As the barrier shattered, the residual energy poured onto Electivire without obstruction. The purple energy of nine Dragon Pulses and the azure light of nine Aura Spheres exploded simultaneously, and the entire battlefield was swallowed by an expanding purple-blue sphere of light.
The League's transparent protective shield let out an overwhelmed groan the moment the shockwave hit. Cracks spread wildly from the center, and then it shattered, turning into dots of light scattering across the sky.
Jay's face went pale. Misty and the others in the stands flinched.
But at the exact same instant, a more solid and deeper azure barrier appeared out of thin air, firmly sealing off the entire field once again. The violent shockwaves crashed into it and were silently neutralized, producing nothing more than a slight ripple.
Mewtwo, as reliable as ever.
The Gym's ground could no longer withstand this level of devastation. Centered around the explosion point, the entire field collapsed downward by nearly half a meter, with cracks extending all the way to the edge before being contained by Mewtwo's barrier.
The dense smoke slowly began to disperse. The first thing to emerge was the deepest pit in the center of the field.
Electivire lay at the bottom, limbs sprawled, body covered in shocking scars. Its thick, powerful arms hung weakly by its sides. A final trace of weak electric arc flickered across its body like a candle in the wind before extinguishing completely.
Even at the very end, Electivire hadn't given up. While releasing Light Screen, it had also fired its most powerful Thunder in a last-ditch defense.
Not far from the pit, Lucario was half-kneeling on the ground, panting heavily. Its body trembled slightly, traces of Aura energy still lingering around it. The rise and fall of its chest was so violent that every breath made its whole frame shake.
Maintaining the trajectories of nine Dragons and nine Aura Spheres simultaneously, controlling them to converge on a single point at the exact same instant, the mental strain alone was devastating, to say nothing of the raw energy cost. If Electivire hadn't gone down, Lucario would have had nothing left. This move could only ever be a finisher. Use it, and either the opponent falls or you do.
"Electivire is unable to battle! Lucario wins! Since all three of the Gym Leader's Pokémon have lost the ability to battle, the victory of this match belongs to Trainer Ash!"
"Yeah!" When Jay announced Ash's victory, Misty and the others jumped up. Serena hugged Misty, both of them beaming.
Even from a calm third-party perspective, Ash hadn't even sent out his third Pokémon. Even if Lucario had failed to finish Electivire, Ash still had Gardevoir. But winning it clean was always better than dragging things out.
Volkner recalled Electivire. He looked down at the Poké Ball in his hand for a long time without speaking.
Jay stood at the referee podium, lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but nothing came out. He'd followed Volkner for years, and this was the first time he'd ever seen this expression on the Gym Leader's face. Something complex and hard to name.
Volkner raised his head, put the Poké Ball back on his waist, and walked toward Ash. When he arrived, he extended his hand.
"I concede."
A look of relief appeared on his face.
Ash shook his hand and grinned. "You're strong too, Mr. Volkner. That Electivire's pressure was no joke."
Volkner shook his head. He wasn't being modest. Before today, he'd thought he was strong. Strongest Gym Leader in Sinnoh. Invincible in Sunyshore. But today, Ash gave him a proper lesson.
"Today's battle gave me a feeling I haven't had in a long time." Volkner's voice was quieter than before. "I've forgotten when the last time I felt excited about a battle was."
Ash listened without interrupting.
"Do you know why I had Jay fight in my place?" Volkner looked out across the ruined field. "When I was in Sunyshore, there were plenty of challengers, but not one of them could get me motivated. At first I still stepped up personally, but I found that no matter who came, my Pokémon could end it with a casual strike. Over time, battles turned into formalities, and the Gym became a tourist attraction."
"When I came to Johto, I actually still had some hope. The Silver Conference caused such a commotion, there had to be a few decent challengers in the mix. But the result was the same."
He paused and looked at Ash. "I know what's happening to me. I've already lost the spirit of being a Trainer. I know that if this goes on, I'll just keep sinking. But I still can't raise any interest in battling. I ended up putting all my energy into building Gym traps instead."
Ash and Pikachu exchanged a glance, both hearing the helplessness in Volkner's words. After thinking for a moment, Ash spoke.
"But Mr. Volkner, you haven't reached the top yet, have you?"
Volkner blinked.
"Your Electivire is strong. Jolteon's speed is incredible. Manectric's battle sense is sharp. But they all still have room to grow. If you stop moving forward, they stop too. If even the Trainer doesn't know where to go, what are the Pokémon following you supposed to do?"
Ash looked at Volkner with a steady gaze. "And battles aren't just about winning or losing. When you lose, it stings. When you win, it feels great. Those feelings are the most precious thing between a Trainer and their Pokémon. If you lose that, no amount of victories will make you stronger."
