Steelix's body gleamed with a chilling metallic sheen. Its iron-plated frame was covered in scars from past battles, each one a testament to its brutal experience and strength.
Standing across from it, the much smaller Jolteon looked almost helpless in comparison.
At that moment, Jolteon stared at the towering Steelix and couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear.
'Battles are scary… It's way more fun playing hide-and-seek with Vaporeon and Flareon back at home…'
But then Jolteon thought of Naoki, his Trainer. Naoki needed him. How could he run away now and enjoy a peaceful life while Naoki fought alone?
'For Naoki… I'll fight!'
The referee's whistle echoed across the square, and the Gym battle officially began.
"Steelix, use Dig!" shouted Renzo.
Despite having the type advantage, Renzo didn't underestimate Naoki. Instead, he chose to begin with a cautious tactic.
The command was given, and the massive Steelix suddenly moved with surprising agility. It slammed its head into the ground and burrowed beneath the battlefield like a drill, vanishing below the surface in moments.
A ripple surged through the battlefield as Steelix tunneled beneath, rapidly closing in on Jolteon's location.
Naoki clenched his jaw. "This is a problem…"
Jolteon, pampered and lazy on most days, hadn't undergone much special training. While it had consumed a Thunder Bun, giving it unusually strong Electric-type energy, its overall skillset was lacking.
"Fine. Jolteon's just here to make up the numbers," Naoki thought. "Let's see how far we can go."
Keeping a neutral expression, he calmly ordered, "Jolteon, use Agility!"
"Bu-yi!"
Jolteon sprang to life and began dashing across the battlefield at high speed, kicking up clouds of dust as it ran in circles.
Steelix pursued from underground, following Jolteon's movements.
Without warning, Steelix erupted from the ground with violent force, smashing into Jolteon mid-sprint. The impact launched Jolteon skyward. It spiraled down and hit the ground hard, unconscious, with swirly eyes and a faint groan.
Naoki sighed. "As expected…"
If it had been Pikachu, he could've countered Steelix underground with Iron Tail.
"Jolteon is unable to battle! The winner of this round is Renzo!" declared the referee.
Then, turning to the challenger: "Would you like to switch Pokémon?"
Renzo shook his head. "No need."
"You came prepared," Naoki said, recalling Jolteon into its Poké Ball. "But don't expect the rest to be so easy."
He reached for another ball.
Renzo swallowed hard. 'Was it time? Was Naoki going to send out that terrifying Zapdos?'
With a burst of white light, the next Pokémon appeared… but it wasn't Zapdos.
It was Pikachu.
Renzo exhaled in relief. 'Thank Arceus.'
"Steelix, use Dig again!" he called out confidently.
Steelix, still energized, slammed back into the ground and began burrowing rapidly beneath the surface, headed straight for Pikachu.
"Pikachu, stay alert!" Naoki warned.
"Pika-pi!"
Pikachu narrowed its eyes, scanning the battlefield for tremors and bulges in the terrain. Steelix's enormous frame couldn't hide even when underground—its movements left telltale ridges and cracks in the earth.
Naoki waited for the exact moment when Steelix was about to burst from the ground.
"Now! Jump and use Iron Tail!"
The command hit like lightning. Pikachu instinctively leapt into the air just as Steelix broke through the surface.
In midair, Pikachu's tail lit up with a hard, metallic glow. With a graceful spin, it slammed its glowing Iron Tail down squarely on Steelix's cranium.
The blow sent shockwaves across the field and knocked Steelix's huge body back, crashing it to the ground.
"Did he just counter Dig?!" Renzo narrowed his eyes and swiftly switched tactics. "Steelix, use Bind!"
Steelix's massive body lunged again, positioning Pikachu directly between its coils. Like a snake hunting its prey, the iron serpent twisted, and in an instant, its heavy steel body wrapped tightly around Pikachu.
"Pika!" Pikachu cried out, struggling as its tiny paws pressed against the cold metal plates. It squirmed and kicked, but Steelix's grip was like a vice. No matter how hard Pikachu tried, it couldn't break free.
