Bang!!
Magmortar hit the ground hard.
The impact shook the battlefield, sending a faint tremor through the grass-covered arena floor. Dust rose in a short burst before settling again, revealing the Fire-type Pokémon still struggling to stay conscious.
It had not fainted.
But it was already on the edge.
Its breathing was heavy, uneven, and its body trembled as if every muscle refused to obey.
At Level 52, combined with the earlier Fire Blast that had softened some of the incoming damage, Magmortar had barely managed to survive.
But barely surviving and being able to fight were two very different things.
Zoe stood frozen for half a second.
It's still standing…
But that thought brought no comfort.
Because standing and fighting were not the same thing.
Gary didn't even change his expression.
His voice came calmly, almost detached.
"Dragon Pulse."
Garchomp moved instantly.
It inhaled sharply, and then—
A dragon-shaped wave of energy erupted from its mouth.
The attack wasn't just energy. It carried pressure, distortion, and a deep vibrating force that made the air itself feel unstable as it surged forward.
The dragon-shaped pulse cut across the battlefield in a straight line, unstoppable and precise.
Zoe reacted immediately.
"Use Flamethrower, quickly!"
Magmortar forced itself upright.
Its cannon arm ignited violently, flames roaring outward in a desperate attempt to intercept the incoming attack. The fire spread forward like a stream of molten heat, trying to consume the dragon energy head-on.
For a moment—
It looked like resistance might work.
But only for a moment.
The Dragon Pulse didn't slow.
It tore through the Flamethrower like it wasn't there. The flames were swallowed, dispersed, and overwritten by pure draconic force.
Zoe's eyes widened.
No… it overpowered it?!
Before she could react further—
BOOM!!
The Dragon Pulse struck Magmortar directly.
A violent explosion erupted on impact, shaking the field as shockwaves rippled outward. The ground cracked slightly beneath the force, and dust surged upward, obscuring the battlefield for a brief moment.
When the dust cleared—
Magmortar was already falling.
Its body hit the ground heavily, rolling once before going still.
Silence followed.
Then—
The referee raised the flag.
"Magmortar has lost its ability to battle! Garchomp wins!"
The announcement echoed across the stadium, clean and final.
Zoe stood motionless.
Her gaze lingered on the fallen Magmortar for a long moment.
That fast…?
The match had barely been going for five minutes since the opening whistle. Three Pokémon—the equivalent of half her entire team—had already been defeated.
Her hands tightened slightly.
Not from anger.
Not even frustration.
Just disbelief at how completely she had been outclassed.
Three Pokémon down.
All defeated with overwhelming ease.
Not a single prolonged exchange.
Not a single turning point.
Just… suppression.
Across the battlefield, Gary recalled Garchomp without ceremony.
No celebration.
No visible reaction.
As if this outcome had been decided long before the first command was issued.
In the VIP lounge above the stadium, several prominent figures observed in silence.
Goodshow stared at the battlefield below and shook his head slowly.
"Gary… this kid…" he muttered. "With strength like that, what is he even doing in a League Conference?"
His tone wasn't angry.
It was more like resignation mixed with disbelief.
Cynthia stood beside him, arms folded, watching calmly.
"Charles Goodshow," she said lightly, "you seem to know Gary well."
Goodshow exhaled.
"I've hosted the League Conference three times in a row," he replied. "Gary participated every single time."
A faint pause.
"And every time… he won the championship."
Cynthia's eyes narrowed slightly, but her expression remained composed.
Not every year did Goodshow personally attend the League Conference. This year he was overseeing the Lily of the Valley Conference, and next year he would rotate to another region's tournament. But Gary had participated in every Conference that Goodshow had presided over—and had won every single one of them.
Goodshow continued, his tone carrying a note of weary amusement.
"I've personally handed him three championship trophies already. At this point, it feels like I'm just giving them to him out of habit."
Cynthia smiled faintly.
"Maybe he simply enjoys Pokémon battles."
Goodshow shook his head.
"If he really enjoys it, then he shouldn't use such overwhelming strength. Matches like this lose meaning."
His gaze drifted toward the battlefield again.
"And that Tobias too… just as problematic. Strong, but always hidden in the shadows. Nobody knew anything about him before this tournament."
Goodshow himself hoped to see more outstanding young Trainers emerging in the League—but not the way Gary and Tobias had appeared. Their strength was so far beyond the rest that it was damaging the balance of the competition entirely.
Cynthia's expression sharpened slightly at the mention of Tobias.
"It's the first time I've seen him," she said calmly. "After this tournament, I intend to contact him."
As the Champion of the Sinnoh League, Cynthia naturally wanted to see the Sinnoh Region flourish with talent. Tobias was undoubtedly a rare and gifted Trainer, and she had every intention of bringing him into the League's fold.
Goodshow nodded.
"That's for the best. Sinnoh needs more talent like that."
He paused again.
"As for Gary… he's originally from the Kanto Region. I doubt the Sinnoh League could recruit him. But if he were willing to join Sinnoh formally, I would personally ensure he received top-tier treatment."
Cynthia didn't respond immediately.
Her gaze stayed on Gary below.
Unshaken.
Unmoved.
Like someone who had already seen too much strength to be surprised anymore.
Back on the battlefield, Zoe reached for her next Poké Ball.
"Persian, please."
A Poké Ball opened.
A feline Pokémon landed lightly on the ground, its round body belying a surprisingly agile frame. Its eyes were sharp, calculating, and full of instinctive awareness.
[Lv. 47 Persian / Elite-tier]
Gary glanced at it briefly.
Persian… the potential is quite high.
