Chapter 312: I Won't Give Up!
Will was engaging in this kind of battle for the first time.
Simply put...
It was a "Capture Battle"!
He had never participated in a capture battle before; if forced to say, maybe being knocked out by Lorelei's mop counted as one.
Will didn't plan to go easy.
Yes.
He saw Cynthia's determination.
But he still didn't plan to hold back and deliberately let himself be captured.
It could even be said that Will didn't intend to accept Cynthia's invitation right now to travel with her as a freshly ten-year-old.
Although he liked Cynthia and indeed needed her...
For the current Will, Wolf Mom, Buizel, and the others, whom he had spent more time with, held a heavier weight in his heart.
Battle start.
"Gabite!"
The little shark (Gible) rushed up aggressively, threatening to beat Will down.
"You? Haha."
Will scratched his ear and laughed casually.
This laugh almost broke the little shark's defense, making her jump up and down in anger.
"Gible! I'm counting on you!"
"Gabite!"
"Use Sand Tomb!"
Cynthia's command was issued.
Gible looked up and roared, and overwhelming sand and dust instantly covered the entire battlefield.
Will spread his hands, and a light blue circular barrier instantly enveloped him.
The barrier was weak.
It couldn't completely negate the damage of Sand Tomb, but at least it could keep the sand from blinding Will's eyes.
Outside the field.
"Carmela."
Lucario, seeing the technique Will just used, couldn't help but look sideways.
"Mm, I saw it."
Carmela nodded gently.
Regarding Will's use of Aura just now, even though she wasn't an Aura Guardian, she could see something unusual.
That was definitely not a technique a Riolu could master!
No.
The Riolu in front of them had mastered it.
Should rephrase.
"That is definitely not a technique a Riolu is supposed to master."
Lucario spoke Carmela's inner thoughts.
Everyone said the Lucario line were natural Aura Guardians, the darlings of Aura.
But no one knew that even they needed to put in great effort and a long time to cultivate Aura well.
Using Aura for defense, of course, he knew.
But he also clearly remembered.
That was mastered in the seventh or eighth year after he started training Aura.
At that time, he had been a Lucario for who knows how long.
But this Riolu?
He looked no more than a month old!
Is this a technique he should master?
On the battlefield.
"Just some wind and sand."
Will smirked.
He tapped his feet lightly, passing through layers of quicksand, quickly approaching Gible.
"Dragon Breath!"
Cynthia's voice rang out.
Gible immediately opened her mouth, purple energy beginning to gather.
However.
Before she could spew the energy out.
Will had already rushed out of the dust and leaped above Gible.
"Move not proficient yet, practice more."
Will swung his right arm, an Aura Sphere instantly condensing in his palm.
Then.
He gripped the Aura Sphere and slammed it onto Gible's head.
BOOM!
Gible's big mouth snapped shut instantly, and Dragon Breath exploded violently inside her mouth.
"Gible!"
Cynthia's eyes widened.
She saw her little shark lying on the ground twitching, her big mouth opening and closing, emitting wisps of black smoke.
However.
At this time, Gible hadn't fallen yet.
Although Gible's level wasn't high, maybe around Lv. 23, only one level higher than Will.
But Will hadn't mastered moves effective against Gible yet (Dragon/Ground resists Rock, Poison, Fire; immune to Electric. Fighting is neutral).
Without a critical hit.
Relying only on the Black Belt's power boost wasn't enough to one-shot Gible.
"Gabite..."
Gible crawled up from the ground with difficulty.
Her small face was full of stubbornness and defiance.
Just like when Will first saw her a few days ago.
"Gible, can you still battle?"
"Gabite!"
Gible clenched her two small hands, her eyes becoming incredibly firm.
She felt Cynthia's determination to win!
She wanted to respond to Cynthia's expectation!
"Gabite!"
White light mixed with some colorful brilliance shone.
To make Cynthia happy, to let Will join the team...
Gible evolved!
Within the white light, the little shark gradually transformed into a medium-sized upright shark.
Gabite!
"GABITE!!"
Gabite's voice had a bit more majesty and dominance than before.
Similarly, her gaze changed from simple ferocity to a calm ruthlessness.
"Gabite! Use Bulldoze!"
THUD!
Gabite stomped one foot on the ground without a word, sending shockwaves sweeping around.
But Will had already leaped into mid-air a step ahead.
"Now! Dragon Breath!"
"Gabite!"
Unlike before, the evolved Gabite had more abundant Dragon energy.
At the same time, she was more adept at using her energy.
This time.
Her Dragon Breath didn't take long to condense; in the blink of an eye, it was spewed toward Will in mid-air.
Will hesitated for a moment.
Still didn't use the cheat-like Sea Crown, choosing to confront Cynthia and Gabite head-on. He struck out a wave of air with a palm from a distance. Vacuum Wave.
But facing Dragon Breath.
This air wave was broken through almost instantly with crushing force; the powerful breath impacted Will, knocking him flying. A Dragon-type move wasn't pleasant for Will, but that was all.
