Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Final Gym Battle (1)
The referee, standing tall with a whistle hanging around his neck, raised his hand to address the two trainers. His voice echoed through the gym's arena, loud and clear.
"The battle between Koga, the Fuchsia City Gym Leader, and trainer Gladion Vortex will be a 3-on-3 match! Only the challenger is allowed to switch Pokémon, but only twice throughout the battle. The match will commence now!"
Gladion clenched his fist excitedly. 'This fight is a 8 star challenge. It will be fun.'
Koga, as poised as ever, raised a Poké Ball and threw it with the precision of a ninja's shuriken. "Muk, it's your turn."
In a flash of light, the gelatinous, toxic Pokémon materialized on the field, its body oozing across the ground. The faint stench of chemicals filled the air, making Gladion wrinkle his nose. Muk let out a low, guttural sound, its toxic sludge pulsating ominously.
Gladion smirked. He plucked his own Poké Ball from his belt and tossed it with practiced ease. "Zeus, you're up!"
Zeus flexed his arms, sparks flying off his body as his mischievous grin challenged Muk. The two Pokémon sized each other up, their trainers doing the same.
"Zeus, Electric Terrain!" Gladion commanded immediately. He did not wanted Muk or Koga to get the first move.
Zeus slammed his fists into the ground, and a surge of electricity rippled outward, coating the battlefield in an electrified charge. The terrain glowed faintly with yellow energy, crackling and sparking as it empowered electric moves and gave an electric shock to Muk.
But Gladion didn't stop there. "Zeus, come back!"
Before Koga could even react to the sudden move, Zeus disappeared in a flash of red light. Gladion replaced him with another Pokémon: Nyx, his Umbreon.
The dark-furred Pokémon emerged gracefully, her crimson eyes glinting with an unnerving mix of curiosity and menace. She sniffed the electrified air, her sleek fur shimmering faintly under the electric terrain's glow.
Gladion's lips twitched into a smirk as he thought, 'This is the perfect battlefield for Nyx. Time to show them what she's made of. And Thanks to my lecture, she would not try to psychologically torture the Pokemon too.'
"Nyx, Quick attack" In a burst of speed, the Umbreon rushed towards Muk.
Koga merely raised an eyebrow but quickly adjusted his posture, his voice as calm as ever. "Muk, use Minimize!"
The toxic Pokémon chuckled ominously before its gelatinous body began to shrink rapidly. In seconds, Muk became a fraction of its original size, its slimy form compacted and harder to hit.
The minimized Muk slithered and dodged effortlessly, its reduced size making it nearly impossible for Nyx to land a hit. She passed above him harmlessly exposing her back to him.
Koga would make Gladion understand about why you should not expose your back to a ninja and especially a poison specialist. "Sludge Bomb."
Muk, still small but no less dangerous, launched a glob of toxic sludge directly at Nyx. The attack was fast and accurate, catching the Umbreon squarely on her chest as she turned around.
Nyx stumbled back, her fur now matted with the poisonous substance. A low growl escaped her throat, but it was clear she was in pain.
Gladion's eyes narrowed. "Nyx, are you okay?"
Nyx let out a huff of air, her crimson eyes narrowing in determination. But the slight wobble in her stance told him the poison was taking its toll.
"Don't let up, Muk! Another Sludge Bomb!" Koga ordered.
Gladion's mind raced. He needed to turn this around. Then, an idea clicked. "Nyx, use Copycat!"
Nyx's crimson eyes glowed faintly as she mimicked Muk's movements. Instead of retaliating with her own attack, she shrank her body, using Muk's earlier Minimize move.
The crowd of ninjas including Agatha in the stands, let out a collective gasp.
"Impossible," Koga muttered, his composure slipping for the first time. "Moves like Minimize shouldn't be copyable with Copycat and it should only copy the last move used by opposing Pokemon which is sludge bomb."
Agatha, who had been watching silently, narrowed her eyes. "This boy… his Umbreon is something else. How is she breaking conventional rules? Copying a prior move… intriguing."
Gladion smirked. 'That's Nyx for you—breaking the mold every chance she gets.'
Now minimized, Nyx darted around the battlefield, evading Muk's incoming attacks with ease. Her speed had increased due to a smaller body.
"Dark Pulse!" Gladion commanded.
Nyx's body pulsed with dark energy, the vibrations canceling her Minimize effect and returning her to normal size. The Dark Pulse struck Muk squarely, sending it sliding across the electrified battlefield.
Muk groaned but struggled back to its slimy feet, its resilience admirable. Unfortunately, the poison coursing through Nyx's veins proved too much. She collapsed, her legs giving out beneath her.
"Umbreon is unable to battle!" the referee declared.
Gladion quickly returned Nyx to her Poké Ball, whispering, "You did amazing. Rest now."
But before the referee could continue, Muk let out a final groan and collapsed as well, its body sizzling slightly from the lingering effects of the Electric Terrain. Muk had got another electric shock at then end of the battle.
"Muk is also unable to battle!"
The referee raised both hands. "Double knockout!"
Gladion reached for his next Poké Ball, his heart racing. 'It's time for you to make your debut, buddy.'
He threw the ball high into the air, and with a burst of light, Collosus, his Pupitar, emerged onto the field.
Collosus let out a roar that echoed throughout the gym. Despite being in its Pupitar stage, the roar carried the raw power and intimidation of a fully evolved Tyranitar. Koga's eyes narrowed in focus.
Agatha smirked. "So, Maren's grandson finally unveils his ace. Let's see how this Pupitar fares."
Koga, unfazed, tossed his next Poké Ball. "Nidoking, you're up!"
The hulking Poison/Ground-type materialized on the field, its imposing form towering over Collosus. The Electric Terrain sparked under Nidoking's feet, but the Pokémon merely grunted, brushing off the electric charge as if it were nothing.
The two Pokémon locked eyes, the air between them thick with tension. Collosus stood firm, his rocky exterior gleaming under the gym's lights, while Nidoking's muscles rippled with raw power.
Gladion's heart pounded in anticipation. He knew this battle would be a true test of Collosus's strength. That Nidoking definitely was a 9 star Pokemon just like Collosus. For some reason, Gladion knew Koga was testing him. But the question was what he was testing Gladion for?
Koga broke the silence. "Your Pupitar has spirit, but spirit alone won't win battles."
Gladion smirked, his confidence unwavering. "We'll see about that. Collosus isn't just spirit—he's power, determination, and everything I've worked for. Let's see if your Nidoking can handle him."
-----Author Notes------
Thankyou Trevor Briggs, Xenox21 and
Cameron Doyle for supporting me.
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