- Cotton Guard: A Grass-type move where the user wraps its body in soft, fluffy cotton to protect itself, drastically increasing its defense...
Dragonite had already swooped down in front of Ampharos, its tremendous force sending the cotton-wrapped Pokémon flying.
Ampharos bounced twice after hitting the ground, but it was clear that the Pokémon inside the cotton cocoon hadn't taken much damage.
Caleb quickly followed up with another command: "Use Flamethrower!"
A scorching blast of fire erupted from Dragonite's mouth, instantly engulfing Ampharos within its cotton shield.
The Cotton Guard was broken in an instant, and Ampharos let out a pained cry as the flames seared its body.
Wattson furrowed his brow, 'Even this is not enough?'
Just from this first exchange, he could already tell how strong that Dragonite was. Its power was undoubtedly above his Ampharos!
A trace of doubt arose in Wattson's heart...
'Could someone like this really just be a rookie trainer who just started their journey?'
...
Meanwhile, on the other side...
Brawly watched Wattson's reaction and sighed, "His focus is shaken. This isn't how a Gym Leader should perform."
Roxanne pursed her lips, her delicate brows knitting together, "You can tell that trainer has a lot of battle experience. Whether it's his commands or his grasp of the battle's tempo, everything is precise."
"From this alone, he can't possibly be a trainer who just started out!"
Brawly also considered this, feeling puzzled, "Could he be a traveler from the Kanto Region?" he ventured a guess...
In recent years, with the Hoenn region's open policies, trainers from other regions could now participate in the League Championships just like local trainers... all they needed was to collect eight Gym Badges.
"That's possible, but I'm more curious about why he lied." Roxanne's face showed a hint of confusion...
...
As the two chatted, the battle continued...
Both Dragonite and Ampharos used Dragon Pulse, their twin violet draconic energies clashing in midair.
The opposing forces refused to yield, resulting in a massive explosion...
*BOOOM!*
The shockwave from the blast swept outward violently.
Ampharos slid back several meters, panting heavily before barely managing to stop itself with one arm propped against the ground, its forehead slick with sweat.
In contrast, Dragonite floated effortlessly in the air, not even slightly winded. It even sneakily turned its head to flash Caleb an adorably obedient smile.
Then, when it turned back toward Ampharos, that smile instantly turned malicious...
A battle of this level was nothing compared to what Dragonite had experienced in the Dragon Holy Land!
"Dragonite, end this!" Caleb commanded, "Use Hyper Beam!"
"Don't give up, Ampharos!" Wattson shouted, "Dragon Pulse!"
A white beam of energy condensed in Dragonite's mouth while a purple glow gathered in Ampharos's red orb.
The next second, two completely different attacks shot forth, colliding in midair.
This time, unlike before, Ampharos only held out for three seconds before its energy weakened.
Dragonite's Hyper Beam instantly overwhelmed it with crushing force.
A blinding white light flashed– Ampharos was sent flying from the explosion, its eyes swirling as it collapsed, unconscious...
"Sigh..." Wattson let out a long sigh, recalling Ampharos into its Poké Ball, his aged face full of frustration, "Are all the trainers from Oldale Town this strong?" he asked.
Caleb: "..."
Wattson seemed to suddenly remember something and muttered, "I really want to see what that Bug Catcher named Caleb Chase is like."
Caleb: "..."
Wattson sighed again, then suddenly brightened as he looked at Caleb, "Ah, my old brain isn't working well... I almost forgot! Aren't you a trainer from Oldale Town? Then you must've met that guy Caleb Chase, right? Can you tell me what he's like?"
Caleb: "..."
He hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking under Wattson's expectant gaze, "Caleb... is a very handsome young man."
"And? Is he really a Bug Catcher? Does he have a Caterpie?" Wattson asked curiously.
Now that the first sentence was out, the rest flowed more smoothly, "Yes, he really is a Bug Catcher. As for whether he has a Caterpie, I'm not sure. I don't know much else... he's a very mysterious guy." Caleb answered.
"Alright then." Wattson didn't press further...
Instead, he pulled out a lightning-shaped badge from his floral shirt pocket and handed it to Caleb, "I look forward to your performance in the League Championships. Good luck!"
Caleb accepted the badge... 'The League Championships? I might as well go and check it out... it's not like I have anything better to do...'
With the Gym battle over, Caleb planned to head to the Pokémon Center first to restore Mimikyu and Dragonite's stamina.
Just before he left, Wattson suddenly called out to him, "Hey! You still haven't told me your name!"
Caleb paused mid-step, then raised a hand to wave without turning back, and replied, "Terrence Jones!"
The young man's silhouette disappeared into the sunlight.
Wattson stroked his chin, murmuring, "Terrence Jones..."
...
~Over at the observation area~
Seeing that the match was over, Brawly and Roxanne immediately called out to the dazed Wattson.
Roxanne smirked, "Old man, how does it feel to get crushed?"
Wattson rolled his eyes, "Just wait in your Gym. It won't be long before he comes to challenge you!"
Roxanne paled, "Wait, really? Did he tell you that?"
Wattson nodded, "He didn't say it outright, but my Gym was his first challenge in Hoenn. Unless something unexpected happens, you two are next."
Brawly fell silent for a second before asking, "What were your thoughts on that battle?"
Wattson: "It felt terrible. I haven't felt this completely suppressed in decades. The pressure he exuded was overwhelming. The most frustrating part was that he predicted my commands multiple times... otherwise, my Ampharos wouldn't have lost so quickly!"
Roxanne thought for a moment before pressing further, "How does he compare to Champion Steven?"
Wattson turned to her and answered seriously, "Completely different!"
"...Steven usually launches fierce, rapid attacks targeting his opponent's weaknesses, leaving no room to react. But battling that young man... it was like facing an impenetrable net."
Hearing this, both Roxanne and Brawly fell into silence.
After a long pause, Brawly finally spoke again, "What was his name?"
Wattson: "Terrence Jones."
Roxanne chuckled lightly, "I'll be waiting for him in my Gym. Looks like things are about to get busy again!"
Brawly did a quick calculation in his head and reminded them, "The Ever Grande Conference is still over nine months away. Train your Pokémon well during this time. We can't let trainers from other regions think Hoenn's Gym Leaders are weak."
Roxanne grinned, "Don't worry, I'll give them a proper welcome!"