Desperate, Pikachu let loose a surge of electricity, lightning crackling across Steelix's armor. But the energy harmlessly dispersed—conducted straight into the ground through Steelix's Ground typing.
Electric attacks: completely ineffective.
"Pikachu, act cute! Use Baby-Doll Eyes!" Naoki called out, seeing no other option but to gamble on distracting Steelix emotionally.
Pikachu's eyes sparkled, its ears drooping as it gave the most pitiful, wobbly expression it could muster.
But Renzo reacted instantly. "Don't fall for it! Steelix, use Sand Tomb! End this now!"
Steelix snapped back to focus, shaking its head free from the brief daze.
The ground trembled. A swirling storm of yellow sand erupted from beneath, encircling the two Pokémon in a fierce vortex. The battlefield was swallowed in a spinning prison of sand, cutting off Naoki's vision.
"Pikachu!" Naoki shouted, trying to peer through the dust storm, his heart racing.
The vortex raged for nearly three full minutes. Then, slowly, the swirling sands began to settle.
Steelix rose out of the quicksand trap, towering and triumphant.
Pikachu lay collapsed nearby, its fur matted with sand, clearly unable to continue.
"Pikachu is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "This round goes to Renzo!"
Naoki closed his eyes, nodded quietly, and recalled Pikachu into its Poké Ball. "You did great, buddy. Get some rest."
He reached for his final Poké Ball.
"Looks like you've pushed me to the edge," he said, a spark of intensity in his voice.
Renzo inhaled deeply. 'Was it time? Was Naoki about to send it out?'
A flash of white light exploded onto the field, and there it was.
Zapdos.
The legendary bird of thunder flapped its mighty wings, unleashing a surge of lightning that briefly illuminated the cloudy sky overhead. Its piercing gaze swept the battlefield.
The live stream chat instantly went wild.
[It's him again!! The legendary Zapdos! I never imagined a Gym Leader would actually own a Legendary Pokémon…]
[Sure, it's powerful, but Zapdos is Electric/Flying. Against a Ground/Steel type like Steelix, it's at a disadvantage. Electric moves won't work!]
[Is this Naoki's ace? His final trump card?]
[Ace? You must be new here. Zapdos is just the tip of the iceberg! You haven't seen anything yet!]
Among the spectators, a few trainers who had suffered crushing defeats during Naoki's Trial back at Tree House Ranch quickly began chiming in, posting warnings and battle lore in the chat.
The comment feed exploded with astonishment:
[You've never seen the terrifying Gogoats. They can summon a massive Grassy Terrain in an instant, and somehow it only benefits the Gogoats!]
[Don't forget Dragonite! It can whip up a storm at will. Honestly, Naoki's way more experienced with Grass- and Dragon-types than Electric-types. Just look at the difference in strength between Jolteon, Pikachu, and Zapdos. That team he's using today feels totally improvised.]
[I bet his remaining three Pokémon are even scarier. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a Pawmot that fights like a Tinkaton, smashing opponents with hammer-like punches!]
These comments shocked spectators and netizens across different regions.
"Wait… Zapdos isn't his strongest Pokémon?"
This was the Legendary Pokémon Zapdos, after all! Normally, it would be any trainer's trump card, brought out only in the most dire moments. But here? Naoki sent it out as his third Pokémon—implying there were even stronger ones waiting behind it?
People were stunned.
"Why is someone this powerful serving as a Gym Leader?"
The comment feed quickly answered that too:
"Rumor has it the original Gym Leader is on maternity leave, and her husband Naoki is filling in temporarily."
"Well, lucky for the challengers of the Levincia Gym then!"
In truth, those guesses weren't far off. Naoki chose Zapdos as his third Pokémon for a reason. Raikou, freshly added to his team, had unpredictable power, likely on par with Zapdos. Then there was Pawmot. And finally, Jirachi.
Though Jirachi looked cute and harmless, it housed immense comet energy in its body. Originally meant to nourish the lands of Paldea like the leaves of the World Tree, it now retained that energy entirely for battle. If it unleashed its full power, Naoki figured it could rival the blast of a small meteorite.
...
Bonus Chapter