Obtaining the Balance Badge

"Slaking, use Hammer Arm!"

After Slaking grabbed Arcanine, Norman immediately gave his command.

Upon receiving Norman's order, Slaking tightly gripped Gary's Arcanine with one hand. His other hand became wrapped in white light before slamming heavily toward Arcanine.

"We can't admit defeat either, Arcanine!" In that critical moment, Gary had a sudden idea and shouted at Arcanine.

"Arcanine, use Flamethrower!"

Following Gary's command, Arcanine gave up struggling and launched an attack on Slaking as well.

Scorching flames poured from Arcanine's mouth, shooting straight at the Slaking before him.

Just like that, Slaking's Hammer Arm struck Arcanine and sent him flying on the spot.

Likewise, Arcanine's Flamethrower dealt Slaking considerable damage.

In that exchange, both Arcanine and Slaking inflicted a certain amount of damage on each other.

Fortunately, the attack had not been fatal, and the fallen Arcanine struggled back to his feet.

But this time, Arcanine's gaze was no longer so calm. Instead, he glared fiercely at Slaking across from him.

After exchanging a look with Norman, Gary decisively launched another attack.

"Arcanine, use Agility!"

The moment Gary finished speaking, Arcanine decisively sprang into motion and began running, continuously harassing Slaking under Gary's direction.

Although Slaking threw several punches in succession, every one of them was dodged by the nimble Arcanine.

When Arcanine finally appeared behind Slaking, Gary immediately gave another command.

"Use Will-O-Wisp!"

As soon as Gary finished speaking, clusters of ghostly blue flames suddenly appeared around Arcanine. They formed a ring and continuously circled around him.

Under Arcanine's control, those Will-O-Wisps all flew toward Slaking.

"Not good, get out of the way!"

The moment Norman heard Gary's command, he understood Gary's intention and urgently shouted at Slaking.

Although Norman called out with all his might, it was already too late. The Will-O-Wisp directly struck the Slaking, who had no way to evade.

Under the effect of Will-O-Wisp, Slaking was immediately inflicted with a burn.

"Nicely done!" Gary's lips curled upward slightly when he saw that.

"Looks like we can't drag this out." Seeing Slaking afflicted with a burn, Norman had no choice but to end the battle quickly.

"Slaking, use Mega Punch!"

At Norman's command, Slaking once again swung his fist and charged toward Arcanine.

"Extreme Speed!"

Using Extreme Speed, Arcanine completely vacated his original position before the attack arrived, evading the blow.

The next second, Arcanine appeared at Slaking's side and assumed an attacking stance.

"Arcanine, use your final Flare Blitz!"

At Gary's command, blazing flames suddenly erupted from Arcanine's body, instantly enveloping him.

Then Arcanine sped toward Slaking. Everywhere he passed, the flames raised the temperature considerably.

"Let's go too, Slaking! Use Heavy Slam!"

Norman also intended to decide the battle with one final blow, so he gave Slaking his command.

But things never went as one wished. Just as Slaking took a step forward, the burn took effect, forcing Slaking to halt.

Arcanine, meanwhile, used Flare Blitz without obstruction and struck Slaking, who was frozen in place.

Under the assault of the high-temperature flames and the impact, Slaking was immediately sent flying before crashing heavily onto the ground.

This time, however, Slaking did not get back up. He had completely lost consciousness.

Arcanine noticed this as well, so he relaxed his guard and began panting heavily from the immense drain on his stamina.

"Slaking is Unable to Battle. Arcanine wins, so the final victor is Gary!"

Norman, the Trainer of Petalburg Gym, had already lost three Pokémon, making Gary the winner of this battle.

"You worked hard, Slaking." After the referee announced the final result, Norman took out a Poké Ball and recalled the unconscious Slaking.

"Come back and rest for a while, Arcanine." Gary likewise recalled Arcanine, whose stamina had been completely exhausted.

Just as Gary put away Arcanine, Rosa eagerly rushed to his side, tightly hugging his right arm as she shouted at him.

"That was amazing, Gary!"

The smile blooming across Rosa's face brightened Gary's mood after he had relaxed, and a smile appeared on his face as well.

"What incredible strength, Gary!" Gym Leader Norman walked over to Gary and said with a smile, "Your strength has far exceeded my expectations."

"I still have a long way to go." Gary had a clear understanding of his own strength.

"When I was your age, I wasn't as good as you." Norman shook his head at Gary's modest words.

After Norman said that, Gary did not say anything further and merely smiled calmly.

"This is the Balance Badge, proof that you defeated me. Please accept it."

As he spoke, Norman took a Balance Badge from Petalburg Gym out of his pocket and handed it to Gary.

"Thank you, Mr. Norman." After expressing his thanks, Gary accepted the Badge and placed it in the Badge Case Nurse Joy had given him earlier.

"You earned it," Norman replied.

Thus, after much hardship, Gary finally defeated Norman's three Pokémon and obtained the first Badge of the Hoenn Region.

"Then, Mr. Norman, can I continue with a Gym Challenge now?"

After Gary obtained the Balance Badge, Rosa stepped forward and challenged Norman.

"Of course you can." Norman nodded in response to Rosa's challenge.

As a Gym Leader, Norman could not possibly have only one team, so he still had Pokémon available to face Rosa's Gym Challenge.

"Then please, I want to challenge Petalburg Gym too." Seeing Norman agree, Rosa decisively issued her challenge.

"No problem!"

And so, the battle between Rosa and Petalburg Gym Leader Norman began.