Bang!
Umbreon tumbled through the air a few times, crashed to the ground, and finally collapsed into the dirt.
On the battlefield, Jolteon stood panting, its eyes fixed on its opponent.
After a short but intense battle, both Eevee were now injured to varying degrees.
Umbreon, relying on its tough hide and the moonlight that shone upon it as time passed, which gave it an extra bit of strength, had managed to hold its own against Jolteon in the initial stages of the battle with a reckless charge.
What made it trickier was the poor visibility at night. Jolteon couldn't track Umbreon, which blended almost perfectly into the darkness. In contrast, Umbreon was completely unaffected and frequently attacked from the shadows, causing Jolteon a lot of trouble.
This showed that Umbreon was indeed very strong. No wonder Tamao had the courage to challenge a champion.
But unfortunately for her, Jolteon eventually found an opportunity. It lit up the battlefield with electricity, exposing Umbreon as it was about to launch a sneak attack. In that moment of surprise, Jolteon seized the chance and unleashed a small combo, turning the tide.
Umbreon's body twitched, and it tried to shakily get up from the ground.
Seeing it still trying to struggle, at Natsui's signal, Jolteon moved in close and finished it off with a point-blank Discharge.
The victor was decided!
Tamao stared at her Pokémon for a long moment before finally recalling her Umbreon.
However, her brow was slightly furrowed, clearly showing some reluctance to accept the outcome.
She had intended to intimidate Natsui, but she hadn't expected to be completely outmatched!
The spectating Satsuki, Sakura, and the others exchanged glances.
This battle had truly shown them the gap in skill.
Although it seemed like the two Pokémon were evenly matched during the fight, with Jolteon only managing to defeat Umbreon after a long struggle, the reality was different. Tamao only had her Umbreon, a partner that had been with her since she caught it, and had fought countless battles, so its strength was undeniable. But Natsui, as a champion, surely had more than just this Jolteon!
To use a partner that had been by her side day and night, against just one of Natsui's Pokémon, and still lose despite having the advantage of the time of day, showed that Natsui truly lived up to his title!
Tamao, perhaps feeling disgraced or not knowing how to face Natsui, didn't utter any harsh words and simply turned and left.
Seeing this, Satsuki, as the eldest of the five sisters, quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
"I'm so sorry. Tamao's personality is a bit proud, so her actions can be a bit willful at times. She's like that with everyone. We've spoken to her about it countless times in private, but she just does as she pleases. She's not a bad person at heart, so please, Mr. Natsui, don't take it to heart!"
Natsui, of course, wasn't one to hold a grudge against Tamao. Besides, he had been the one to offend her with his words first. So, in a way, this battle was ultimately something he had brought upon himself.
"It's alright," Natsui waved his hand. "Actually, Miss Tamao didn't do anything wrong. I was indeed a bit offensive with my words earlier. If I get the chance, I will apologize to her in person."
Natsui's humble attitude made Satsuki and the others feel even more apologetic.
In the distance, Tamao, who hadn't gone far, naturally heard Natsui's words. She paused for a moment but didn't turn back. After a few breaths, she disappeared into the night.
Just then, Tamao spoke up, "It's getting very dark. We should head back inside."
Natsui glanced at the time. As Tamao had said, it was already almost eight in the evening.
It was time to leave.
He and Erika were about to take their leave. After all, they had been guests for so long and couldn't continue to impose. But Satsuki and the others, having learned from their earlier chat that they were staying at an inn, insisted they stay the night.
The two of them knew that the sisters were trying to apologize for Tamao's earlier rudeness and wanted to use this as a way to bridge the gap between them. After a brief hesitation, they didn't refuse.
For Natsui, it didn't matter where he stayed. Besides, apart from Tamao, the other four sisters clearly got along very well with Erika. No sooner had they returned to the room than they immediately pulled her into conversation.
Dinner was reheated and served again.
Since he hadn't finished eating earlier before being dragged into a battle by Tamao, his stomach was not yet full.
Natsui took a few bites, the sound of the girls' cheerful laughter filling his ears, as if the battle had never happened. Only Tamao did not return.
"Hmm? Aren't Miss Erika and Mr. Natsui a couple?"
Suddenly, Sakura's surprised voice reached him. Natsui turned to see Erika waving her hands and explaining something.
"We're just traveling companions, not the kind of relationship you're thinking of."
"Oh, I see." Satsuki and the others understood. "You two look so good together, I just assumed..."
This wasn't the first time they had been mistaken for a couple. Natsui was already used to it, and even Erika looked a bit resigned.
It was no wonder people thought that. After all, a man and a woman traveling together, alone, made it hard for people not to assume they had a special relationship.
After spending the night there, the next day, the two didn't rush to leave Ecruteak City. Accompanied by Sakura, they visited the Bell Tower and the Burned Tower.
Putting aside the legend, the Bell Tower was just an ordinary tall tower. There was no sign of Ho-Oh, but from the top, you could see the entire city, and the view was quite nice.
The Burned Tower was just a pile of ruins, with nothing much to see.
Sigh, we came with high hopes, only to leave disappointed.
After visiting these two places, it was time for Natsui to leave the city. As they were about to part ways, Sakura hesitated for a long time before turning her gaze to Natsui.
"Mr. Natsui, could I entrust this child to you?"
Following Sakura's finger, he realized she was talking about the clumsy Eevee.
"Hmm? Eevee? Why entrust it to me?"
Sakura sighed. "I'm a stage performer, after all. Besides practicing and performing, I don't have that much time to spend with it. If I leave it on its own, it's easy for it to get lost. Besides, I already have an Espeon, and I really don't have the energy to raise another one. Most importantly, I want it to see the world outside."
"Well..."
Natsui hesitated, not immediately agreeing. "Miss Sakura, you should know, I'm a trainer. As I travel and battle, my team needs to be rotated from time to time. I can't guarantee that I can keep it with me at all times."
"I understand that," Sakura smiled. "When you're making adjustments, you can always leave it back here with me. This will always be its home. I just want it to see more of the world."
Seeing her serious expression, Natsui bent down and looked at the Eevee.
"Are you willing to come with me?"
Eevee looked back at Sakura, saw the encouragement in her eyes, and then turned back to Natsui and let out a cry.
That should mean yes.
Patting its head, Natsui couldn't help but smile. He never thought that visiting the five Kimono sisters would lead to such an unexpected gain!
His sixteenth Pokémon, obtained!