Chapter 112: Battle Tower

Chapter 112: Battle Tower

"Blaziken, use Quick Attack to finish it off," Ron said.

Blaziken nodded, dashed forward at an incredible speed, and struck Corsola, knocking it out.

"Corsola!" The opponent recalled Corsola, bowed to Ron, and left. Then the next opponent appeared, sending out a Slugma.

Ron nodded, recalled Blaziken, and sent out Grovyle.

Several weeks had passed since they left Cianwood City, and Ron and his companions had arrived at the Battle Tower in Olivine City. Ron was focused on building a solid foundation, often battling from a disadvantageous position by intentionally using Pokémon with type disadvantages. To further increase the difficulty, he equipped his Pokémon with Black Sludge and Lagging Tail, forcing them to fight in unfavorable conditions. His goal was to grow accustomed to difficult battles before the tournament began, ensuring he had a strong foundation.

"Slugma, use Flamethrower," the opponent called out.

"Use Agility to dodge, then Leaf Blade," Ron instructed.

Slugma launched a stream of high-temperature flames at Grovyle. Grovyle swiftly moved at high speed to evade, rapidly closing the distance. It slashed at Slugma with its leaf-covered arms like blades.

"Slugma, endure it and use Yawn," the opponent ordered.

However, they underestimated Grovyle. After landing the first hit, Grovyle didn't stop. It spun in midair, its dual Leaf Blades slicing into Slugma like a chainsaw. After several consecutive strikes, Slugma had no chance to counterattack.

But the good fortune didn't last. Flames suddenly spread across Grovyle's Leaf Blades. Ron frowned. "Not good, it got burned. Slugma's ability is Flame Body."

The burn significantly weakened Grovyle's attack power, giving Slugma a chance to recover. Its body melted into a pool of lava and slithered to the side before launching another Flamethrower at the stationary Grovyle, perfectly timing the attack.

"Use Synthesis to recover," Ron ordered. "Then use Leech Seed to disrupt it."

Grovyle nodded and began recovering its energy with Synthesis. The opponent seized the opportunity, launching another Flamethrower. Grovyle had to abandon its recovery and dodge instead. It then fired several Leech Seeds at Slugma, but they were absorbed into Slugma's molten body without taking root.

"I underestimated it. Slugma's body is made of magma—Leech Seed won't work on it," Ron noted. "Lesson learned. Use Energy Ball."

Another Flamethrower from Slugma collided with the Energy Ball, causing an explosion and filling the battlefield with dust. As Slugma attempted to escape the dust cloud, Grovyle had already appeared in front of it and delivered a powerful Focus Punch, sending Slugma flying. Slugma was knocked out.

"Phew." Ron exhaled, recalling Grovyle and preparing to heal his Pokémon.

While waiting for Nurse Joy to restore their Pokémon, Ron sat on the couch, reflecting on the previous battles. Many had provided valuable insights, such as the opponent who utilized Slugma's body to absorb Leech Seeds rather than dodging them.

Many trainers had clever strategies. For instance, some used the Flash Fire ability to absorb fire-based attacks and power up their own moves. By utilizing Flame Charge, they could not only reduce damage but also increase their speed—a solid improvement strategy.

Ruby and Rosa were also there to heal their Pokémon. They couldn't sit still either, making the most of the Battle Tower's many opponents to sharpen their skills.

After several battles, Ruby's Pokémon had evolved—his Glameow, Mightyena, and Kirlia had all evolved. His Eevee, however, remained unevolved because he had given it an Everstone, hoping it would evolve into Sylveon. He was working on strengthening their bond to achieve this.

As for Rosa, her Teddiursa had evolved into Ursaring, becoming incredibly strong. With proper training, it would surely be one of her main battlers in the future.

Ron had also completed his Pokédex tasks, submitting the final data on Dratini and earning a diamond reward along with a Gengarite for Mega Evolution. Additionally, after days of consecutive battles, his Torchic, Treecko, and Togepi had all evolved.

"Ron, did you gain anything from these battles?" Rosa asked, handing Ron a bottled drink.

"Yeah, the experience has been great. If I keep training like this, I should be able to reach the Elite Four level within three months at the latest," Ron said, opening the bottle and glancing at Ruby.

Ruby shrugged and grabbed another drink.

Ron sighed. Unfortunately, with the tournament approaching, he wouldn't have more time to train here. He had already battled most of the trainers, and there wasn't much more experience to gain from them.

Ruby, sipping his drink, suddenly said, "After the tournament, we'll have to go our separate ways. I'm moving to Hoenn. Ron, Rosa, want to come with me?"

"No, our journey is almost over. After the tournament, I have to go back to Unova—I have some unfinished business there," Rosa replied, shaking her head.

"I can't go either. After the tournament, I need to head to Alola to pick up Lillie, and I also need to make some adjustments to my daycare. After that, next year, I'll return to challenge the Hoenn League. We can travel together then. You can even bring your childhood friend along," Ron said with a smile.

"Alright, it's a deal," Ruby said, bumping fists with Ron. "I'll be counting on you."

Ron returned the fist bump. "Don't worry. If I wasn't sure before, now that I have its help, I think everything will be fine."

"No idea what you two are talking about," Rosa said, shaking her head. "But if you ever need help, call me. And if you visit Unova, let me know—I'll show you around."

The three of them exchanged smiles. After traveling together for so long, they had developed a strong bond. But after this parting, who knew when they would meet again?

After a brief rest, Nurse Joy returned their Pokémon. With their Pokémon healed, the three went their separate ways, continuing their battles.

A few days later, Ron, Rosa, and Ruby took a flight to Silver Town, the venue for the Silver Conference.

At the Pokémon Center, Ron registered his information. However, choosing which Pokémon to use gave him a headache. He currently had 25 main Pokémon. Little Rayquaza was definitely out, as was Bellossom, who disliked battling. Metagross was also untrained and had to be excluded. Togetic, Blaziken, and Grovyle were also temporarily benched.

That left him with 19 Pokémon. It would be enough for the tournament. Ron filled out the registration form and collected his tournament guide before stepping out of the Pokémon Center.

Just as he exited, he bumped into a group of people entering. Recognizing one of them, Ron sighed and helped him up. "Ash, why are you only arriving now?"

"Oh, Ron!" Ash said excitedly. "Heh, I got delayed at the Ho-Oh Shrine. A Sneasel had taken over the Sacred Flame! By the way, this is Tyson, from Littleroot Town in Hoenn."

Looking at the young man before him, Ron nodded in greeting. He knew Tyson—he was the trainer who once defeated a Charizard with his Blaziken. But this time, he might not be so lucky. Ash was no longer the same Ash as before. With Articuno in his team and Ho-Oh watching over him, Ash could very well perform extraordinarily in this tournament.