"This is the Pokémon I want to use. Come on, Breloom!" Greta declared, tossing a Poké Ball high into the air.
Pop!
A flash of light burst forth, and in the middle of the field stood Breloom.
[Lv. 65 Breloom – Elite]
The Pokémon was the size of a small kangaroo, its body a mix of green and beige with its distinctive mushroom-cap head. Breloom's legs flexed with boundless energy, and its tail whipped through the air.
"Breloom!" it cried, shadowboxing rapidly in place, eager to fight.
Scott adjusted his sunglasses and muttered, "Oh boy, she's leading with her ace right from the start. That Breloom's no pushover."
Gary smirked. "Good. Then I'll use my strongest too." He grabbed a Poké Ball from his belt. "Charizard, I'm counting on you again!"
The ball opened, and with a mighty roar, Charizard emerged.
"ROOOAARRRR!!"
Its crimson scales gleamed in the light, wings unfurling to dominate the arena. Heat radiated from its body as embers flickered at the edges of its sharp fangs.
Scott blinked and sat up straighter. "Oh, Charizard! I saw this one battle before, against Tucker… this Charizard is terrifyingly strong."
Greta clenched her fist. She hadn't expected Gary to send out a powerhouse with such a perfect type advantage. Breloom's Grass and Fighting typing was completely countered by Charizard's Fire and Flying.
But Greta was no stranger to uphill battles. She had trained countless Fighting-types, even kept Pokémon like Umbreon, Gengar, and Shedinja specifically to help balance her team. Still, this roulette match had sealed her fate—it was one-on-one, and her ace was forced to face Gary's trump card head-on.
The referee, one of Greta's apprentices, raised his hand. "The match between Arena Tycoon Greta and Challenger Gary begins now! Trainers, send your commands!"
"Breloom, Mach Punch!" Greta ordered sharply.
"Loom!!"
Breloom vanished in a blur. In the blink of an eye, it appeared right in front of Charizard and smashed its fist against Charizard's jaw.
Thud!
But Charizard didn't even flinch. Its head merely tilted slightly from the impact, then straightened again, its piercing eyes glowing with disdain.
Greta gasped. "What?! That didn't even push it back?!"
Gary smirked. "Charizard, Flamethrower!"
Charizard's chest swelled as fire gathered in its throat. With a deep growl, it unleashed a roaring torrent of flames.
"ROOOAAARRR!!"
"Dodge it, Breloom!"
Breloom leapt to the side just in time, the flames scorching across the battlefield and leaving blackened scorch marks. But dodging meant distance—and distance was exactly what Gary wanted.
"Charizard, into the air! Use Hurricane!" Gary commanded.
Charizard beat its massive wings and soared upward, scraping the ceiling of the arena. The gusts from its wings grew stronger and stronger until the winds coalesced into a spiraling Hurricane that howled across the battlefield.
"LOOOOOOM!!"
Breloom dug its feet into the floor and tried to resist, but the violent winds tore at its body. Wind blades slashed across its skin, forcing painful grunts from its throat. Unable to hold its footing, Breloom was lifted into the air and flung backward, smashing hard into the dojo's wooden wall.
CRASH!
"Breee…looom…"
Breloom staggered back onto its feet, body shaking. It was still conscious, but barely. The battle had nearly been decided in two moves.
Gary didn't hesitate. His voice cut like a blade. "Finish it—Air Slash!"
Charizard's wings glowed as it swung them with deadly precision. Blades of condensed wind shot down like a storm of knives.
"BRELOOM, MOVE!!" Greta screamed.
"Looom!!" Breloom tried to dash aside, but its injuries slowed it too much. The Air Slash blades struck mercilessly.
THUD—CRASH!
"LOOOOOOM!!"
Breloom wailed as it was slammed into the floor, dust rising from the impact. When the smoke cleared, it lay motionless, eyes swirling in defeat.
The referee raised his hand. "Breloom is unable to battle! Charizard is the winner!"
"And with that," he added solemnly, "Arena Tycoon Greta's Pokémon have been defeated. The victory goes to Challenger Gary!"
The audience of apprentices gasped. The match had ended in mere moments.
Greta stared blankly, frozen in place. She had expected a fierce fight, but instead, she had been utterly overpowered.
No wonder Gary had been dissatisfied with a one-on-one battle before the roulette spin. It wasn't because he wanted to use more of his Pokémon. It was because a single battle was no challenge for him at all.
"Charizard, return." Gary recalled his partner with a beam of red light.
Greta walked forward, her head lowered. She bowed deeply before Gary and Scott. "I… apologize. It seems my strength is far too lacking. I am unworthy of the title of Arena Tycoon. Mr. Scott, you should find another to take my place."
"What?!" Scott nearly dropped his sunglasses. "Greta, that's nonsense! It was just one battle. You don't need to resign!"
Greta shook her head, eyes firm. "No. This isn't about losing—it's about how I lost. As Arena Tycoon, I should be a symbol of strength. But that fight was an insult. My training is incomplete. Until I grow stronger, I cannot continue in this role."
Scott grimaced. Finding Greta had already been difficult. Arena Tycoons weren't exactly common, and there were no other candidates in Kanto who could replace her. Losing her now would be a huge blow to the Frontier.
Before Scott could respond, Gary stepped forward. His words were sharp, merciless.
"Miss Greta, whether you resign or not is none of my concern. But giving up after a single loss? That's pathetic. A battle destroyed your fighting spirit—you're too weak-willed to be an Arena Tycoon. You're not even fit to be a rookie trainer's sparring partner."
Greta's eyes widened. "You…!"
Gary continued, eyes narrowing. "And yet, you dared set your sights on surpassing my master. That's laughable."
Greta's fists clenched. "Your… master?"
Gary's voice was calm but cutting. "Chuck. The Gym Leader of Cianwood. My master taught me discipline, strength, and resilience. Compared to him, you're nothing."
"What?!" Greta gasped.
Even Scott was stunned. "You… you're Chuck's apprentice?"
Chuck's reputation was legendary among Fighting-type Trainers. He was revered as one of the greatest martial artists in the Pokémon world. For Gary to be his apprentice meant his foundation in battle was far deeper than Greta could have guessed.
Gary crossed his arms. "Now stop wasting my time. Give me the Guts Symbol. I have other facilities to challenge."
Greta faltered, caught between anger and shame. In the end, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a golden badge shaped like a muscular arm—the Guts Symbol.
"Here… take it," she said, her voice quiet.
Gary accepted it with a satisfied smirk. "Good. Goodbye."
He turned on his heel and strode toward the exit without a backward glance. Charizard's Poké Ball rested at his belt, and the golden Symbol gleamed in his hand.
Ding!
[Mission Complete. Rewards: High-level Rare Candies x2, Ability Strengthening Stone x1, Silver Crown x1, Permanent TM of Choice x1. Delivered to Space Backpack.]