On the way, Sam began reviewing Norman's information.
Norman was the Gym Leader of the Petalburg Gym in the Hoenn Region. He specialized in Normal-type Pokémon and was extremely powerful. All of his Pokémon had reached the Elite level, making him a formidable Trainer. The most interesting thing, however, was that Norman was actually May's father.
His ace Pokémon was:
[Pokémon] Slaking
[Type] Normal
[Category] Lazy Pokémon
[Ability] Truant
[Hidden Ability] None
[Strength] Elite High Level
Norman was renowned for his mastery of Normal-type Pokémon. This meant that in this battle, Sam would not be able to rely on type advantages to secure victory.
Sam carefully analyzed the information provided by the system.
The Gym was located in the Hoenn Region.
Although Hoenn was southwest of the Johto Region, it was far from being underdeveloped. In fact, it was one of the largest regions in the area and home to countless Trainers. As one of the Gym Leaders selected for the Masters qualification challenge, Norman was undoubtedly going to be a difficult opponent.
The Petalburg Gym was among the strongest Gyms in Hoenn. According to legend, Norman had been a prodigy since his youth, and his mastery of Normal-type Pokémon was second to none. His Slaking in particular was famous for its incredible strength.
Misty walked over and asked,
"Brother Sam, our opponent this time is Norman, May's father. I heard he's incredibly strong, especially because his Slaking is such a rare and powerful Pokémon."
Sam nodded.
He wasn't completely confident of victory, but since he had come this far, he intended to give it everything he had.
The train continued toward Hoenn.
The scenery along the way was beautiful. Sabrina and Misty enjoyed looking out the windows, while Brock seemed to have recovered from his earlier disappointment after losing to Skyla. Only Ash sat quietly with his head lowered.
Sam walked over.
"Why are you sitting here by yourself? Enjoy the scenery. Treat it like a trip."
Ash shook his head.
"I'm not really in the mood. Against Norman, I don't think I have much of a chance."
His voice was filled with discouragement.
Sam patted him on the shoulder.
"Come on. How can you decide you've already lost before the battle even starts? Just watch how your brother Sam takes him down."
The encouragement seemed to work.
Ash straightened up a little.
"Yeah. I'll do my best. Even if I lose, I'll make sure I lose with no regrets."
Since Hoenn was not far away, everyone soon arrived.
The moment they stepped off the train, they were greeted by a refreshing breeze.
The environment of Hoenn was excellent. Unlike the heavily urbanized central areas of Johto, Hoenn was filled with vast forests where wild Pokémon thrived. If someone was lucky, they might even discover a rare new Pokémon.
Without wasting time, the group headed directly toward the Petalburg Gym.
As they approached, a middle-aged man suddenly stopped them.
"The Gym is closed today. Where are you Trainers from?"
Before Sam could answer, Misty stepped forward.
"Uncle Norman, I'm May's friend."
The man smiled immediately.
"Misty? So it's you."
He nodded.
"What brings you here?"
"We're here to earn the Bide Badge and qualify for the Masters."
Norman looked surprised.
"Misty is already competing for a Masters qualification spot? Looks like my May needs to work harder."
Misty scratched her head awkwardly.
"Actually, I'm not the challenger. Brother Sam is. I was eliminated during the challenge against Gym Leader Skyla."
"Oh?"
Norman turned toward Sam.
"So you're Sam?"
He had heard the name before.
Sam stepped forward politely.
"I'm Sam. Gym Leader Norman, please go easy on me during the battle."
Norman laughed.
"You're the Sam who battled Claire. I've heard quite a bit about you. Since you're here for the Badge, let's head to the Gym and begin immediately."
Sam nodded.
Everyone followed Norman inside.
Just as Norman had said, the Gym was closed for the day. There were very few people around, leaving the battlefield completely empty.
It was the perfect place for a match.
Norman walked onto the field and smiled.
"Come on, Sam. Let me see whether you have what it takes to earn the Bide Badge."
Sam nodded and threw his Poké Ball.
"Venusaur!"
A flash of light appeared.
[Pokémon] Venusaur
[Type] Grass / Poison
[Category] Seed Pokémon
[Ability] Overgrow
[Hidden Ability] Chlorophyll
[Strength] Elite High Level
---------------Author---------------
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