The Orange Archipelago consists of hundreds of islands, some spanning vast distances, while others are only a few dozen miles in diameter. Due to their isolation from the mainland, many places have retained their traditional customs and way of life.
Even on Mandarin Island, the most commercially developed among them, the island's early cultural heritage remains well preserved.
This must be the commercial hub of the Orange Archipelago.
Lucius wandered leisurely through the bustling streets, taking in the lively atmosphere. For the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of normalcy, almost as if he were returning to humanity.
After flying for so long, this was his first time properly exploring a city in his human form. It felt oddly unfamiliar…
Night had already fallen when he and Sham and Nanli set foot on the most developed city of the Orange Archipelago.
Wherever people gather, commerce and trade inevitably flourish—this statement couldn't be more accurate.
As a popular tourist destination, these islands had developed highly sophisticated commercial facilities, including Pokémon Centers, battle arenas, various entertainment venues, and high-end hotels. The city's prosperity rivaled that of Saffron City and Celadon City. Adding to its appeal were the sun-kissed, passionate island beauties in their vibrant outfits, creating a distinct tropical charm.
Especially in recent days, as Mandarin Island hosted a large-scale cultural festival, the entire island was adorned with festive decorations. Every shop and mall actively participated, and an influx of tourists made the city livelier than ever.
"Iron Defense Cloyster, use Water Gun!"
"Dodge it! Nidorino, counter with Poison Sting!"
At that moment, Lucius heard the sounds of a Pokémon battle taking place nearby.
Haha, of course—this was the Pokémon world. And what was more essential than Pokémon battles?
Come to think of it, ever since he had arrived in this world, he had been dealing with the Syndicate, Team Rocket, and other criminal organizations. His battles had been life-or-death struggles, often ending in brutal casualties. He hadn't had the chance to witness a proper Pokémon battle conducted under League rules.
This was a rare moment indeed, Lucius mused.
Since his plans were still in motion and he had no pressing tasks at hand, he immediately changed course.
Because Pokémon battles have inherent destructive potential and energy fluctuations, they aren't allowed just anywhere. Within cities, battles must take place in designated areas approved by the League. Both trainers are also required to pay a small arena usage fee, which contributes to the maintenance and upkeep of the battle facility.
However, due to the high frequency of battles, most cities have numerous battle arenas, and the fees for each battle are quite affordable, ensuring accessibility for all trainers.
Additionally, trainers can agree on monetary wagers for battles, but the League enforces strict caps based on the participants' age group. For instance, minors cannot wager more than 300 Pokédollars*. These transactions are monitored through the online Pokédex system, and any violations result in severe penalties.
Lucius and his two companions arrived at the battle arena's edge. As expected, the two competitors were young boys, no older than fourteen.
It was a three-on-three match, with Cloyster facing off against Nidorino.
This was prime entertainment time, and a large crowd had gathered to watch.
It took Lucius only a few seconds to determine that the Cloyster had significantly more battle experience. Its heavy shell allowed it to effectively shield its body at critical moments, whereas Nidorino struggled to find a way past its opponent's defenses.
Before evolving into Nidoking, its raw power wasn't strong enough to break through Cloyster's shell like Ash's Kingler had in the anime.
After several exchanges, Nidorino was eventually overwhelmed by Cloyster's Water Gun and was knocked out.
"Damn it! Nidorino, return! Go, Weepinbell!" The young trainer recalled his exhausted, purple Pokémon and sent out a small Grass-type Pokémon with an adorably blank expression and a large, open mouth.
But his opponent was sharp. The moment Nidorino fell, he wasted no time commanding Cloyster to scatter a layer of Toxic Spikes across the field.
As a result, the moment Weepinbell landed from its Poké Ball, it was immediately afflicted by poison.
"Nice move!"
"Well played, kid!"
The surrounding spectators erupted into cheers as they watched the Cloyster execute its strategy flawlessly.
Its trainer, however, seemed rather shy. Upon hearing the compliments, his face flushed red, making him look a little embarrassed.
"Heh, so what if you set up Toxic Spikes? My Weepinbell is a Grass-type and has strong resistance to Poison-type attacks. Against your Cloyster, a Water-type Pokémon, that's more than enough!"
It seemed that the audience's admiration for his opponent had somewhat bruised the Weepinbell trainer's ego. He attempted to rattle his opponent while boosting his own morale.
"Cloyster, use Ice Shard." His opponent remained unfazed by the verbal taunts and gave his command with calm composure.
Ah, the fiery spirit of youth…
Watching such an intense yet tactical Pokémon battle unfold, Lucius found himself relaxing a little.
"Hah! That kid must be a terrible student—he doesn't even know that Cloyster is a Water/Ice-type," Nanli scoffed from the side.
Lucius chuckled and turned to Sham. "What do you think?"
"This battle was decided from the very start," Sham replied after a brief pause to organize her thoughts. "Although both Pokémon are at a similar level, the way their trainers raised them has made all the difference."
"The older boy's training style is rougher—perhaps careless is a better word. His Pokémon are wilder as a result, but their tactical execution is lacking. You can tell just by looking at the color and texture of his Nidorino's skin—it's rougher than it should be. His Pokémon's attack movements are also exaggerated, which reduces accuracy and wastes more stamina."
"Meanwhile, the younger boy has raised his Pokémon with much more care. Even though he's only using a single Cloyster, the color of its shell and the sharp angles of its spikes indicate that it's well-maintained. He's also found a way to turn Cloyster's mobility issues to his advantage, training it to control the battlefield instead. His strategy turns Cloyster into a solid, long-range attack fortress."
"In short, the outcome is obvious."
Lucius was slightly taken aback—he hadn't expected Sham to analyze so much in such a short time, even deducing the trainers' styles with remarkable accuracy.
However, as someone who had inherited Archer's near-legendary level of insight, Lucius had to admit—Sham was completely correct.
From the beginning, Cloyster had barely moved. After setting up Toxic Spikes, it relied on ranged attacks like Water Gun and Ice Shard. Whenever its opponent closed the distance, it simply withdrew into its shell to bolster its defenses. The enemy not only struggled to break through but also continued taking damage from the Toxic Spikes. In a drawn-out battle, they stood no chance.
Sharp observational skills. No wonder he became Archer's assistant this year.
Before Lucius could respond, a voice suddenly called out nearby:
"Big sis, your insight is amazing! You must be a really strong trainer!"
Not far away, a girl with short golden hair—clearly not from Kanto—was looking in their direction, blinking her large eyes at Sham.
Since the three of them weren't wearing their Team Rocket uniforms, it was only natural that others mistook them for ordinary trainers.
As expected, the battle played out just as Sham had predicted. Weepinbell, followed by the Meowth that replaced it, both fell in quick succession.
Cloyster's trainer had achieved a flawless 1v3 victory.
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TL/N: Yuan is being used here instead of League coins or Pokédollars which was usually used in Pokémon fanfics. So, instead of Yuan, I opted for Pokédollars since the raw didn't mentioned the League.
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