Pokemon: A Gym Leader's Rise(SI)

The preliminary rounds of the League Tournament were in full swing at the Indigo Plateau Stadium—a sprawling coliseum divided into ten main battlefields and three supporting stadiums, each with four fields.

A total of 2,359 trainers had qualified for this massive event, all vying for a coveted spot in the main tournament. Over the next three to four days, battles would rage simultaneously across every field.

The first stage was one Pokemon vs one Pokemon until only 256 trainers remained. Then, the competition would shift to two-versus-two matches until the field was narrowed down to 64 finalists.

Finally, in the main tournament, the top 64 would face off in three-on-three battles until they reach top 16, and beyond that, the remaining contenders would engage in full-scale six-Pokémon skirmishes.

This intricate structure was designed to keep the strongest contenders from clashing too early—each season, gym leaders would recommend their top picks, and those trainers were seeded to meet only in the later rounds.

Amid the organized chaos, the atmosphere was electric. Commentators buzzed with excitement as they described fierce duels on fields numbered 1 through 10, while snippets from the supporting stadiums provided constant updates on the action.

On Field 5, for example, Trainer Alex's Psyduck had just pulled off a stunning upset against a trainer's Miltank , much to the delight of the onlookers.

On Field 7, Trainer Lina's Jolteon was outpacing a stubborn Onix in a whirlwind battle that had the crowd on the edge of their seats.

In the midst of all this commotion, Gladion Vortex made his entrance. As he strode out onto his designated field, the murmur of the crowd hushed momentarily in anticipation.

The announcers' voices boomed over the loudspeakers "Ladies and gentlemen, I now present one of the strongest contenders this season—Gladion Vortex!" he declared, his voice echoing across the field. "As recommended by our esteemed gym leaders, Gladion has consistently shown exceptional skill and strategy in his gym battles. Today, he stands among the favorites to win the league. Remember, each season our gym leaders submit their top picks, and the tournament bracket is arranged so that these strong contenders only meet from the top 64 rounds onward. This ensures that early elimination is kept at bay, allowing the best of the best to shine in later rounds."

As he reached the center of his field, Gladion's gaze shifted to his opponent's side. Without a moment's hesitation, Gladion tapped his Poké Ball, and out burst his prized Machamp—affectionately known as Guy. His opponent released an Arbok.

But today, Guy was not appearing in his usual battle attire. Instead, to the shock and amusement of everyone watching, Guy was dressed in a complete green spandex uniform—a bold homage to the legendary Might Guy. The jumpsuit clung to every inch of Guy's muscular frame, covering all four of his powerful arms.

As Guy made his entrance, he bellowed out a thunderous cry—a boisterous,

[YEAH, YOUTH!] that echoed across the stadium. The reaction was immediate and overwhelming. Commentators on the broadcast were caught off-guard; one could be heard saying, "Is that… is that really a Machamp in a green spandex?" while another laughed, "Guy's taking the concept of 'dressed for battle' to a whole new, and rather absurd, level!"

Now you might be wondering why people knew Guy's name? Well, Gladion had helped him make his Pokégram account where he posted motivational videos as well as his workout videos which inspired millions. He has over 2 million followers already on his pokégram.

Gladion's face, however, flushed a deep shade of crimson. He tried to hide a smile behind a stern expression, but it was clear he was both proud and utterly embarrassed by Guy's over-the-top appearance.

In his mind, he couldn't help but think, 'I can't believe I let Guy talk me into this.' Just last month, Guy had practically begged, in his inimitable style, for the legendary Might Guy uniform—the blue beast of Konoha but for reasons only Machamp could explain, he ended up in this garish green jumpsuit. The absurdity of it all was almost too much for Gladion to bear in public.

The jumpsuit was made from Ariados silk and was pretty resilient.

The match began with the other trainer making the first move.

The Arbok's trainer barked an order to use Sludge bombs, and Arbok lunged forward with surprising speed. Its first move was to unleash a series of Sludge Bombs—sticky, toxic projectiles that arced menacingly toward Guy.

"Deflect them with Poison jab" Gladion ordered

In a display of remarkable reflexes, Guy countered by launching a Poison Jab. His four arms moved in a synchronized flurry as he intercepted the incoming sludge with a barrage of precise strikes. The poison move cancelled out the other poison move. The toxic globes splattered harmlessly to the ground.

Meanwhile Arbok had slithered towards Guy and in one fluid motion, it wrapped itself around Guy, attempting to constrict the imposing Machamp in a vice-like grip.

At the same time, Arbok's trainer commanded it to use Thunder Fang. The fangs sparked with electricity as Arbok lunged forward, aiming for Guy's exposed neck.

For a split second, time seemed to slow as the two forces collided. Then, Guy reacted. With one massive hand, he grabbed Arbok's fanged snout, halting the electrified assault in its tracks. The force of his grip was such that Arbok's electric charge fizzled out almost instantly. Meanwhile, two of his other two arms moved with coordinated precision to unravel the coiling Arbok, peeling it away from his body.

As if that wasn't enough, Guy's final hand—seemingly working on autopilot—delivered a blazing Fire Punch. The impact was colossal. Flames erupted from Guy's fist as the punch landed squarely on Arbok, sending it sprawling backwards in a burst of smoke and flames. The crowd gasped in unison, and then erupted into raucous applause.

In the aftermath of the explosive clash, Gladion stood at the edge of the battlefield, his eyes wide with both admiration and exasperation. He couldn't help but think,

'I swear, only Guy could turn a standard match into a full-on performance art piece. That uniform… it's so ridiculous I'm embarrassed to be seen with him, yet so effective that I can't fault it.'

Some of Guy's fans cheered wildly, others whistled in disbelief, and a few even held up signs reading "Go Guy!" or "Might Guy's Might!" The commentators, never missing a beat, continued to laud Guy's performance. "That green jumpsuit may be a fashion disaster," one commentator remarked, "but it clearly channels the spirit of youth and strength!"

Clearly the commentator was also one of Guy's fan and followed him.

After the dust settled and Arbok lay defeated on the field, the announcer declared Gladion and his Machamp the winners of the match.

------Author Notes------

Thank you Harley Morrison, It's ore, Darth_Zenraa, CosmicUniverse, Jack Whiting, Patrik, Bladesunder and Hudie for supporting me!

Y'all can read 15 extra chapters on my pat*reon. 3 more than what was offered earlier!!

https://pat reon.com/mrmime24

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