Once the field was cleared, Gary and Sento took their places in the Trainers' command areas.
Apart from a few university students from the tactical theory department, the surroundings suddenly grew quiet.
Erika stepped onto the referee's platform. "I'll serve as referee. Does either side object?"
Sento nodded. "No objections."
Gary confirmed as well. "Of course not~"
"Then, Professor Oak versus student Sento! This will be a one-on-one battle. Professor Oak, please send out your Pokémon first!" Erika called, waving her hand.
Having the teacher send out his Pokémon first was a concession. After all, it let the other side choose a favorable type matchup.
Gary smiled and took out a white Premier Ball. "Well~ Eevee, go play with her for a bit."
"Vee!" Eevee rolled onto the field, braced on all fours, and lowered into a ready stance.
Please. You think you can counter my typing? Unless you bring out that alpaca, Arceus...
"Hmph~ So it's an Eevee. All looks and no substance~" Sento narrowed her eyes and clapped. A student behind her immediately brought over a briefcase packed with Poké Balls.
Her slender fingers swept over the case, and Sento smiled faintly. "Against a Normal-type, I'll use this one!"
A Poké Ball flew into the air~
"Gwah!" A round-bodied Graveler appeared on the field.
"Oh~?" Gary shook his head. If you'd picked a Fighting-type, I might have thought a little better of you.
A Rock-type Graveler? You've got a few too many clever tricks up your sleeve~
Sento lifted her chin haughtily. "A Normal-type Eevee can learn quite a few moves, but against my Graveler, they'll barely tickle!"
"Too clever for your own good..." Gary shook his head. "Go on, then."
"Graveler, use Magnitude!" Sento launched her attack without waiting for Erika's signal.
"Eevee, jump." Gary gave his command at the same time.
Boom! Graveler slammed the ground, making it shake violently.
But Eevee had already left the ground. For all that commotion, the attack did no damage.
"How?!" Sento gasped.
"Nothing special. You're just too easy to read." Gary shrugged.
"As expected of Professor Oak." Erika nodded. Battles between Trainers usually involved responding to attacks as they came and adapting on the fly.
Gary had gone a step further. From Graveler's opening movements and Sento's mindset, he had discerned his opponent's tactical intent in advance.
In professional terminology, this predictive ability was called "Foreseeing"! Such an overwhelming advantage only appeared when there was a substantial gap in skill between Trainers.
"Eevee, use Water Gun." Gary continued lazily.
"Hmph! Graveler, use Rollout!" Sento's plan sounded perfect in her head. With a high enough level advantage, even an unfavorable type matchup could be bulldozed through for a direct victory.
Eevee planted all four feet, compressing and gathering water energy in that small mouth.
Boom! A high-pressure Water Gun blasted out, striking the oncoming Graveler square in the face.
Screech!! With a skidding sound, Graveler spun in place!
Under the water pressure's relentless assault, Graveler finally stopped spinning and was blasted away.
That critical hit from Water Gun carried Graveler all the way to a corner of the field.
Eevee followed up with Swift, and Graveler's eyes rolled back as the Pokémon passed out completely.
"Impossible! Even attacks from Water-type Pokémon can't necessarily stop Graveler's Rollout! This Eevee has to be cheating!" Sento sank to her knees in disbelief.
Gary shook his head, picked up Eevee and offered some praise, then walked over to Sento and raised his elegant fingers.
"First: your tactical intent was too obvious, allowing your opponent to predict your attack easily.
Second: verbal provocation is a form of trash talk. I only needled you a little, and you lost your composure. That's a cardinal sin in battle.
Third: do you not fucking check the field before a battle? Add a little water to dirt, and it becomes slippery mud. With Graveler weighing that much, how could there not be any skidding?
Now tell me, are you really a qualified Pokémon Trainer?"
Sento lowered her head and shook it, looking somewhat lost.
Erika sighed too. The girl did have some talent; her family had simply spoiled her.
"Then do as I said and go on a journey. See what the world of ordinary people is like." Gary shook his head. "If you earn eight Badges on your own and make it into the Indigo League, I can authorize your reinstatement so you can graduate."
"Thank you, Professor Oak..." Sento nodded, her face faintly flushed, then left the battlefield with her toes turned inward.
"Young Master Mao is the best~!" Caitlin promptly appointed herself the cheering section, calling out to Gary from the sidelines.
Gary smiled and looked at Erika. "We can start preparing for the demonstration battle. The students should be getting out of class soon, right?"
Erika checked her watch. "Five more minutes. Just enough time to prepare the field. Shall we use the Grass Field again?"
"Since it's a Gym demonstration battle, of course we should use your specialty, the Grass Field." Gary shrugged.
Erika clapped, and a staff member immediately went to the edge of the field, found the Grass-type button, and pressed it.
With a rumble, the rocky dirt field slowly sank, while green stretches of grass closed in from both sides.
They finally joined into a complete Grass Field.
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"Rainbow University really lives up to its reputation. These facilities are practically on par with the Indigo Plateau." Gary couldn't help marveling.
