"Kami!!"
Blastoise lowered its stance, its massive weight settling firmly into the rain-soaked battlefield. Water splashed outward beneath its feet as it anchored itself like an immovable fortress.
The twin cannons on its back roared to life.
Pressure built instantly.
Then—
Rapid fire.
Compressed spheres of water shot forward in a relentless barrage.
Each projectile was launched with such speed that the air itself distorted around them. What should have been clean spheres stretched into elongated streaks, like comets tearing through the rain.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The incoming Stone Edge projectiles shattered one after another.
Every collision erupted into violent bursts of water and pulverized rock, sending fragments scattering across the battlefield.
Mist rose.
Rain splashed.
Debris filled the air.
A chaotic curtain formed—obscuring vision and turning the battlefield into a shifting haze of water and shattered stone.
Through that curtain—
Several water shots slipped through.
Unseen.
Unblocked.
They struck Rampardos directly.
BOOM!
"RAAARGH!"
Rampardos grunted, its body jerking under the impact.
But it didn't retreat.
It didn't hesitate.
Its short, powerful claws ignited suddenly—
Draconic energy surged outward, forming sharp, glowing Dragon Claws along its forearms.
With a ferocious roar—
Slash! Slash!
Rampardos tore through the remaining water spheres, shredding them apart midair with brute force.
Each swing sent droplets scattering like shattered glass.
Palmer's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Close in—use Double Team!"
"ROOOAR!"
Rampardos surged forward.
As it ran—
Its body split.
One.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
Multiple afterimages scattered across the battlefield, each one identical, each one charging from a different angle.
In an instant—
The field was filled with Rampardos.
The illusion was overwhelming.
The crowd gasped collectively.
"Which one is real?!"
"That's impossible to track!"
"They're everywhere!"
But Gary didn't react.
Not even slightly.
Because he already knew—
Against Blastoise, this tactic was meaningless.
"Blastoise," Gary said calmly, "use Aura Sphere."
"Kami!"
Blastoise's cannons glowed with deep blue light.
Two perfectly formed spheres of Fighting-type energy materialized instantly.
Stable.
Condensed.
Humming with contained power.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Aura Spheres launched.
Unlike conventional attacks—
They didn't travel in straight lines.
They curved.
They adjusted.
They tracked.
They locked onto their target with absolute certainty.
"What?!" Palmer's expression shifted for the first time.
The Aura Spheres ignored every illusion.
They passed through afterimages without hesitation—
And honed directly in on the real Rampardos.
There was no escape.
No misdirection.
No deception.
"Rampardos—Zen Headbutt!" Palmer commanded decisively.
"ROOOAR!"
Rampardos abandoned its illusions instantly.
Its entire body surged forward, its skull enveloped in shimmering psychic energy.
With unstoppable momentum—
BOOM! BOOM!
It smashed through both Aura Spheres midair.
The explosions burst outward behind it—
But it didn't slow.
It didn't falter.
It continued charging straight toward Blastoise.
Gary's eyes sharpened.
"Blastoise—Hydro Pump."
"Kami!"
Both cannons flared with intense light.
BOOOOOM!!!
Twin torrents of water erupted forward.
They roared across the battlefield like twin dragons made of pure force.
They collided directly with Rampardos mid-charge.
For a brief moment—
The world narrowed to that single clash.
Water—
Against raw power.
"Grrr…!"
Rampardos dug its feet into the ground.
Mud and water sprayed outward as it struggled to push forward.
Its muscles tensed.
Its roar deepened.
But—
It couldn't advance.
The pressure was overwhelming.
The psychic energy around its head began to crack—
Then shattered completely.
CRASH!!
The full force of Hydro Pump slammed into its body.
Rampardos was blasted backward.
Ten meters.
Fifteen.
It skidded violently across the soaked ground before finally coming to a stop.
The crowd fell silent.
"…Did that just happen?"
Barry's face turned pale.
"My dad's Rampardos… got pushed back?!"
Rampardos staggered to its feet.
Water dripped from its body.
Its breathing was heavier now.
Its eyes flickered—
Not with fear—
But with disbelief.
It had never encountered power like this.
Palmer's expression shifted completely.
The casual confidence was gone.
Now—
He was serious.
"Rampardos—use Dig!"
Without hesitation, Rampardos slammed its claws into the ground.
The earth split open—
And it burrowed underground instantly.
Ash's eyes widened.
"That's bad!"
He turned toward Gary instinctively.
"If Blastoise uses Earthquake now—!"
Barry froze.
"Wait—what?!"
But—
It was already happening.
