"Let's see Juan's strength first."
Gary wasn't in a rush to challenge the Gym, but he was curious to witness Juan's strength firsthand.
Juan was Wallace's mentor, and his power was not to be underestimated. Ash had once battled Juan, and Pikachu only narrowly claimed victory. That alone showed Juan's Pokémon likely possessed quasi-elite or even elite-level strength.
As Gary approached the entrance of the Sootopolis Gym, a system notification chimed in his mind.
[Ding! New Task Released:
Earn the Sootopolis Gym Badge.
Reward: High-Level Rare Candy ×5, TM – Rock Tomb (Permanent Use), Mystic Water (Top Grade) ×1!Earn the badge using only Hoenn-region Pokémon.
Reward: High-Level Rare Candy ×5, Water-Type Move Selector (Permanent), Random Battle Item ×1.]
"High-level Rare Candy, huh…?"
Gary's eyes lit up. If the reward was that valuable, then Juan's signature Pokémon—Milotic—must be of at least elite rank, possibly higher.
"Alright then, I'll use Latios."
Initially, Gary considered upgrading his Pokémon, fearing Juan's team might be too high-level. But from what he remembered, apart from Milotic, the rest of Juan's team probably wasn't overwhelmingly strong. With Latios as his trump card, he could fight more directly.
After finalizing his strategy, Gary rang the Gym's doorbell—shaped like a Poké Ball.
"Young man, please wait a moment. I'll be there shortly," a calm voice responded through the intercom.
Gary waited patiently.
A few minutes later, the door creaked open, revealing an elderly gentleman in a butler's uniform. He appeared to be in his sixties, his posture upright and manner composed.
Sootopolis Gym doubled as a residence, and so Juan employed an assistant who also handled day-to-day Gym tasks.
"Good day. I am Sebastian, the butler and Gym assistant of the Sootopolis Gym. How may I help you?" he asked with a polite bow.
"Hello, I'm Gary from the Kanto Region. I'm here to challenge the Sootopolis Gym."
"Ah, a Gym challenger. Please, follow me."
Upon confirming Gary's identity, Sebastian led him through the opulent halls of the Gym. Soon, they entered the main arena, where Juan was already waiting.
Juan carried himself with elegance, clad in a blue formal suit with white-dyed bangs that framed his face stylishly—an unmistakable trait of a seasoned Coordinator.
Wallace's flair for theatrics made a lot more sense now. Clearly, Juan was the one who'd taught him.
"Welcome. I am Juan, the Gym Leader of Sootopolis City," Juan said with a warm and dignified tone.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Gary. I'm here for a Gym battle," Gary responded confidently.
"Gary… Hmm, have you met Wallace before?" Juan asked, his tone suddenly more curious.
Gary was a bit taken aback. It seemed Wallace had mentioned him.
"Yes, I've met him. Is something wrong?"
"No, not at all. Wallace once told me he met a remarkable young Trainer. He shared your experiences, you saved his life. As Wallace's mentor, I owe you a debt of gratitude."
"You're too kind. I was just doing what anyone would've done."
Though Gary wasn't sure what Juan's exact standing was in the Hoenn Region, someone with the authority to run a Gym like this surely held significant influence. Perhaps there was even a chance of getting another Mega Stone here—if he played his cards right.
"Once the battle is over, please enjoy yourself in Sootopolis City. All expenses will be on me," Juan offered kindly.
Gary raised an eyebrow. Really? Just a few meals and I'm supposed to be impressed?
"Haha… When do we start the battle?" Gary quickly changed the subject. It was clear Juan wouldn't hand over anything truly valuable, so he'd rather get straight to the fight.
"We can begin right away."
"Perfect."
The two walked to the command zone. Gary glanced at the battlefield—it was an aquatic arena, complete with floating platforms near his side for Trainers' Pokémon to stand on.
Sebastian moved to the referee's podium and announced, "Now initiating the official Gym battle between Leader Juan and Challenger Gary!"
"This Gym challenge will consist of five Pokémon. Both Trainers will begin with a Double Battle. The round ends once both Pokémon on one side are unable to battle."
"The winner of the Double Battle may proceed with their remaining Pokémon to a 1-on-1 Single Battle. The match continues until all Pokémon on one side are defeated."
Sebastian spoke at length—clearly to ensure Gary understood the Gym's unique format.
"Understood," Gary nodded. It was a bit more complex than a standard battle, but it seemed designed to test the Trainer's adaptability.
"Let the Gym challenge begin!"
Juan took out two Poké Balls with practiced grace.
"Let's go—Sealeo, Seaking!"
"Seaa-leoo!"
"See-king!"
A plump, blue Sealeo appeared with a splash, its icy coat gleaming under the Gym lights. Beside it was a vibrant Seaking, its sharp horn glinting ominously.
[LV40 Sealeo | Gym Potential]
LV45 Seaking | Gym Potential]
Their levels weren't too intimidating. Gary considered Aggron, but this kind of water-dominant field made that a risky choice.
"Let's do this—Gardevoir! Swampert! Battle positions!"
"Gardevoooir!"
"Swamp-pert!"
Gary's Gardevoir and Swampert emerged, landing neatly on the platforms. Both looked poised for action.
[LV44 Gardevoir ♀ | Elite Potential]
[LV39 Swampert ♂ | Elite Potential]
"Gary, go for it!" Zinnia's voice echoed in his mind, calm and supportive.
"Alright! Gardevoir—use Future Sight on Seaking!"
"Voooiir!" Gardevoir's eyes glowed with a deep blue aura, warping space to lock in a delayed psychic strike.
"Swampert—get in close and use Power-Up Punch on Sealeo!"
"Swaaamp-PERT!!" Swampert dove into the water with a splash, swimming at high speed toward the Sealeo.
Gary had carefully selected his target. Sealeo was part Ice-type and hadn't reached its final evolution yet, making it vulnerable to Fighting-type moves.