The tension in the air shifted.
Brawly, who had been grinning and relaxed the entire match, rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles. His carefree demeanor faded, replaced by a sharper, more focused gaze.
"Heh." He exhaled. "I gotta say, dude, I didn't expect you to push me this far."
Noah remained calm, but he could tell—this was where things got real.
Max adjusted his glasses. "Brawly's getting serious now."
Brock nodded. "That means Noah's about to face the strongest version of him."
May clenched her fists. "Come on, Noah!"
Brawly raised a fist. "Alright, my dude. No more holding back!"
Hariyama stomped forward, eyes sharp, muscles flexing as it prepared for the next clash.
Grimm, standing across from it, simply grinned—a mischievous, almost playful smirk.
But Noah knew Grimm was already calculating.
"This is it," Noah muttered. "Let's bring it down."
Brawly pointed forward. "Hariyama—Force Palm!"
Hariyama charged, massive hands glowing with Fighting-type energy.
"Grimm—Low Kick!"
Grimm dashed in low, his leg glowing as he swept toward Hariyama's thick legs.
The moment of impact—
Hariyama stumbled, but didn't fall.
Instead, its huge palm struck Grimm directly, sending him skidding back across the sand.
Noah clenched his jaw. So even with its weight, it won't drop that easily…
Brawly smirked. "Nice idea, dude. But my Hariyama's got experience. You think this is the first time someone's tried to trip it?"
Grimm pushed himself up, shaking sand from his fur, his smirk still intact.
Noah exhaled. Alright. If one Low Kick isn't enough…
"Grimm, again! Low Kick!"
Grimm lunged, his foot glowing again as he swung hard.
Hariyama braced itself—this time, expecting the attack.
Brawly's eyes gleamed. "Counter with Arm Thrust!"
Hariyama shifted its stance, absorbing the Low Kick before slamming its massive palm into Grimm's side—then again, and again.
A flurry of brutal blows knocked Grimm backward.
The crowd winced at the impact.
May gasped. "That looked bad!"
Max gritted his teeth. "Hariyama didn't just tank the hit—it punished Grimm for even trying it!"
Brock crossed his arms. "That's Brawly for you. He's trained Hariyama to handle opponents who try to exploit its weight."
Noah clenched his fists.
Grimm staggered up, panting.
His usual grin was still there—but his movements were slower.
Brawly exhaled, shaking his head. "Man, you're really tough. But your Grimm's looking kinda beat, dude."
Noah remained silent, his eyes sharp.
He wasn't done yet.
"Grimm," Noah called softly.
Grimm froze, then slowly turned his head.
His mischievous grin wobbled—his ears drooped, his eyes glistening.
Then—he whimpered.
May blinked. "Huh?"
Max's jaw dropped. "Wait. Is he crying?"
Brock's eyes widened. "No way—he's playing hurt on purpose."
Brawly's confident smirk wavered. "Huh?"
Hariyama tilted its head.
Grimm let out another pitiful whimper, swaying slightly.
His tail drooped, his eyes huge and teary—the perfect image of a Pokémon on its last legs.
A perfectly weak, vulnerable target.
Brawly hesitated. "Dude… are you—?"
Noah's eyes flashed.
"NOW! LOW KICK!"
Grimm snapped forward—faster than before.
His leg glowed with power, sweeping directly into Hariyama's unsteady stance.
This time—
Hariyama's massive form wavered… and then fell.
BOOM!
A shockwave of sand exploded as Hariyama hit the ground.
The battlefield shook.
Brawly's eyes widened. "Dude—no way!"
May leapt to her feet. "HE DID IT! HE MADE IT FALL!"
Max adjusted his glasses, stunned. "Grimm faked being hurt to get Hariyama to lower its guard…"
Brock smirked. "And once it did—Low Kick finally worked."
Noah exhaled, his voice steady.
"Grimm, attack it."
Grimm's **grin returned—**but this time, it was Focused.
He dashed forward.
Brawly's eyes hardened. "Hariyama, get up!"
Noah's voice cut through his command.
"Bite."
Grimm lunged, sinking his fangs into Hariyama's massive arm before it could rise.
Hariyama roared, struggling to shake him off.
Brawly gritted his teeth. "Force Palm—!"
"Flatter."
Grimm's eyes gleamed as he neared and whispered something to Hariyama—his dark energy pulsing around him and then transferring over to Hariyama for a moment.
Hariyama froze, its expression shifting—as if it was overwhelmed with confidence.
Then—it stumbled.
Brawly's eyes widened. "Confusion?!"
Brock's expression darkened. "Noah's not giving it a chance to recover."
"Bite again."
Grimm sank his fangs in deeper.
Hariyama struggled—but it was still confused.
Brawly clenched his fists. "Hariyama, snap out of it! Arm Thrust!"
Hariyama tried to move—
But its own massive hand swung wildly—and it smacked itself instead.
Max gasped. "It hit itself in confusion!"
Brawly growled. "Come on, dude, shake it off—"
Noah's voice cut in, final and sharp.
"Finish it. Low Kick."
Grimm rushed forward—
His leg glowed one last time.
And with a final sweep on the ankle—
Hariyama collapsed.
Silence.
Then The referee raised his hand.
"Hariyama is unable to battle! The victory goes to Noah from Oldale Town!"
The crowd exploded in cheers.
Max fell back in his seat. "He won… he actually won!"
May clapped wildly. "Noah, that was amazing!"
Brock smiled. "He planned it all the way through. He controlled the battle, controlled Brawly's reactions, and never let Hariyama get back up."
Brawly laughed, shaking his head.
"Dude… that was awesome."
He walked forward, recalling Hariyama. "Man, you really earned this."
He pulled something from his pocket.
A shiny blue-and-white badge.
Brawly grinned. "The Knuckle Badge."
Noah stepped forward, taking the badge.
He examined it for a second.
Then, for the first time that day—he smiled.
"Thanks."
Brawly smirked. "You're gonna go far, dude. Real far."
Noah pocketed the badge, turning to Grimm.
Grimm grinned back.
The battle was over.
And Noah had won.