Gary and Erika had taken their positions on the battle court in Rainbow University's main sports field.
With the arrival of the distinguished guests, Professor Rowan and Sinnoh Champion Cynthia, the match officially began.
Looking at the spectators around her, even the battle-hardened Erika swallowed nervously.
She couldn't help it. With a Unova Elite Four member and the Sinnoh Champion watching, anyone would have been a little rattled...
"Erika, don't panic. Just battle the way you normally do. Think about why you became a Gym Trainer in the first place," Gary reminded her.
"I understand. Come on out, Tangela!" Erika settled her nerves and brought out her Pokémon as usual.
Gary turned to explain to the audience. "Erika is a Gym Trainer who specializes in Grass-type Pokémon. Does anyone know why Gym Leaders everywhere specialize in a single type?"
A student from the theory department wearing thick glasses raised his hand.
"All right, you there." Gary nodded.
"Because Gym Trainers exist to hone the skills of rookie Trainers preparing to compete in the Pokémon League.
"So the different types are separated to make it easier for everyone to learn how to battle Pokémon of each type," the bespectacled boy answered reservedly.
"Very good." Gary nodded. "That's essentially correct. There's something I need to remind you of here. Don't resent losing a match, and don't grow complacent after winning one.
"Gym Trainers exist to test your actual skill level. Outside the confines of a Gym battle, many of them could destroy you in a million different ways.
"Take Erika, for example. If this weren't a Gym battle, I wouldn't be facing Tangela. I'd be facing Tangrowth!"
"Huh? So that's how it works! I thought Gym Trainers were all pretty weak, with their teams averaging only level 25 to 35. Turns out I was the clown all along?" A battle department student finally saw the light.
The students around him immediately shot him scornful looks. Gym battles didn't involve the Gym Leader's main team. He didn't even know something that basic?
Tossing the Poké Ball in his hand, Gary continued his explanation. "Now, which type is most effective against Grass-types?"
"Flying-type, obviously!"
"Idiot, it should be Fire-type!"
The battle department students clearly favored more straightforward ways of fighting.
The theory department students continued to analyze the question.
"Wouldn't it be Ice-type?"
"Poison-type is a good choice too."
Gary tossed the ball in his hand once more, then threw it. "Come on out, Scyther!"
"Scy!" The moment Scyther appeared, it held its left scythe across its body and drew its right scythe behind it, assuming a fighting stance.
"Right, there's Bug-type too!" The students in the audience began whispering among themselves.
"You're all correct." Gary nodded to Erika, who waited patiently. That was how teaching matches worked: there was plenty of talking to do.
"All of those types have an advantage against Grass-types. However, that's only an initial assessment.
"In an actual battle, you need to consider whether your opponent has a second type. Bulbasaur, for example, is both Poison- and Grass-type. If you use a Poison-type move, it won't be particularly effective.
"And with the Bulbasaur evolutionary line, after Mega Evolution... Ahem, that topic is a little beyond the syllabus. We'll discuss it later.
"If the opponent is a Grass/Water dual type, Fire-type attacks won't pack enough punch.
"The same applies to Grass/Rock dual types. Fire-type attacks aren't very effective against them either.
"However, if a Grass-type is also Poison-type, Psychic-type attacks become another weakness.
"Grass/Flying and Grass/Dragon combinations face an even greater threat from Ice-type attacks.
"In short, different combinations call for different responses. Be ready to adapt!"
Watching from the sidelines, Professor Rowan gave Gary a meaningful look. This little rascal was holding something back. Looks like I'll have to squeeze that Samson fellow a little harder. I might even get a new research direction out of it.
With the pre-match explanation finished, Gary looked at Erika. "We can begin."
Erika nodded, her expression instantly turning serious. "Tangela, use Growth!"
Tangela shook all over and abruptly grew larger, while a red glow signaled its boosted stats.
"Look! Ms. Erika boosted her stats right away!"
"How will Professor Oak respond?"
Gary's calm voice rang out. "Double Team, then Agility!"
In an instant, ghostly figures filled the field. Scyther split into more than a dozen images, darting around the court at high speed in unpredictable patterns.
Erika frowned. He's not taking the bait. Then there's no other choice. "Tangela, use Vine Whip!"
More than a dozen vines shot from Tangela's body in an instant. Puffs of white smoke filled the court as the duplicates were shattered.
Hiss! A chilling breath rang out, and Erika abruptly looked up. "Above you!"
Unfortunately, Tangela's eyes could keep up, but its body couldn't react in time.
Scyther descended from the sky!
"Wing Attack!" Gary finally revealed his true attack.
Boom! Silver insect wings swept fiercely across Tangela's body, sending it flying.
