Meanwhile, the Cyndaquil remained spirited, its flames burning ever brighter, as if flaunting its advantage.
It nimbly paced the field, its red eyes fixed on Mudkip, awaiting the command to attack again. The spectators on the sidelines noticed the shift in the tide, many holding their breath for Mudkip: "That burn is too deadly, Mudkip can't hold on much longer—"
"Type advantage is useless, it can't keep up in speed, and it's burned, it can't fight at all—"
"Flannery's Cyndaquil is too strong, not only is it fast, but the accuracy of its fire moves is terrifying—"
A tense atmosphere filled the air.
At this moment, the young trainer suddenly shouted a command.
"Mudkip, use Rock Slide!"
He was filled with resentment: Mudkip's Water/Ground typing was obviously super effective against Cyndaquil, but the opponent was too fast, and his moves kept missing, even causing him to be burned by Cyndaquil's Will o wisp.
Now he could only hope that the area-of-effect move Rock Slide could break the stalemate.
Mudkip received the command, suddenly tilted its head back, and let out a deep roar.
The surrounding rock fragments seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, instantly condensing into several rocks of different sizes, which hurled towards Cyndaquil with a whistling sound.
"Cyndaquil, use Fire Wheel to dodge!"Flannery's voice remained calm, even carrying a hint of ease.
Before the words were finished, the flames around Cyndaquil suddenly surged, and orange-red flames instantly enveloped its body.
The next second, its entire Pokémon transformed into a high-speed spinning fire wheel, carrying scorching air currents, nimbly weaving through the gaps between the flying rocks.
With several muffled thuds, the collapsed rocks crashed onto the open ground, raising clouds of dust.
Cyndaquil, however, had already nimbly landed on the other side of the field, its flames still blazing, completely unharmed.
"Now! Cyndaquil, use Overheat!"
A sharp glint flashed in Flannery's eyes as she immediately gave the order.
Upon receiving the command, the flames around Cyndaquil surged to their peak, the dazzling light almost blinding.
It was as if it had transformed into a miniature erupting volcano.
The next second, a beam of fire, condensed to extreme heat, shot from its mouth, carrying a destructive aura, heading straight for Mudkip.
"Mudkip, use Protect!"
The young trainer's expression changed drastically, and he cried out in alarm.
However, just as Mudkip was about to raise Protect, the scorching flames on its body suddenly flared up violently!
The intense pain made it shudder, the condensed energy instantly dissipating, and the Protect move was abruptly interrupted.
Suddenly paralyzed, Mudkip took the full force of "Overheat."
The terrifying beam of high temperature struck it, producing a muffled bang, sparks flying, and a large cloud of white mist rising.
When the smoke cleared, Mudkip lay collapsed on the ground, its eyes swirling into spirals, completely incapacitated.
"Mudkip!" the young trainer cried out, rushing forward to carefully cradle Mudkip in his arms, his face filled with disappointment and heartache.
The spectators around the arena erupted in astonishment: "A Water-type Mudkip actually lost to a Fire-type Cyndaquil? That's unbelievable!"
"Gym Leader Flannery is too strong! No wonder she's Elite Four member Morre's granddaughter; her command and Pokémon strength are impeccable!"
"That 'Overheat' was terrifying; you could feel the heatwave even from this distance. It's no wonder Mudkip couldn't withstand it—" Flannery recalled Cyndaquil, looking at the Poké Ball with a proud smile.
She turned to the young trainer, nodded slightly, and her voice clearly echoed throughout the arena: "This is the power of Fire-type Pokémon. Even with type advantage, I don't care."
Her words revealed absolute confidence in Fire-type Pokémon and a full affirmation of her own strength.
The young trainer took a deep breath, suppressing his disappointment, and bowed deeply to Flannery: "Thank you, Gym Leader Flannery. I accept my defeat wholeheartedly. I will train harder in the future. "
After saying this, he hugged his Mudkip and left the battle arena dejectedly.
As Lionel stepped into the gym, a staff member in a gym uniform quickly walked through the corridor and came to the back room.
"Master, Lionel, who made the reservation to challenge, has arrived and is watching Flannery's battle."
Inside the room, an elderly man sat on the tatami mat, his white curly hair gleaming softly under the lamplight. A pair of thin-rimmed reading glasses perched on his nose, but his eyes behind the lenses were still sharp as an eagle's, showing no signs of old age.
He was none other than Morre, one of the former Hoenn Elite Four and the former Gym Leader of the Lava City Gym.
"Oh? You've finally arrived?" Morre put down his phone, the screen still showing the trailer for the volcano posted by Lionel's account.
"I'm going to see what kind of trainer can make a Larvesta appear on its own."
His voice carried a hint of self-deprecation and resentment: "I've been searching in Mt. Chimney for over ten years, and I'd already given up all hope; it was just an obsession. And then this kid just went up the mountain once, and the volcano came out on its own—I'll see where I fall short of him."
"Master, maybe it's just good luck?" A staff member quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Luck?" Morre scoffed, slowly rising to his feet, his hands supporting his knees. Though no longer as tall and imposing as in his youth, he still looked radiant.
"I've lived for over seventy years, seen more Pokémon than you've walked roads. I don't believe in luck falling from the sky. Come on, let's go see."
Morre patted the hem of his clothes and said, "Also, after retiring for so many years, aside from meetings at the League, Steven hasn't contacted me much privately. He suddenly messaged me the other day to ask how I was doing. All this beating around the bush, isn't it just because he's worried I'll bully his Devon trainers? I want to see what kind of skills this young man has that makes him so concerned."
With that, he strode out of the backyard and headed towards the battle arena.
At the battle arena, staff were directing Pokémon to clean up the battlefield, preparing for the next battle.
In the stands, gym staff were distributing chilled juice, smiling reassuringly, "Please wait a moment, everyone. Gym Leader Flannery is helping her Pokémon recover; the next challenge will begin soon."
Lionel was led to the contestant's waiting area, his gaze calmly fixed on the center of the arena, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the Poké Ball.
A moment later, the arena was ready.
Flannery emerged from the backstage tunnel, drawing everyone's attention.
She had changed into a sharp outfit:
a black cropped top with a flame pattern, paired with dark blue denim shorts, showcasing her toned waist and long legs.
Her sleek red ponytail swayed behind her, the muscles in her waist and abdomen undulating slightly with each step, exuding a rebellious vitality