"Noibat, use Defog to clear away the thick smoke!"
[Defog]: Uses strong wind to blow away the opponent's barriers like Reflect and Light Screen. It also lowers the opponent's accuracy.
Faced with the billowing smoke, Jacob chose to have Noibat use Defog to clear the Smokescreen released by Charmander.
Speaking of this, it's worth noting that the Smokescreen move differs slightly between games and reality. In the games, Smokescreen sprays smoke or ink at the opponent, reducing their accuracy.
In reality, Smokescreen functions similarly but with key differences. It still involves spraying black smoke or ink to obscure the enemy's vision, but the smoke can be blown away. It's more of a field-altering move rather than the one-time accuracy reduction seen in the games that can't be reversed.
As for Defog, in the games it clears Reflect, Light Screen, Mist, Aurora Veil, Safeguard, and similar barrier moves, making it a highly versatile support move. In reality, Defog can naturally clear away moves like Smokescreen as well.
Hearing Jacob's command, Noibat flapped its wings vigorously, immediately generating powerful gusts of wind. Soon, the smoke gradually dissipated, revealing Charmander's figure.
"Ember!" This was Kyle's first time seeing Noibat use Defog. He hadn't expected Jacob's Noibat to know this move, which was unfortunate for the secret weapon he had prepared. However, he reacted quickly and immediately had Charmander use the last remaining cover of the Smokescreen to launch another Ember attack to weaken Noibat's health.
"Noibat, Roost!"
At this moment, the advantage of Noibat having a recovery move became apparent. It could use Roost to restore health, essentially providing additional endurance. The damage from Charmander's two previous Ember attacks was effectively negated.
Kyle seemed a bit exasperated. He hadn't expected Jacob to counter his secret weapon so easily, and he was all too familiar with what would happen next.
Noibat would use Roost to restore its health, then use Supersonic to confuse Charmander, and begin methodically wearing Charmander down.
There wasn't much to be done. Both Charmander and Noibat were still ordinary-level battlers with limited strength and movesets. Neither had many tactical options remaining.
The situation that followed played out exactly as usual. Noibat used Roost to recover its health, then used Supersonic to confuse Charmander, and began to systematically wear it down, eventually exhausting it completely.
Kyle watched the familiar scene unfold, his eyes reddening with frustration. He looked at Jacob through gritted teeth and declared, "When my Charmander evolves into Charizard, I'll definitely get my revenge on your Noibat. I swear my Charizard will absolutely crush your Noibat!"
"Hahaha, Kyle, bring it on! I'm looking forward to that day," Jacob laughed. He wondered if Kyle had been practicing trash talk. His level of determination was beyond imagination, and he'd make bold declarations after every loss.
Of course, teasing Kyle daily and listening to his dramatic vows was also quite entertaining. It turned out one's happiness could indeed be built on another's frustration.
"But Jacob, the Smokescreen was just my minor secret weapon," Kyle quickly recovered and displayed a confident smile again. "I'm still going to win today. Let me show you the real secret weapon I've prepared. Come on out, Lycanroc!"
At Kyle's command, a Lycanroc appeared—and remarkably, it was in its rarest form: Dusk Form.
Depending on when it evolves, Lycanroc can take three evolutionary forms: Midday Form, Midnight Form, and the extremely rare Dusk Form.
The Midday Form of Lycanroc has light brown fur and light blue eyes, characterized by four sharp stones protruding from its neck. Midday Lycanroc is calm and loyal, the fastest of the three forms, and will resolutely obey its trainer's commands. It's the easiest form to train and consequently the most popular among new trainers.
When Rockruff evolves while absorbing significant lunar energy, it transforms into the Midnight Form. This version of Lycanroc has red fur and blood-red eyes. Unlike the Midday Form, Midnight Lycanroc walks on two legs and lacks the long stone mane, instead having rocks at the base and end of its head mane. Midnight Lycanroc has a very rough temperament and enjoys challenging strong opponents. The stronger the opponent, the more it arouses its fighting spirit, making it more excited and passionate.
In its Midnight Form, Lycanroc will attack at all costs to win, even if it means injuring itself, as long as it defeats the opponent. It's reckless and solitary, avoiding pack behavior. It shows disdain and contempt for trainers who try to force it to obey commands it finds unacceptable. However, it places deep trust in trainers who can guide it to unleash its full potential. The Midnight Form possesses the highest physical attack power of the three forms.
The Dusk Form Lycanroc evolves specifically when Rockruff bathes in the sunset's glow during evolution. It's exceedingly rare and reportedly the most challenging to raise. The Dusk Form shares similarities with both other forms in appearance and abilities. It has four neck stones like the Midday Form and unique green eyes, while its head mane resembles that of the Midnight Form. It also possesses distinctive characteristics different from both forms, such as orange-yellow fur. Dusk Form is calm yet fierce, never panicking over minor issues and always maintaining composure. Although typically quiet and reserved, when battle intensifies, it eagerly engages in extremely close-range combat or counterattacks with powerful moves like Counter, ruthlessly forcing opponents into desperate situations. Its eyes are normally green but turn red like the Midnight Form when attacking. While it loyally follows its trusted trainer's instructions similar to the Midday Form, it possesses the strong fighting spirit of the Midnight Form. With its balanced temperament combining calmness and ferocity, it's challenging to train, but it rewards patient trainers with exceptional battle prowess and loyalty. This form of Lycanroc boasts the most balanced stat distribution.
Although game descriptions suggest the Dusk Form is the rarest and the Midday Form is most popular due to its superior speed (allowing it to attack first), reality differs significantly. In the real world, there's no question that the Dusk Form, which combines advantages from both other forms, is the most coveted. Midday Form remains popular among novice trainers for its obedience, Midnight Form appeals to intermediate trainers seeking raw power, but the Dusk Form is highly prized by trainers of all skill levels for its versatility and balanced strengths.