FEPW Chapter 86 Unlimited

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Luther didn't know when Mai came back; he only remembered that he had been lying in bed for a long time, lost in thought, before dozing off. When he woke up, Mai was already in bed, and Eevee was gently nudging her to get up.

Neither of them mentioned it.

There was a long line in front of the Hearthome Gym, but Luther wasn't surprised. What caught his attention, however, were the tents that were set up on the ground. He couldn't help but laugh.

Did people really come out in the middle of the night just because he casually mentioned it while stirring the pot?

This scene reminded him of the product launch events he'd seen before, where people camped overnight outside stores just to secure a good spot. But instead of adults, the crowd here was mostly kids, many just over ten years old.

Luther's arrival immediately caught the attention of everyone in line, but he wasn't the same person who felt uncomfortable under the spotlight during his Debut battle.

Diantha's advice about experience had changed his perspective, he realized that people who didn't catch his eye weren't worth his time. They were just talking for the sake of talking.

Watching them yawn and look sleep-deprived gave Luther an odd sense of satisfaction.

The referee and staff finally opened the Gym doors, beginning the usual registration process.

Thanks to Gardenia accidentally crashing the Gym's online reservation page, all battles today would be based on on-site registration.

The Pokémon in the backyard were brimming with energy, eager to get involved, since Luther had promised that not only would the Rookie Pokémon participate, but everyone would have a chance.

Normally, in the backyard, they trained among themselves or played with the trainee Pokémon Trainers, so they were feeling a little restless. Even though Luther had warned them to hold back a little, they'd only given vague responses.

Despite the heat, it was definitely a good day for Gardenia and the others to be out and about. Luther glanced toward the small door leading to the backyard and saw no one coming through.

With the registration still in progress, Luther had some time to prep the ingredients he had bought the previous day.

Abomasnow walked over and stood behind him, a sign of its loyalty, but Luther gestured toward the air conditioner blowing cold air, indicating that it didn't need to stand by him.

Abomasnow walked back to the yard, clearly disappointed.

When the Gym bell rang, Luther had finished preparing the necessary ingredients.

Noticing that no one was coming through the small door in the backyard, Luther felt a bit of regret. It seemed he had lost the bet.

He recalled a few of Gardenia's Pokémon with his Poké Balls, but then saw Abomasnow gazing at him with hopeful eyes. Luther couldn't bring himself to refuse, so he decided to take him along.

At the end of the lounge leading to the battle area, Basil stood there in a white dress, looking a bit shy.

Luther was surprised to find her waiting there.

"Is it more uncomfortable staying at home than coming out with me?" Luther asked.

Basil shook her head vigorously.

Luther smiled but didn't tease her any further. The moment he pushed open the door, a small wave of boos erupted from the stands on both sides.

The boos grew louder when they saw Basil.

Luther wasn't surprised. Basil wasn't very popular in the local Pokémon Trainer circles. Her personality made it hard for her to fit in anywhere.

A child without a group to belong to easily becomes a target for those who group together. It was a law that applied everywhere, regardless of looks, charm, or strength.

"I'm Shōhei from Hearthome City. Are you the acting Gym Leader appointed by Gardenia?" The challenger called out as Luther walked toward the battle position.

"Doesn't it look like it?" Luther replied casually.

"It does," Shōhei said, a smile creeping onto his face. "The internet says you only have one Badge, but you're still really strong. They also mentioned that your Ralts has incredible strength. I'm really excited to see it in action."

From the tone of Shōhei's words, some of the people in the stands couldn't help but stifle their laughter.

'A flamboyant challenger? Interesting!' This was the first time Luther had encountered someone who boldly aimed to challenge him on sheer strength.

Luther had watched many eSports players perform, taunting and trash-talking, throwing in flashy moves. But that was only when they were sure of their victory, or when the outcome was already clear, after all, no one wanted to be embarrassed with a score that got wiped out in the second half.

The confident challenger in front of him, choosing to dive straight in, moved Luther.

Touched by the boldness, Luther switched Abomasnow's Poké Ball to be behind Ralts.

Young people hadn't faced many setbacks yet; they needed to learn from their mistakes.

The referee cleared his throat and announced, "Shōhei from Hearthome City versus acting Gym Leader Luther. There is no time limit for this match. The rules are as follows…"

"Both sides are free to switch Pokémon at will. The remaining match rules will be decided by the challenger. That's my rule for today."

Shōhei's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Luther to willingly give up his advantage.

Gardenia had left, and now Luther, as the acting Gym Leader, wasn't there to evaluate challengers, but to defend the Badge and maintain the Gym's honor.

This rule was something he could certainly use to his advantage!

"Alright then, it's a 3v3 match with no limit on Moves."

Seeing Luther's surprised expression, Shōhei couldn't hide his delight.

It wasn't that having more Moves was always better, specialization was key. But the more Moves a versatile Pokémon had, the easier it would be to counter type advantages and land effective hits.

Shōhei, confident that Luther, as a Rookie Trainer, wouldn't have a Pokémon with a wide range of Moves, was sure he would win!

Luther was indeed stunned. He hadn't expected someone to willingly dig their own grave like this. It was a first for him. 

The most common formats in Pokémon League competitions were 3v3 with Limit Four ( Four-Move Limit), 6v6 Limit Four (Four-Move Limit), and full Pokémon Battles.

The Limit Four format wasn't without reason; it was derived from extensive competitive experience and was considered the most suitable for Pokémon League battles.

First and foremost, it enhanced spectator enjoyment.

To ensure this, the Pokémon League established a ban list for Moves.

The popularity of certain strategies led to repetitive tactics in Pokémon League battles, and Trainers would often capture Pokémon with the ideal Moves to execute those strategies, creating a cycle of mimicry.

Trainers who captured Pokémon for these strategies often lacked the necessary skill to maximize their Pokémon's potential, which led to the abandonment of these Pokémon and, ultimately, their mistreatment.

No one wanted to watch a boring match where every battle just boiled down to Baton Pass (Strategy) versus Perish Song.

This was also why Cynthia was allowed a special level of freedom within the Sinnoh Pokémon League.

Cynthia was the Champion who best embodied the Pokémon League's battle philosophy. She loved straightforward, high-impact battles, focusing on raw power and melee combat, without relying on repetitive strategies. 

Her fighting style was thrilling and unpredictable, offering a new kind of battle experience for the entire Pokémon world, which inspired many Trainers to follow in her footsteps.

Secondly, the Limit Four format helped protect Rookie Trainers. With these restrictions, a Rookie Trainer could close the gap with more experienced competitors, leading to more balanced and competitive battles.

While audiences enjoyed seeing a dominant victory, they also preferred matches that were close and exciting enough to be worth the ticket price.

At the same time, the restrictions allowed for more intricate strategic planning outside of battles, adding depth and complexity to how Pokémon Moves were used.

This was also why unlimited tournament formats existed, but they were far less influential than the traditional formats.

(End of Chapter)