Chapter 45: Elesa’s Humiliation

On the field, the "Nidoking" wore a mockingly human smirk. It began to condense a dark, swirling mass of Dark-type energy, vastly boosting its Special Attack in an instant. Elesa, meanwhile, remained frozen in disbelief.

That Nidoking had actually successfully used Nasty Plot!

It was impossible. Nidoking was simply not a species capable of learning a Dark-type move like Nasty Plot!

"Could that Nidoking be..."

As a Gym Leader from the Unova region, Elesa was intimately familiar with the Pokémon of her homeland. In that moment, she finally sensed something was wrong.

But it was already too late.

Zorua's Nasty Plot had been successfully executed!

"No more need for disguises. Use Agility, then circle Zebstrika to find an opening," N commanded.

At his word, the Nidoking on the field flickered and dissolved into a small, lithe fox with grayish-black fur and a crimson mane. Its wide, toothy grin seemed to mock everything in its sight.

This was the first time N had formally utilized Zorua's Illusion ability in a battle against another Trainer. Clearly, Elesa had become its first victim. By refraining from using any Electric-type moves earlier, she had been completely played for a fool.

"So it really was a Zorua... This time, I'm the one who's been left dizzy and dazed."

A wry smile flickered across Elesa's face. How could she, a Unova Gym Leader, not recognize the region's famous "Tricky Fox" Pokémon?

However, this was the Japan region. Even in Unova, Zorua were incredibly rare; why would one appear here? Consequently, she hadn't even considered the possibility and had paid a heavy price for her oversight.

"But this means my Electric moves are finally unlocked! Zebstrika, use Shock Wave!"

Zzzzt—!

Beams of electricity twisted and zipped through the air like hornets, striking Zorua with pinpoint precision. Shock Wave was a move guaranteed to hit its mark. Having finally landed a blow, Elesa felt a surge of her trademark confidence return.

"Now! Knock it back with Wild Charge!!"

"Evade it directly."

Despite being hit by the Shock Wave, Zorua reacted with blinding speed. It vanished from its spot in a blur. Zebstrika, clad in a crackling coat of golden electricity, slammed into nothing but thin air.

"Too fast... Is it because of that Agility from before?"

Elesa felt the situation becoming incredibly difficult. Even though Shock Wave had caught Zorua off guard, the damage dealt was far too low. Relying on Zebstrika's raw speed to catch that fox was proving to be a nightmare.

Having set up both Agility and Nasty Plot, Zorua's Speed and Special Attack had reached terrifying levels. At this stage, even a quasi Elite Four-level powerhouse would have to tread carefully, let alone a Mid Alpha like Elesa's Zebstrika. In terms of pure speed, Zebstrika couldn't keep up.

"If we can't match its speed, we'll attack the entire area! Zebstrika, use Discharge!"

Finally able to unleash its Electric-type power, Zebstrika let out a frustrated roar. Golden lightning erupted from its body, snaking across the battlefield like crackling pythons.

Yet, to Elesa's shock, even this wide-range, indiscriminate attack failed to touch Zorua! Relying on its boosted Agility, the fox dodged between the lightning bolts with preternatural grace, positioning itself for a lethal strike from a blind spot.

"Shadow Ball!"

"It's behind you! Zebstrika, dodge!"

Elesa tried desperately to salvage the situation, but the boosted Zorua was a blur that the naked eye could barely track. In a flash, a sphere of cursed energy was unleashed. Zebstrika, unable to react in time, took the hit directly!

BOOM!

The Shadow Ball exploded against Zebstrika's flank. Its body was tossed aside like a small boat capsizing in a storm. Battered by the previous strikes and this final explosive blow, Zebstrika fell to the deck, incapacitated.

The battle had ended in just a few exchanges. As the crowd began to murmur, Elesa felt a sharp throb in her temples.

The onlookers didn't necessarily know what kind of Pokémon a Zorua was; they only saw that Elesa had been soundly defeated. For a Gym Leader to be beaten so decisively in public... how was she supposed to face her fans with a smile now?

It was utterly humiliating.

Though her composure was cracking, Elesa took a slow, deep breath to steady her emotions. She adjusted her mindset, forcing a charming, "shining" smile back onto her face, though her eyes held a mix of resentment and genuine admiration as she looked at N.

"I lost quite badly. As promised, this Soothe Bell is yours."

"It was mostly luck," N replied modestly. "If Miss Elesa had been serious from the start, I likely wouldn't have been a match for you. Thank you for the guidance."

Luck?

Hearing his humble words, Elesa wanted to hide her face in her hands.

If that was luck, then what did that make her, a Gym Leader who had just been dismantled by a "lucky" opponent? Zebstrika wasn't her absolute strongest ace, but it was a core member of her second-string team and a regular in Gym matches. She had given that fight everything she had.

With a stiff expression, she handed the Soothe Bell to N. She was about to offer her hand for a formal handshake, but N simply gave a polite nod of thanks and turned to leave with a smile.

This sent Elesa's ego into a total tailspin.

Seriously? She considered herself a world-class beauty! Shouldn't her mature charm be devastatingly effective against a boy his age? Instead, he had just smiled casually and walked away without a second thought.

For a moment, Elesa actually questioned her own attractiveness, feeling both helpless and dejected. Most of all, she remembered her own smug words at the start, "Don't underestimate me", only to be tricked and toyed with until she was dizzy. Her face burned with the sting of the irony.