Pokémon: I’m Really Not a Team Rocket Spy

The battle began with Paras unleashing Stun Spore, scattering a cloud of paralyzing powder toward Charmander. Maki estimated this Paras wasn't particularly high-level since it hadn't learned Spore yet. Otherwise, it would've used that far more troublesome move instead of Stun Spore.

Spore, much like Sleep Powder, induces sleep. However, in the games, the key difference is accuracy—Sleep Powder hits 75% of the time, while Spore boasts a perfect 100% accuracy. It's the only sleep-inducing move with such reliability. Not even moves like Thunder Wave or Swagger have perfect accuracy.

Unsurprisingly, any Pokémon capable of learning Spore is notorious for being frustrating to deal with.

In the real world, the gap between Spore and Sleep Powder isn't just maintained—it's even more pronounced, especially in terms of effectiveness.

With Sleep Powder, even if it hits, a Pokémon can sometimes resist its effects through sheer willpower—encouragement from their trainer with shouts like "Get up!" or "Don't give up!" might help them fight through it. Skills like Hypnosis or Grass Whistle are even less reliable.

But Spore? That's a different story. Once it lands, unless there's a significant level difference, it's almost guaranteed to put its target to sleep.

If we're talking about infuriating moves, Spore takes second place to none.

Fortunately for Charmander, Paras wasn't particularly skilled at using Stun Spore, as it failed to release enough powder in one go. Under Maki's guidance, Charmander quickly found a good position to evade it. Without hesitation, Charmander countered with an upgraded Ember.

Paras, already slow by nature, couldn't dodge in time. The Ember attack hit directly, and with a pained screech, Paras was engulfed. As a result of Charmander's well-practiced "explosive art," the Ember attack detonated upon impact, scattering small sparks that dealt additional damage to Paras.

And just like that, Paras was down for the count.

Yes, you heard that right—one Ember KO'd it. The terror of a 5x Fire-type weakness was on full display.

"Paras…"

Paras's trainer stood dumbfounded, staring at their Pokémon now lying unconscious with swirls in its eyes.

Also, you're telling me that was just Ember? How is that Ember?!

The trainer had assumed that while Paras had poor Fire resistance, it could at least withstand a single attack. If Stun Spore had landed, they might've had a fighting chance.

Maki, however, made it clear how naive that assumption was.

"Ahem. Match over," the referee declared.

The battle ended so quickly that even the referee needed a moment to react. He couldn't help but think, If only every match were this fast. Then he glanced at the neighboring battlefield, where a Bulbasaur and Gloom were still locked in a tedious, scratchy exchange…

Back on the other battlefield, the evolved Gloom held the advantage due to its superior stats. Bulbasaur's stamina was nearly depleted, while Gloom seemed completely at ease.

For Maki, this victory was almost too easy to believe. Compared to the Machop in the last round, which put up some resistance thanks to its Burn status and Guts ability, this Paras was practically a free win. Charmander's training gained almost nothing from the fight since it ended with a single Ember.

So, Maki made a decisive call—another match.

Though Charmander hadn't expended much energy in its bout with Paras, Maki handed it half of an Pokéblock. Not because he was stingy, but because Pokéblock were concentrated nutrition. Overeating before a battle could lead to problems.

The third match began soon after, and this time the opponent posed a far greater challenge. This trainer brought out a Sandshrew, a Pokémon with a type advantage over Charmander.

Standing upright, Sandshrew resembled a mouse with tan, brick-patterned skin that appeared hard and dry. Its underbelly was a creamy white, and its small triangular ears and dark blue eyes gave it a sharp yet endearing look. Its three small claws on each forelimb and its stout, conical tail completed its rugged appearance.

Still, Sandshrew's abilities—Sand Veil or Sand Rush—were of little use in this setting, as the battlefield barely had any sand to begin with. Similarly, Charmander couldn't take advantage of the sunny weather since it was already nighttime.

"Charmander, stay alert. This opponent is much tougher than the last two," Maki warned.

"Char!"

Charmander confidently thumped its chest, signaling it wouldn't lose.

Confidence was good, but underestimating the opponent was not.

"Use Ember!"

Maki decided to test the waters with a basic attack. Sandshrew's base stats were more specialized, boasting high physical attack and defense, giving it a significant edge in close combat against Charmander.

Extreme stat distributions like Sandshrew's came with both strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Mega Beedrill is the epitome of extreme specialization but crumbles when faced with physically tanky Pokémon capable of high output.

"Defense Curl!"

The opposing trainer was no novice. Sandshrew curled into a ball, presenting its hardened back to Charmander.

Thanks to Defense Curl, its back grew even smoother, deflecting much of the Ember's damage.

Maki raised an eyebrow, recognizing that this trainer had some tactical acumen—far better than the previous two opponents. They knew how to counter Charmander's Ember.

"Dragon Dance!"

Maki decided to turn the tables by powering up Charmander. Taking advantage of the brief pause after Sandshrew's Defense Curl, Charmander executed Dragon Dance.

While spectators and the referee were familiar with the move, the Sandshrew trainer wasn't. They quickly realized they couldn't afford to let Charmander stack another Dragon Dance, as that would shift the advantage in close combat from Sandshrew to Charmander.

Right after completing Defense Curl, the trainer commanded Sandshrew to use Rollout.

Rollout—a move that had given countless players nightmares—gains power with successive hits, reaching a terrifying 480 base power at its peak. Combined with Defense Curl, each Rollout hit would be doubled, potentially reaching an overwhelming 960 base power.

A common yet effective strategy, and undeniably dangerous.

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