Marowak spun its bone club like a blender, forcibly carving a path through the torrent!
But when it emerged—
Rhyperior was gone.
"Bad—Marowak, behind you!"
Marowak whirled around—
Only to see Rhyperior riding the wave, charging straight toward it!
Giovanni had copied Red's tactic.
That… Red had not expected.
"This is called paying you back in kind, kid!"
"It's over—Ice Punch!"
A fist wrapped in icy blue light slammed down mercilessly!
[Lance: Laughable. Calling him 'kid' while stealing his tactics.]
[Bruno: Did you pay copyright fees? Using Red's strategy so shamelessly—I'd be embarrassed.]
[Diantha: Turning plagiarism into pride… truly villainous behavior.]
Giovanni endured the ridicule in silence.
Because, unfortunately—
They weren't wrong.
…
Within the projection—
Seeing Marowak unable to dodge, Red gritted his teeth.
"Marowak—endure it! Use Retaliate!"
BOOM—!!
The freezing fist smashed into Marowak's skull helmet, sending it skidding across the ground!
Deep gouges tore through the floor—
Yet Marowak stopped.
Slowly… painfully… it raised its head.
Hatred—raw and unforgettable—burned in its eyes.
Even Rhyperior felt a chill.
"WAKAAAA—!!"
That cry carried boundless resentment.
Ghostly purple energy wrapped around the bone club—
And then it swung down with all its might!
Retaliate—
A move whose power doubled after an ally fell.
But Marowak carried the hatred of a murdered mother.
Against Team Rocket—
Its Retaliate was always at double power.
CRASH—!!!
Rhyperior was blasted away like a cannonball, smashing into the Gym wall!
The steel-reinforced barrier caved inward!
"Finish it—Bone Boomerang!"
"WAK!"
The bone club flew, tearing through the air with piercing sonic booms!
"Stone Edge!"
Even at the end, Giovanni counterattacked.
Jagged stone pillars erupted from the ground!
BOOM—!!!
Both attacks landed simultaneously.
Dust swallowed the battlefield.
When it cleared—
Marowak lay on the ground.
Rhyperior collapsed as well.
"Hmph. A double knockout?" Giovanni scoffed.
"You call that revenge?"
Then—
Marowak pushed itself up.
"…Impossible."
Giovanni stared in disbelief.
He knew Rhyperior's power better than anyone.
Surviving Ice Punch was already absurd—
Standing after Stone Edge?!
Was this really a Marowak?!
Marowak trembled, barely holding on.
It didn't look at Rhyperior.
All it did was retrieve its bone club.
Then it raised its gaze to Giovanni—
Cold.
Steady.
And finally—
Peaceful.
It had defeated the Pokémon of Team Rocket's leader.
That was enough.
From this moment on—
It would no longer live for revenge.
It would live for its Trainer.
Those thoughts appeared on the screen.
The crowd fell silent—then sighed in admiration.
Such kindness.
Such loyalty.
[Bertha: What a wonderful Marowak.]
[Flint: Looks fierce, but such a gentle heart.]
[Cynthia: Perhaps it's not just Marowak's kindness—but a Trainer who kept healing its wounded heart.]
[Lance: To think such resolve could elevate Cubone to Champion-level in mere months…]
[Alder: Hatred made it strong. Love kept it from losing its way. Red deserves most of the credit.]
…
Mt. Silver
Red glanced at Marowak—
Which promptly turned its head away.
It's old inner thoughts… broadcast to the world.
This was worse than dying.
…
Back in the projection—
Red recalled Marowak.
Though it hadn't fainted, it could barely stand.
Effectively—
Both sides had one Pokémon left.
"I must praise you, kid," Giovanni said.
"You've pushed me this far."
"But my final Pokémon perfectly counters Charizard."
"Will you still send it out?"
Red lowered his cap and drew a Poké Ball.
"If I don't use Charizard…"
"…then this battle means nothing."
"Fool!" Giovanni barked.
"I'll crush your Charizard and that pathetic pride together!"
Despite everything—
Red still chose Charizard.
And Giovanni's emotions grew complicated.
What am I even expecting?
Just a sentimental kid…
Then why… does this feel familiar?
Red spun and hurled the Poké Ball with all his strength.
"I won't lose. Never."
"Charizard is proof of my growth."
"He'll be the one to defeat you!"
"Please—Charizard!"
"ROAR—!!"
The blazing dragon descended.
Giovanni froze.
That stance…
Yes—this stance!
I once threw Poké Balls like that… burning with passion… saying 'please'…
When did I stop?
When did Pokémon become nothing but business?
He mirrored Red's stance.
And threw.
"Go—Golem!"
A massive Golem crashed onto the field.
Rock/Ground.
Quadruple advantage against Charizard.
Giovanni hadn't lied.
…
The battle exploded.
"Rollout!"
Golem curled into a ball, spinning like a cannonball!
"Take to the skies, Charizard!"
Charizard soared, narrowly evading the charge!
"You think that's all?!" Giovanni roared.
Golem spun harder—then leapt!
"Fire Blast!"
A blazing kanji-shaped inferno crashed down—
But Golem smashed straight through it!
BOOM!
Rollout struck Charizard's abdomen!
Rock-type.
Four times effective!
Charizard was flung into the wall—but endured!
Golem charged again.
"If Fire Blast won't stop it—Brick Break!"
Orange light flared around Charizard's claws!
SLAM—!
Charizard seized Golem mid-roll—
Stopping it dead.
But Golem weighed over 600 pounds.
Charizard couldn't lift it.
"Bite!"
Golem clamped down on Charizard's shoulder!
Blood sprayed.
Charizard roared in agony, sinking under the weight.
Red's heart raced.
If they hit the ground—
It was over.
Then—
Inspiration struck.
"Charizard—Flamethrower at the ground!"
ROOOOAR—!!
The recoil blasted Charizard upward!
"Now—Seismic Toss!"
Charizard flipped—
And hurled Golem down!
The ground shattered like a spiderweb!
When the dust settled—
Golem lay still.
Defeated.
Seismic Toss—super effective.
Height.
Mass.
Momentum.
Everything aligned.
In the ultimate clash—
Red stood victorious.
The legend… was real.
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