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Despite losing the last round, the fact that Bugsy would send out a Metapod as his second Pokémon said a lot he clearly had tremendous confidence in its strength.
Usually, a Trainer's second Pokémon is either stronger than the first or chosen to counter the opponent's strategy. But Kai couldn't help but question it Metapod, at that stage, had virtually no offensive capabilities. For many, Harden was its only usable move, and some Metapod could barely move at all.
So why risk sending it into battle?
But clearly, Bugsy wasn't taking chances. If he dared to field it here, he must have trained it in some special way.
As the battle resumed, Pupitar took the initiative.
It fired off with compressed gas from its shell, shooting forward like a missile. In the blink of an eye, it was face-to-face with Metapod. Without hesitation, it opened its jaws to bite down, small sharp teeth aiming to test the limits of Metapod's shell.
This wasn't even a command from Kai Pupitar simply wanted to find out for itself how tough Metapod really was.
Sometimes, words aren't enough you need to feel it for yourself.
"Metapod, use Harden!" Bugsy shouted.
Still motionless, Metapod's body briefly flashed with a metallic sheen the telltale sign of the Normal-type move Harden, boosting its defense to an extreme.
Pupitar's fangs sank in squealing friction, like steel grinding steel.
Skreeeeeech…
Despite several attempts, Pupitar couldn't make a dent. It chomped from one angle, then another, but Metapod's armor-like shell held firm. It was like trying to bite through solid steel.
Metapod lived up to its name the "ironclad pod." Tough didn't even begin to describe it.
That's when Bugsy made his move. "Metapod jump!"
With an unexpected jolt, Metapod flexed its tail end and launched itself into the air breaking free from Pupitar's bite.
It soared toward the rafters of the gym ceiling.
Pupitar looked up just as Metapod came rocketing down like a missile.
BOOM!
The impact sent both Pokémon flying apart.
Luckily for Pupitar, its own rocky shell softened the blow just enough to survive the hit.
Kai raised an eyebrow, visibly surprised.
Bugsy smirked. "Impressed? My Metapod's not like the others you've seen, is it?"
He had a right to brag. Kai had faced plenty of Metapod in the past immobile, passive, barely even battle-capable. But Bugsy's Metapod could jump? Attack? That was new.
Clearly, Bugsy's reputation as a Bug-type expert was well-earned.
Back in the field, Metapod launched itself again, aiming to repeat the aerial slam. But this time, Pupitar was ready it dodged.
Kai had seen through the pattern.
Metapod wasn't just defending it was weaponizing its own shell. A living cannonball.
It had no hesitation. No defense-to-attack balance. Just full-force body strikes using brute momentum and armor.
Now the question was how to counter that?
Kai's eyes narrowed. Then he had it.
As Metapod soared again, Kai shouted, "Pupitar, use Stone Edge now!"
Pupitar generated a large, jagged boulder right in front of itself—just as Metapod began descending again.
"Oh no…"
Bugsy's face twisted. He'd thought Kai would try to shoot Stone Edge at Metapod.
But he hadn't.
Pupitar had placed the boulder in Metapod's path.
By the time Bugsy realized, it was too late.
CRACK!
Metapod smashed directly into the boulder but didn't bounce off.
It stuck.
The impact embedded Metapod into the rock like a cork in a bottle.
The pod twisted, trying to break free, but no matter how much it wiggled or strained, it was trapped.
Kai gave a faint smile. "Let's finish it."
With a hiss of compressed air, Pupitar blasted itself to the front of the boulder, locked onto Metapod's exposed back.
"Dark Pulse."
A wave of dark energy erupted from deep inside Pupitar. It slammed point-blank into Metapod, who couldn't dodge, couldn't brace.
The boulder shattered, and Metapod was blasted from the stone prison sent tumbling across the floor.
Thunk-thunk-thunk…
Metapod rolled out of bounds.
Bugsy stared at it. Its swirled eyes said it all.
The referee raised a flag: "Metapod is unable to battle! The winner is Pupitar!"
Bugsy didn't even get a word out before something unexpected happened—
Pupitar began to glow.
A brilliant white light engulfed it.
Bugsy blinked in shock. Even Kai raised an eyebrow.
Another evolution?
It wasn't the first time. Back when he'd battled the Cianwood Gym, Dragonite had evolved mid-battle. And now Pupitar too. It had happened before sometimes, defeating a Gym Leader's ace brought just enough experience to trigger an evolution.
It made sense. In the Pokémon world, Gym Leader battles were like boss fights. Beat one, and the experience payoff was massive.
As the light faded, a towering shape stood in Pupitar's place over two meters tall, its entire body encased in thick, rugged green armor.
Tyranitar.
The evolved form of Pupitar.
It raised its head to the ceiling and let out a mighty roar that shook the entire gym.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAA"
The echo rumbled through the building. Far-off Bug-types scrambled for cover, diving into bushes and burrowing underground.
That roar… it reminded Kai of his Gyarados, back in Cerise Park. No, Tyranitar wasn't as massive but in sheer intimidation? It was close.
This wasn't the first time Kai had seen a Tyranitar in action. Back during the Kanto Rocket Base raid, one of the Rocket Executives had owned one.
That Tyranitar had severely injured Erika in battle.
The image of her bleeding, thrown across the room by that beast he remembered it vividly.
Now, one stood on his side.
And this time?
It roared for him.
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