"I'd say it's pretty decent~" Caitlin held an ice cream sundae she had acquired from who knew where and offered her assessment. "Still a little behind Unova's Elite Four castle."
Gary's mouth twitched. Since when did Unova's Champion's castle become the Elite Four's castle? You really don't count Alder as a person, huh?
Gary didn't have to wait long. Soon, the bell rang, and a crowd of university students with clear, innocent eyes poured out of the classroom buildings.
They ran toward the battlefield in groups of three or five.
Soon, they surrounded the field several rows deep. Fortunately, the university students were much more orderly.
The first row sat on the ground, the second sat in the spectator seats, and the third stood.
Gary took one look. Well, damn. Rainbow University's top students really know how to arrange themselves in tiers... They had even staggered their heads to ensure everyone had a clear view of the field.
"Wow~ So many people~" Biting her ice cream spoon, Caitlin warily hid behind Gary.
"It's fine. University students are easy to get along with. Look at their eyes. So... uh... wise beneath that foolish exterior!" Gary briefly ran out of words.
The pure, innocent stupidity in these kids' eyes was practically overflowing. One glance was enough to tell they were university students through and through...
Caitlin tilted her head. "Are you trying to say they look kind of dumb, so they don't seem like bad people?"
Gary coughed twice to change the subject. "Ahem. Erika, is everyone here?"
Erika wore a strange expression. "They're all here... Too many of them, really. Not just the battle department-even the theory department's students came."
Gary scratched his head. "Huh?"
"Go, Professor Oak! We're from the theory department!" A group of students on the sidelines waved flags and cheered.
"Professor Oak is the best! Show the battle department the power of scholars!"
"Exactly! Our theory department is strong too when we get serious!"
On the other side, the battle department's students weren't having it.
"Bullshit! Professor Oak is an actual professor of tactical theory. He should count as one of us!"
"Exactly! All you do is work on theories. Professor Oak is clearly better at working over people who know theory!"
"Enough! Stop arguing!" Gary pressed a hand to his forehead, his head aching. What was there to argue about?
"Students, tactics are the path to improving your battle skills. Practical battle is the ultimate purpose of battle theory. If you can put aside your prejudices and help each other, I believe you'll all learn more," Erika explained.
After hearing Erika's words, both groups turned to Gary, apparently waiting for his final verdict.
Gary rolled his eyes. "You're all waiting for me to say something?"
The university students nodded in unison.
"Then keep waiting~" Gary pursed his lips. "I can't even be bothered to comment.
You should know that understanding Pokémon is the foundation of every battle.
Pokémon are mysterious, powerful creatures filled with unknown possibilities.
Types, Abilities, Hidden Abilities, hundreds of different forms, and thousands of different moves.
All of these require a wealth of theoretical knowledge.
So theory and battle aren't opposing sides. You should help each other succeed, not look down on each other.
A clever trick might win you one match, but it won't win you a whole season of complicated series, much less a Pokémon League tournament packed with experts.
Battle isn't the technique of command. It's the art of command.
Next, Erika and I will break down an entire Gym battle. I hope you'll pay close attention."
A wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from the sidelines. Every student watched the battlefield with bright, expectant eyes.
Erika clapped excitedly. "As expected of Professor Oak. I've learned a great deal."
Gary smiled modestly. "Then let's begin."
A teacher from the university's refereeing department solemnly stepped onto the referee's platform and raised both hands. "The Gym demonstration battle is about to begin. Both sides, get ready."
A short distance beyond the crowd stood an elderly man with a square face, two thick sections of mustache, meticulously groomed hair, and a gray trench coat, accompanied by Principal Monet.
"Hmph~ That Oak fellow does have a fine grandson," Professor Rowan remarked sternly.
"Of course. Just look at who taught him." Old Monet was so pleased that his mustache practically floated~
The Sinnoh academic delegation had arrived at Rainbow University. Led by Professor Rowan, this all-star team of more than a dozen professors had brought their latest research findings~
"Oh~ It looks like Caitlin is having a lovely time here." A female scholar with long blonde hair fluttering in the breeze, dressed in a black trench coat and black wide-legged trousers, lifted the corners of her mouth.
Monet stole a glance at the blonde beauty. She was no ordinary woman: a renowned Sinnoh historian and mythology researcher, as well as the strongest woman in Sinnoh's history.
Caitlin suddenly turned within the crowd, and her smile blossomed like a flower. "Cynthia!"
The two blonde young women smiled at each other.
Gary turned in surprise as Professor Rowan approached with the scholars. "We originally wanted to sit in on one of Professor Gary's lectures, but the principal told us you'd be holding a demonstration battle this afternoon. You don't mind if we join you, do you?"
"Not at all. It's my honor." Gary bowed politely. This man was Professor Oak's senior; a bow certainly wouldn't hurt!
Professor Rowan nodded and led the scholars to stand quietly off to one side.
And so, with every eye upon him, Gary's demonstration battle officially began~
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