Glaseado Mountain, Paldea.
Located in the northern part of Paldea, the continuous snow-capped mountains bring a unique harsh cold environment where countless Ice-type Pokémon reside.
Among them, the highest peak of Glaseado Mountain offers a view overlooking the entire Paldea region from above the seemingly bottomless Great Crater, and it has been listed as one of the "Ten Sights of Paldea."
However, very few tourists venture here.
The reason is simple: nature follows the most basic survival rules.
The more suitable a place is for Pokémon to live, the weaker the nearby Pokémon groups generally are; conversely, the harder the environment, the stronger the Pokémon that survive.
Permanently covered in snow and white everywhere, Glaseado Mountain is one of the harshest environments in Paldea.
As such, Pokémon like Cetitan, Froslass, Beartic, and even Baxcalibur living around here generally possess strength rivaling elite trainers, and even if they don't harm people, their playful mischief can be hard to bear.
Therefore, the League specially established the Glaseado Mountain Gym in this icy wilderness, both to test the willpower of new trainers and to provide nearby support in case of emergencies.
Just last year, the Glaseado Mountain Gym welcomed a young new leader, Grusha.
Grusha, who showed talent from a young age and whose strength grew rapidly, was seen by many League leaders as the benchmark for the next generation of trainers.
However, the young Grusha recently developed some worries.
The reasons were similar to those of another member of the young gym leaders' "Starter Trio," Iono.
...
Glaseado Mountain Gym.
"..."
After a gym challenge ended, Grusha, with most of his face buried in a scarf, stared at his opponent with a somewhat complex expression.
"You won."
Finally, Grusha slowly spoke, his tone tinged with fatigue.
As the eighth gym recommended by the League's assessment order, he originally thought there wouldn't be many newcomers challenging him during this time.
After all, Grusha had clearly stated during an appearance at Naranja Academy—
"If you expect me to go easy on you to get the gym badge, you might as well give up now."
"Only by defeating me at full strength do you deserve this final Ice Badge!"
Inheriting the gym from his father, who believed in absolute strength, Grusha would show no mercy to newcomers.
Most second- and third-year students had already endured his beatings last year, so they likely wouldn't dare to challenge him again.
As for first-year newcomers…
With their limited strength, they weren't much of a match against him.
Thus, Grusha even entertained the idea that no one would challenge him within half a year, allowing him to comfortably stay at the Glaseado Mountain Gym.
But to his surprise, less than a month had passed, and several reckless challengers had appeared.
Even more difficult to accept was…
He actually lost!
The first challenger was a girl with a ponytail and two green-streaked bangs, looking very athletic.
Although she seemed to have the demeanor of an athlete, according to Grusha's observation, without riding her continuously heat-providing Skeledirge, she probably couldn't have climbed Glaseado Mountain…
But mounts were part of the journey, so Grusha didn't say anything about it.
What truly impressed him was this first-year student, Nemona, and her unique battle style.
"Skeledirge, Yawn!"
"Skeledirge, Will-O-Wisp!"
"Use Sing!"
"Finally missed? Great, I have to use Temper Flare immediately!"
That 3v3 battle left Grusha speechless.
Using Fire-type Pokémon to challenge him, an Ice-type gym leader, was a reasonable choice; many trainers had done so before.
But...
Trainers like Nemona, Grusha had never encountered before!
More than half of his main team were physical attackers; hitting a Will-O-Wisp drastically reduced their pressure, not to mention facing the opponent's type advantage.
Even sending out Altaria and using Terastallization yielded no benefits, being forced out by Yawn and Sing.
This fighting style was almost unheard of by Grusha before. He barely managed to struggle and defeat Skeledirge, only to be finished off by the subsequent Pawmot.
Of course, if it were just losing to an opponent, even if Grusha's nature was competitive or stubborn, he wouldn't say much.
But this kind of loss really raised his blood pressure…
And after obtaining the Ice Badge, Nemona's unintentional words further ignited Grusha's rationality.
"Eh… Isn't this supposed to be the hardest gym? Why does it feel far less oppressive than Teacher Aiden…"
Nemona's small self-talk as she left was heard entirely by Grusha.
