"Your shiny Ampharos is really impressive."
Clair slightly raised her chin as she praised it.
A Pokémon's strength had never been determined solely by its body or the amount of energy it possessed.
Otherwise, Pokémon raised by professional Pokémon Breeders would, on average, always be stronger than those raised by Trainers.
After all, breeding Pokémon was their profession.
Yet the reality was the opposite.
In actual battles, a Breeder's Pokémon were often no match for those trained by dedicated Trainers.
Raw stats were one thing; how much of those abilities could actually be brought out in battle was another. On top of that came the difference in a Trainer's command ability.
Compared to Breeders, Trainers generally focused far more on cultivating their Pokémon's practical combat skills.
Silas and Clair were among the best examples of this.
It might have looked simple, but whether it was Altaria seamlessly switching between songs or Ampharos instinctively reacting while suffering from a status condition, both feats were things countless Trainers and Pokémon struggled to achieve even after tremendous effort.
Of course, that didn't make Breeders unimportant.
A Pokémon's physical condition and energy were its very foundation. Without them, even the greatest techniques would be difficult to perform.
In fact, without a solid foundation, there wouldn't even be enough strength to practice those techniques.
Silas didn't respond to Clair's compliment.
Instead, he wore a serious expression as he considered his next command.
Although Ampharos had successfully used Thunder Wave, leaving Altaria paralyzed, it had ultimately failed to resist the effects of Sing and had fallen asleep.
It was now completely defenseless.
Fortunately, Altaria's paralysis prevented it from unleashing any particularly powerful attacks.
If paralysis activated unexpectedly during a move, the interruption would create an opening that Clair certainly didn't want.
"Refresh."
However, Clair naturally had a way to deal with paralysis.
A soft glow enveloped Altaria's body.
Its feathers became even whiter, while the yellow sparks of electricity disappeared completely.
Refresh, a Normal-type move, cured poisoning, paralysis, and burns.
Not many Pokémon could learn this move, but Altaria happened to be one of them.
This was also one of the defining characteristics of Dragon-type Pokémon.
Besides their powerful physiques and tremendous energy, they generally possessed exceptionally deep movepools.
The more moves a Pokémon could theoretically master, the more ways it had to counter an opponent during battle.
Naturally, mastery was just as important.
For a move as tactically valuable as Refresh, Altaria had clearly spent plenty of time practicing it.
Once Altaria recovered from paralysis, Ampharos remained asleep without moving.
"What a pain..."
A trace of helplessness flashed through Silas's eyes.
Then I'll just have to rely on luck.
"Sleep Talk!"
Following his command, electricity once again began flashing around Ampharos's sleeping body.
Just as Altaria had used Refresh to counter paralysis, Sleep Talk was the perfect answer to being asleep.
Whenever possible, Silas always had his Pokémon learn and practice this move.
The only uncertainty was which move Sleep Talk would randomly select.
Fortunately, luck was on their side.
This time Ampharos used an Electric-type move that fit the situation perfectly.
A beam of yellow light shot forward in an instant.
Altaria had no time to react before it was struck.
"Altaria!"
It cried out in pain as a large scorch mark appeared across its body.
Residual electricity continued crackling around Ampharos for several moments.
Silas smiled.
"Looks like my luck has really been incredible lately."
The move Ampharos had randomly selected through Sleep Talk was Charge Beam.
Not only did it deal respectable damage, but it also raised Ampharos's Special Attack.
That more than made up for the interrupted Charge from earlier.
Better still, after using the move, Ampharos slowly opened its eyes and woke up.
Three benefits in one move.
Clair was left speechless.
"That's just ridiculous."
She couldn't help complaining.
"In that case, rush in and use Take Down!"
Her choice caught everyone by surprise.
Not just Silas, even the spectators hadn't expected it.
Altaria transformed into a blue-and-white blur as it charged straight toward Ampharos.
"Counter it with Iron Tail!"
Although surprised, Silas reacted immediately.
A metallic silver sheen coated Ampharos's long tail, making the blue orb at its tip shine even brighter.
Boom!
The two Pokémon crossed paths, one descending from above, the other striking upward.
Both were left with fresh injuries.
"A trade of damage..."
Silas rubbed his fingers together thoughtfully, realizing the situation had become troublesome.
Compared to Altaria, Ampharos wasn't particularly durable.
The two Pokémon also had roughly similar stamina.
If they continued exchanging blows like this, Ampharos would be the one at a disadvantage.
