Pokemon: The Gameboy Effect-Chapter 244: Let The Battle Begin!

The Grassmere Gym Challenge was officially underway. The referee stepped forward, his voice rising above the excited buzz of the crowd.

"The challenge begins now! Gym Leader Hank will face the challenger, John. Both sides may use six Pokemon each. The battle will conclude when one side loses four Pokemon. Now, send out your first Pokemon!"

John and Hank locked eyes across the battlefield, each reaching for a Pokeball with practiced confidence. With synchronized movements, they launched their spheres into the air. The stadium seemed to hold its breath as two flashes of light materialized into battling beasts.

Hank's first choice was Arcanine—a massive, majestic creature standing proudly at over two meters tall. Its orange fur blazed like living fire, adorned with bold black tiger stripes. The thick, flowing mane around its neck rippled as it let out a thunderous roar, activating its Intimidate ability.

John's Greninja materialized with ninja-like grace, its sleek body poised for battle. Though the Intimidate washed over it, dropping its physical attack, John merely smirked. Physical attacks weren't Greninja's specialty anyway—a fact he was counting on Hank overlooking.

"Bet you didn't see that coming," John muttered, having studied Hank's tactics for weeks. Leading with Arcanine's Intimidate was about as surprising as water being wet.

The referee's arm sliced through the air. "Battle, begin!"

"Arcanine, Extreme Speed!" Hank commanded, his voice booming across the arena.

"Greninja, Surf!" John countered without missing a beat.

Neither trainer was foolish enough to start with pleasantries. John knew all too well that giving an experienced Gym Trainer like Master Hank even a moment's advantage was like handing him the victory on a silver platter. Meanwhile, Hank had heard enough about John's battling prowess to know this wasn't going to be another easy win for his collection.

Arcanine transformed into a streak of orange lightning, barely visible as it hurtled across the battlefield. One moment it was across the arena, the next it was bearing down on Greninja, its claws gleaming with power.

But just before impact, a second Greninja appeared, taking the full brunt of the attack. With a satisfying boom, the Substitute disintegrated into smoke, leaving Arcanine swiping at nothing but air.

"Oldest trick in the book," John said with a grin that would make a Gengar jealous.

As the smoke cleared, a massive wave rose behind the real Greninja, swelling higher and higher until it towered seven meters above the battlefield. The Surf attack crashed forward with the force of a vengeful ocean, aimed directly at Arcanine.

"Return!" Hank's reaction was lightning-fast, recalling Arcanine in a beam of red light before the wave could make contact. He'd been training Pokemon since John was still blowing out birthday candles—no way was he letting his fire-type get drenched.

Without even a moment's hesitation, Master Hank's second Pokeball was airborne. "Let's go!"

A Poliwrath materialized just as the wave slammed into the battlefield. The Water/Fighting-type welcomed the tsunami like an old friend, disappearing temporarily beneath the churning waters.

John narrowed his eyes.Hank's switch had been so smooth it made professional dancers look clumsy. One second slower and Arcanine would have been in serious trouble.

Suddenly, the water exploded upward with a spectacular BOOM!

Twin jets of water shot skyward, and within them, Greninja and Poliwrath clashed like ancient rivals, trading blows at speeds that made the audience's heads spin.

"Well, crap," John muttered, realizing his strategy had been read like a children's book. "He saw right through me."

While the Surf was still crashing down, John had commanded Greninja to use Aqua Jet, hiding within the water for a sneak attack. But Hank, apparently blessed with psychic abilities or just decades of experience, had predicted this move, ordering Poliwrath to counter immediately.

The two Pokemon collided again, creating a spectacle that had the crowd on their feet. Poliwrath wasn't just any opponent—it was one of those rare Pokemon with Mind Reader precision that made trainers want to throw their Gameboy across the room in frustration.

"Double Team, Water Shuriken!" John called out, hoping to gain the upper hand.

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Greninja blurred into motion, multiplying into five identical copies surrounding Poliwrath. Each illusion launched a barrage of spinning Water Shuriken, slicing through the air like liquid throwing stars.

Hank didn't even blink. "Poliwrath, Double Slap!"

Poliwrath reacted with the calm precision of a Pokemon that had seen everything twice. Its powerful hands struck out five times, each slap perfectly timed to intercept a Water Shuriken before it could make contact.

"Either he's cheating or he's actually that good," John grumbled, reluctantly leaning toward the latter.

Poliwrath wasn't just reacting—it had mastered its mental focus to the point where it could predict attacks before they even began. That level of battle prowess was rarer than a honest Team Rocket member.

Master Hank seized the opportunity. "Focus Blast!"

Still airborne, Poliwrath pulled back its hands, gathering a swirling orb of concentrated energy between them. The glowing sphere shot forward, targeting every single Greninja on the field like a heat-seeking missile with a grudge.

"Protect!" John shouted, hoping his voice carried over the crowd's excited roar.

Greninja crossed its arms just in time, summoning a translucent barrier. The Focus Blast slammed into it with enough force to wake a sleeping Snorlax three towns over.

But Protect wasn't invincible—no matter what the kids at school claimed.

The barrier shattered under the overwhelming power of the attack. While it absorbed some of the damage, the resulting explosion still sent Greninja flying backward like it had been launched from a cannon.

John winced. Not only was Focus Blast devastatingly powerful on its own, but as a Fighting-type move, it dealt double damage to Greninja's Dark typing. Even with Protect taking the edge off, that hit had hurt.

Hank pressed his advantage. "Water Pledge!"

Poliwrath landed in the water left behind by Surf, slamming its fist into the ground with enough force to register on seismographs. Instantly, massive geysers erupted across the battlefield, rocketing toward Greninja's predicted landing spot.

John's mind raced faster than a Rapidash on caffeine. Greninja was mid-air, unable to dodge effectively. It had no energy left for Substitute, and no solid footing to reposition. His options were disappearing faster than free food at a Pokemon Center.

He took a deep breath.

There was one move that might work, but it was a gamble bigger than betting against a Psychic-type in a mind-reading contest.

"Greninja, Role Play!"