Three days later, the Pewter Gym finally reopened.
The city had been buzzing with tension, but the sudden relief came when Pewter's police force reported that Team Rocket had vanished overnight. They had abandoned the city entirely and moved their operations toward the outskirts of Viridian Forest, frantically searching for something hidden there.
When Ethan Carter heard the news, he wasted no time. With Charmeleon at his side and Munchlax lumbering faithfully behind, he marched straight to the Gym—determined to be the first challenger after the long closure.
Inside the stone-walled hall, Gym Leader Brock looked up in mild surprise."You… you're the trainer I met at the Pokémon Center the other day."
Ethan smiled politely. "That's right. I came to challenge you, Mr. Brock. By the way, did you ever catch Team Rocket and recover that treasure map?"
The question carried casual curiosity, but inside Ethan's chest a spark of excitement stirred. A map tied to a Legendary Pokémon… it was the kind of mystery he had dreamed of since arriving in this world.
Brock shook his head. "No. From what we know, Team Rocket lost the map themselves."
Ethan blinked, feigning surprise. "Lost it? How?"
Brock studied his expression carefully. The shock looked genuine—too genuine to be staged. His brief suspicion about the little Munchlax at Ethan's feet quickly faded.
After all, what kind of trainer could command a Munchlax to steal from Team Rocket, fight them off, and still appear here for an official Gym challenge? Impossible.
"Doesn't matter," Brock said firmly. "It's safer lost. In Team Rocket's hands, that map could have endangered the entire Kanto region."
With that, he strode across the battlefield. "Enough talk. Let's begin. There are four other challengers waiting, so we must keep things moving."
Brock unclipped a Poké Ball from his belt. In a flash of light, a Geodude materialized, fists clenched, hovering slightly above the rocky floor.
Ethan's system flickered with information:
Pokémon: Geodude
Level: 18
Potential: Elite
Ability: Rock Head
Gender: MaleMoves: Tackle (33%), Rock Polish (32%), Rollout (32%), Rock Slide (32%), Smack Down (30%)
Ethan's brows rose. "As expected of a Gym Leader. Not one skill under thirty percent proficiency—every move near mastery."
He couldn't help but wonder what Brock's true ace looked like. Still, he knew the Leader wouldn't reveal his full strength against a new trainer. If he did, few beginners would ever win a badge.
Ethan smirked. "Charmeleon, let's show Mr. Brock what a true genius looks like."
"Rua!" Charmeleon roared, tail flame blazing as he bounded onto the field.
Brock raised an eyebrow. "A Fire-type? You realize your Pokémon is at a heavy disadvantage here."
"Maybe." Ethan shrugged casually. "Let's see."
The referee's flag dropped. "Battle start!"
"Geodude, Rock Slide!" Brock ordered instantly.
The Rock-type hefted two massive stones and hurled them at the charging Charmeleon.
"Claw through!" Ethan commanded.
"Rua!" Charmeleon lunged forward, claws glowing white. In a flash, the boulders split apart, crumbling into harmless shards.
Brock's lips quirked. "Not bad."
But Ethan wasn't done. "Now—Ember, close range!"
Charmeleon's mouth flared, hurling fireballs at point-blank distance.
"Rollout!" Brock countered. Geodude tucked into a ball, spinning rapidly as it barreled forward to plow through the attack.
The fireballs struck—yet instead of bouncing harmlessly off, they clung and flared brighter. Geodude's spinning form turned into a blazing wheel, pain bursting from within.
The Rock-type let out a guttural cry before crashing to the ground in a charred heap.
Brock's eyes widened. "Impossible… Geodude should resist Fire completely. How could it faint from Ember?"
Ethan folded his arms, smiling thinly. "Director Brock, please send out your next Pokémon quickly. Charmeleon is burning bright under the sun—you wouldn't want me to waste it."
The truth was simple: Charmeleon's Solar Power ability activated under today's clear skies, amplifying his special attacks. Coupled with the piece of Charcoal Ethan had given him—an item Munchlax had once stumbled upon—the flames burned hotter than normal.
Even Ember, boosted by level advantage and 42% mastery, had struck with crushing force. Against that, Geodude never stood a chance.
Brock exhaled slowly. "Your strength is beyond my expectations. In that case, I must adjust according to League rules."
He pressed a button on the field's panel. With a hiss, a hidden compartment rose from the floor, presenting two fresh Poké Balls.
Brock returned Geodude, placed its Ball aside, and selected one of the new ones instead.
Ethan's eyes narrowed, pulse quickening. This was the true test.