For a trainer whose purpose wasn't to earn a Gym Badge but to increase his own visibility at Naoki's expense, Naoki felt there was no reason to go easy on them.
In fact, this was the perfect opportunity to strengthen his bond with the Thunder Beast itself.
"Alright," Naoki said, "Let's do it."
"I'll get the schedule arranged," Anya replied, quickly heading off to organize the battle.
Naoki followed, bringing a few of his Pokémon along as he made his way toward the central plaza.
The plaza was already packed with spectators. The moment people saw Naoki arriving, the crowd erupted into cheers.
Several internet personalities holding Rotom Phones shouted excitedly into their live streams.
"Everyone, look! That's the Gym Leader who owns the legendary Zapdos! Do you think we'll see Zapdos today? Let's stick around and find out!"
Just then, a trainer stepped out from the challenger's tunnel across the battlefield.
It was the first official challenger of the day—Cross, hailing from the Kalos region.
Cross was visibly thrilled. She was about to have a real battle with a legendary Pokémon. Her whole body trembled in excitement.
The referee stepped forward and announced, "Welcome to the Levincia Gym. The format for today's battle is one-on-one. Each trainer may use only one Pokémon. The battle continues until one Pokémon can no longer fight!"
The crowd buzzed with energy. Everyone was eager to see which Pokémon Naoki would use for this match.
Would it be Zapdos, the Thunderstorm Pokémon that commands lightning and clouds?
Would it be the adorable yet terrifying Jirachi, who could obliterate an opponent with a single move?
Or maybe the rumored guardian of the Lightning Trial—Pawmot.
Anticipation ran high. The air was electric. Fans were nearly shaking with excitement at the thought of watching Naoki crush another challenger.
"Naoki! Naoki!"
"Send out Zapdos! Blow her away!"
"I want Jirachi! Jirachi is so cute! Let us see her again!"
At that moment, under the eyes of both the live audience and thousands watching from home, Naoki finally made his move.
He reached for a Poké Ball on his belt. It looked ordinary, but everyone knew better.
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it into the air.
All eyes locked on it.
A flash of white light burst forth, and a large figure landed firmly on the battlefield.
The Pokémon had a tiger-like build with golden fur, a serious and majestic aura, and piercing crimson eyes.
Black lightning patterns ran across its muscular frame. Its limbs were strong, its fangs sharp, and every part of its presence exuded wild, untamed power.
Gasps rang out around the plaza and across the live stream.
"What is that?! Another completely unknown Pokémon?!"
"Does anyone recognize it?!"
A fan from Johto chimed in immediately, typing into the chat,
"That's Raikou! I'm sure of it!"
"Raikou?"
"Yes! According to Johto legends, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune were resurrected by Ho-Oh after a great tragedy, and they've been wandering the world ever since. Some people spend their entire lives chasing Suicune's trail and never see it even once."
As the realization set in, the chat and crowd burst into stunned admiration.
"Wait… that means there's only one Raikou in the entire world?!"
"That's right. Technically, it's even rarer than Zapdos. There are reports of multiple Zapdos sightings in different regions… but Raikou? There's only ever been one."
And now, Naoki had tamed it.
He wasn't just some famous Gym Leader anymore.
He was the only person alive to be recognized by Raikou.
The battlefield trembled with excitement and awe.
Raikou stood still, surveying the crowd. This was the first time he had faced so many humans at once. His muscles tensed, his body on alert.
"Don't worry. It's okay"
Naoki's calm voice drifted from behind.
Raikou flicked his ears and slowly relaxed, taking a deep breath.
Across the field, Cross raised her Rotom Phone, scanning the imposing Pokémon with awe and disbelief.
[Raikou, the Thunder Pokémon. Classified as a Legendary Pokémon. Detailed information currently unknown.]
"Raikou? A Legendary Pokémon?" Cross's eyes lit up with excitement. She quickly grabbed a Poké Ball from her belt.
A flash of white light burst forth as a sleek, ninja-like Pokémon landed on the battlefield opposite Raikou.
It was Greninja, one of the three iconic starter evolutions from the Kalos region.
"In that case," Cross said, fire in her voice, "let me see the power of a legend!"
Naoki's eyes narrowed slightly. "…As you wish."
The referee raised the signal flag and blew the whistle sharply, signaling the start of the battle.
"Greninja, Water Shuriken! Go!"
Greninja crouched low, then leapt into the air with incredible speed and grace. Water energy surged around it, condensing into two spinning shuriken. With practiced ease, it hurled them at Raikou.
"Extrasensory," Naoki said calmly.
The moment he spoke, Raikou moved.
A glow of light blue energy shimmered in its blood-red eyes, and in an instant, an invisible pulse of psychic force surged outward from Raikou's body.
The two water shuriken were shattered mid-flight as if they had struck a glass wall.
Greninja flinched in surprise, but before it could react, the psychic wave slammed into its chest like a truck.
Greninja was launched backwards across the battlefield, tumbling through the air.
"What was that?!" Cross gasped. "What kind of power hits before you can even see it?"
But she didn't let herself dwell on it. She clenched her fist and shouted, "Greninja, stay focused!"
Too late.
Naoki's voice echoed calmly across the field. "Being distracted in a battle is dangerous. Raikou, Thunder."
A rumble boomed above them.
Thunder exploded in the sky as Raikou's body surged with electric power. Bolts of lightning crackled around its mane, and in a flash, the energy shot upward like a beacon, piercing the clouds overhead.
The clear sky darkened almost instantly. Heavy thunderclouds swirled above, summoned by Raikou's presence. Electricity arced through the air like cracks of lightning searching for a target.
Spectators craned their necks, staring wide-eyed at the storm forming above them.
"It's not safe—Greninja, dodge!" Cross shouted, her voice cracking with urgency.
Greninja darted across the field in a blur, doing everything it could to dodge. Its legs moved in a blur, zigzagging across the battlefield with all the agility of a true ninja.
But Raikou's eyes followed it without hesitation.
Then, the sky answered.
A massive bolt of lightning came crashing down from the storm above, aimed with pinpoint precision.
The battlefield was engulfed in blinding light.
BOOM!
The explosive impact rocked the entire area. A powerful gust from the shockwave swept across the stands, and even the audience reflexively closed their eyes and shielded their faces from the searing wind.
When the light faded and the dust settled, the crowd fell completely silent.
In the center of the field, Greninja lay on the ground, fainted.
Its eyes were spiraling, stunned by the sheer power of Raikou's thunder.
"So, so strong!"
"It really is a Legendary Pokémon! That was incredible!"
"Raikou, Zapdos, and even Jirachi? I can't believe Naoki actually owns so many Legendary Pokémon!"
"Honestly, what I really want to know is, if Naoki is this powerful, why is he living in the countryside, running a ranch and playing farmer, instead of entering tournaments and becoming a Champion?"
Hearing this, someone familiar with the truth chimed in to explain.
"You wouldn't know if you're from out of town, so no judgment."
"Actually, Mr. Naoki was once a very powerful trainer. He used to travel across regions, taking on strong opponents all over the world."
"But one day, he just got tired of always battling. So he bought land in a quiet, remote area and settled down with his Pokémon, choosing a peaceful life instead."
"And he's not just a great trainer, he's a great person. He even set up trials at his ranch so that visiting trainers could challenge them and grow stronger."
"Sure, most of us get totally wrecked by the Pokémon there, but no one really minds. I mean, how often do you get to spar against Champion-level Pokémon?"
"Mr. Naoki is amazing!"
"..."
...
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