Chapter 35: Lycanroc Versus Treecko (2)

Leech Seed continuously drained Lycanroc’s stamina, feeding it back to Treecko. Combined with the restorative effects of Grassy Terrain, this double recovery constantly mended Treecko’s wounds.

"Lycanroc, use Accelerock again!" Seeing his first strike land, Wu Yaozu ordered Lycanroc to use Accelerock once more. He knew he could not afford a prolonged battle with Treecko; the longer it dragged on, the more the Leech Seed recovery would tilt the advantage in Treecko’s favor. He had to end this quickly.

Lycanroc’s body turned into a flash of light, charging straight at Treecko with incredible speed.

"Treecko, use Detect!"

Detect is a Fighting-type status move that completely negates an opponent's attack, though its success rate drops if used consecutively. In effect, it is identical to Protect—a perfect one-time defense—but because fewer Pokémon can learn it, it offers a slight advantage against moves like Imprison.

Lycanroc, enveloped in Rock-type energy, lunged at Treecko, but the attack was successfully blocked. Meanwhile, Leech Seed continued its work, draining Lycanroc’s stamina to replenish Treecko’s.

"Lycanroc, use Accelerock again." Wu Yaozu, feeling impatient and desperate for the win, commanded another Accelerock. He knew that if Xia Yu had Treecko use Detect again, the success rate would drop to one-third. Such a low probability made it difficult to rely on protective moves like Detect twice in a row, and a third attempt would be nearly impossible, as the success rate would plummet to one-ninth, and so on.

Even with a two-thirds chance in his favor, Wu Yaozu was willing to gamble. Lycanroc surged forward again, clad in Rock-type energy, slamming toward Treecko.

"Treecko, use Wide Guard!"

Wide Guard is a Fighting-type status move that protects the user and their allies from moves that strike first. It is a unique defensive skill; while it only blocks priority moves, it has two advantages: it does not suffer from reduced success rates when used consecutively, and it can protect allies.

Lycanroc’s Accelerock was indeed a priority move. Just as it reached Treecko, it was perfectly blocked by the Fighting-type energy radiating from the Pokémon. Lycanroc let out a frustrated roar. Wide Guard was the perfect counter to Accelerock, allowing Treecko to deflect the attack once more. With the combined healing of Leech Seed and Grassy Terrain, Treecko’s stamina had recovered enough to effectively negate the damage taken from the previous Accelerock.

Wu Yaozu gritted his teeth in anger. "Xia Yu, that’s so cheap! When did Treecko learn that move?"

"Guess," Xia Yu replied with a smile. Treecko had only learned Wide Guard two days prior and had not yet mastered it; it hadn’t been used in yesterday’s battle, making this its first real-world application, and the results were surprisingly effective. Since most Pokémon learned at least one priority move—like Aqua Jet or Quick Attack—Wide Guard could be devastating if timed correctly.

"Let’s see how long you can hide in your shell," Wu Yaozu snapped. "Xia Yu, have some guts and fight me head-on! Lycanroc, Fire Punch!"

Fire-type moves had a type advantage over the Grass-type Treecko. Even without STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), the boost from Lycanroc’s Tough Claws ability meant a successful hit would likely knock Treecko out instantly. Furthermore, Treecko had no more defensive options; Wide Guard was useless against Fire Punch, and the success rate of Detect had already been compromised. (In game mechanics, using Protect or Detect sequentially affects their success rate).

"Your taunts won't work on me," Xia Yu replied, already calculating how Treecko could survive the incoming Fire Punch.

He considered two options. The first was a gamble: Grass Whistle. If it hit, the soothing melody would put the opponent to sleep, instantly turning the tide. However, like Supersonic, it wasn't guaranteed to hit and could be easily countered by sound-based moves like Howl or Growl.

The second option was Worry Seed. This was a functional, highly versatile move that changed the target’s ability to Insomnia.

Normally, Lycanroc’s Fire Punch, bolstered by Tough Claws, would likely defeat Treecko in one hit. But by using Worry Seed to replace Tough Claws with Insomnia, the power of the Fire Punch would be significantly reduced, giving Treecko a high chance of surviving the blow.

The decision had to be made in an instant. This was a sparring match, not a fight to the death; there was no need to gamble on unknown probabilities. Sparring was about honing strength and building a reliable tactical repertoire. Even if Grass Whistle worked, it wasn't a reliable training exercise for real combat.

"Treecko, use Worry Seed."

Lycanroc leaped forward, rearing up with Fire-type energy crackling around its claws, and unleashed a Fire Punch directly at Treecko. Simultaneously, Treecko seized the moment of close proximity to scatter the Worry Seed. Grass-type energy surged, instantly overwriting Lycanroc’s Tough Claws ability with Insomnia.

*BOOM!*

The fierce flames scorched Treecko, dealing heavy damage, but the Pokémon did not lose consciousness. The continuous recovery from Leech Seed and Grassy Terrain had restored most of its stamina, and with the loss of the Tough Claws boost, the Fire Punch wasn't enough to secure a one-hit knockout.

Treecko held its ground. As the Leech Seed and Grassy Terrain continued to heal its wounds, Xia Yu smiled. As long as they could stay in the fight, there was still a chance.