After landing.
He didn't rush to attack, but ran around Gabite while performing a strange dance.
"Is that... Swords Dance?"
Cynthia frowned, uncertain.
Because she had never seen such a strange Swords Dance; simply...
Simply could only be described as twitching!
"Never mind! Gabite, use Dig!"
"Gabite!"
Gabite immediately drilled underground, moving quickly toward Will's location.
Outside the field, Carmela and Lucario, who had been watching the battle, stiffened.
"With that Riolu's use of Aura, Dig is no different from Tackle to him; too easy to dodge."
Lucario shook his head.
"Mm, amazing. This Riolu is unimaginably powerful. Whether talent, moves, battle experience, reaction speed, or even Aura level, all absolutely gifted."
Carmela focused on the puppy on the field, her eyes unable to hide her amazement.
"Is it because he's the Wolf King's child? But that Mightyena isn't particularly strong; Cynthia's Gible is Garchomp's child too..."
"Carmela."
Lucario interrupted Carmela's thoughts.
"Hm?"
"Have you considered that Riolu's father? Perhaps he has an extraordinary father. For example... could his father be an Aura Guardian's partner?"
"!"
Lucario's words startled Carmela.
Right!
Why didn't she think of that?
A Lucario capable of being an Aura Guardian's partner would definitely be an elite among the species, even a top-tier genius.
If that Lucario was stronger than hers, plus the mother being an Elite Four-level Alpha, then Riolu's talent wouldn't be surprising.
"Can't just look at this. High talent isn't the most important thing; what's important is that the child must be very motivated!"
Lucario added, a satisfied smile on his face.
"To have such battle experience, reaction speed, and rich move pool, his own efforts must be indispensable. That is the most important point."
"Mm, indeed."
Carmela nodded heavily.
Then she turned to look at her daughter.
She couldn't help but worry. Her daughter and Gabite hadn't started traveling yet, lacking some experience, appearing clumsy.
Could they really gain Riolu's recognition and make him willingly become their partner?
If it were just a simple Riolu, it would be fine.
But this Riolu grew up in a Mightyena clan; that was a big problem.
Mightyena, Serperior...
These species were proud clans.
Only excellent and powerful enough trainers could gain their recognition.
Would Riolu be influenced by the Mightyena and only recognize powerful and excellent trainers as partners?
On the battlefield.
Gabite's Dig failed completely.
The moment she popped up, Will dodged with a step back.
Then a Brick Break smashed onto Gabite's head.
Black Belt + Hone Claws + Scope Lens + Swords Dance.
This move could almost be said to be the strongest strike Will could unleash right now.
BOOM!
"GABITE!!"
Brick Break hit Gabite's vitals, dealing a powerful critical hit!
After this strike.
Even though Gabite wasn't weak to the Fighting-type Brick Break, she couldn't handle it anymore.
"Gabite..."
Gabite swayed on the field, her vision gradually blurring.
Looking at the small black and blue figure ahead, feeling Cynthia's loss and frustration behind her, Gabite finally gritted her teeth and fell unwillingly.
"If only... I were stronger."
Until the last moment, Gabite felt somewhat guilty.
If she had worked harder before.
Could they have made that annoying guy their partner today?
Although she didn't like that annoying guy very much, but...
Cynthia liked him.
And.
Have to admit, he was quite strong.
With him as a partner, Gabite would feel much more at ease.
Pity...
There are no ifs.
Cynthia and Gabite lost.
"Sorry, Gabite, I'm too weak to bring out your strength."
Cynthia knelt beside Gabite, feeling very guilty and self-blaming.
Their confident debut battle.
Lost to Will.
Will stood there quietly looking at Cynthia and Gabite, unable to help but sigh.
He turned and walked to Wolf Mom, lowered his head, and said:
"Let's go home."
Wolf Mom stared at Will quietly, then looked up at Cynthia.
In the end, she said nothing, picked up Will by the scruff, and prepared to leave.
She admitted that girl had some shining points.
But!
Compared to her puppy, still lacking a lot.
Her puppy.
Smart, cute, motivated...
In short, full of virtues, maybe a bit picky eater but harmless, anyway the cutest and most excellent baby in the world.
To put it bluntly.
Wolf Mom felt Cynthia wasn't worthy of being her puppy's trainer yet.
So, Wolf Mom wouldn't persuade Will to go with Cynthia.
Even if she had a second of softness just now.
"Riolu!"
The girl's unwilling voice rang out from behind.
The puppy lying on Wolf Mom's back, feeling a bit depressed, pricked his ears and looked back.
He saw the girl shouting at him firmly:
"I won't give up!"
My birthday wish...
Is to hope Riolu can become my partner.
I won't give up.
Cynthia looked at the puppy with shining eyes; that figure was like a white moonlight to her!
Carmela and Lucario standing aside looked at each other, sighed in relief, and revealed knowing smiles.
Wolf Mom, with her back to Cynthia, raised the corner of her mouth slightly.
And Will just smiled and waved at her:
"I'll wait for you."
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