In the entire Gym, only the heavy breathing of Krokorok remained.
Ariel looked at his old partner; that ruthless tenacity of refusing to yield even in death touched something deep within his heart.
He felt that Krokorok's aura was different from before.
He took out the pokédex and scanned Krokorok.
"Beep."
"Krokorok, Level 36..."
"Level 36... It rose two levels at once."
Ariel murmured to himself, a hint of a smile hidden in his voice.
This battle was won even more beautifully than he had expected.
A burst of potential like this is something one can hope for but not seek out; today, he had truly lucked into it.
He recalled Krokorok. The Poké Ball vibrated slightly in his hand, as if conveying the Pokémon's exhausted yet excited emotions.
To be honest, even Ariel was somewhat surprised.
Level suppression was one thing, but more critical was the gap in Base Stat Totals.
Blaziken's high Base Stat Total of 530 compared to Krokorok's pitiful 351—describing the difference as worlds apart would not be an exaggeration.
Being able to win was all thanks to the pent-up drive in Krokorok's heart.
In Ariel's team, Weavile and Malamar were already in their final forms.
Especially Weavile, with 120 Attack and 125 Speed, it was like an unsheathed ice blade, its sharpness fully revealed.
This made the position of Krokorok, the "big brother" of the team, exceptionally awkward.
Although it was the highest level and the first to follow Ariel, its subordinates had all evolved into their final forms while it had not.
Ariel had always seen that unwillingness and urgency in its eyes.
That was why he dared to provoke it with words about swapping it out; he was certain this stubborn fellow would definitely fall for it.
As it turned out, his gamble paid off.
"Once you evolve into Krookodile, everything will be different."
Ariel stroked the Poké Ball, his mind already beginning to calculate.
Moving from the second form to the final form is a qualitative leap.
"The match is over! The winner is the challenger, Ariel!"
From the Referee's seat, Moore's powerful voice broke the silence.
"Clap, clap, clap."
Flannery clapped as she stepped down from the Gym Leader's seat. There wasn't a hint of resentment on her face; instead, there was heartfelt admiration.
"I admit defeat completely in this match."
She walked up to Ariel and admitted straightforwardly,
"Your Krokorok has been raised exceptionally well."
"The Heat Badge is yours."
She handed over a crimson badge.
"Also, congratulations. You are the first challenger I've encountered since I officially took office."
Flannery's eyes were bright,
"I will remember the name Ariel."
Ariel took the badge. It felt warm to the touch, as if it still carried the residual heat from beneath Lavaridge Town.
He subconsciously glanced at the Referee's seat, only to find that the old man named Moore had disappeared at some point.
Where did he go?
Ariel muttered to himself but didn't pay much attention... Leaving the Gym, the streets of Lavaridge Town were filled with a unique, humid steam.
The townspeople, dressed in comfortable Yukatas, strolled leisurely through the streets, forming a sharp contrast to the intense battle just now.
Just as Ariel reached the town's exit, Flannery's urgent shout came from behind him.
"Wait! Ariel!"
He turned around and saw Flannery jogging to catch up, a fine layer of sweat on her forehead.
"Whew... You walk way too fast."
She caught her breath and handed over a square package,
"This, my grandfather told me to give it to you."
"Your grandfather?"
"Yes."
A hint of complaint entered Flannery's tone,
"He said it was wrong of him to test your identity during the battle earlier. This is an apology gift for you."
She curled her lip and added in a low voice:
"He's such an indirect old man. He won't even come to apologize himself and insists on making me run this errand. He's so obsessed with saving face."
Ariel took the package and weighed it; it wasn't light.
"I didn't take it to heart,"
Ariel said.
Obviously, the other party didn't mention the Shinny Ralts.
But since the other party went out of his way to have Flannery deliver the package, it meant Ariel's gamble was correct.
Meeting that Ralts wasn't a coincidence; it was a test intentionally set by the other party!
"That's good then."
Flannery seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and waved at him,
"Well then, until we meet again, powerful Trainer."
Watching Flannery leave, Ariel found a deserted corner and opened the package.
There were two items inside the package.
A thin tm and a fist-sized dark orb emitting an ominous aura.
Ariel first picked up the tm.
tm: Rock Slide.
"Rock Slide?"
Ariel's eyes lit up.
This was a good item—a powerful Rock-type multi-target physical Attack that could also cause flinching.
If Krokorok learned it, it would perfectly cover the shortcomings in its Coverage, especially against those annoying Flying-types.
His gaze then fell upon the orb.
The orb was dark purple all over, its surface covered in eerie patterns. Holding it, he could feel a faint force attempting to drain his life force.
Ariel's breathing hitched for a moment.
"Life Orb!"
He almost blurted it out.
This thing was a real trump card! For the Pokémon holding it, the power of all moves would increase at the cost of losing one-tenth of its HP after every successful hit.
For an attacker seeking ultimate burst damage, this was a god-tier item!
Of course, Ariel didn't know exactly how much it would increase power yet, but he guessed it wouldn't be low.
After all, the quality of this Life Orb was evident.
A top-tier attacking skill and a precious item with outstanding effects.
Such generosity... Ariel gripped the Life Orb, Moore's old face appearing in his mind.
"This old man..."
He chuckled softly and stowed everything away.
The apology was likely a pretext; investment and a gesture of goodwill were the real motives.
Someone who could casually give a Life Orb as an apology gift truly lived up to being a former Fire-type Elite.
The waters of the Hoenn region were deeper than he had imagined.
But that was what made it interesting.
Ariel looked up; the distant sky was as clear as if it had been washed.
Who should use the Life Orb?
With Weavile's Speed paired with the Life Orb, it could one-shot anyone it met.
Or should it be given to the soon-to-evolve Krokorok, allowing its power to break through its limits?
A happy dilemma arose in his heart.