"Well, since you're so eager to taste defeat, follow me to the backyard," Gary said.
For the sake of the mission reward, battling Orange was unavoidable.
"I won't lose," Orange snapped, bristling at Gary's arrogant tone. It was as if Gary had already decided the outcome. He followed immediately, determined to prove him wrong.
Gary was intimately familiar with the layout of Professor Oak's Laboratory. He led Orange to the temporary training field behind the main building.
Professor Oak and Yellow trailed behind them, curious to witness the first battle between two rookie Trainers.
Gary and Orange took their positions on opposite sides of the field.
"Then I will serve as the temporary referee," Professor Oak said, a hint of interest in his voice. Although the battle was low-level, it reminded him of his own early days. Seeing his grandson step onto the path of a Trainer filled him with a mix of nostalgia and pride.
"The upcoming Pokémon duel between Gary and Orange will be one-on-one," Professor Oak announced seriously. "Please send out your Pokémon simultaneously."
"Come out, Charmander!"
"I'll leave it to you, Squirtle."
Both Trainers threw their Poké Balls at the same time.
Two bursts of light materialized into Charmander and Squirtle.
As a Fire-type, Charmander was naturally aggressive. Despite having spent time together in the lab, the instinct to battle took over immediately. It forgot its previous camaraderie with Squirtle, flames flickering at the tip of its tail.
Squirtle, however, seemed upset by the sudden shift. It stared at its former partner and let out an impatient cry, as if scolding Charmander for forgetting their friendship so quickly.
"Both sides are ready," Professor Oak declared. "Battle begin!"
"Charmander, use Ember!" Orange commanded first.
As a rookie, Orange had done some basic research. He knew Charmander's starting moves.
Charmander opened its mouth and spat a cluster of hot sparks toward Squirtle.
"Withdraw," Gary ordered calmly.
Squirtle tucked its head and limbs into its shell instantly.
Ping!
The Ember sparks bounced harmlessly off the hard shell. In reality, battles weren't like video games—any attack could cause damage. But Orange's Charmander was too inexperienced. Its Ember lacked the heat to even warm Squirtle's defense.
"What?" Orange blinked, confused. He hadn't expected Squirtle to block so easily.
"Your Charmander's control over fire is too weak," Gary remarked, his voice carrying a hint of disappointment. "An Ember like that couldn't even boil water."
"You…" Orange flushed with anger. "Since Ember is useless, Charmander, get close and grab it!"
Charmander rushed forward, moving at a steady pace.
Gary watched confidently. When Charmander was within two meters, he gave the command.
"Now, Water Gun!"
Squirtle popped its head out of the shell and fired a concentrated stream of water.
Hiss!
The Water Gun struck Charmander directly in the face. The Pokémon howled as steam erupted from its scales, like a hot iron block doused in cold water. Its condition plummeted instantly.
"It's still standing…" Gary noted.
"Squirtle, use Tackle. Finish it."
Squirtle surged forward. While Charmander was still shaking off the water, Squirtle slammed its body into the lizard Pokémon, knocking it off its feet.
Thud.
Charmander fell. Its eyes spun in circles.
"Charmander is unable to battle," Professor Oak announced. "Squirtle wins!"
"What! I… lost?" Orange couldn't accept it. Losing his very first battle as a Trainer was a massive blow.
In the original timeline, Orange would eventually earn two or three badges before giving up. He was the type of person who crumbled when faced with setbacks. Judging by the difficulty of the Pewter and Cerulean Gyms, he was still firmly at the rookie stage.
In other words, Orange was destined to quit almost immediately.
"Don't be too upset," Gary said, crossing his arms. "After all, the person who defeated you is the future Pokémon Master."
"You… just wait!" Orange clenched his fists, furious at Gary's words. "I'll surpass you sooner or later!"
"Don't say irrelevant things. Take Charmander to the Laboratory for treatment quickly," Gary urged, his tone shifting from arrogant to practical.
Without another word, Orange returned Charmander to its Poké Ball and hurried back inside.
Yellow didn't linger either. She bowed politely to Professor Oak and set off on her journey.
Gary didn't rush to leave. He walked to the lounge in the Laboratory and closed the door.
"System, what's in the deluxe gift package?"
He had been curious about the contents since receiving Squirtle. Now, finally, he had time.
[Host only needs to silently command: Open Deluxe Gift Package.]
"Open Deluxe Gift Package."
[Ding! Obtained: Eye of Insight]
(Can view the basic data of wild Pokémon. Can view detailed attributes of your own Pokémon.)
[Ding! Obtained: Bronze Crown ×1]
(For Pokémon below Elite Potential: Potential Level +1)
[Ding! Obtained: Silver Crown ×1]
(For Pokémon below Champion Potential: Potential Level +1)
[Ding! Obtained: Low-level Rare Candy ×10]
A holographic interface flickered before Gary's eyes.
"Will outsiders be able to see this?" Gary asked quietly.
[Host, rest assured. Everything in the System interface is visible only to you.]
"That's good…" Gary exhaled. He had almost scared himself. He didn't want the existence of the System to be exposed.
"The rewards are acceptable."
The items were standard, but the Crowns were a nice touch. They could enhance a Pokémon's potential ceiling—a invaluable resource.
"Let's take a look at Squirtle's data."
Gary was eager to see exactly what kind of partner he had secured. He picked up Squirtle's Poké Ball and focused.
[Pokémon: Squirtle]
[Type: Water]
[Level: 8]
[Potential: Elite-tier]
[Ability: Torrent]
(When physical strength decreases, the power of Water-type moves increases by 1.5 times.)
[Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Water Gun, Withdraw]
[Friendship: 156] (Maximum Value: 255)
"Sure enough," Gary murmured.
He had been right. The Squirtle he chose had great potential—Elite-level was excellent for a starter.
The Ability was also ideal. Fortunately, it wasn't Rain Dish. Currently, the only Pokémon that truly benefited from Rain Dish was Ludicolo.
While Blastoise could Mega Evolve later—making the Ability less critical in the late game—in the early stages, Torrent was far superior. It offered more advantages in battle and was more convenient for training.