"Now, Fury Cutter!" Gary refused to let up, launching an aerial combo!
"Scyther!" A milky-white glow flickered over Scyther's body as it became a storm of flashing blades, every slash striking home hard! It sliced relentlessly at Tangela, leaving its opponent helplessly tumbling through the air, unable even to land.
Bang! With one final slash, Scyther unleashed a spinning crescent-shaped wave that carried Tangela all the way to the edge of the court. Tangela's eyes spiraled, and it toppled headfirst onto the ground.
"Now that's interesting." Sitting beside the court, Cynthia's lips curved into an intrigued smile.
Caitlin looked warily at her best friend. "You're not allowed to pick on Young Master Mao. If you want a battle, I'll fight you!"
Cynthia gave her best friend a surprised look. "Are we even best friends anymore?"
Caitlin hurriedly waved her little hands. "You can battle once Young Master Mao's main team has grown stronger. Not now."
"All right, all right. I won't battle him." Unsure whether to laugh or cry, Cynthia patted Caitlin's head. "My little doll is all grown up."
"Hmph! I am not!" Caitlin pouted and turned away.
With the first match over, Erika let out a small breath of relief. Gary's precision in seizing opportunities, and his ability to turn a single successful strike into a relentless finishing combo, had put her under considerable pressure.
Gary patiently began reviewing the battle for the students.
"Against a highly mobile Scyther, Tangela's most likely response would be Poison Powder.
"Erika's opening Growth was actually meant to lure Scyther into close range. Isn't that right?"
Erika nodded. "That's right. But Professor Oak didn't take the bait, so I was forced to attack."
Gary nodded and continued. "That brings us to the second point. Tangela has nearly the greatest number of vine whips among all Grass-type Pokémon.
"So I had Scyther create a large number of targets to mislead it visually.
"While the duplicates were moving back and forth, Tangela was bound to get distracted. It wouldn't notice that the real Scyther had already used its ability to fly to move overhead.
"Then came the decisive blow. Once the first hit landed, Scyther used the tremendous speed gained through Agility to finish its opponent in one combo before it could react!"
The students below listened in astonishment. Good grief, in a battle lasting only a few minutes, those two had gone through several rounds of mental sparring?
The minds of these tactical players were way too complicated...
Some of the battle department students' eyes glazed over, and smoke practically rose from their heads... Their CPUs had probably burned out...
Students like these were most likely reckless Ash types. They charged in on sheer passion, attacking head-on. If they couldn't beat you with tactics, they would compete with you in sheer perseverance!
In reality, however, after being tempered by his journeys through several regions, Ash still fought with fiery passion and often pulled off bizarre maneuvers that defied understanding.
But his basic knowledge, judgment, and analytical skills had all improved enormously.
Did anyone really think Ash was still the same hopeless rookie he had started out as? By the Pokémon World Championships, he worked his battle strategies better than anyone...
Once the students had more or less digested the lesson, Gary took out his second Poké Ball and gestured to Erika. "We can start the second round."
"Incidentally, Gym Trainers aren't allowed to switch Pokémon during Gym battles. So if things look bad, you can switch yours out immediately. Even rotating through three Pokémon to wear down the opponent's health is allowed." Gary raised an eyebrow.
"If you can wear a Gym Leader down just by switching often enough, I'll give you credit for having quick hands."
Erika's expression darkened. "Um, Professor Oak, that tactic is a little dirty..."
Gary shrugged. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."
"Lesson learned. I'll go test it at the Celadon Gym later." The watching students' eyes lit up, and they hurriedly lowered their heads to take notes.
There was no question about it. A bunch of shameless challengers would soon show up at the Celadon Gym to try all kinds of foolish stunts, repeatedly testing the limits of Erika's patience.
Feeling a little stifled, Erika rubbed her chest, leaving the old university president beside her dry-mouthed. "Good heavens... A Yamato Nadeshiko... Ah, my youth."
Professor Rowan's mouth twitched. He brought a chopping hand straight down on President Monet's head. "There are students everywhere. Mind your image!"
"Ow! Rowan, you stone-faced bastard! Can't take a joke, can you? Sneaking up on me like that! You've got no real skill... If you're so capable, face me head-on..." President Monet bristled with anger.
Professor Rowan's gaze hardened. "Who are you calling stone-faced?"
President Monet immediately became much more docile. Ducking his head, he took out a bottled drink and offered it up. "Um, have some tea, senior..."
Only then did Professor Rowan nod in satisfaction, deciding not to pursue the shameless old man's reckless remarks.
If you enjoyed this book, please remember to add it to your bookshelf so you won't lose track of it next time.
Before you continue