Early the next morning, the first rays of the rising sun pierced the horizon, casting a warm, golden edge over all of Lavaridge Town.
Ariel wasted no time and headed straight to the Gym challenge arena.
Today, he would obtain the Fire-type badge!
When Ariel arrived, the arena was empty.
He stood in the challenger's area, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire field.
Before long, footsteps and hushed, arguing voices came from the other end of the Gym.
"Grandpa! I told you I can handle this! Can't you just watch from the lounge? Standing here will make the challenger nervous!"
Flannery's voice carried a trace of helpless pleading.
"Hmph, you've only been in charge of the Gym for a few days? If something goes wrong, it's our Lavaridge Gym's reputation on the line."
Moore's voice was as stern as ever, leaving no room for discussion.
"Besides, this kid is your first challenger. I must personally confirm if he is qualified to take the badge."
Flannery seemed to want to say more but ultimately sighed, unable to win against her stubborn grandfather.
The two of them walked onto the field, one after the other.
Moore went directly to the referee's stand. His sharp eyes lingered on Ariel for a moment, revealing no particular emotion.
Flannery walked to the Gym Leader's area. She took a deep breath, trying hard to appear more professional and composed.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Flannery offered Ariel a slightly apologetic smile.
"My grandpa... he just worries a lot. Don't be nervous. He may seem strict, but he's actually very kind. All my knowledge of Fire-type Pokémon was taught by him."
Ariel nodded.
Of course he wasn't nervous.
He could tell that Flannery's words were less about comforting him and more about psyching herself up.
After all, this was her first official battle as a Gym Leader, conducted under the watchful eyes of her strict grandfather, an Elite Four Level powerhouse.
The pressure was palpable.
"Challenger Ariel, Gym Leader Flannery, the badge challenge match will now commence."
Moore's voice echoed through the arena, devoid of any emotion.
"The rules are four-on-four. The match ends when one side has two Pokémon unable to battle. Now, both sides, send out your Pokémon!"
As his words fell, the atmosphere in the entire arena instantly solidified.
The flames on the surrounding stone pillars seemed to burn even brighter, waves of heat rolling through the air.
Flannery was the first to throw her Poké Ball.
"Go, Ponyta!"
A flash of red light, and a spirited little horse appeared on the field.
Level 26!
Its body was a creamy color, with crimson flames burning on its back and tail. Its hooves were strong, and its eyes were full of vigorous fighting spirit.
The flames flickered slightly with its breathing, making the surrounding air shimmer with heat.
Ariel's gaze fell upon the Ponyta, understanding dawning in his mind.
This Ponyta's flames were more condensed and brighter than usual, clearly the result of careful nurturing.
Without hesitation, he also took out a Poké Ball.
"Frogadier, I leave it to you."
A blue figure landed nimbly on the scorching metal field—it was Frogadier.
It crouched slightly, arms crossed over its chest, its eyes coolly assessing its opponent, seemingly completely unaffected by the field's searing environment.
"Water-type?"
Flannery raised an eyebrow, then a confident curve appeared at the corner of her mouth.
"While the type advantage is yours, my Ponyta isn't so easy to deal with!"
She was well aware that in such a high-temperature environment, Water-type Pokémon would expend stamina far more quickly than usual, and water evaporation would also affect the power of their moves.
This was her home-field advantage.
"Begin the match!"
Moore waved his hand.
"Ponyta, use Agility!"
Flannery immediately gave the order, trying to seize the initiative.
Ponyta let out a whinny. The flames beneath its hooves surged, and its entire body transformed into a crimson blur, dashing across the field at a dizzying speed.
Ariel's eyes narrowed.
Incredible speed!
"Frogadier, stay calm. Use Water Pulse."
Frogadier maintained its crossed-arms posture, only its eyes tracking Ponyta's movement.
It clapped its hands together, and a rapidly spinning sphere of water instantly coalesced in its palms before being forcefully thrust forward.
The Water Pulse traced a bright blue trajectory through the air, heading straight for Ponyta.
"Dodge it, then use Flame Wheel!"
Flannery's commands followed in rapid succession.
Ponyta deftly tilted its head, the Water Pulse grazing past its mane, raising a cloud of sizzling steam.
Without pause, it curled its body, blazing flames wrapping around it to form a massive wheel of fire, rolling menacingly toward Frogadier.
Wherever the Flame Wheel passed, it left faint scorch marks on the ground, a wave of heat blasting forward.
"Jump up, use Water Pulse on the ground."
Ariel's command was concise and swift.
Frogadier's legs pushed off powerfully, its body leaping high into the air. It executed a graceful flip mid-air, dodging the Flame Wheel's charge.
While airborne, it gathered another water sphere in its hands, but instead of throwing it at Ponyta, it slammed it hard onto the ground where it had just been standing.
Boom!
The water sphere burst, covering the scorching ground with a large amount of water. It instantly evaporated, forming a thick cloud of white steam that enveloped half the field in an instant.
"What?"
Flannery was taken aback.