While taking a deep breath to remain calm, the name "Teacher Aiden" quickly caught his attention.
Unsurprisingly, this "Teacher Aiden" mentioned by Nemona should be Aiden, the same-age fellow gym leader of the eight gyms.
Although the environment around Glaseado Mountain Gym was very harsh, connecting to the internet in the Pokémon world wasn't difficult; a single Rotom was sufficient.
But apart from contacting the League, Grusha, who rarely paid attention to the online world and focused solely on himself and the local security, obviously seldom used his phone.
Thus, he wasn't aware of the subtle changes occurring among this year's Paldea novice trainers…
And all these culprits seemed to point to a certain rookie gym leader who started around the same time as him.
Initially, Grusha didn't pay much attention, thinking he had just encountered a true genius.
But starting with Nemona, the subsequent challengers' levels were noticeably higher than last year.
Just last weekend, a newcomer proficient in the Sunny Day team arrived, utilizing the synergy between Torkoal, Ceruledge, and Houndoom to maximize type advantages.
After obtaining the badge, this red-haired newcomer also mentioned "Teacher Azure."
Repeatedly hearing this name from students, Grusha's competitiveness was reignited, and he eventually couldn't resist asking:
"Who exactly is this Teacher Azure you keep mentioning?"
"Who else could it be? Teacher Azure is naturally Aiden from the Sunshine Gym!"
...
Back at the Sunshine Gym.
With Grusha's arrival, Aiden could clearly feel the temperature around him drop a few degrees, especially noticeable in winter.
Grusha? Why is he standing in front of me?
Aiden immediately felt puzzled.
Cabo Poco was basically the southernmost part of Paldea, while Glaseado Mountain was in the far north—completely opposite directions.
Even if he caught a shiny Magikarp, how could he possibly get lost this far?
But...
Grusha in real life feels cuter than expected, what should I do!
As Aiden stared at Grusha, the blue-haired 'beauty' on the other side quietly observed him.
Though both were gym leaders, they hadn't met before, only exchanging a few hurried messages in the League chat group.
Therefore, his first impression of Aiden was quite average.
He didn't sense any overwhelming presence expected of a strong gym leader, but this friendly demeanor indeed attracted other newcomers.
As for his actual strength…
It seemed only a battle would reveal that.
Let me see what level Aiden, regarded by newcomers as the "Strongest Gym Leader," truly possesses.
"Hello, Gym Leader Aiden."
Grusha slightly nodded, extending his gloved right hand. After removing the scarf covering his face, he initiated conversation.
"Let's skip the small talk. My purpose in coming to Cabo Poco is singular—"
"To challenge the Sunshine Gym."
"I wonder if Gym Leader Aiden has the time?"
Upon hearing this, Aiden's eyebrows instantly raised.
Goodness…
Although he had guessed something, hearing it directly from Grusha still left Aiden somewhat perplexed.
Why would the supposedly strongest gym leader in Paldea come to challenge me?
We should be mere colleagues, and this was even our first private meeting.
So far, only one fellow gym leader, Iono, had come to challenge the Sunshine Gym, and that was with the clear goal of mutual promotion.
However, since he had already come knocking, Aiden's thoughts were simple—
Fight him!
"Of course, there aren't any other challengers right now."
Aiden smiled faintly, quickly accepting his battle invitation.
As trainers, the Pokémon battle began the moment their eyes met!
"But may I ask why?"
"..."
Grusha fell into a long silence.
He couldn't possibly say that he came to check Aiden's full strength because he was defeated by the students "taught" by "Teacher Azure," right?
Claiming impulsively that he wanted to determine who was the "Strongest Gym Leader in Paldea" would be too embarrassing, wouldn't it?
Thus, after waiting a moment, he finally spoke again.
"Before, Elite Rika mentioned to me that if I had time, I could come to the Sunshine Gym to spar with you and mutually improve our skills."
Though a rather perfunctory excuse, it was very official as a reason.
Hearing this, Aiden's lips twitched involuntarily.
What ancient history was this.
Apparently, it was initially to help him quickly adapt and become a qualified eight-gym leader, so Rika "specially" reminded the other gym leaders.
