Pokédex:"Kabutops, the Shellfish Pokémon. This ancient Pokémon once swam freely in prehistoric seas, using its sharp scythes to slice through prey. Over time, its gills and legs adapted, allowing it to move from water to land."
Paul's cold eyes narrowed. He snapped the Pokédex shut without a word, already calculating his next move. Then, in one swift motion, he hurled a Poké Ball forward.
"Primeape, come on out." His tone was calm, but commanding.
The capsule burst open, releasing a blinding light that materialized into a muscular, furious Primeape.
"Prrriiime-aaaape!!"
The Pig Monkey Pokémon slammed its fists together with a crack that echoed across the battlefield. Its eyes burned with unrestrained rage as it fixed on Kabutops, snorting and stomping the ground.
Gary's brows rose slightly. Primeape, huh? He hadn't expected Paul to use a Pokémon like that, and judging from its stance and aura, it wasn't weak either.
"Not bad," Gary muttered under his breath. Then, raising his voice: "Come on then, show me your strength!"
Paul's eyes flickered. He didn't like Gary's tone—it felt patronizing, as if someone his own age had the right to test him.
"Primeape, Cross Chop!" Paul commanded sharply.
Primeape charged forward, arms crossing as white, gleaming energy coated them. With a battle cry, it leapt high, bringing its arms down in a vicious X-shaped strike.
Gary snapped his arm forward. "Kabutops, Aqua Jet!"
"Kabuuutops!!"
Kabutops's body shimmered with a layer of rushing water. Its scythes sliced forward, cloaked in liquid force, as it darted like a missile to meet Primeape head-on.
The collision was explosive.
BANG!!
Water and fighting energy clashed, sending shockwaves rippling across the gym floor. For a moment, both Pokémon pressed against each other, neither yielding. Then Kabutops roared, pushing Primeape back with sheer strength.
Paul's frown deepened. So Kabutops is stronger in raw power…
"Stone Edge!" Gary wasted no time, striking while the momentum was his.
"Topsss!!"
Spikes of jagged stone erupted around Kabutops, then launched forward in a deadly barrage.
"Prrrriiiime-ape!!"
Primeape roared defiantly, smashing the stones with furious punches. Shards exploded everywhere as it bulldozed through, but there were too many—several jagged edges struck home, leaving bruises and cuts. Yet Primeape didn't falter; if anything, its rage only grew.
Gary's voice cut through the dust. "Aqua Jet, again!"
With a burst of water, Kabutops lunged. Its sickles flashed as it carved through the remaining stones and struck Primeape hard across the chest.
CRASH!!
Primeape flew backward, slamming into the gym wall. Dust and rubble showered down. For a moment, it seemed down—but then Primeape staggered to its feet. Its bloodshot eyes gleamed unnaturally red, and a fiery aura of rage erupted around its body.
Gary's eyes widened. "That's… Anger Point!"
Primeape's hidden ability had activated—its attack power had skyrocketed to its maximum.
Paul's lips curled into the faintest of smirks. "Now, Cross Chop again!"
"Prrrriiime-AAAAPE!!"
Primeape became a blur of fury, charging with devastating force, its crossed arms glowing with lethal energy.
Gary's instincts screamed danger. At this rate, Kabutops will be destroyed in one blow…!
"Kabutops, Dig!"
With a sharp screech, Kabutops dove underground, disappearing in a spray of dirt.
Primeape skidded to a halt, its eyes scanning. Surprisingly, it didn't lose itself completely to rage. Instead, under Paul's discipline, it remained focused.
Paul barked: "Primeape, Focus Punch—hit the ground beneath you!"
Primeape let out a guttural cry, energy condensing into its right fist, glowing golden. It slammed the arena floor with terrifying might.
BOOOOM!!
The floor cracked like spiderweb glass, tremors rocking the battlefield. The shockwave forced Kabutops up from underground, stumbling out into the open, visibly shaken.
"Now! Cross Chop!" Paul snapped.
Primeape lunged instantly, its glowing arms crossing downward in a brutal strike. At this range, Kabutops had no time to evade.
Gary's voice rang out: "Then use Waterfall, full power!!"
Kabutops roared. Torrents of water erupted around its body, surging like a raging river. Enveloped in crashing waves, it hurled itself at Primeape with everything it had.
The two moves met in a cataclysmic impact.
KAAABOOOM!!
Water exploded everywhere, the gym shaking from the force. For a brief moment, Kabutops and Primeape clashed, locked in raw power. But Primeape's Anger Point boost proved too overwhelming—its Cross Chop tore through Kabutops's water cloak and slammed it aside.
"Kaaa…bu…!!"
Kabutops was hurled into the far wall, crashing hard. It slid down and fell limp, eyes spiraling.
Hannah raised her flag. "Kabutops is unable to battle! Primeape is the winner!"
Gary exhaled through his nose, returning Kabutops with a quiet, "Good work. Take a rest." He immediately tossed out another Poké Ball.
"Go, Omastar!"
"Omastaaaar!"
The spiral Pokémon emerged, its many tentacles twitching as it eyed Primeape.
Paul's expression remained unreadable. With a curt motion, he withdrew Primeape. "Return. You did well."
Gary frowned slightly. Paul wasn't playing like the reckless challengers he'd faced before—he was cold, precise, and always aiming for type advantage.
Paul pulled out another ball. "Torterra, I choose you!"
With a blinding flash, the massive Continent Pokémon appeared, its shell crowned with a great tree.
"Tooor-terraaa!!"
The ground trembled under its weight.
Gary clenched his jaw. Damn. Torterra against Omastar… that's four-times weakness.
He immediately ordered, "Omastar, use Brine!"
Omastar spewed a torrent of high-pressure salty water toward Torterra.
Paul didn't flinch. "Energy Ball."
"Terrraaa!"
A glowing green sphere of energy burst from Torterra's maw, colliding with the stream of brine. For a moment, the two attacks pushed against each other—but the Energy Ball surged forward, overpowering the water, and detonated in front of Omastar.
BOOM!!
The explosion engulfed Omastar, sending it skidding back across the field, badly hurt.
Gary gritted his teeth. He could feel Paul's battle style—unrelenting, merciless, always striking with the most efficient option.
"Omastar, Ancient Power!"
Omastar glowed, conjuring large stones with psychic force, hurling them at Torterra.
"Leaf Storm." Paul's command was calm, but final.
Leaves burst from Torterra's tree in a howling green tempest. The storm swallowed the rocks midair, grinding them to dust, before surging forward to sweep Omastar off its feet.
CRAAASH!!
Omastar was blasted back, thrown across the battlefield, landing in a heap. Smoke and dust rose, obscuring the arena as Hannah leaned forward with her flag raised—