Chapter 19: Rosa’s Frustration

"Phew."

Rosa gripped her Poké Ball tightly, pressing it against her cherry-pink lips for a quiet moment of focus. Her gaze, now sharp and battle-ready, locked onto N.

He stood perfectly still across the field, his black-and-white visor casting a shadow over the upper half of his face as he held his own Poké Ball in one hand.

Although she knew the green-haired youth was exceptionally strong, Rosa hadn't come unprepared. She had spent the entire tournament observing N's matches, and seeing his battle against Hilda had only heightened her vigilance. She knew she had to watch his every move; even the most infinitesimal detail could become the turning point of the match.

"Timburr, I'm counting on you."

"Go, Servine!!"

Seeing her opponent release his Pokémon first, Rosa followed suit without hesitation. Two Poké Balls burst open in mid-air almost simultaneously, revealing the rugged, stern-faced Timburr and the elegant, regal Servine.

[Servine]

Strength: High Elite

Potential: Special Grade

Like Hilda's Tepig, this Servine was one of the Unova region's starters. Its potential was also Special Grade, marking it as a Pokémon of immense natural talent.

Its slender body, clad in forest-green and cream-colored leaves, stood proudly on the field. The yellow leaves at its neck formed a V-shaped collar, giving it the appearance of a refined aristocrat. As soon as it landed, Servine began preening its leaves, its facial expression carrying a hint of a sneer and disdain.

The Snivy line was known for its haughty pride and constant pursuit of elegance. Clearly, Servine didn't think much of its opponent; at the High Elite level, it held a lead of two full stages over Timburr in terms of raw power.

Between a Grass-type Servine and a Fighting-type Timburr, neither side possessed a clear type advantage. The match would come down to pure, mechanical skill. With a two-stage level advantage, Servine undoubtedly held a massive upper hand.

"Servine, use Growth!!"

"Rock Throw."

The moment Rosa's command left her lips, N's order followed like a shadow. It was as if he had seen right through her plan to play a defensive game and moved instantly to shut it down.

Timburr snatched up a loose stone and hurled it with violent force. The projectile tore through the air with such speed that Servine was forced to cancel its move just as it began, darting aside to avoid the impact.

Rosa's strategy was simple: pure defense.

She had noticed N's calm, ironclad defensive capabilities in previous rounds. Whenever an opponent attacked, he would find a flaw, leverage Timburr's massive strength, and end the fight with a single counter-strike. She figured that if she played defensively, she could force the sluggish Timburr to take the initiative, thereby seizing control of the rhythm herself.

The greatest weakness of most Fighting-types is their reliance on close-quarters combat; their physical prowess usually comes at the cost of long-range options. Once they are "kited," kept at a distance, they fall into a very awkward position.

Unfortunately, N had read her mind the second the battle began. The high-speed Rock Throw was perfectly timed to prevent Servine from boosting its stats with Growth.

"Use Leech Seed!"

"Bat it away with the beam, then use Bulk Up."

Timburr swung its thick wooden beam with practiced ease, swatting the incoming seeds out of the air like a pro baseball player. It immediately followed up by tensing its muscles, glowing with a red aura as it boosted its own stats.

N was using Rosa's own logic against her, forcing her to be the one to attack! If she didn't, she would have to stand by and watch as Timburr boosted itself into a monster.

"A calculated trap..." Rosa whispered, her frustration mounting.

She couldn't understand how N seemed to know exactly what she was thinking the moment they clashed. Did the smiling boy in the hat actually have some kind of "mind-reading" ability?

She had no choice but to go on the offensive. By utilizing Servine's superior level to suppress him, she might still be able to regain momentum.

"Servine!! Use Energy Ball!"

"Charge through it. Use the beam to deflect."

N idly toyed with a Rubik's Cube in his hand, his eyes never leaving the field. For the first time, Timburr took the initiative. It kicked off with its short legs, sprinting toward Servine at a surprising clip.

Using the angle of its wooden beam, it deflected the incoming Energy Ball, forcing the projectile to veer off course and explode harmlessly in the dirt several feet away. As long as a move didn't hit it dead-on, Timburr didn't seem to care.

"Don't let it get close! Another Energy Ball!"

Seeing Timburr charging toward her, Rosa felt a flicker of panic. Everyone had seen how terrifying Timburr's strength was; if it managed to get within arm's reach, Servine would be in serious trouble!

"Hold the beam up. Block it."

The distance between the two Pokémon had shrunk considerably. At this range, there was no more room for fancy deflections. Timburr gripped one end of its beam and thrust the other end forward, using the wood as a shield.

BOOM!!

The Energy Ball struck the end of the log, shattering the front half of the beam into splinters. Timburr shot a slightly pained look at its broken weapon, but its feet never stopped moving. It tore through the smoke of the explosion, lunging straight for its target!

"He used the beam as a disposable shield?!"

Watching from the sidelines, Hilda was wide-eyed. She hadn't expected N to utilize Timburr's weapon with such cold efficiency. He had actually managed to close the gap on a faster opponent!

"Servine, use Vine Whip to knock it back!"

Rosa cried out, her composure slipping. In her rush to create distance, she momentarily forgot the inherent risk of Vine Whip against a close-range specialist.

A truly great Trainer must remain calm, observing the battlefield with clinical precision to make decisive, correct calls. They must rely on their accumulated knowledge and, most importantly, their psychological resilience.

In this moment, Rosa's resilience had faltered. The pressure N exerted was too much, too fast, and she had failed to make the right judgment call.

And that mistake was about to change everything.