Gary had anticipated everything.
"Blastoise—Earthquake."
"KAMI!!"
Blastoise stomped down with overwhelming force.
RUMBLE—!!
Shockwaves exploded outward.
The ground cracked violently.
Ripples spread in all directions, shaking the entire battlefield.
Even the spectators felt the tremor beneath their feet.
Underground—
Rampardos was struck directly.
"RAAAARGH!!"
With a violent explosion, it was forced back to the surface.
Its body was launched upward—
Then crashed back down heavily.
Before it could recover—
"Now—Hydro Pump."
"Kami!"
Blastoise fired again.
No hesitation.
No delay.
The twin cannons roared—
And unleashed another devastating torrent.
"Rampardos—Endure!" Palmer commanded sharply.
A golden aura enveloped Rampardos instantly.
It planted its feet.
Locked its stance.
And faced the attack head-on.
BOOOOM!!!
The Hydro Pump struck with full force.
The golden aura flickered violently.
Shuddered.
Cracked—
But held.
When the water finally receded—
Rampardos was still standing.
Barely.
Its body trembled.
Its breathing ragged.
But it was still standing.
Palmer's eyes gleamed.
"Now—Endeavor!"
"ROOOAR!!"
Rampardos launched itself forward in a desperate charge.
Its entire body shook from accumulated damage.
But its momentum—
Was absolute.
If Endeavor landed—
It would drag Blastoise down to its level.
A final gamble.
All or nothing.
The crowd erupted.
"Go, Rampardos!"
"Don't lose!"
"Finish it!"
Gary remained completely still.
His gaze steady.
His voice quiet—
But absolute.
"End it. Hydro Cannon."
For a brief moment—
Everything slowed.
"Kami…"
Blastoise's cannons began to glow.
Not just bright—
Blinding.
Water energy condensed rapidly.
Compressed.
Densified.
The air trembled.
The rain scattered outward.
The pressure alone distorted the space in front of it.
Then—
BOOOOOOOM!!!
A catastrophic beam of water erupted forward.
This wasn't just power.
It was annihilation.
Rampardos had no time to react.
No space to dodge.
The Hydro Cannon struck directly.
"RAAAAA—!!"
Its roar was swallowed instantly.
Its body was engulfed completely.
The beam carried it backward—
Through the battlefield—
And beyond.
BOOM!!!
The attack tore into the nearby forest, exploding in a massive plume of mist and steam.
Water vapor surged upward like a pillar.
The rain itself seemed to pause.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then—
The referee rushed forward.
He examined the impact site carefully.
After a brief moment—
He raised his hand.
"Rampardos is unable to battle!"
"Blastoise wins!"
The crowd exploded.
"What WAS that attack?!"
"That Hydro Cannon… that's insane!"
"I've never seen anything like that!"
Barry stood frozen.
His face pale.
"…No way…"
His father's main offensive Pokémon—
Defeated.
And not just defeated—
Overwhelmed.
Completely.
Dawn covered her mouth.
"That power…"
Her gaze drifted instinctively toward Piplup.
There was no comparison.
Not even close.
Palmer walked forward slowly.
He approached Rampardos in silence.
For a moment—
He simply looked at it.
Then he recalled it gently.
When he turned back—
His expression had changed.
The casual ease was gone.
Replaced by focus.
By intensity.
"It seems Scott wasn't exaggerating," Palmer said.
"You are indeed an exceptional Trainer."
Gary met his gaze calmly.
"The battle isn't over yet," he replied. "It's too early to praise me."
Palmer laughed.
A deep, satisfied laugh.
"Good."
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear."
He reached for his next Poké Ball.
"I haven't had a battle like this in a long time."
"This time…"
His grip tightened slightly.
"I'll use my partner."
The crowd erupted instantly.
"Dragonite!"
"It's Dragonite!"
"Palmer's strongest Pokémon!"
Barry clenched his fists tightly.
"My dad's Dragonite won't lose!"
Dawn glanced at Gary, then back at the field.
"…Are you sure?"
Barry snapped immediately.
"Of course! You doubting me?!"
Dawn smirked slightly.
"Then… want to make a bet?"
Barry froze.
"…What?"
"I bet on Gary," Dawn said casually.
"One million."
Barry's face stiffened instantly.
His confidence wavered.
His expression shifted.
Red.
Then pale.
He wanted to accept.
He wanted to shout back.
But—
He hesitated.
Because deep down—
He knew.
Gary wasn't normal.
And more importantly—
Gary still hadn't used Tyranitar.
Barry's fists clenched tightly.