"..."
Staring at the fainted Cetitan, Grusha's already icy expression froze for several long seconds.
He had lost...
And lost decisively, defeated by nothing more than a single Lucario belonging to Aiden.
Previously, when he had faced novice challengers at the Glaseado Mountain Gym, his defeats had mostly stemmed from unconventional, highly specialized counter-strategies—losses he hadn't truly cared about.
But this defeat was entirely different.
As fellow Gym Leaders, with both sides deploying their full teams, he had failed even to defeat Aiden's main Pokémon...
It sounded almost absurd—after all, both of them were just beginning as new Gym Leaders; even with a skill gap, it shouldn't be this extreme, right?
To be swept 3-0 by someone your own age? It was simply unbelievable!
Yet it had all just happened.
And Aiden hadn't used any bizarre, mind-bending tactics—he had simply overpowered every one of Grusha's Pokémon with raw, direct, undeniable strength.
Protect had crumbled before this Lucario as if made of paper, making Grusha question his entire understanding of battle.
He couldn't outdamage, couldn't outlast, and his signature snow-control defense strategy had been shattered in seconds—causing the entire match to collapse like an avalanche.
Aiden's counters were lightning-fast, as if he had anticipated every move Grusha would make.
The moment Aiden saw Aurora Veil, he instantly reacted, commanding Lucario to use Close Combat and neutralize it effortlessly.
Logically, unless he had predicted Grusha's exact actions, such instantaneous response should have been impossible.
But wasn't Alolan Ninetales an extremely obscure regional form?
In fact, this question had plagued Grusha since the battle began.
Aside from the long-neglected Alola region, there should be no other place where such an Ice-type Ninetales could exist.
If he hadn't happened to encounter and befriend a Vulpix during a personal trip to Alola years ago, he never would have had the chance to bond with a Pokémon that Alolan people revere as a sacred omen.
Even Sini, the Elite Four member who evaluated him during his own Gym Leader trial, had failed to see through his strategy and nearly lost to him.
So how did Aiden know?
Grusha's gaze, filled with unmistakable curiosity, locked onto Aiden standing across from him.
"What an exhilarating battle~"
Aiden quickly walked up to Grusha, offering a bright, sunlit smile.
Yet for some reason, Grusha found it almost blinding.
Seeing Grusha remain silent, Aiden spoke again immediately.
"I didn't realize Gym Leader Grusha had captured an Alolan Ninetales—those Pokémon are exceedingly rare. People who earn their trust usually possess great inner resilience."
"But I happened to travel to Alola as a child, so I've developed a slight familiarity with Pokémon from that region."
As if reading Grusha's thoughts, Aiden's words drew Grusha's full attention.
"...I see."
Though it sounded like pure coincidence, Grusha knew—
Aiden was simply offering him a graceful way out. In truth, Aiden likely possessed deep knowledge of nearly every Pokémon in the entire Pokédex.
Though the challenge had been spontaneous, Grusha was no fool.
Before coming to challenge Aiden, Grusha had thoroughly researched him online.
He hadn't expected what he found.
What do you mean a Gym Leader with "overwhelming negative reviews"?
He'd never heard of any Gym Leader whose dislikes outnumbered their likes—let alone one like Aiden, whose Sunshine Gym had managed to squeeze a few positive comments into a sea of harsh criticism.
Yet these negative reviews hadn't affected the massive praise directed toward "The Great Streamer" Aiden.
Grusha had also watched several of Aiden's instructional videos—basic Pokémon usage tips and team-building strategies—but no one had ever systematically compiled such content before.
No wonder Aiden earned such high regard from his students.
Especially his ability to command Pokémon from other regions as naturally as his own—that alone proved his foundational skills were exceptional.
Grusha had never imagined that beyond livestreaming, Aiden was also this formidable in actual combat.
He hadn't lost unfairly.
"I lost."
Realizing this, Grusha nodded firmly, accepting his defeat.
He did have pride—he'd believed he wasn't far behind Aiden—but he was also not someone who couldn't accept loss.
