Chapter 83: Trainers Must Also Battle

Staring at the burly man before him, Zhao Fang swallowed hard. It was his first time encountering someone fierce enough to body-slam a Snorlax—this was downright inhuman. He wondered if even the legendary Ash, the so-called super rookie, could manage such a feat.

"Hey there, kid, you out traveling?" As Zhao Fang debated whether he should slip away quietly, the brawny man looked straight at him, baring a terrifying, menacing smile.

"Ah... um, sir, I'm here traveling as a Pokédex trainer. I'm about to head back to Kanaz City, then on to Dewford Town," Zhao Fang replied hastily, making sure to reveal his status as a Pokédex holder. If the man was trustworthy, there’d be no problem; if not, at least hearing he was a Pokédex holder would make any wrongdoer more cautious.

"Hey, no need to be so tense. I just bought a tip off the Pokédex network and came here to catch this Snorlax," the man said, reading Zhao Fang’s unease. He waved his hand dismissively, clearly unconcerned.

Zhao Fang relaxed a little, but then paused, remembering something: the man had said he bought the information and came specifically for this Snorlax. Watching the behemoth pinned under the man's weight, Zhao Fang recalled seeing a surfing Snorlax during his search for the tower. He had passed that information to Professor Birch, who then sold the tip to an interested trainer, transferring the earnings to Zhao Fang.

"A Snorlax that can surf?" Zhao Fang asked tentatively.

"Hmm... huh? How did you know?" The burly man looked at Zhao Fang in surprise—he'd bought the Snorlax tip directly from Professor Birch.

Hearing this, Zhao Fang was even more at ease. If Professor Birch had been the go-between, this man was likely no villain. So Zhao Fang explained how he’d discovered the Snorlax.

"Hahaha, so it was you, young man. What a coincidence... I heard you’re heading to Dewford Town? Planning to challenge the fighting-type gym there?" The man laughed heartily, releasing his grip and sitting atop the Snorlax, who lay panting and motionless.

Zhao Fang nodded. He did indeed plan to challenge the fighting gym; after all, what the League store offered depended on the number of badges a trainer held. If he earned his second badge, he’d gain access to better items.

"The fighting gym, huh... But with your build, it might actually be a little tough," the man said, stroking his chin in reminiscence before shaking his head at Zhao Fang.

Zhao Fang looked down at himself in confusion. He wasn’t particularly thin or overweight—just average, if a little lacking in muscle. But what did physique have to do with the fighting gym challenge?

"You haven’t heard about the fighting gym, have you? That place is all about climbing. Can you rock climb?" The man saw Zhao Fang’s confusion and grinned.

Zhao Fang's mouth twitched. This made no sense—the fighting gym in the games was pitch-dark, a maze navigated by feeling around, not climbing! He’d never climbed before, and worse, he was a little afraid of heights—he’d probably go weak-kneed at the first ledge.

"Youthful trainer, say, if the two of us were rival trainers meeting in the wild right now, would you have a better chance of winning, or would I?" As Zhao Fang mulled this over, the Snorlax recovered some strength, rolled over, and flung the man off, then threw a punch, its fist shimmering with a pale light.

"Watch out!" Zhao Fang shouted in alarm. He didn’t recognize the move, but Snorlax was definitely attacking—and the man was still talking!

"You're not built for battles in the wild, kid!" The man twisted his waist in a flash, landing a lightning-quick kick on Snorlax’s side, toppling the giant onto the ground.

Zhao Fang stared, dumbfounded. He was starting to suspect he’d stumbled upon a mythical beast in human form.

"This is what youth is all about!" The man clasped his hands behind his back, stretched his muscles, and grinned broadly.

...Zhao Fang began to wonder if he’d landed in the wrong world. But seeing the Snorlax lying motionless, he knew he was truly in the world of Pokémon.

"May I ask who you are?" Zhao Fang asked cautiously. Suddenly, he thought of someone—the fighting-type Elite Four, Bruno, from Johto.

"Me? I'm just a humble trainer. You can call me Fujiyama," the man said with a smile, extending his large hand. Zhao Fang quickly shook it; the man’s palm was huge.

But hearing the name Fujiyama, Zhao Fang remembered the Dewford Town fighting gym’s leader was called Brawly. Could there be a connection between the two?

"Want to keep fighting?" Fujiyama patted the Snorlax and asked calmly. Snorlax hurriedly shook its head. Its Power-Up Punch had just been countered, and it had no interest in tangling with this human Pokémon any longer.

Grinning, Fujiyama pulled out a Poké Ball and captured the Snorlax, then turned to Zhao Fang.

"Here’s a tip: if you want to challenge the Dewford gym, you’d best start working on those muscles," Mr. Fujiyama advised kindly. Zhao Fang nodded; even without the warning, he’d already planned to train himself.

He couldn’t hide forever under the League’s protection. Sooner or later, he’d clash with Team Magma and Team Aqua, and he refused to be the weak link—trainers had to be ready for battle too.

So Zhao Fang eagerly asked Mr. Fujiyama for training advice. The man didn’t hold anything back; he designed a simple regimen based on Zhao Fang’s age and current condition.

"If you really want to hone yourself, it’s best to seek out a fighting master and learn some martial arts," Fujiyama explained patiently.

"Could I be your student, Mr. Fujiyama?" Zhao Fang’s eyes lit up. The man’s skills were truly impressive.

"Me? I have my own matters to deal with. But I suggest you check out the fighting gym in Dewford," Fujiyama replied, shaking his head. He turned down Zhao Fang’s invitation to return to Kanaz City together and, with his Machamp, disappeared back into the woods.

Zhao Fang couldn’t help but wonder about Mr. Fujiyama’s true identity. He claimed to be just an ordinary trainer, but with strength like that, he was anything but.