Volkner didn't speak. After a long while, he let out a breath. It felt like something that had been weighing on him for a very long time finally left his chest.
He looked up at the bright lights on the ceiling, and a moment later laughed helplessly. "You're only fifteen. How do you talk like a veteran?"
"Because every Gym Leader I've met has been teaching me these things." Ash replied with a grin, holding his hands behind the back of his head.
Volkner straightened up and pulled a Badge from his pocket. It had a silver base with a relief of a lighthouse carved on it, refracting sparkling light under the Gym's lights. The Lighthouse Badge. Proof of defeating the Sunyshore Gym.
"Take it. This is the proof of defeating the Sunyshore Gym."
Ash, Pikachu on his shoulder, and Lucario, who had already reverted from Mega Evolution, exchanged glances, and then simultaneously struck a pose.
"I got the Lighthouse Badge!"
"Pika Pikachu!"
"Awoo!"
This sudden display startled Volkner, and even Jay in the distance was dumbfounded. Only now did they feel that Ash was truly a fifteen-year-old. The battle just now, and everything Ash had said, had made them completely forget his age.
Volkner took out two more items from his waist pouch. A dark gray Magnet, its surface shining with cold metallic light, and a palm-sized device with several tiny electrode plates embedded on the shell.
"The Magnet is a held item for Electric-type Pokémon. Boosts Electric-type move power by twenty percent. The Electirizer is used when Electabuzz evolves into Electivire. You should find both useful."
Ash blinked. "I thought the reward was just the move-boosting item. There's an evolution item too?"
"Consider it a bonus for reminding me what a real battle feels like. Take it."
Volkner placed the two items in front of Ash. Ash took them and nodded. "Thanks, Mr. Volkner."
"Today's match gave me a lot." Volkner's voice echoed in the empty Gym. "Your Snorlax, clearly built like a tank, but you trained it to move like a speed-type. That agility was something I've never seen from the species. Lucario's attack, I still can't wrap my head around how you trained that. It's a monstrous technique that completely exceeds what normal Pokémon should be able to do."
He paused. "But what got to me the most wasn't any of that. It was when I was commanding Electivire and I finally felt my blood boil again. I thought I'd never have that feeling again in my life."
The expression on Volkner's face was full of reminiscence. Even now, he was still recalling the sensation from just moments ago.
"There are plenty of Trainers in the world stronger than me." Ash said it like a perfectly normal fact. "If I can give you that feeling, other Trainers can too. So get out there, Mr. Volkner. See the world outside the Gym."
Volkner nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. I've been chained to this Gym for too long." He turned his head. "Jay. From now on, this Gym is yours."
Jay froze. One battle, and he'd gone from stand-in to actual Gym Leader? Was this a promotion?
Misty watched the scene with an inexplicable sense of déjà vu. This felt way too much like when she'd dumped her Gym onto her own sisters.
When they came out of the Gym, the sky had already tilted westward. Orange-red light spilled down from the distant ridge line, dyeing Ecruteak City's old bluestone pavement a warm color. The red roof of the distant Pokémon Center had already appeared in view. Ecruteak City's dusk came earlier and quieter than Goldenrod City's.
Ash walked through the doors of the Pokémon Center and handed two Poké Balls to Nurse Joy behind the counter. She smiled as she took them and turned into the treatment room.
Ash came to the familiar phone and dialed Professor Oak's lab. After a few beeps, the screen lit up. Professor Oak appeared, wearing his usual lab coat, except that the expression on his face looked unusually grim. Ash didn't notice and happily held up the Lighthouse Badge.
"Professor Oak, I won!"
"This is the Sunyshore Gym Badge, right? It seems you've already defeated Volkner."
"Yeah, Mr. Volkner is really strong. His Electivire is Champion level, Jolteon's speed is insane, and Snorlax almost didn't make it."
Ash was animated as he recounted the battle. He'd actually intended to use Lucario as the trump card. The Pokémon swapped over from Professor Oak's lab were Snorlax and Pidgeot. He'd brought Pidgeot planning to use its speed advantage and the Pidgeot Mega Stone he'd obtained to counter Electric-types head-on.
Against Elite Four Mid or Low opponents, Mega Pidgeot could have put up a real fight.
But Volkner's Jolteon turned out to be Elite Four Peak, and you didn't need to be a genius to guess how strong the ace would be after that. So Ash had shelved Pidgeot and sent in Lucario instead, instantly sweeping Jolteon to build momentum for the Electivire fight. Pidgeot's comeback appearance would have to wait for another day.
Ash talked with great energy, recounting every detail of the battle. This match had clearly been deeply satisfying.
However, halfway through his story, Professor Oak suddenly interrupted him.
"Ash. Something has happened here in Pallet Town."
That single sentence instantly wiped the excitement off Ash's face.