Removing the scarf covering his face, Grusha's expression softened into the melting of an icy glacier, and he extended his hand toward Aiden.
"I look forward to challenging you again. Next time, I'll show you how much I've grown."
Though the loss stung, the battle had offered Grusha invaluable insights.
His team's inability to handle certain Pokémon, the way his Altaria's Terastallization was too easily baited—these were all flaws he needed to refine.
Perhaps losing this battle was worth such profound lessons...
"I look forward to it."
To Grusha's declaration of future war, Aiden merely smiled faintly and accepted it casually.
Then, after a brief pause, he added:
"Actually, isn't there a better option for a Snow team? I recall there are numerous Baxcalibur colonies on Glaseado Mountain Mountain?"
"And as for Altaria... have you ever heard of the mysterious Mega Evolution phenomenon?"
Baxcalibur, a "late-blooming" Pokémon of Generation IX and another member of the Snow Team, possesses formidable strength.
Initially, Aiden assumed Grusha would deploy Baxcalibur—but it turned out Grusha hadn't even caught one? His main was Altaria...?
Well, while he knew Paldean Gym Leaders always kept secret trump cards, Grusha's reliance on Altaria was still hard to believe.
Not because it was weak—but because instead of forcing Altaria to Terastallize into Ice to fit his team, wouldn't it be better to acquire a Mega Stone and Key Stone, and evolve it into the noble "Dragon-type traitor"?
Even if it's not among the strongest Mega Evolutions, it's certainly superior to its current state.
"Mega Evolution?"
Grusha's eyebrows lifted instinctively, his eyes brightening instantly.
Altaria was his starter Pokémon—it held profound personal meaning for him.
He believed most Trainers felt the same way: they trusted the bond with their Pokémon more than abstract notions of raw power.
So Grusha had assumed Aiden was subtly suggesting he abandon Altaria and replace it with the stronger Baxcalibur.
But instead, Aiden had offered him a path to strengthen Altaria itself.
Mega Evolution was a phenomenon discovered in Kalos and Hoenn. Grusha hadn't paid much attention to it, but he'd heard rumors.
Given Aiden's hint...
Did that mean Altaria still had potential for further evolution?
At this thought, Grusha's cold, icy gaze finally warmed slightly.
"I'll look into it. Thank you sincerely for your advice, Gym Leader Aiden."
Grusha gave a solemn, heartfelt thanks.
"Just a small suggestion."
Aiden smiled calmly and waved his hand dismissively.
Grusha was delighted—but the chat, still reeling from "Aiden's crushing victory over the strongest Gym Leader," suddenly snapped out of their shock.
[Wait, what?! Teacher Azure, stop teaching other Gym Leaders—you're literally arming the enemy!]
[The Glaseado Mountain Gym is already brutal to newcomers! If they follow Teacher Azure's advice and get even stronger, I can't even imagine how hard they'll become!]
[Teacher Azure, please stop! One Sunshine Gym is enough—we normal new Trainers can't take this anymore!!!]
[HAHAHA, you Paldeans are getting a taste of your own medicine now? Our Sinnoh Gym Leaders learned Teacher Azure's "excellent" tactics long ago—now they're all so polished it's ridiculous...]
[The Kanto Gym Leaders too! Brock even pulled out an Onix with Weak Armor for wild battles—fml they're not even hiding where they got it from!]
[How can someone be this evil?]
Aiden remained unaware of chat's outrage.
Even if he had known, he'd likely have just smiled calmly and ignored it.
Trainers who successfully clear all eight Gyms are rare, and Gym Leaders naturally focus on different specialties—they generally don't deliberately make things harder for challengers.
As the first stop for newcomers, the Sunshine Gym helped them realize the importance of strategy and begin learning how to properly harness their Pokémon's strengths—it served as a crucial awakening.
But this was only the very beginning of a Trainer's journey.
To become an excellent Trainer, one needs more than raw talent—you must understand Pokémon breeding, team composition, and long-term development.
