"Alright. This will be a 1-on-1 battle. Each side may use one Pokémon. The match begins now."
Janine wasted no time.
"Come out, Seviper!"
She clearly didn't want her father to discover what she was doing, so she rushed to start the battle the moment they reached the field.
Sam was slightly surprised.
Seviper was rare in Kanto.
Compared to Arbok, Seviper was much larger. In appearance, it resembled a massive python. Its bladed tail gleamed sharply—it was said that Seviper sharpened it on rocks before battle.
Seviper
Type: Poison
Strength: High Elite
Potential: Gym level
Sam released his Pokémon.
"Come out, Charmeleon."
A flash of red light burst from the Poké Ball as Charmeleon appeared on the field.
An Elite-level Seviper would be perfect experience for Charmeleon.
Snake versus dragon.
Poison versus fire.
This would be interesting.
"Swords Dance!" Janine ordered immediately.
She intended to boost Seviper's Attack and end the battle quickly.
However—
Strengthening in front of Charmeleon without any protection?
That was overconfidence.
"Charmeleon, Flamethrower. Full power."
Sam showed no intention of waiting.
If Janine chose to gamble on setup, she would have to accept the risk.
Before Seviper could complete Swords Dance, Flamethrower struck.
Seviper initially tried to endure the flames to finish boosting—
But it had underestimated Charmeleon's power.
The scorching heat overwhelmed it instantly.
It was forced to abandon Swords Dance and retreat from the flames.
"What?!" Janine's expression changed.
She hadn't expected Seviper to fail so quickly.
Her plan collapsed in less than a second.
She had misjudged her opponent.
Now it was Sam's turn to press the advantage.
"Fire Spin."
Flames spiraled outward from Charmeleon's mouth, trapping Seviper within a blazing vortex.
There was nowhere to run.
Seviper had already taken heavy damage from Flamethrower. Now trapped inside Fire Spin, its chances of turning the battle around were nearly zero.
Janine gritted her teeth.
She refused to surrender.
Then—
"That's enough."
A deep, steady voice echoed across the battlefield.
At some unknown moment, Koga, the Leader of the Fuchsia Gym, had appeared.
Sam's heart skipped.
When did he get here?!
Was walking silently a tradition of this Gym?
Well… ninja.
That explained everything.
"You still refuse to give up, Janine?" Koga said coldly. "Do you intend to watch Seviper burn any further?"
Janine bit her lip.
She didn't want to admit defeat.
But she didn't dare disobey her father.
Reluctantly, she recalled Seviper.
Koga looked at his daughter and sighed.
He had been watching since the beginning.
Janine's performance disappointed him.
Her training of Seviper was solid—but her tactical judgment was immature.
She had underestimated her opponent and relied on assumption rather than observation.
The Fuchsia Gym had existed long before the Indigo League was formally established. It carried a long legacy.
Soon, major changes would come to the region.
The Indigo League—which governed both Kanto and Johto—was undergoing restructuring.
Members of the Elite Four were stepping down.
Lorelei and Agatha were preparing to retire from their positions.
Bruno would remain.
And Lance, the Dragon-type master, was destined to rise as the new Champion.
Koga himself had already received an invitation.
Soon, he would leave the Gym to join the Elite Four.
That meant—
Janine would inherit the Fuchsia Gym.
But was she ready?
Time was running out.
"Mr. Koga," Sam spoke calmly, "may I proceed with my Gym Challenge?"
Koga looked at him apologetically.
"I'm sorry. My daughter caused you trouble."
"Not at all," Sam replied. "I agreed to battle her."
There was no need to add insult to injury.
Victory had already been decided. A little generosity cost nothing.
Koga studied him.
"You are a capable Trainer. Tell me—what is your evaluation of Janine?"
Janine stiffened.
Though still upset, she listened closely.
Sam thought carefully before answering.
"Her Seviper is well trained. Its fundamentals are solid. But tactically… she seems to assume her opponent is weaker than her."
He paused.
"She relied on experience instead of observation. I think she simply lacks exposure to high-level battles."
Silence filled the field.
It was not an insult.
It was an honest assessment.
And perhaps—
Exactly what Janine needed to hear.
---------------Author---------------
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