Koga showed no sign of distress over his Crobat's defeat.It was as if he had expected it all along—his mind already prepared for this outcome.
"It seems you're not surprised by the result of the battle?" Nozomi asked, glancing toward him.
Koga smiled faintly. "As a ninja, the most important skills are intelligence gathering and assessing one's opponent's strength. Even though I've never witnessed your battles in person, just hearing about your record—defeating Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket—is enough to tell me your power isn't something I could overcome easily."
He was well aware of his own limits.Though his strength was considerable among Gym Leaders in the Kanto Region, that comparison only went so far. Against someone like Nozomi, whose power had already reached the level of the Elite Four, Koga was still a step behind.
"Here—take this Pink Badge. It's proof that you've conquered the Fuchsia Gym."With a flick of his wrist, Koga tossed the badge toward Nozomi. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you shine at the Indigo League Conference!"
In Koga's eyes, Nozomi was clearly one of the top contenders for this year's championship. He had accepted several challengers recently, but not one came close to Nozomi's caliber.
"Thanks. I'll do my best," Nozomi said with a smile, pocketing the badge.
That made six badges so far—just two more before he could officially enter the Indigo League.
He was about to take his leave when someone knocked on the door.
"Anyone here?"
A familiar voice reached Nozomi's ears.
He stopped in his tracks and turned toward the entrance. Standing there, with his trademark smug grin and a pair of sunglasses perched on his nose, was none other than Gary Oak.
Ever since leaving the S.S. Anne, Gary's journey had gone smoothly.He'd shaken off that "idiot Ash" back in Saffron City, putting himself well ahead in progress. Then, after spending a ridiculous amount of time shopping in Celadon City, he'd redesigned his outfit into what he believed to be a super-cool new look.
Now, he'd even managed to locate the notoriously hard-to-find Fuchsia Gym.
"Heh, I must be ahead of Nozomi by now," he thought smugly.
Though he hadn't encountered Nozomi since they parted ways, he'd heard plenty about his exploits in Saffron and Celadon. Truthfully, Gary was more than a little jealous of all the attention Nozomi was getting.
"Hmph. That guy wasted so much time fighting Team Rocket—he definitely can't be progressing faster than me," Gary mused confidently.
But just as he stepped into the Gym, ready to announce himself to Koga, a familiar voice spoke up beside him.
"Hey, Gary. Long time no see."
The moment Gary heard that voice, he froze in shock.
"Nozomi?! What the—why are you here at the Fuchsia Gym?!"
He spun around, shouting at the top of his lungs. His face and tone perfectly captured his utter disbelief.
"Huh? Why wouldn't I be here?" Nozomi replied casually.
"But—but I heard you were still in Celadon City! You busted a major Team Rocket base there! When I left, that case wasn't even closed yet—how could you possibly have gotten here before me?" Gary demanded, bewildered.
He had traveled straight from Celadon to Fuchsia without stopping once.By all logic, Nozomi shouldn't have been able to arrive earlier.
"Who said I needed to wait for the case to close before leaving?" Nozomi smiled lightly.
That smile turned Gary to stone.
"R-right... who said you had to wait..." Gary mumbled, his face going pale.He had been so sure he'd finally pulled ahead—only to realize he'd been left behind again.The crushing disappointment was almost physical.
"All right, enough chatting. You'd better start your Gym battle," Nozomi said. "And if you really want to surpass me, I can give you a chance."
"A chance?" Gary's ears perked up instantly.
"I'll wait here until you finish your battle. After that, I'll set out again—giving you a fair shot to get ahead," Nozomi offered.
Since they'd run into each other, he figured he might as well stay and watch Gary's progress. It would be interesting to see how much he'd improved.
"Seriously?"
"Would I lie to you?" Nozomi countered with a grin.
"Fine! Then I'll show you how much stronger I've gotten!"Gary straightened up, his confidence restored, and stepped onto the battlefield."Mr. Koga, I'm Gary Oak from Pallet Town. I'm here to challenge the Fuchsia Gym!"
"I know who you are," Koga replied calmly. "You're Professor Oak's grandson."
Of course he knew—Professor Oak was one of Kanto's most respected scholars. Anyone even slightly familiar with him knew that he had a grandson named Gary.
Gary didn't respond. He hated being identified by his grandfather's name. He wanted to make his own reputation, not ride on Oak's.
Koga, having overheard Gary's earlier exchange with Nozomi, spoke in a more relaxed tone."Since you and Nozomi made a bet, I'll give you a choice. You can pick either a 1-on-1 or a 3-on-3 battle."
Gary immediately understood the implication.A one-on-one battle carried more risk, less room for error—but it would also be quicker.Three-on-three allowed more flexibility, but took longer.
"I'll choose one-on-one!" Gary declared without hesitation. His confidence in his Pokémon had only grown through constant training on the road.
After all, it was just a Gym battle—what could possibly go wrong?
"Oh? Confident, aren't you?" Koga's lips curved into a faint smirk."In that case, I won't hold back. Go—Weezing!"
Wheeeezing!The twin-bodied Pokémon floated into view, its huge form leaking thick purple gas into the air. It looked weary, yet the ominous poison mist around it warned anyone not to underestimate it.
"Bring it on!"
Gary threw his own Poké Ball."Arcanine—this one's yours!"
With a flash of light, the massive Fire-type landed in the center of the arena, its mane blazing like a living flame.
"Oh? Arcanine?" Nozomi's eyes brightened.
He hadn't expected Gary's Growlithe to have evolved already.Compared to the small and cute pup it once was, Arcanine was now ten times the size—towering at well over a man's height, exuding sheer power and majesty.
(End of Chapter)