Only through comprehensive evaluation can the next Champion of Paldea truly emerge and earn Champion Geeta's recognition.
Therefore...
Not only should new Trainers strive to improve, but Gym Leaders must also elevate themselves and fulfill their responsibilities!
It was precisely this mindset that earned Aiden such overwhelming recognition from his students.
Though their way of showing appreciation was... unusual: by flooding the Sunshine Gym with negative reviews...
But still, progress was progress!
If the Sunshine Gym were truly weak, why would so many new Trainers keep returning, repeatedly challenging him, and actually enjoying the experience, each time growing stronger?
...
Grusha soon departed the Sunshine Gym, and the challenge system began running smoothly.
Yet, due to the change in Gym structure, Aiden found himself with even more opportunities to slack off—
"Floragato, use Seed Bomb!"
"Meow!"
After Grusha, the newcomer's forehead was drenched in sweat as he desperately commanded his starter, Floragato, to battle.
Opposite him, a mischievous Sableye vanished like a ghost, effortlessly dodging the powerful Seed Bomb.
"Floragato, use Protect!"
The boy in student attire reacted quickly and shouted his command.
But...
The Sableye reappeared instantly behind Floragato and slammed both hands into its defenseless back, defeating it with a single strike.
"I lost..."
The boy lowered his head, sighing helplessly.
"Damn it! I can't even beat a Pokémon with no Trainer controlling it!"
That was correct—throughout the entire battle, Aiden had never appeared behind the Sableye.
Precisely because of this absence, the Sableye's innate trickster nature had been unleashed to its full potential, turning the match into pure mockery.
Only now did people realize—
[Wait, what?! Isn't it harder to challenge the Gym when Teacher Azure isn't even there?]
[Does that mean he was holding back all along? Even an untrained Pokémon can just wipe out new Trainers? This Sableye doesn't even look that strong...]
[Is it possible that, even though Teacher Azure didn't show up, he pre-programmed the battling Pokémon with detailed tactics?]
[Wait, what? That seems impossible—how many scenarios would he have to account for? Even Teacher Azure... actually, that makes a weird kind of sense. His calculation skills are almost psychic!]
[If you lose without a Trainer present, you have zero excuses—go train harder...]
"Meow!"
Seeing his opponent defeated, the Sableye flashed another mischievous grin, waved dismissively, then turned its gaze toward the next aspiring Trainer waiting in line.
"Gulp—"
The Trainer gulped audibly, immediately shifting his eyes to the other Pokémon lined up by the field.
He made his decision instantly.
"I—I'll challenge Pachirisu!"
"Pachi?"
Pachirisu, the tiny squirrel, looked up at her challenger, nodded approvingly, and stepped onto the battlefield with a cheerful bounce.
Even without Aiden as its Gym Leader, the challenge system continued smoothly—almost as if it had become automated.
All of this was observed by Aiden, who sat on the grass beside Miraidon near the Gym's entrance.
"Indeed, for Trainers of average skill, even Pokémon that have merely absorbed basic tactics through observation already present a significant barrier..."
"In that case, even if I need to be away for a while, these rented 'mercenaries' should be enough to maintain the Gym's normal operations."
Aiden murmured to himself.
"Gaaow?"
Miraidon lifted its head, giving Aiden a sorrowful, accusing look.
This guy is so annoying—why is he sitting beside me whispering nonsense while I'm trying to nap?!
Don't think just because you're a Trainer I won't bite you!
But...
Remembering the sandwiches Aiden made every day, Miraidon's irritation quickly faded.
One full meal versus constant hunger—it understood the principle.
So Miraidon promptly tucked its head back down, closing its eyes contentedly under the warm sunlight.
Who knew how long days like this—lying around, doing nothing—could last?
I hope those idiots are permanently stuck in Area Zero...
Aiden had noticed Miraidon's subtle reaction, but all he could do was sigh with a wry smile.
He was beginning to spoil this Miraidon beyond repair...
By the way, when he eventually travels to Area Zero... should he bring Miraidon along to help resolve the lingering emotional wound that still haunted him?
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