's Flamethrower became even more intense, resembling a fiery dragon as it surged forth.
Boom!
The Braviary did not evade the Flamethrower. If the young Trainer had anticipated and warned his Pokémon earlier, Braviary might have managed to dodge using its speed. However, caught off guard by the swift release of Flamethrower, both the young Trainer and Braviary were unable to react in time.
Unaware of how many moves Lian possessed or which one he would use next, the young Trainer subconsciously assumed that Lian would wait to unleash another Fire Blast.
He clearly underestimated, thinking only an Fire Blast could defeat Braviary instantly.
Flamethrower collided fiercely with the Braviary, enveloping it in flames as the scorching heat continuously assaulted it.
In the following moment, Braviary broke through the wall of fire, emerging like a long spear piercing through its constraints.
"Great job, Bravi—" The young Trainer's expression shifted from surprise to concern just as he was about to praise his Pokémon.
Although Braviary broke through the flames, it still endured the full impact and scorching effects of Flamethrower, sustaining severe injuries.
The moment it pierced through, Braviary fell unconscious, losing its combat capability and plummeting from the sky. Fortunately, not too far above, it crashed heavily onto the ground with a thud.
Lian observed the incapacitated Braviary without surprise; he had meticulously calculated every move during the battle.
Despite defeating Braviary, Lian remained vigilant, anticipating that the young Trainer might send out a second Pokemon.
Both Lian and the youth locked eyes on each other. The young Trainer's gaze was filled with disbelief and a hint of defiance.
He never expected his Braviary to be defeated so easily. Just recently, he had passed the mid-level Trainer examination with top scores.
More importantly, encountering such an exceptional Charmeleon left him at a disadvantage, as he had only brought Braviary on this excursion, primarily intending to observe Heatran.
Who could have anticipated that Braviary would lose to a single Charmeleon? It felt like hitting the jackpot against all odds.
As Lian noticed the youth hesitating, he felt slightly disappointed—where was the second Pokemon?
"Return, Braviary."
The young Trainer recalled his Pokemon, displaying a hint of dissatisfaction but knowing he couldn't continue without his Braviary.
He swiftly sprinted away, aiming to exit the volcano's mouth and reach safety.
Already memorizing this Charmeleon, he planned to return with all his Pokemon once back home. Next time, he was determined to capture it.