Pokemon: The Legendary Trainer

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Sato naturally wasn't aware of the rewards for defending the challenge, and even if he were, he would only give a helpless smile. 

The time remaining to complete the task "Sophia's Request" was running out, leaving no room for distractions like the LaRousse City Junior Cup tournament.

Right now, his sole focus was figuring out how to defeat the troublesome Graveler in front of him. 

According to the data scanned by his system, this Graveler had outstanding potential, with an individual value of 145, making it a Pokémon with rare purple-tier IV ratings.

Graveler evolves from Geodude at level 25. Despite Geodude being a common Pokémon, its evolved form, Graveler, boasts impressive combat abilities. 

Notably, its ability to thrive on a diet of rocks and its potential to evolve further via trade make Geodude and its evolutionary forms popular among trainers, especially those with limited resources.

For trainers who own Rock-type Pokémon, it's highly likely that their choice is Geodude or one of its evolutions.

As a Rock/Ground-type Pokémon, Graveler holds a significant advantage against Fire-types. 

Its classic strategy involves using Defense Curl to boost its defense and make its body smoother, followed by its signature move, Rollout, to charge at its opponents.

Ignoring Growlithe's initial probing attack of Ember, Graveler followed its trainer's instructions, using Defense Curl to bolster its defense and enhance its rolling momentum. 

It then unleashed Rollout against Growlithe.

The Defense Curl not only increased Graveler's rolling speed but also doubled the power of Rollout. Typically, this combination is enough to incapacitate most Fire-type Pokémon upon impact.

However, Graveler's initial rolling speed wasn't fast enough to threaten Growlithe, who skillfully dodged with a slight leftward shift and countered with a Fire Spin, a move it had recently mastered through rigorous practice.

Unfortunately, Graveler, currently in its rolling state, was like a heat-resistant bulldozer, breaking through the Fire Spin with brute force.

Rollout is a move that gains momentum and power the longer it's used, reaching a maximum power of 480. When combined with Defense Curl, its power can soar to a staggering 960.

This move has become synonymous with the Geodude line, enabling them to overcome even Water-types in certain scenarios. 

For example, in the animated series, Brock's Graveler used Rollout to counter Starmie's Water Gun and claim victory.

Every Geodude aspires to become a master "driver" of Rollout. 

Being able to turn sharply or maneuver during the move is a core skill, while using terrain to execute advanced techniques is the ultimate goal.

The Graveler facing Growlithe was already a seasoned "Rollout driver," thanks to its exceptional aptitude and excellent training. 

It had overcome the two major hurdles of mastering Rollout: dizziness from spinning and the inability to sense ground vibrations.

After breaking through Growlithe's first Fire Spin, Graveler executed a sharp turn and charged again, relying on the vibrations from Growlithe's movements to locate its target.

In reality, Graveler wouldn't stop its Rollout unless it chose to or was interrupted by an external force. 

Its second Rollout was even more intimidating, with increased speed and power. If the first attack was akin to a motorcycle, this one was a car in full throttle.

At this point, a direct hit would surely knock out Growlithe. The second Rollout, enhanced by Defense Curl, had a power of 120—enough to deliver a decisive blow.

However, while Graveler's speed increased, so did Growlithe's physical capabilities. From the start, Growlithe's body had been engulfed in the flames of Flame Charge, which temporarily enhanced its agility.

Another swift sidestep allowed Growlithe to evade Graveler's second assault. It followed up with another Fire Spin, which was once again dispersed by Graveler's relentless rolling.

For Growlithe, this battle was like walking a tightrope. Every subsequent Rollout from Graveler carried the potential to knock it out instantly. 

By the fifth attack, Graveler's speed resembled that of a high-speed train, leaving it unable to stop. Its momentum had overridden any control over braking.

"Run, Growlithe, and leap over that thing you hate the most!" Sato finally broke his silence, issuing a crucial command.

Growlithe hesitated briefly, its eyes showing confusion before clearing. 

It turned and sprinted toward a small puddle, a remnant of the earlier battle with Sato's shiny Wingull. Leaping gracefully, it cleared the water.

Throughout the battle, Sato had been observing Graveler, puzzled as to how it pinpointed Growlithe's location while rolling. 

After analyzing several dodges, he discovered Graveler's reliance on vibrations in the ground from Growlithe's movements. This revelation provided the key to countering it: the puddle.

Sure enough, as Growlithe ran, Graveler adjusted its rolling trajectory to follow the vibrations. By the time its trainer realized Sato's intent and shouted a warning, it was too late. 

With a resounding "splash," Graveler rolled straight into the puddle.

As a Rock/Ground-type, Graveler detested water more than anything. To it, water felt like scalding oil. It let out a pained screech as it splashed through the puddle.

Although it managed to roll out of the water thanks to its momentum, its speed had noticeably decreased. The now-soaked Graveler was visibly distressed, rolling on dry ground in an attempt to rid itself of the water.

Sato and Growlithe seized the opportunity. Under Sato's command, Growlithe used Reversal, a Fighting-type move, to knock Graveler back into the puddle.

It followed up with a Fire Spin, creating a steaming hot bath for Graveler, who could only suffer helplessly in its watery torment.

Taking advantage of every little opportunity one gets, and having a proper situational awareness was also an essential quality of a good trainer. 

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Bonus Chapter is scheduled for tomorrow.