Gladion noticed the smirk on Bruno's face and thought, "It seems he also wants a good battle. Well, who am I kidding? Every trainer wants to experience the thrill and rush of being in a Pokémon battle. I guess it is very addictive."
He glanced at Zeus. The Electivire stood tall, but he was holding his sides where Hitmontop's kicks had landed. Bruises were already forming under his yellow fur.
Gladion could see the slight wince every time Zeus shifted his weight. Still, Zeus's eyes burned with determination. He was not out yet.
'He should still be able to fight,' Gladion thought. 'And maybe even take down another of Bruno's Pokémon.'
Bruno stepped forward and spoke,"You are good. Very good. I can see that you have trained your Pokémon hard. Your Zeus took that blow from my Hitmontop and still stood. I commend you for that. But that does not mean anything because at the end of the day, I and my Pokémon will win this match. So do not think that you are going to win this battle easily."
He stared straight into Gladion's eyes. His words were not meant to insult. They were meant to challenge. Bruno lived for moments like this. He wanted opponents who pushed him and his team to their absolute limits.
Gladion chuckled at first. The sound was quiet. Then his laugh grew louder and more confident. It echoed through the stadium.
The crowd quieted a little to listen. Gladion had a maniac smile on his face. "The question is not if I can win. No. The question is how many Pokémon I will need to win. Because my win is guaranteed."
The stadium went silent for a heartbeat. Then the crowd exploded. Cheers shook the stands. Some people stood up and clapped. Others shouted Gladion's name.
Everyone knew that Gladion's declaration was not arrogance. It was pure confidence backed by everything he had shown the world in the past week.
Mega Evolution. Two legendaries. Surviving Moltres. Destroying a Team Rocket base. The people believed him. Because to them Gladion was special.
The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers. "Woahhh, folks! Gym Leader Gladion has made a surprising declaration! And we cannot even call it overconfidence because I have never seen Gym Leader Gladion lose since he entered the junior championship league, Ace battles, battles against a Champion, or even against a legendary Pokémon! This young trainer has a track record that speaks for itself. When Gladion says he will win, the whole region listens!"
The crowd roared even louder. Bruno's grin widened. He looked thrilled. "Is that so? Let us find out if you can back up your words."
He threw his next Poké Ball. Hitmonlee burst out. The tall Fighting-type stretched its long legs and cracked its knuckles. Its eyes locked on Zeus.
Gladion made his decision quickly. He did not want Hitmonlee to close the distance. He used the same first move that he used against Hitmontop. "Thunder!"
Zeus raised both arms. Electricity crackled wildly around his body. A massive bolt shot forward toward Hitmonlee.
Bruno reacted instantly. "Dodge and get close!"
Hitmonlee's legs blurred. He jumped high and sideways. The Thunder exploded where he had stood. Dirt flew up.
Gladion thought, 'Damn, those legs pack some serious speed.'
Hitmonlee landed right next to Zeus. Gladion saw the danger. "Protect!"
A green barrier formed around Zeus just in time.
Bruno shouted, "Blaze Kick!"
Hitmonlee's leg ignited with fire. He delivered a powerful kick. The Protect barrier flared but held. The fire licked around the shield.
Bruno did not stop. "Double Kick!"
Two more kicks struck the barrier in quick succession. Each hit made the shield flicker.
Gladion stayed calm. "Hold it, Zeus."
Bruno grinned. "High Jump Kick!"
Hitmonlee leapt high. His leg glowed with power. He came down like a missile.
Gladion smirked. "Drop Protect and use Iron Tail!"
The barrier vanished. Zeus's tails turned metallic. The High jump kick met only air where Protect barrier was supposed to be.
Iron Tail connected as Hitmonlee flew backward.
Gladion followed up without pause. "Give it another doze of Thunder!"
Zeus roared and unleashed a thick stream of yellow lightning. It struck Hitmonlee dead-on, electricity crackling over his body.
Smoke rose from the impact.
Yet Hitmonlee refused to fall. He pushed himself up, breathing hard, his body trembling from the damage.
Bruno clenched his fist. "Close Combat!"
Hitmonlee charged forward in a blur. He closed the distance and landed two heavy punches on Zeus's chest.
The Electivire grunted from the force.
"Low Sweep!" Bruno called next.
Hitmonlee dropped low and swept his leg in a wide arc.
It caught Zeus's feet perfectly, knocking the electric Pokemon off balance and sending him crashing to the ground.
"Brick Break!" Bruno finished the combo.
Hitmonlee's hands glowed with focused energy. He brought them down in two sharp chops directly into Zeus's gut as the Electivire tried to rise.
Zeus let out a pained cry and collapsed, eyes closing as he fainted.
The referee raised a flag. "Electivire is unable to battle! Hitmonlee wins this round!"
Gladion's expression stayed calm. He returned Zeus to his Poke Ball with a gentle motion. "You did well, Zeus. Rest now."
Then he selected his next Pokemon. "Arsenal, your turn!"
A massive roar filled the air as Magmortar materialized. The fiery cannon Pokemon flexed his arms. He looked ready to unleash destruction.
Bruno wasted no time. "Close Combat!"
Hitmonlee rushed in again, fists flying.
Gladion shouted, "Use Protect!"
A strong barrier appeared around Arsenal. Gladion thought to himself, 'All my Pokemon have trained with Protect to a very high degree. Even though the move is learned by a TM, this move is the primary defensive tool for most of my Pokemon. It would not be easy to break through it.'
Bruno shook his head with a knowing smile. "It would not work twice on me. Hitmonlee, you know what to do."
Hitmonlee nodded. He closed in fast. His fist glowed faintly with a different energy this time. It punched straight through the Protect barrier as if it were not even there.
The strike connected hard with Arsenal's chest.
Gladion's eyes widened slightly as he realized what happened.
"Axe Kick!" Bruno commanded.
Hitmonlee flipped and brought his leg down like an axe.
The blow struck Arsenal right on the neck, forcing his head and body to bend painfully from the impact.
"Mega Kick!"
Another powerful kick slammed into Arsenal's gut. The force launched the Magmortar upward into the air, his breath knocked out completely. He spun helplessly for a moment.
It all happened in a matter of two seconds. Gladion processed the sequence quickly. 'He definitely must have used the move Feint. It's an attack that hits a foe using Protect or Detect. It also lifts the effects of those moves.'
He pieced it together further. 'I had thought that since he did not use it against Zeus's Protect, he did not teach his Pokemon this move. But it seems that the guy was more of a brute than I thought. He did not use Feint because he thought that he could get through the Protect barrier easily through his Pokemon's sheer strength.'
Bruno watched Arsenal falling back toward the ground. "Double Kick when he lands," he told Hitmonlee, who was already charging forward, breathing heavily but still determined.
Gladion's voice cut through the tension. "Arsenal, play time is over. Flame Wheel!"
Magmortar curled into a blazing wheel of fire as he descended, flames roaring around him.
-----Author Notes------
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