A drowsy flute sound emanated from Leafeon.
The melodious notes seemed to transport the listeners to a vast grassland. While enchanting, the sound gradually weakened the opponents' alertness.
The Graveler that had been glaring sharply now wobbled as though intoxicated, staggering like a drunkard, ready to collapse at any moment.
"Graveler, snap out of it!"
Brock shouted anxiously from afar.
But his voice had little effect.
The force of drowsiness is something no one can resist.
Seeing that his shouts were useless, Brock felt helpless.
In fact, in this situation, the best counter would have been to charge forward and interrupt Leafeon's Grass Whistle. Once the Whistle was broken, the threat of sleep would vanish.
However, the Rock Seal that Graveler had previously used to block Razor Leaf now became his greatest impediment, trapping him in the center of the battlefield, unable to move or even dig.
Truly, Graveler had entangled itself in its own trap.
Ultimately, Graveler succumbed to the hypnotic effect of Grass Whistle, drifting into slumber amidst the soothing melody.
"Nicely done, Leafeon."
Nozomi praised.
The breeding guide mentions that appropriate praise can improve a Pokémon's affection and happiness, positively affecting their daily training.
Leafeon's face lit up with pride and joy at the compliment.
"Now, let's press the advantage!"
Nozomi looked at the Graveler sleeping in the center of the rocks and waved. "Leafeon, Seed Bomb!"
"Miya~!"
Leafeon cried out, green light blazing before it.
A massive seed formed in front of Leafeon, then arched precisely toward Graveler.
Boom!
The seed exploded, sending the rocks surrounding Graveler flying in all directions.
Dust and debris clouded half the battlefield.
Brock watched anxiously as the smoke gradually dispersed.
When it cleared, Graveler lay motionless in the center of the arena.
"Graveler is unable to battle. Challenger Nozomi wins!"
The staff member who had escorted Nozomi in announced the result.
Brock sighed.
"So, we lost…"
Although he had sensed this outcome when Leafeon used Grass Whistle followed by Seed Bomb, seeing Graveler incapacitated made Brock's feelings even more complex.
He now realized that this trainer, Nozomi, was not one of the ordinary opportunists outside—he genuinely had strength.
From the initial Razor Leaf strategy to the decisive use of Grass Whistle once Graveler was trapped, Nozomi's tactical choices were beyond that of an average trainer.
"Next is the second match."
Even knowing Nozomi's skill exceeded that of a typical trainer, Brock maintained his gym trainer's professionalism.
"My second Pokémon… Go, Onix!"
Brock immediately sent out his ace, Onix, for the second battle.
Roar—!
Onix's massive, rock-covered body occupied a third of the battlefield, coiling into a tight mass. Its head was raised high, glaring down at Leafeon with overwhelming authority.
Onix's eyes were wide and menacing, attempting to intimidate Leafeon with sheer presence.
Seeing Brock deploy Onix, Nozomi did not intend to fight with Leafeon.
Although he believed in his Pokémon's strength, Nozomi was still cautious. He had just received Leafeon and wasn't arrogant enough to think it could defeat a carefully trained Onix, even with type advantage.
"Come back, Leafeon!"
Nozomi recalled Leafeon immediately.
Then, leaving Brock stunned, he threw a Poké Ball.
"Go, Onix!"
Nozomi sent out his Onix.
This Onix had never battled alongside him before; now was the perfect chance to test their synergy.
Roar!
With a deafening roar, a larger, thicker, more imposing Onix emerged, easily surpassing Brock's in size, length, and aura.
Nozomi's Onix completely overshadowed Brock's Onix.
"Is that… the Onix from Mt. Moon?" Brock asked, though the certainty in his tone made it rhetorical.
He had once been commissioned to capture this very Onix on Mt. Moon—but had failed.
Even though he hadn't succeeded, he remembered the Onix's appearance. Seeing Nozomi's Onix now, he immediately recognized it.
Brock was secretly shocked.
When he had tried to catch this Onix, he had exhausted every trick in the book. Yet Nozomi had captured it effortlessly. What did that mean?
It meant that Nozomi likely had other powerful Pokémon unknown to him.
In other words, Nozomi's strength far exceeded his own.
And even without relying on the mysterious Pokémon, just seeing this Onix made Brock feel the match was slipping from his grasp.
"This is going to be tough." Brock felt trapped, as if riding a tiger.
If not for the fact that no Kanto gym trainers had ever surrendered first to challengers, he might have considered conceding immediately.
He hadn't expected Nozomi to be this strong. Had he known about this Onix, he could have sent out a weaker Pokémon to let Nozomi win casually. Now, he had to stake his strongest Onix…
The thought alone made him uneasy.
"Let's go," Nozomi said, standing behind his Onix.
The two Onix faced off, occupying more than two-thirds of the battlefield, crowding the arena.
"Onix, go! Use Take Down!"
Knowing Nozomi wasn't an ordinary challenger, Brock decided to strike first.
He wanted to take the gamble.
Brock's Onix immediately coiled and surged forward with explosive speed and power, the normally slow colossus accelerating with incredible force.
The rush of wind howled as Brock's Onix collided with Nozomi's.
As an experienced Onix trainer, Brock knew battles between Onix were simple: raw strength and reaction speed.
Nozomi was unfazed.
His Onix, superior in size and aura, had no reason to fear.
Boom!
The collision sent a tremendous shockwave across the battlefield as the two colossal Onix clashed.