The next morning, Aoki woke up early and performed some warm-up exercises.
Today, he was going to challenge the Lavaridge Gym and obtain the Heat Badge as soon as possible.
After finishing breakfast, Aoki suddenly remembered something—he had defeated Hunter K last time and obtained a Saffron-tier treasure chest, but he hadn't opened it yet.
Before heading out, he decided to see what rewards he could get. Any increase in strength before a Gym battle would be valuable.
Aoki opened the system's log.
"Congratulations, Host! You have opened the Saffron-tier treasure chest and obtained a TM Package!"
A TM Package? Not bad.
Aoki checked its contents. His Pokémon already had excellent potential, but there were always useful techniques to learn.
Since his Happiny was about to evolve into Chansey, it would require a diverse moveset for versatility in battle. Chansey could learn many TMs, but some moves took time to master.
The three TMs he received were:
• Flamethrower
• SolarBeam
• Psybeam
All three were highly practical, and Chansey could learn them.
After some thought, Aoki decided to teach Flamethrower to his Gyarados to expand its coverage and counter Grass-type Pokémon in future battles.
The other two moves, SolarBeam and Psybeam, would be reserved for Happiny after its evolution.
The "Pink Demon" was coming soon.
Once his Blissey was fully trained, people would come to fear its sheer tankiness and unexpected offensive capabilities. Perhaps even the Joy family would recognize his Pokémon as an inspiration for their own.
Arriving at Lavaridge Gym
"Kamizrei, come with me to challenge the Gym."
"Let's go!" Kamizrei replied excitedly as she followed Aoki out of the Pokémon Center.
The two quickly arrived at the Lavaridge Gym, home of Flannery, the Fire-type Gym Leader.
"Anyone here? I'm here to challenge the Gym."
A voice called out from inside.
"Grandpa, there's a challenger!"
A red-haired girl ran out enthusiastically—it was Flannery, the future Gym Leader and granddaughter of Mura, the current Gym Leader.
Flannery was always excited about battles, so whenever someone challenged the Gym, she was eager to watch.
"Come in."
An old man with silver hair stepped out.
This was Mura, the current Lavaridge Gym Leader and a former Elite Four member.
"Didn't expect a challenger so early. The rules are simple—this will be a 3-on-3 battle. The winner will earn the Heat Badge."
"Understood."
Aoki pulled out a Luxury Ball.
"My first Pokémon will be Torkoal."
Flannery's eyes lit up.
"It's Grandpa's Torkoal! I hope my Torkoal can be as strong as his one day!"
Aoki analyzed Torkoal with his system.
• Torkoal
• Strength: High-Level
• Potential: Gym-Level
This Torkoal wasn't weak, but it also wasn't anywhere near Elite Four level. After all, Gym Leaders rarely sent out their strongest Pokémon for challenger battles.
"Then I'll send out my Blaziken."
Aoki deliberately avoided using Greninja, since it would be too unfair.
Even so, Blaziken was still at a much higher level than Torkoal.
Mura adjusted his glasses as he observed Aoki's Blaziken.
"That's an incredibly well-trained Blaziken. Its physique and muscle definition suggest top-tier conditioning. You've raised it with great care."
As a Fire-type specialist, Mura could immediately tell that Aoki's Blaziken was extraordinary.
The Battle Begins
"Blaziken, use Sky Uppercut!"
Blaziken launched forward, its fist glowing with white energy, aiming for Torkoal.
"Torkoal, dodge and use Body Slam!"
Torkoal swiftly rolled to the side, avoiding the attack, then jumped into the air and tried to slam its entire body weight down onto Blaziken.
"Blaziken, use Flame Charge!"
Blaziken dashed to the side, its body glowing with fiery energy, accelerating rapidly with every second.
"Torkoal, use Shell Smash!"
Torkoal stood still as its shell glowed white, sacrificing some of its defenses to greatly boost its speed and attack power.
"Blaziken, use Bulk Up!"
Blaziken flexed its muscles as red energy surged through its body, raising its attack and defense.
Flannery watched with excitement.
"Grandpa, Torkoal is so strong! But that Blaziken is amazing, too!"
Meanwhile, Kamizrei remained silent, nervously watching Aoki's battle.
The Decisive Clash
"Blaziken, close the distance and use High Jump Kick!"
"Torkoal, use Giga Impact!"
The two Pokémon charged at each other at full speed.
Torkoal, now much faster due to Shell Smash, rushed forward with a devastating Giga Impact, its entire body glowing with white energy.
Meanwhile, Blaziken leaped high into the air, spinning, before slamming its knee down with incredible force.
A moment of silence.
Then—BOOM!
A shockwave spread across the battlefield from the impact. The entire Gym shook slightly as the dust settled.
Flannery cheered for her grandfather, while Kamizrei clenched her fists in anticipation.
As the dust cleared, Torkoal was lying on its back, unconscious.
Blaziken, though slightly fatigued, remained standing, proving its superior strength.
Mura nodded in approval.
"That Blaziken of yours is truly formidable."
Despite Torkoal's enhanced speed and attack, its defenses had been sacrificed due to Shell Smash, making it vulnerable to Blaziken's High Jump Kick.
In the end, Blaziken's superior stats and training gave it the edge.
Preparing for the Next Round
Aoki recalled Blaziken and looked at Mura with a serious expression.
"Gym battles are nice, but I'd rather have an Elite-level battle with you."
He wasn't here just for the Heat Badge—if he could defeat Mura in an Elite-level match, he would receive a Diamond-tier treasure chest.
A huge reward was at stake.
Mura's eyes gleamed with interest.
"Oh? You're aiming for more than just a Gym victory? Very well—let's see if you're truly prepared."
The real challenge was about to begin.
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