Divine Plan? But I'm a Pokémon trainer.

Chapter 457 Chikorita: Gengar, not bad!
Grass-type Pokémon are not afraid of Ghost-type Pokémon, but if the opponent has Poison, Fire, or Ice types, that's a different story.

Due to certain well-known reasons, Ghost-type Pokémon in the Kanto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh regions mostly have a secondary type that is super effective against Grass-type, causing trainers who choose Grass-type starter Pokémon to suffer greatly.

But Chikorita wields its "Vine Whip" to blow away the haze with a strong wind. Today, it wants to prove itself and show that the Grass-type starter Pokémon can also defeat Gengar!
However, having witnessed how powerful Chikorita's Sunny Day Swords Dance was (which wasn't actually that powerful), Matsuba had learned her lesson and wouldn't let Gengar, a fragile character, fight Chikorita head-on.

"Gengar, 'curse' it."

It started in sudden death mode right from the start!?

Following instructions, Gengar sacrificed its own strength, using Ghost-type energy to "curse" its opponent's Chikorita.

Although "curse" is a status quo, it is not an "abnormal status quo", so it cannot be blocked by the "leaf defense" of the chrysanthemum leaf under sunny weather.

As a result, Chikorita was cursed on the spot, and her strength was constantly being lost due to the ghostly energy attached to her body.

Even though the "grassy grounds" around it had not yet rotted due to Gengar's poison gas, it could not offset the loss of stamina caused by the "curse".

Left with no other choice, it had to "take root" downwards, sacrificing its ability to move to alleviate the pain caused by the "curse."

Even so, it only halves the effect of the "curse," and Chikorita still has a time limit in this battle.

but……

"I've been fooled."

Seeing the chrysanthemum leaves "rooted" in the ground, the pine needles revealed a sly smile.

Many trainers make the wrong decisions when faced with chronic stamina loss, even Link, the champion... wait, he doesn't seem to have given any commands since the start of the battle.

Pine Leaf had no time to analyze whether the opponent had a special ability to communicate with Pokémon or was simply too lazy to command them. He immediately ordered Gengar to use the killing move he had calculated.

"Gengar, Fire Punch!"

Let his Gengar take advantage of the "Sunny Day" brought about by Chikorita.

While Chikorita was unable to move due to "rooting," Gengar launched its two fists out like rocket punches!

This move, "Fire Punch," is not a physical attack, but a special move that transforms energy into an impact, making full use of Gengar's top-tier special attack.

As the fiery fist left its body, its size and scale continued to expand, eventually transforming into a giant fist three to five times larger than a chrysanthemum leaf!

With nowhere to hide, the "vine whip" could not possibly defeat this level of "flame fist," and even cutting it off would be useless, as it could continue to attack under the influence of spiritual power.

Because of "Rooted," Link can't even switch Pokémon; he can only let Chikorita beat him until he loses his ability to battle.

The outcome is decided!

not at all.

Faced with the two incoming "flame punches," the leaves shining above Chikorita's head finally stopped absorbing sunlight.

"Jike!"

The power of the sun transformed into a cannonball. The "Solar Beam," which is closer to the Fire type than the Grass type, engulfed the Flame Fist and surged toward the Gengar behind it!

Unfortunately, Gengar's reaction was extremely fast, and since ghosts are not bound by "gravity," it immediately took cover and moved around the field, avoiding its opponent's beam cannon.

The attack released by the high-intensity spiritual power failed to destroy its "Flame Fist". A moment later, two fiery flying fists broke through the light cannon and rushed towards the still chrysanthemum leaf.

But in the end, the latter erected a "Reflector," barely managing to block the attack weakened by the "Sunbeam." Even after Link's training, Chikorita only qualified to compete with her opponents; a slight misstep could render her unable to fight due to a mismatch.

It's really difficult to battle against a Gengar with high attack and high speed...

Just as it was struggling to block the attack, Gengar, which had merged into its shadow, arrived below it and launched an attack along the roots where Chikorita had planted.

"Sludge bomb."

Having undergone rigorous training since childhood, Pine Leaf is already very skilled at commanding Gengar to launch attacks from underground.

The poisonous energy spreads upwards from the roots where the chicory leaves are planted, transforming into a deadly attack.

Pine Leaf was certain that Chikorita would have no chance of blocking Gengar's fatal blow this time!

"Root" prevents Grass-type Pokémon from moving.

On the other hand, the small size of the chrysanthemum leaves means they have a small rooting area, making it easier for them to sever their connection with the earth.

As for the specific methods...

Faced with an attack that could instantly render him unable to fight, the words his trainer had spoken before the battle flashed through his mind.

"Ghost-type Pokémon are good at sneaking into shadows and often launch attacks from underground, but you should use that against them."

"The moment the enemy is certain of their victory is often the moment they reveal a weakness. This is your only chance, and at that moment you should..."

Having anticipated this, Chikorita used a "Stand" instead of her own physical strength. Instead, she used the remaining life force of "Green Field" and the life force that "Roots" drew from the ground to create a Stand equal to herself.

Meanwhile, the chrysanthemum leaf itself severed its connection with the earth, using its "vine whip" to rise into the air.

Without the nourishment of "green ground" and "roots", the erosion of the "curse" caused Chicory leaves great pain.

The "photosynthesis" used to take advantage of the opportunity to defeat the opponent cannot fully restore the injuries, and Chicory's life is now in grave danger.

The Gengar below was unaware of Chikorita's actions, and used "Sludge Bomb" as usual, destroying the Substitute in the blink of an eye.

Something felt off; it didn't feel like I hit the chrysanthemum leaf itself...

It's too late to realize this now.

At the same time, all the seeds on the neck of the chrysanthemum leaf sprouted vines, which all lashed out downwards like "vine whips".

Gengar remained hidden underground, and these attacks clearly couldn't cause it any damage.

However, the moment several "vine whips" enhanced by "sword dance" landed on the ground, they triggered a rather violent "earthquake"!
The move that can theoretically only be mastered after evolving into Meganium was indirectly used during Chikorita's stage.

The powerful "earthquake" caused violent tremors beneath the battlefield, and Gengar, with nowhere to escape, was immediately severely injured, suffering damage several times greater than that of a normal Pokémon.

Its Special Attack and Speed ​​far exceed those of ordinary Pokémon, but at the cost of its bulk that is not much better than Chikorita.

The situation was reversed, and even Songye, who had the ability to see a thousand miles, did not expect what would happen next.

Gengar, having exhausted a great deal of stamina due to the "curse," instantly lost its ability to battle due to Chikorita's "earthquake."

(End of this chapter)