He hadn't expected to encounter a Pokémon like Persian at the Lily of the Valley Conference. With a base stat total of 440, Persian's most outstanding attribute was its speed—a species base of 115 in Speed alone. It was hard to believe something so deceptively plump could be so fast, but Persian was actually quicker than Garchomp in raw speed.
Fast one.
He could tell immediately.
Despite its appearance, this Pokémon prioritized speed above all else.
Zoe spoke quickly.
"Persian, use Swagger!"
At the same time—
Gary's command came instantly.
"Stone Edge."
Both Trainers issued their orders simultaneously.
Gary had anticipated that Zoe might try something underhanded—a status move, a trick—so he gave his command as quickly as possible.
The battlefield responded.
Garchomp's claws lifted. Rock energy condensed around it instantly, forming jagged blades that hovered in the air before launching forward in a concentrated barrage.
At the same time—
Persian let out a sharp cry.
"Meow!"
It released a chaotic mental wave, attempting to destabilize Garchomp's focus.
It didn't dodge.
It didn't defend.
It deliberately endured the incoming attack while successfully applying Swagger.
The rock blades struck—
BOOM!!
Persian was launched backward, rolling across the ground before collapsing.
But it had succeeded.
Garchomp's eyes flickered slightly.
Its movements became unstable for a brief moment.
Confusion had set in.
Gary's gaze narrowed.
It took damage just to force status…
He looked at the confused Garchomp and considered the situation. He didn't fully understand why Zoe had made this play. Even if Garchomp was confused, he could simply recall it. And even if he didn't recall Garchomp, the remaining Pokémon on Zoe's side weren't strong enough to capitalize on the opening.
Still—confusion was confusion. He wouldn't leave it to chance.
"Persian has lost its ability to battle! Garchomp wins!"
No surprises. Persian had gone down directly after eating Stone Edge.
Zoe quickly recalled Persian and immediately sent out her next Pokémon.
"Vespiquen, go!"
A bee-like Pokémon emerged, hovering steadily in the air.
[Lv. 50 Vespiquen / Elite-tier]
Gary was slightly surprised to see Vespiquen. He hadn't expected Zoe's Vespiquen to be at such a high level, and its potential wasn't low either.
He couldn't quite decide if Zoe should be considered lucky or unlucky. She had high-potential Pokémon, but these species had relatively low base stat totals. They didn't possess any outstanding abilities or hidden abilities, and their move pools weren't wide enough to compensate.
It was the kind of roster that had a ceiling no amount of talent could break through at this level of competition.
Balanced but fragile.
"Garchomp, return."
A red beam pulled Garchomp back.
Gary wouldn't waste time risking the confusion. Better to switch cleanly.
The audience reacted immediately.
"What? He switched?"
"He actually recalled Garchomp!"
"He's managing status carefully…"
Zoe exhaled slightly.
So even he avoids the confusion risk…
A small spark of hope returned.
But it didn't last long.
Gary's next Poké Ball was already in his hand.
"Leave it to you, Glaceon."
He threw it.
A cold aura exploded outward as the Pokémon landed.
The temperature in the arena noticeably dropped.
[Lv. 60 Glaceon / Champion-tier]
Zoe froze slightly.
Another one…?
She hadn't expected Gary to have a Glaceon. This was the finals, and every Pokémon Gary had sent out so far was one he hadn't used in any previous round. Just how deep was his roster?
In the stands—
Barry leaned forward.
"That's Gary's Glaceon!"
Dawn nodded.
"Besides Weavile, Gary also has a Glaceon? Why does he need two Ice-types?"
Ash crossed his arms.
"That Glaceon was raised back in Kanto," he explained. "But Gary never used it in competition before."
Barry blinked.
"What?! So a Pokémon raised all the way back in Kanto is that strong?"
Ash paused. He wasn't entirely sure either, but he'd seen how Gary's Pokémon trained at Professor Oak's Laboratory. Ash's own Pokémon regularly sparred with Gary's team there. He had always assumed Glaceon's strength was roughly comparable to the rest of Gary's Kanto roster.
"This… I don't know for sure. It shouldn't be too overwhelming."
But even as Ash said it, he didn't sound fully convinced.
"I'd better just see for myself," Barry muttered, and turned his attention back to the field.
Zoe's voice sharpened.
"Vespiquen, use Air Slash!"
Vespiquen's transparent insect wings flapped violently. Wind blades formed instantly, condensing out of the disturbed air and slicing toward Glaceon with cutting precision.
Gary didn't even blink.
"Blizzard."
Glaceon inhaled deeply.
Then—
A massive wave of freezing wind erupted outward.
The entire battlefield temperature plummeted in an instant.
The Air Slash was swallowed before it could reach halfway. The wind blades traveled only a few meters into the Blizzard before they were frozen solid, shattered, and blown apart—erased completely by the overwhelming cold.
The blizzard continued forward unchecked and slammed into Vespiquen directly.
Its wings froze mid-flap.
Ice formed rapidly across its body joints and wing membranes. Its compound eyes, normally a vivid red, dulled to a dark, lifeless crimson.
Vespiquen dropped from the air and hit the ground motionless.
Although it hadn't been completely encased in ice, its wings and every major joint were frozen solid. It couldn't move. It couldn't fight.
The referee raised the flag.
"Vespiquen has lost its ability to battle! Glaceon wins!"
Only one remained.
Zoe stood still.
Her last Pokémon.
Her last chance.
To be honest, it was remarkable that Zoe had held together this long. Five Pokémon had been defeated in a row, and not a single one had managed to withstand even one full exchange against Gary's team. If her mentality had been any weaker, she would have collapsed long ago.
But she hadn't.
Even so—
She lifted her Poké Ball.
"I'll fight to the last moment. Medicham… I'm counting on you."
Zoe did not give up and sent out her final Pokémon.