Furthermore, Altaria had access to recovery moves.
Although Take Down caused recoil damage, Altaria could easily endure it.
While Silas was still thinking, Altaria circled around and charged once more with tremendous momentum.
Ampharos stood calmly in place without moving.
"Flash."
Silas gave a single command.
A dazzling burst of light instantly flooded the entire battlefield.
"Altaria!"
Altaria cried out in discomfort.
Silas had already put on a pair of sunglasses and showed no intention of relaxing.
"That's it! Follow up with Thunderbolt!"
"Ampharos!"
With a powerful roar, Ampharos unleashed brilliant yellow lightning.
The electricity shone so brightly that it wasn't overshadowed by Flash at all.
Altaria's body went limp as it fell toward the ground.
It hadn't fainted, but it clearly needed a moment to recover.
Silas let out a slight sigh of relief.
A smile flashed across Clair's eyes.
"Now then maintain your posture and use Earthquake!"
The next instant, Altaria suddenly looked as if it had fully recovered.
It accelerated sharply and slammed straight into the ground.
"What?!"
Silas's expression changed dramatically.
"Magnetic Field Manipulation!"
In his panic, his voice even cracked.
BOOM!
A violent tremor erupted across the battlefield.
Perhaps because of the massive support pillars surrounding the arena.
No matter how violently the battlefield shook, the building itself remained perfectly stable.
Dust filled the air.
No one could clearly see what had happened inside.
Clair smiled confidently.
"That was a quick reaction but it was still just a little too slow. Better luck next time~"
"Gym Leader Clair, I think you're celebrating a little too early."
After a brief moment of shock, Silas quickly regained his composure.
He truly hadn't expected Clair and Altaria to use that tactic.
Earthquake, one of the strongest Ground-type moves, was practically Ampharos's worst nightmare.
If Ampharos took it head-on, there was a very real chance it would be knocked out even from full health.
"So that second retreat just now it was preparing this attack, wasn't it?"
Recalling Altaria's unusual movement pattern, Silas finally understood.
Clair smiled.
"Exactly. That's why I said your reaction was fast. Without that Flash, the battle would've already been over."
An ordinary Pokémon couldn't produce such an intense burst of light so quickly.
But Ampharos was different.
The blue orbs on its body were naturally perfect light sources, a unique biological advantage.
Because of that, Clair had been forced to settle for her less ideal Plan B.
Fortunately, the result was still satisfactory.
She simply didn't believe Ampharos could still have enough strength left to continue battling after enduring an Earthquake like that.
Whoosh!
A shadow burst upward through the dust cloud.
Clair smiled victoriously.
"See? You—"
Her voice abruptly stopped.
Disbelief spread across her face.
Now it was Silas's turn to smile.
"So, don't jump to conclusions so quickly."
The Pokémon soaring into the sky wasn't the flying Altaria.
It was Ampharos, a Pokémon that shouldn't have been capable of flight.
Using Magnetic Flux to manipulate the surrounding magnetic field, Ampharos hovered through the air.
In Silas's previous life, there had been a movie character called Magneto who did something similar.
It wasn't particularly fast, but it was more than enough.
Especially for Ampharos.
Ground-type moves like Earthquake couldn't hit Pokémon that were airborne.
"What an incredible application of a move. This is the first time I've ever seen an Electric-type Pokémon use Magnetic Flux to fly."
Once she understood what had happened, Clair couldn't help but admire it.
Were there Pokémon that flew by manipulating magnetic fields?
Of course.
Magnezone was the perfect example.
However, it was a special case.
Magnezone could fly through magnetic manipulation partly because of the unique conditions surrounding its evolution, and partly because of its unusual body structure.
Many Trainers had tried researching the same idea for other Electric-type Pokémon.
Without exception, they had all failed.
Whether because they lacked sufficient power or for some other reason, most Electric-types could only manage to levitate briefly rather than truly fly.
Even though levitation was enough to avoid a great deal of damage, it still had obvious limitations.
Ampharos's technique had completely exceeded Clair's expectations.
"Thunder."
Silas's command brought the battle to its conclusion.
A colossal pillar of lightning, like a descending dragon, crashed onto the battlefield.
With such overwhelming, indiscriminate power, Altaria had no chance of enduring it.
As the dust settled once more, Altaria lay on the ground, completely blackened, its eyes replaced by spirals.
"Altaria is unable to battle. Ampharos wins."
Kabu immediately announced the result.
