Chapter 177: The Elder and the Duck

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

Looking at the dilapidated Bamboo Grove Gym in front of him, Ron suddenly thought that the Cinnabar Gym wasn't so bad after all. At least the staff over there were still present, unlike this place, which looked like an abandoned courtyard.

"What do you want?"

Just as Ron was comparing the Bamboo Grove Gym to the Cinnabar Gym, the gym's door creaked open. Out stepped an elderly man dressed in a kendo uniform—presumably Frostmoon, the Gym Leader of Bamboo Grove Gym.

Seeing the name "Frostmoon," Ron couldn't help but think of a character from One Piece who once defeated a flying dragon and handed over the legendary sword Shusui to Zoro.*

However, looking at the elderly man before him, who, though still robust, had a slight stoop, Ron found it hard to connect him with such a legendary figure.

"Hello, I'm here to challenge the Gym. I hope you can teach me," Ron said respectfully, as this man could easily be his grandfather, whether in his past life or his current one.

"Is that so? Come on in then."

"Farfetch'd, a challenger is here. Get ready."

Following Frostmoon into the gym, Ron soon caught sight of the Farfetch'd that the elder had called for. The Farfetch'd turned its gaze toward Ron at the same time.

With just one look, Ron felt a chill run down his spine.

His "Aura Vision," which allowed him to perceive the true strength of Pokémon due to his Fighting Aura, revealed that this seemingly ordinary elder's Farfetch'd had a staggering level of 78—mid-tier Elite Four level!

The thought that he would have to face this Farfetch'd in battle made Ron consider calling Ash over. When dealing with rookie trainers, Ash and Pikachu might falter, but against formidable opponents like this, Ash usually managed to come through.

"Um, isn't this Farfetch'd a bit too strong? I might not be able to handle it," Ron admitted, feeling a flicker of hesitation.

"Oh, you've got a good eye," Frostmoon chuckled. "But don't worry, as long as you perform well, I'll let you pass. Now, get ready."

Hearing this, Ron decided not to back down. After all, this was a rare opportunity to battle an Elite Four-level trainer. He didn't want to miss it.

"Come out, Persian! Use Finger Pistol: Blink Slash!"

As soon as the Farfetch'd was ready, Ron sent out Persian and launched a fierce attack.

"Impressive speed," Frostmoon commented, instead of giving commands to Farfetch'd.

With its eyes closed, the Farfetch'd casually swung the leek in its hand, perfectly deflecting Persian's assault.

The graceful movement of the leek forced Persian to retreat, leaving its eyes wide with disbelief. Ron, too, was astonished.

While Ron knew there was a vast gap between himself and an Elite Four-level trainer—especially one at mid-tier—it was still shocking to see how overwhelming that difference could be.

"Not bad. You still have two more chances to attack. Show me your strength."

"Persian, Finger Pistol: Instant Slash!"

After regaining its composure, Persian launched another charge.

Once again, the Farfetch'd waved its leek with unparalleled precision, blocking every strike from Persian's rapid and seamless attack.

"Persian, Finger Pistol: Shadow Claw Storm!"

No matter what technique Persian used, the Farfetch'd always responded in the same way—effortlessly parrying with its leek.

"Alright, now it's my turn to strike."

"Persian, stay sharp and get ready!"

Hearing Frostmoon's words, Ron warned Persian to be on high alert.

Fixating on the Farfetch'd, Persian sharpened its senses to the limit, watching its opponent's every move.

"Farfetch'd, Iaido."

[TL/N: Oh shit... ]

Frostmoon's voice, now sharp and commanding, cut through the air like a sword, a stark contrast to his earlier friendly tone.

The Farfetch'd lowered the leek to its side, squinting as if searching for Persian's weak point.

The next moment, a flash of light streaked across the battlefield. A razor-sharp aura seemed to cut through everything in its path.

Before Persian could react, it found the leek resting against its throat. The sharpness of the aura made it feel as if its neck had been sliced open.

For once, Persian experienced what it felt like to be on the receiving end of such precision. Typically, it was the one putting others in that position.

Using his Aura Vision, Ron managed to see the Farfetch'd's move clearly. What puzzled him was why its Iaido carried such devastating power.

It was just a basic sword-drawing slash, yet it felt utterly unstoppable. Was this due to the Farfetch'd's Elite Four-level strength, or was it the mastery of swordsmanship?

"Excuse me, could you tell me why your Farfetch'd's Iaido was so powerful?"

After the Farfetch'd sheathed its leek, Ron couldn't resist asking Frostmoon.

"As you guessed, it's swordsmanship," Frostmoon replied. "Long ago, humans developed techniques like these to defend against wild Pokémon attacks. Sadly, very few people practice it now, and most of what remains are hollow imitations. I didn't expect to see it reborn through a Pokémon."

"Well? Would you like to learn swordsmanship from me? You could even teach it to your Pokémon later if you capture one that's suitable," Frostmoon said, his tone tinged with temptation.

It wasn't loneliness that drove Frostmoon to offer this; he saw potential in Ron, especially after witnessing Persian's impressive speed.

"I'll pass. I prefer the feeling of fists connecting in combat. But I do have a Pokémon that might benefit from your teachings. Would it be alright for her to train here?" Ron asked, releasing his Bellossom.

"Her? Are you sure?"

Frostmoon looked at the Bellossom, his expression skeptical.

If it had been a Gallade or something similar, Frostmoon might have agreed immediately. But a Bellossom, known more for magical abilities, gave him pause.

"Bellossom, use Shave: Hexagram Slash on Farfetch'd!"

Noticing Frostmoon's doubt, Ron instructed Bellossom to demonstrate its capabilities by targeting the Farfetch'd.

Bellossom vanished from sight in a blur, fearlessly charging toward the Farfetch'd. With its Leaf Blade glowing, it formed a green hexagram in mid-air, only for the attack to be effortlessly blocked by the Farfetch'd.

Observing this, Frostmoon grew more serious, though he still didn't immediately agree.

"Have Bellossom defend against Farfetch'd's attacks using only Leaf Blade. Let's test her level."

Understanding that this was a critical opportunity, Ron instructed Bellossom to prepare for Farfetch'd's assault.

The Farfetch'd's leek clashed with Bellossom's Leaf Blade, marking the start of a trial that would determine whether Bellossom could learn swordsmanship from Frostmoon.

[TL/N: He is referring to Shimotsuki Ryuma here, I think? If my memory serves me right. Anyway, the reason Ron link this elder's name to Ryuma was because Shimotsuki in english is basically Frostmoon with 霜 (Shimo) being "frost" and 月 (Tsuki) being "moon."]

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