Mm, definitely not because he was defeated during the assessment and held a grudge.
But over such a long period, only Iono and Grusha, these two "reckless ones," actually listened to Rika's suggestion.
Other gym leaders were all seasoned veterans, excelling in slacking off; they wouldn't consider such non-mandatory extra work.
Having received the answer, Aiden didn't dwell on it much and quickly smiled again.
"By the way, as a gym feature, weekday challenges at the Sunshine Gym are broadcast to other newcomers. Gym Leader Grusha should have no objections, right?"
"I have no issues."
Grusha coolly nodded, then walked towards the battlefield outside the gym.
...
Noon, Aiden's live stream.
[Great! It's my second favorite Teacher Azure's curb-stomp session!]
[Starting this week, challengers can choose which lineup to face. Feels like old tactics can be useful again!]
[Where's Teacher Azure? Is he going to be late?]
A few minutes before Aiden went live, many viewers had already gathered in the live chat, waiting for his appearance.
After a few seconds, a flash of white light appeared on the screen, and Aiden's figure under the sun quickly appeared in the frame.
[Oh oh oh, Teacher Azure finally appeared!]
[This opening is already on the battlefield. Did some eager beavers already come to challenge the gym?]
Before Aiden even spoke, the barrage began discussing enthusiastically.
Their attention soon turned to the familiar figure standing opposite Aiden.
Then, collectively dumbfounded.
[Damn, isn't that Grusha from the Glaseado Mountain Gym? Why is he here at Teacher Azure's place?]
[Could it be a gym challenge? Was he so disgusted by Teacher Azure's dirty tactics that he came offline to settle it in person...]
[On the contrary, I've heard that several fast-progressing newcomers have already cleared the Glaseado Mountain Gym. Are they all "top students" taught by Teacher Azure?]
[Damn, Teacher Azure, how wicked you are!]
[Does this count as the Strongest Gym Leader Showdown? Which of these two unruly youngsters will be stronger?]
[Anyway, home-field advantage, the edge is with Teacher Azure!]
"Cough cough— Today, Leader Grusha from the Glaseado Mountain Gym is visiting our Sunshine Gym, he's come a long way so we'll have a little sparring."
After Aiden briefly spoke, Grusha on the opposite side waved as a greeting.
[??? Grusha's a male? I can't handle this!]
[Bad news, am I gender-confused now?]
[Hiss— Brother, you smell nice...]
"Enough talk, let's start today's main event!"
After glancing at the barrage, Aiden quickly waved his hand and looked at Grusha, who was quietly waiting for the battle to begin.
"Today's live content—"
"A full-power battle between two gym leaders!"
"The battle rules are 3v3. When all Pokémon on one side lose their ability to battle, the other side wins."
"No problem?"
After quickly stating the battle rules, Grusha quickly nodded.
As gym leaders, no additional rules were needed; only the strength on both sides determined the outcome.
"So..."
"Battle begins!"
Because the gym apprentice Nemona was traveling, Aiden took on the role of referee, raising his right hand high and then swiftly lowering it.
"Go, Ninetales!"
Grusha threw out the Poké Ball first.
Since this was a battle between gym leaders, he wouldn't use Pokémon with relatively average strength from his team, as he usually did during gym assessments.
Right from the start, he unleashed his full firepower.
Under the flashing red light, a majestic beast with a pure white body, nine long tails raised high behind it, exuding noble elegance, appeared before Aiden.
At the first sight of this Pokémon, Aiden instinctively raised an eyebrow.
[Ninetales (Alolan form) (Male)]
[Type: Ice + Fairy]
[Ability: Snow Warning]
Wow, Alolan Ninetales is here…
Looks like I can set an example for Lorelei to see how this Pokémon performs in a hailstorm setup.
[Wait a minute... This Ninetales' color seems off, doesn't it?]
[Yes yes, brother, Teacher Azure specifically introduced this before. This is Ninetales' special form in the Alola region.]
[According to Teacher Azure, this one is even the captain of the hail team, its ability directly changed from Drought to Snow Warning!]
Since Aiden had previously introduced this "rather obscure" Pokémon to Lorelei, the audience was somewhat familiar with it.
