Roxanne subconsciously bit her lip, her pink-stockinged legs pressing together slightly.
"This new instructor... he's too strong."
"Not just his leadership—his personal strength is insane!"
Whispers spread through Rustboro's section.
Ginji returned to the bench with a bitter smile. "Turns out... this is worse than facing Professor Erika."
They'd assumed Celadon would be weaker without Erika.
Yet here they were—students and faculty—utterly dominated.
This Natsume-sensei... was terrifyingly powerful!
Shiozaki glanced at Roxanne. "Should I go next?"
They'd been forced into a war of attrition.
But if he could weaken Natsume... Roxanne might still clinch victory.
To think it had come to this.
Shiozaki studied the triumphant young man on the field.
He'd single-handedly eclipsed both schools' glory.
"You can't beat him."
Roxanne's abrupt refusal stunned them.
"I'm going next."
Her rare solemnity signaled one thing—she viewed this as a battle between equals.
Ginji's breath hitched.
Was this guy secretly a Touran Gym Leader?!
"Breaking news!" the commentator announced. "Rustboro's next challenger—Instructor Roxanne!"
The crowd erupted.
Roxanne, who usually reserved herself for Erika, was stepping up now?
Natsume alone had pushed Rustboro to desperation!
Though not yet a veteran like Pryce, Roxanne was Hoenn's rising star among Gym Leaders.
For her to go all-out this early—
"Worth every penny!"
"Finally, a real showdown!"
Livestream viewership skyrocketed.
Fans marveled at Natsume's signature 3-0 sweep now facing Rustboro's Leader.
"Bro really went from smurfing student leagues to styling on Gym Leaders?"
"Baby Cup? More like Daycare Cup!"
Even Erika, fresh from her Gym inspection, paused mid-towel-dry to check the scores.
We're... winning without me?
The "missing piece" paradox had never stung so much.
Elsewhere, Sapphire kicked her feet onto Ruby's lap.
"Roxanne vs. Natsume-sensei!" She grinned. "She's gonna get wrecked, right?"
"Relax," Ruby said, massaging her soles. "He'll go easy."
His hands stilled as the camera caught Wally laughing with Gladion—a sight once unimaginable.
"...He's good for Wally," Ruby admitted grudgingly.
"Charisma diff!" Sapphire sing-songed.
Celadon's staff panicked during the break.
"Sensei! Let me soften her up first!"
"Take these Sitrus Berries! Cheesing strats work!"
Natsume's eye twitched.
That's literally cheating.
Still, facing Roxanne demanded caution.
His "going easy" plan? Field Squirtle.
For the third slot—
"Sylveon?" The Fairy-type nuzzled his arm, ribbons coiling.
"Friendly match," Natsume stressed. "Understand?"
"Sylveon! (▼皿▼#)"
You absolutely don't.
But having the little menace ensured insurance.
The arena roared as Natsume returned.
"An early finals match!" the commentator declared.
No one doubted it now—this rookie was Celadon's ace.
Roxanne, her twin tails swaying, shook Natsume's hand. "I'll treat this as a Gym Challenge."
Natsume paled.
Please don't.
"BEGIN!"
Roxanne's Poké Ball flashed. "Probopass!"
The levitating compass-point Pokémon emerged, three Mini-Noses orbiting like satellites.
[Probopass - Rock/Steel
Ability: Sturdy
Item: Leftovers
Moves: Stealth Rock / Thunder Wave / Magnet Rise / Gravity / Rock Slide / Earth Power...]
Natsume frowned.
Unrestricted movepools made predicting nightmares—especially against tanky status spreaders.
"Careful, Arcanine." He deadpanned. "We can forfeit."
"Arcanine!" (Translation: "Coward.")
Roxanne blinked.
...Was he serious?
No—this had to be mind games!
"Probopass! Magnet Rise!"
Electromagnetism lifted it skyward, nullifying Ground weaknesses.
Natsume pointed. "Flamethrower!"
A firestorm lit the battlefield.
"Flash Cannon!"
The Mini-Noses assembled into a triangular shield, firing a blinding beam.
BOOM.
Smoke billowed—
—as the disassembled Mini-Noses homed in, detonating Magnet Bombs across Arcanine's body.
"Morning Sun!"
Sunlight healed Arcanine to full.
Roxanne's eye twitched.
All that work... undone in seconds.
Livestream chat exploded:
["DOG CHEATS! REPORT!"]
["Classic Natsume strats LMAO"]
["ROXANNE SWEEP HIM!"]
Roxanne recalibrated.
"Thunder Wave! Point-blank!"
Arcanine's speed meant nothing if paralyzed at point-blank.
Natsume hesitated—a trap?
"Fire Blast!"
"Gravity!"
The crushing force warped Arcanine's flames off-course.
Roxanne struck. "Earth Power!"
The seismic shockwave hit—
—as Natsume smirked. "Reversal."
Arcanine's counterattack cratered Probopass's steel body.
4x damage.
"Sturdy saved it!" the analyst yelled.
"Magnet Bomb!" Roxanne countered.
The explosives flew—
"Extreme Speed."
Arcanine blurred, swiping Probopass down mid-detonation.
The crowd sat stunned.
How?!
Ruby gasped. "He calculated the Reversal timing?!"
Sapphire kicked him. "Told you!"
Roxanne recalled her fainted Probopass, hands shaking.
That adaptability... it was inhuman.
"Graveler! Go!"
Meanwhile, Natsume patted his exhausted Arcanine.
"Rest now."
He sent out Sylveon to deafening squeals.
"Friendly match," he reminded.
"Sylveon! (#｀皿｀)?"
No one bullies my trainer but ME.
Enjoying the story? Get early access to 370+ Advanced Chapters!
✨ Weekly Updates: 7 chapters
⚡ Bonus System: Every 100 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
🌟 Double Rewards: Rate the novel (⭐5 stars) to unlock 2x chapters!
Voting with [Power Stones] helps you earn twice as many chapters.
👉 Support now: patreon.com/PokemonStoryWeaver