The Shuangyan Gym, known by many as the Twin Flame Gym, stood as a symbol of power and pride in Shuangyang City. Its towering structure, crowned with twin sun emblems gleaming in the morning light, made it instantly recognizable to any Pokémon trainer. The Twin Flame Gym was not only the most famous gym in Shuangyang City but also the strongest.
Its leader, Li Fei, was a master of Fire-type Pokémon, a high-level trainer whose skills were respected and admired across the region. Every trainer in Shuangyang City dreamed of earning the Twin Flame Badge, seeing it as a rite of passage, proof of their strength and dedication.
After Renjiro had wrapped up his business at Warehouse District 8, he wasted no time. The very next morning, he found himself standing at the entrance of the Twin Flame Gym. The air smelled faintly of smoke and charred wood — a reminder of the intense battles that took place inside these walls.
Renjiro took a deep breath, his dark eyes narrowing with determination. This is the next step.
He had a goal: to collect at least four badges before November. That was the deadline for registering in the junior trainer assessment, scheduled for May of the following year. If he wanted to prove himself, to rise through the ranks and make his mark, he needed those badges — starting with this one.
His gaze lingered on the twin sun emblem for a moment longer before he pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside.
"Hello, and welcome to the Twin Flame Gym!"
A cheerful voice greeted him as soon as he entered. A receptionist, dressed smartly in the gym's red-and-gold uniform, smiled warmly at him from behind the front desk.
"Are you here to challenge the gym?" she asked, her eyes bright with interest.
"I am." Renjiro nodded, stepping up to the desk.
"Wonderful! May I see your trainer card or ID, please?"
Without hesitation, Renjiro pulled out his ID card and handed it over.
The receptionist took it and placed it into the registration machine. With a soft chime, Renjiro's information appeared on the screen.
But as her eyes scanned the display, the receptionist's expression changed. Her hand flew to her mouth in surprise.
There on the screen it read:
Name: Renjiro
Rating: Unrated
Badges: None
Special Record: 37 consecutive wins at the Battle Tower
She glanced back at him, wide-eyed. This was Renjiro — the boy everyone in Shuangyang City whispered about. The prodigy who'd stunned spectators with his Battle Tower performance. And now he was here to challenge their gym.
"Is something wrong?" Renjiro asked, puzzled by her reaction.
"N-no, not at all!" she said quickly, shaking her head. Her hands moved swiftly as she processed his registration. "Here's your challenge card, Renjiro. Please keep it safe."
She handed him the card and gestured toward a door. "Master Li is currently finishing another challenge. Please wait in the waiting room until your turn comes up."
"Thank you," Renjiro said, accepting the card with a small bow.
He made his way to the waiting room, passing through a wide corridor lined with portraits of past gym champions. Inside the waiting area, several trainers were already seated, their eyes fixed on a large screen showing the ongoing match.
Renjiro glanced at his challenge card — 05. The current match was for challenger 03. That meant he had one more person ahead of him before it was his turn.
He chose an empty seat, folded his arms, and settled in to observe.
The battle on screen was well underway. A young man, probably in his twenties, stood across from Li Fei in the gym's sunlit arena. His Pokémon — a sturdy, determined-looking Azumarill, level 32 — faced off against Li Fei's elegant level 42 Ninetales.
The level gap was considerable, but Azumarill's Water-type advantage gave the challenger hope.
"Azumarill, use Water Gun!" the young man called out, determination etched on his face.
Azumarill responded immediately, unleashing a powerful jet of water that surged toward Ninetales.
"Flamethrower, now!" Li Fei commanded, his voice calm and assured.
Ninetales leapt gracefully, flames bursting from its mouth to meet the Water Gun. The two attacks collided with a loud boom, the force of the impact sending steam billowing through the arena.
For a moment, nothing was visible.
In the waiting room, murmurs filled the air.
"Water trumps fire, right? Why isn't Azumarill winning?"
"Li Fei's Ninetales must be special. Look at how easily it counters the Water Gun!"
Renjiro leaned forward, his interest piqued. The strategies unfolding fascinated him.
On screen, Li Fei gave another command. "Ninetales, use Confusion. Find your opponent, then follow up with Flamethrower!"
Ninetales' eyes glowed red as it tapped into its latent psychic abilities. Despite not being a Psychic type, it had been trained to harness Confusion for moments like this. Within seconds, it located Azumarill hidden in the fog of steam, seizing it in an invisible grip.
"Flamethrower!"
Bound and unable to dodge, Azumarill could only let out a pained cry as flames engulfed it.
Gasps filled the waiting room.
"Two moves at once — Confusion and Flamethrower!"
"Master Li's control is incredible. No wonder he's the gym leader."
Renjiro nodded silently. This will be a challenge worth taking.
Back on the field, Azumarill's trainer tried desperately to rally his Pokémon. "Azumarill, break free!"
Azumarill struggled, managing to shatter the psychic grip just as another Flamethrower struck. The blast sent it flying, its eyes turning to spirals as it collapsed, defeated.
Li Fei walked forward, his Ninetales at his side. He smiled kindly at the challenger.
"Your Azumarill has spirit. Train hard, and I'm sure you'll surpass even this Ninetales someday."
He handed the young man a Twin Flame Badge — a mark of respect for effort and potential.
"Thank you, Master Li. I'll come back stronger."
The young man accepted the badge and left with his head held high.
"Next!" Li Fei's voice rang out.
The fourth challenger entered, but their fate was the same. Ninetales proved too much, its fiery might and clever tactics ending the battle swiftly.
Finally, it was Renjiro's turn.
He rose, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeves, and walked calmly toward the arena. His heart pounded, not with fear, but with excitement.
This is the moment I've been waiting for.
The doors opened before him, revealing the battlefield. Sunlight streamed through the high windows, catching on the polished floor and the glint of the Twin Flame emblem at the center.
Li Fei stood at the far end, watching him with interest.
"And who might you be?"
"Renjiro," he said simply.
Recognition flickered in Li Fei's eyes. "Ah. The Battle Tower prodigy. I've heard of you."
Renjiro offered a small smile. "I hope I live up to the stories."
Li Fei chuckled, nodding. "Let's see if you can earn this badge the hard way. Ninetales — let's begin!"
The referee raised his hand. "Battle, start!"
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