Slaking is often seen in Hoenn, with two tufts of white hair resembling buds on its head, a ring of white hair around its neck and body, and brown fur on its limbs. Its beige skin and pink nose made it look like Terrance’s past life’s baboon.
Although Slaking’s laziness rivals that of Snorlax, its strength and speed are astonishing. When it gets serious, it can absolutely leave people wide-eyed.
While Mr. Kiyo’s Hitmonchan on the other side slightly surprised Terrance, “Is that… a ready stance for karate?”
“You noticed? Haha, my Hitmonchan and I will use our Dojo’s proud ‘Gōjū-ryū (hard-soft style)’ karate to defeat you both!” Kiyo declared.
Gōjū-ryū (hard-soft style)… karate.
Terrance pondered over the word for a moment, feeling a sense of novelty. It was the first time he had seen a Trainer incorporate a martial art style into Pokémon battles.
“I won’t lose!!” Zimin declared.
“Let the opponent see your strength!! Use Hyper Beam!!”
“Do you have to start with such a powerful move…” Terrance wondered.
The Hyper Beam emitted by Slaking, with its sturdy physique, resembled a thick yellow laser beam. Watching the slender Hitmonchan, Terrance couldn’t help but worry.
“He should be able to dodge it, right?”
However, what happened next surprised Terrance.
“Don’t be afraid, ‘Quick Guard,’ charge through!”
“Watch, this is ‘hard’!” [TN: From hard-soft style.]
Just as Kiyo said, Hitmonchan assumed a defensive stance with its dual fists and charged straight at Hyper Beam. To Slaking and Zimin’s surprise, the thick yellow beam disintegrated, and the opponent charged forward fearlessly like it held an energy shield.
“Don’t be afraid, Slaking, use ‘Hammer Arm’ to attack when the opponent gets close!”
Zimin watched as Hitmonchan continued its assault and shouted, “Now!”
“It’s too late, young man, can it still react after using Hyper Beam? Hitmonchan, go around!”
Under the direct assault of Hyper Beam, Hitmonchan suddenly changed its pace, shifting from a straight-line attack to circular movement. In a difficult-to-follow movement, it circled around Slaking and positioned itself beside him.
“Gōjū-ryū (hard-soft style) combines circular and straight-line movements in battles and can deal with various situations. Take this, Low Sweep!”
At this moment, Hitmonchan truly resembled a martial artist, swiftly and skillfully kicking Slaking’s lower part of the body with force.
However, Slaking still stood there like a mountain, stable and unshaken.
“It’s useless. When my Slaking focuses its center of gravity on its feet, no one can trip it.” Zimin said, “Uh… What!”
After using Low Sweep, Hitmonchan executed a punch resembling a twist, and a direct uppercut, with a fist speed so intense it felt like even grazing it would cause burns, sliced through the air. It then surged directly towards the sky.
Sky Uppercut! !
Uttering the name of this move in surprise, Zimin’s expression changed. Originally, given Slaking’s weight, the idea of using Sky Uppercut seemed delusional. However, as the center of gravity continued to shift, the opponent took advantage of this opportunity…
At this moment, Zimin remembered Hitmonchan’s characteristics. Indeed… the opponent was clearly a Pokemon skilled in boxing moves, and using Low Sweep was just a trap to lure him in.
“Damn it…”
“Slaking!”
“It’s not that simple!! My Hitmonchan can unleash a rapid barrage of punches at an imperceptible speed for three minutes straight. Can your Slaking withstand that?!”
Kiyo laughed. After Slaking was knocked down by Sky Uppercut, Hitmonchan’s storm-like punches didn’t cease. “Keep attacking and defeat Slaking!”
“Aoo…Aoo….Aoo…”
Under the intense barrage of punches, Slaking could only howl in pain…
“Don’t give up, Slaking, use Rest!” Zimin clenched his fist and gave a strange command. “Under Rest state, Slaking can recover all the energy it consumed just now!”
“Bang!”
Hitmonchan’s fist struck Slaking again, and the continuous blows forced Slaking to open its eyes again. “Keep using ‘Rest,’ and wear Hitmonchan out until it’s exhausted!!”
“Oh? Interesting. Are you serious? Well then, Hitmonchan, stop attacking Slaking and use Bulk Up!”
Bulk Up: Tighten all muscles to enhance attack and defense.
Zimin raised an eyebrow, feeling uneasy. Hitmonchan’s current charging stance looked quite frightening…
“After using Bulk Up, Hitmonchan can best utilize ‘Gōjū-ryū (hard-soft style)’,” Kiyo said. “Hard for attack, soft for evasion. Gōjū-ryū (hard-soft style) training includes strengthening and control, combining hard-style boxing, close hand punches, and open hand circular techniques for both offense and defense, and joint locks, grappling, takedowns, and throws for controlling the opponent.”
“The Low Sweep just now was just an appetizer. Now, witness the true ‘Gōjū-ryū (hard-soft style)’!”
“Mach Punch!”
In the blink of an eye, the opponent was already in front of Slaking. Its panicked abdominal muscles swelled as it tried to endure it.
“Go all out, Slaking! Resist Mach Punch and use Flail!” Slaking extended its right hand, fingers spread open, obeying Zimin’s command.
At this moment, Hitmonchan tightened its right arm, and without warning, low-kicked Slaking’s ankle swiftly and precisely with its left foot.
“The move changed? It’s Low Sweep again…” Zimin gritted his teeth.
Mach Punch was used as a feint, attracting attention with its extreme speed. The main attack was Low Sweep!
Having learned from the previous experience, Slaking dared not casually manipulate its center of gravity. After taking on Hitmonchan’s move, it roared in pain, swung its arms, and attacked again.
Just as Slaking was about to counterattack, Hitmonchan seamlessly adjusted with incredible speed, his figure disappearing once again. His right fist swiftly followed, launching a powerful and rapid assault on the opponent’s back.
Close-quarter combat!
Bang!
Fist after fist struck flesh with fierce strength and astonishing speed. Slaking seemed to be trapped in a hell as it momentarily stiffened.
“The victor is… Mr. Kiyo from the Fighting Gym.” Terrance, realizing that the situation couldn’t be reversed, looked at the fallen Slaking and spoke.
“Why… why did I lose…” Zimin looked bewildered at Slaking. He had already defeated all the apprentices of Cianwood Gym, and the teacher had also granted him the right to graduate. So, why did he lose so miserably in just the first battle?
“‘Gōjū-ryū (hard-soft style)’?” Terrance expressed interest.
“Haha, it was a good fight. Any thoughts?” Kiyo spoke.
“I just find it very interesting. Instead of focusing on moves, it uses them to complement special techniques. This style reminds me of Pokémon Contests,” Terrance said.
“Pokémon Contests?” Kiyo scratched his head and said to Zimin, “Young man, I won. It seems Mr. Chuck didn’t pass on his true teachings to you. He has high hopes for you. I hope you can find your own path someday. Keep going, young man.”
“My own…path, my own style?” Zimin muttered.
“If you keep working on developing your techniques, you might be able to create your own style. Although I have my own style, I also plan to learn from Mr. Chuck to improve myself. Let’s compete to see who can become his senior disciple!” Kiyo extended his thumb and grinned.
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