"It's decided! Lucario, it's your turn!"
Aiden quickly smiled.
Question: What is the weakness of the Ice + Fairy type combination?
Anyone hesitating for a second should rewrite the type chart ten times!
This combination is actually decent, but the critical issue of being quadruply weak to Steel is hard to solve.
Fortunately, one of Aiden's top Pokémon happens to counter it perfectly.
Since this was a battle between gym leaders, Aiden wouldn't continue using rented Pokémon with limited strength as he did during gym assessments.
Coincidentally, having no pressure recently, he hadn't commanded his main Pokémon in battles for a while.
Grusha's arrival gave him the perfect opportunity to test the current strength of his team's Pokémon.
"Lucario..."
Lucario, with its steel-hard body, quickly appeared, narrowing its eyes at the opposing Pokémon and assuming a defensive stance.
An unfamiliar Pokémon.
Thus, extra caution was necessary!
With the appearance of the two Pokémon, the once cloudless blue sky suddenly saw a few snowflakes drift down, quickly forming a significant flurry.
The Snow Warning ability of Alolan Ninetales quietly activated, and the weather swiftly turned into a snowy scene.
At this moment, people from other regions were confused—
[??? Why is Alolan Ninetales' Snow Warning so gentle? When Abomasnow appears, it's a hailstorm that hurts!]
[Perhaps... because Paldea's climate is relatively warm, so hail can't form?]
[Impossible, summer is when hail occurs most easily, don't think I don't know!]
In Generation IX, the common hail weather was replaced by snow scenes. This gentler snow weather no longer indiscriminately damages both sides' Pokémon but instead boosts the defense of Ice-type Pokémon.
As for the principle…
Even Aiden wasn't sure.
Any explanation would be hard to justify convincingly. Maybe I'll ask Arceus if I get the chance?
As the fine snow blew through, the temperature dropped a few degrees, making Aiden instinctively sneeze. He glanced at Grusha, fully bundled up with maximum warmth, silently muttering in his heart—
No wonder he's dressed so warmly even after leaving Glaseado Mountain; is it because he's playing a snow team?
"Ninetales, use Aurora Veil!"
Grusha was the first to speak, issuing a command.
"Nine!"
Due to Alolan Ninetales' considerable speed, as soon as Grusha's voice dropped, it had already begun moving. Soon, a shimmering transparent barrier resembling the aurora appeared near the centerline of the field.
[??? What move is this?]
[Looks a bit like Light Screen? Could it be an exclusive move?]
[Why haven't I seen Grusha use this move when challenging gyms?]
The barrage continuously asked questions, but Aiden had no time to pay attention to them.
At this moment, his mind was filled with admiration for Grusha's proficiency with the snow team.
It must be said, becoming the final gym leader of the Victory Road as a newcomer, Grusha was indeed very capable.
The standard combo of Alolan Ninetales was already in play.
Aiden had previously joked that Alolan Ninetales could essentially be considered the captain of the snow team.
Moreover, its position as the top player was firmly secured; even Torkoal in the Sunny Day team couldn't match its indispensability.
The reason was simple—
It was both the weather setter, support, and attacker, with excellent speed ensuring it consistently acted first.
Aurora Veil, a move usable only in snow, simultaneously provided the effects of Light Screen and Reflect, offering very powerful support.
Starting with a snow scene and dual barriers, the advantage created was nearly unbeatable, maximizing the snow team's endurance and giving the weakest of the four weather setups a bit of presence.
In other words, a large part of the snow team's strength concentrated on Alolan Ninetales' three-move combo.
However...
Breaking Aurora Veil wasn't a difficult task.
Aiden quickly smiled, casually speaking:
"Lucario, use Brick Break!"
"Luca!"
Lucario had already been poised for action. In an instant, it stepped forward, raising its right hand high and striking the transparent wall created by Alolan Ninetales with a palm strike.
Brick Break, using advanced martial arts techniques to focus all power into one spot, bursting through any obstacle with instantaneous force.
Sure enough, the moment the palm touched, the dazzling Aurora Veil shattered.
Simultaneously, Lucario's attack didn't slow down, charging straight at Alolan Ninetales!
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