"Boss Nozomi!"
The moment Yuuji saw Nozomi, he reacted as if he had just laid eyes on a long-lost family member.
His face lit up with emotion, and he rushed forward, teetering on the verge of tears.
Nearby trainers, noticing the commotion, turned their attention toward them, curiosity written all over their faces.
So this guy actually has a "boss"? Is he here to avenge him?
"…" Nozomi looked at Yuuji, feeling an irresistible urge to just teleport away immediately.
Is it still too late to pretend I don't know him?
Yuuji's current display of emotion was embarrassingly pathetic!
Yet, considering that Yuuji had been his very first subordinate, Nozomi restrained himself from disappearing in a flash.
He shifted his body thirty centimeters to the side, just enough to dodge Yuuji's lunging embrace.
Yuuji didn't lose heart. He looked at Nozomi with an almost pitiable gaze.
"Boss Nozomi, I lost… I embarrassed myself in front of you."
No, it's not you… it's not your fault, Nozomi thought.
Suppressing the impulse to blurt out his thoughts, Nozomi sighed and pointed out Yuuji's previous mistakes.
"I watched your battle earlier."
"Boss, you watched my battle? How did I lose? Is it because my Bellsprout isn't strong enough?" Yuuji's previous embarrassment at A.J.'s teasing vanished instantly. He eagerly sought guidance.
"The problem is serious. But it isn't your Pokémon—it's you."
"In the battle between your Bellsprout and the Sandshrew, you could have started with a long-range Razor Leaf to gradually wear Sandshrew down. Instead, you sent Bellsprout into close combat.
When you should have been issuing commands, you froze, failing to respond effectively to their Sand Attack strategy. You lost the optimal evasion window, and they exploited your mistakes.
And there were numerous other issues…"
Hearing Nozomi pinpoint his mistakes, Yuuji's shame only deepened, and he eventually hung his head.
He had thought he lost simply because his Pokémon weren't strong enough. Only after Nozomi's critique did he realize how many errors he had made!
Swearing to himself, Yuuji vowed to correct these faults and become stronger.
Grateful beyond words, he bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Boss Nozomi…"
Before he could finish, a voice interrupted.
"You're his boss? Here to help him save face?"
The crowd parted, and A.J. addressed Nozomi.
He regarded Nozomi with interest. Listening to Nozomi's analysis earlier, he had to admit there was some merit in it.
But only a little. He didn't believe that fixing Yuuji's mistakes would make him strong enough to defeat him. After all, Nozomi hadn't even noticed the gap between Yuuji's Bellsprout and his Sandshrew; his strength seemed ordinary at best.
"Let's fight, then. If you want to save his pride, that is." A.J. taunted.
A.J. was eager to extend his winning streak.
Hearing the provocation, Nozomi raised an eyebrow.
My subordinate got beaten, and I haven't even sought trouble with you yet… and now you come looking for me? Interesting.
Nozomi didn't feel anger.
Anger was reserved for opponents of equal standing—someone at least at the level of a mid- or high-ranking Team Rocket operative. A.J.'s provocation was merely entertaining to him.
He glanced at Yuuji's expectant face, then at the surrounding trainers.
Finally, he looked at A.J. and said, "Since you're so eager to fight, I'll face you. But let me make it clear—if I end your winning streak, don't blame me."
After all, Yuuji was his subordinate. If his subordinate had been defeated, it was only natural for him as the boss to restore the balance, or else his own reputation would suffer.
A.J. ignored Nozomi's warning.
"Then you choose the match rules: 3v3 or 1v1," A.J. said confidently.
"Since this is a proper battle, 3v3 it is." Nozomi replied with a teasing tone. "I don't want people thinking I won just because of luck. A 3v3 match better reflects actual strength."
The surrounding trainers immediately buzzed with excitement.
Tension crackled in the air!
For trainers who spent most of their time idle, there was nothing they loved more than witnessing a heated battle.
With the help of several trainers, a clear patch of ground was quickly prepared for the match.
"Don't your Pokémon need a break?" Nozomi asked, tossing his Poké Balls.
"No need. Facing one Bellsprout is just a warm-up!" A.J. replied, unwilling to concede.
"Then… let the battle begin!"
The trainers acting as temporary referees waved their hands and shouted.
Both trainers threw their Poké Balls simultaneously.
Nozomi sent out a Gastly, while A.J. deployed a Butterfree!
"Tch… talk big, but your actions are obedient enough," Nozomi muttered.
Although A.J. claimed his Sandshrew didn't need rest, he didn't send it out for the first battle. Nozomi found that contemptible.
Yet it would be A.J. himself who suffered for breaking conventional tactics.
Gastly, a Ghost/Poison-type, faced Butterfree, a Bug/Flying-type. While neither had an advantage, Bug-type moves were particularly ineffective against Gastly.
In the games, Bug-type attacks deal only 25% damage to Ghost-types.
While the real world wasn't that precise, Bug-type moves still suffered noticeable weakening against Gastly. This battle heavily favored Nozomi.
Being resisted, A.J. noted silently.
Even so, he remained calm, carefully observing Gastly.
"Your Gastly is strong," he thought.
Judging by Gastly's size and the intensity of the poison gas around it, he realized it wasn't weak.
Although he had been arrogant earlier, a trainer with a 92-battle winning streak knew caution was necessary.
"Gastly! Go!"
Nozomi didn't want to waste time in this standoff. With a flick of his hand, Gastly lunged forward first.
"Poison Gas!"
Gastly cackled eerily as a thick cloud of poisonous gas spread from its body, enveloping itself and drifting toward Butterfree.