Rumble—The two Onix crashed into each other, sending a thunderous roar echoing throughout the entire Gym.
The floor shook violently beneath them.
All the equipment in the Gym vibrated in unison, the entire building quivering as if it were about to collapse.
Outside, the trainers waiting in line for their turn froze in shock as Pewter Gym itself seemed to tremble beneath them.
"What's happening? Why is the Gym shaking all of a sudden?" one trainer exclaimed.
Another nearby, shivering, whispered, "What kind of battle is going on in there? It looks terrifying!"
"Could it be Brock's Onix? Only an Onix could make that much noise!" a trainer speculated, referencing Brock's profile.
"And what about Brock's opponent? Whoever can push him to this point…"
The murmur of curiosity outside abruptly fell silent.
Of course—if Brock was being pushed this hard, just how strong must his opponent be?The person who walked in earlier… what Pokémon did they send out?Are they even a rookie trainer?
A group of trainers who had come hoping to catch some easy wins fell silent. Why was this challenger so extraordinary, when they had all relied on guides to challenge the Gym?
…
Unbeknownst to the speculation outside, Nozomi and Brock were fully absorbed in their battle.
Both trainers had their focus entirely locked on the fight.
The two Onix writhed and twisted around each other, attempting to constrict the other with their massive bodies—but neither succeeded.
Nozomi's Onix was large and powerful, while Brock's Onix, though slightly weaker, was far more agile.
Each had its strengths and weaknesses, canceling out the other.
"Onix, use Rock Slide!" Nozomi commanded.
The Rock Slide from Nozomi's Onix was in a league of its own, completely different from the one a Graveler could execute.
Nozomi's Onix broke free from the struggle, summoning massive boulders from above that crashed toward its opponent.
Brock didn't try to block the rocks head-on. Instead, he ordered, "Onix, Dig to avoid it!"
Brock's Onix burrowed underground in an instant. The rumbling shook the Gym as the Onix vanished beneath the surface, leaving only a large hole behind.
"Dig?" Nozomi raised an eyebrow. "You actually dare to use that…"
Now Nozomi found Brock's strategy puzzling. Didn't he know that Onix, a Ground-type Pokémon, could use Earthquake?
Brock… didn't know.
In the past, Brock had battled this Onix when it was still wild. His Pokémon had used Dig, but Onix had never responded with Earthquake.
So in Brock's mind, Nozomi's Onix couldn't possibly use Earthquake.
A strange misunderstanding was born.
Nozomi didn't know the backstory, but he knew his Onix could use Earthquake—so he wasn't about to let this opportunity pass.
"Onix, use Earthquake!"
Rumble—
The floor shook violently as an intense quake rippled outward.
The entire Pewter Gym trembled as if it might collapse at any second.
Outside, the trainers waiting in line panicked. All but the bravest fled—who would dare stay if the Gym itself might crush them?
Brock, unaware that Nozomi's Earthquake had inadvertently cleared him a big problem, anxiously watched the hole in the floor.
The unexpected Earthquake had put him at a serious disadvantage.
Moves like Earthquake deal more damage to larger Pokémon, and Brock's Onix, still underground, was particularly vulnerable—its Ground-type attributes didn't help either.
"Onix, try Rock Throw!" Brock called, testing his luck.
The Onix, struggling through the tremors, emerged from the hole, ignoring the pain from the quake, and hurled rocks at Nozomi's Onix.
Nozomi didn't even flinch. "Onix, Iron Tail!"
Amidst the hail of falling boulders, Nozomi's Onix swung its steel-hard tail and struck Brock's Onix with devastating force.
Half of Brock's Onix was still underground, half exposed—caught in a precarious position.
If Brock had a few more seconds, his Onix could have fully surfaced.
"Onix, dodge!"
Brock's Onix tried to evade, but the quake's earlier damage made that impossible.
The metallic tail slammed down with a resounding crash, sending Brock's Onix's upper body crashing into the ground.
A deep fissure tore open beneath it.
Pain etched across its face, Brock's Onix was pinned helplessly in the crack, unable to move.
"No! Onix, are you okay?!" Brock shouted.
He had owned this Onix for quite some time and had always dominated other trainers' Pokémon.
Occasional losses usually came from type disadvantages or tactical play exploiting Onix's lack of agility.
But being crushed head-on like this… it was a first.
And it was precisely why Brock felt so powerless.
Nothing was more frustrating than being defeated in the area you prided yourself on most.
Yet Brock wasn't ready to give up entirely.
"Onix, let's use our final Double-Edge!"
Hearing this, Nozomi's expression shifted from casual confidence to solemn respect.
A Double-Edge—an attack that risks nearly as much as it deals—meant Brock was truly willing to go all out.
"Onix, coil your body and hold steady!"
At Nozomi's command, his Onix curled into a tight coil, bracing itself firmly against the ground.
"Iron Head, meet it head-on!"
Nozomi's Onix charged forward, its massive head colliding with Brock's rushing Onix.
Crash!
The shockwave and blast of wind radiated outward from the point of impact, shaking everything in its path.
Brock's Onix, already weakened, couldn't surpass Nozomi's Onix in raw power. It was slammed away immediately.
Boom!
Brock's Onix struck the floor, completely losing the will to battle.
The referee cautiously approached from a distance, inspecting Brock's Onix before raising the flag.
"Onix has lost the ability to fight. Nozomi is the winner! The victor of this Gym Challenge is the challenger, Nozomi!"