As Clair recalled Altaria into its Poké Ball, she shot Silas a slightly reproachful look.
"Honestly. Altaria barely had any stamina left. Did you really have to use Thunder?"
Silas smiled helplessly.
The last time he'd assumed his opponent had no strength left, he'd nearly paid the price for it.
There was no way he'd lower his guard again.
"By the way," Clair said curiously, "your Ampharos's electricity feels different somehow."
She looked thoughtfully at Ampharos.
"I don't know how to describe it feels almost alive."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Every one of these people is a monster.
Silas silently rolled his eyes.
What normal Trainer could notice something like that after only a single battle?
"I just happened to come across a small opportunity recently."
He deliberately gave a vague answer.
Clair didn't press the issue.
She wasn't an Electric-type specialist, so knowing the details wouldn't benefit her anyway.
Techniques like magnetic field manipulation were simply too specialized.
"Then let's begin the next battle! I can't wait."
She looked utterly excited.
Although she had lost the first match, Clair was happier than ever.
It had been quite some time since she'd enjoyed such an intense battle.
"Go, Rhyhorn!"
"I'll switch Pokémon. My next battler is Prinplup."
After a brief exchange, the battle resumed.
Clair swung her arm.
"Charge in! Horn Attack!"
"Rhyyy!"
Rhyhorn kicked off the ground with its four sturdy legs, lowered its horn, and charged straight ahead with astonishing momentum.
Silas naturally knew dodging was the correct choice.
Rhyhorn wasn't exactly known for making sharp turns.
Meeting it head-on would be extremely unwise.
Unfortunately...
There was no such word as "dodge" in Prinplup's dictionary.
Even if Prinplup wasn't as proud as most members of its species.
"Water Sport! Defensive Aqua Ring!"
Blue water burst outward.
Prinplup crossed its flippers and swung them outward.
After a brief stalemate.
Rhyhorn's charge was brought to a complete stop, its feet carving deep grooves into the battlefield.
"Follow up with Metal Claw!"
"Don't let it get close! Smash it with Rock Slide!"
Clair's commands were as wild and forceful as ever.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A rapid series of collisions echoed across the battlefield.
"Rhyyyy!"
Suddenly, Rhyhorn let out a painful cry.
Almost transparent bubbles accumulated across its body.
"The type disadvantage, what a nuisance."
Clair sighed.
A Ground/Rock-type like Rhyhorn simply couldn't compete against a Water-type Pokémon.
The result wouldn't have been much better against Silas's Alolan Vulpix, either.
Still, she couldn't do anything about it.
She was a Gym Leader, and this was a Gym Battle.
Some things had to follow convention.
Against ordinary Trainers, she could often overcome type disadvantages through superior command.
Against Silas that simply wasn't possible.
Under Prinplup's relentless assault, Rhyhorn soon collapsed.
Thanks to Aqua Ring continuously restoring its health, Prinplup hadn't even expended much stamina.
The third battle between Nidorino and Alolan Vulpix, ended just as quickly.
The little princess, Alolan Vulpix, claimed an overwhelming victory.
Its control over Hail had become increasingly refined.
Throughout the entire battle, Nidorino managed to land only a single attack.
After that it was completely overwhelmed by Alolan Vulpix's relentless offensive.
After all Nidorino's Poison Sting had happened to prick one of Alolan Vulpix's tails.
Although it hadn't been poisoned, the purple stain left behind was something the elegant little fox absolutely despised.
Clair recalled Nidorino with an unhappy expression.
In her opinion, only the first of the three battles had truly been enjoyable.
The other two hadn't been interesting at all.
"Seriously someday we have to have a real battle."
Still reviewing the performances of his three Pokémon, Silas looked up blankly.
"Huh?"
"Huh what?"
Clair snorted and tossed a small black object toward him.
"Here's your Rising Dragon Badge."
Silas caught it with one hand.
It was the Rising Dragon Badge, looking remarkably similar to the ceremony token.
"Clair! How many times have I told you? Pokémon battles aren't meant for that."
The Dragon Elder's voice rang out from the entrance.
Though partially hidden beneath her armor, her face clearly showed traces of anger.
It was obvious she disapproved of Clair's earlier remark.
Silas and Brock exchanged confused looks.
"Young man."
The Dragon Elder turned her gaze toward Silas.
Unlike before, there was now unmistakable approval in her eyes.
Silas had no idea what had caused the change.
Still, good manners came first.
"Of course. Please ask."
...
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