"A baby is just a baby!"
Roy returned the words Lt. Surge had used to mock him and Pikachu earlier, completely unchanged.
Every word felt as though it were laced with thorns.
[Gym Challenge—Vermilion Gym: Defeat the Vermilion Gym Leader Lt. Surge using only Pikachu and retort his mocking words. Completed!]
[Mission Reward: Aura · Power of Thunder—When using Pokémon in battle, speed is increased by 20%. Loaded!]
[intermediate rare candy *3—Using it on a Pokémon below Lv. 50 will directly increase its level by one. Placed in system space.]
The system prompt sounded clearly in Roy's mind.
A faint but tangible sense of power merged into his body, as if resonating with some kind of lightning rhythm.
This was the aura effect of the Power of Thunder.
Those three Intermediate Rare Candies were even better items, allowing for direct level-ups and saving a lot of hard training time.
Roy was in a good mood.
But on the opposite side, Lt. Surge's mood had plummeted to rock bottom.
"You...!" Lt. Surge's face turned the color of pig liver, veins popped on his neck, and his teeth ground together audibly; he looked as if he wanted to pounce and tear Roy apart right then and there.
What an absolute humiliation!
He, Lt. Surge, had been lording it over Vermilion City for so many years—when had he ever suffered such an insult?
To be insta-killed by a "baby Pikachu" belonging to someone he considered a "baby Trainer"!
If word of this got out, how could he keep his reputation?
But just as he was about to explode, his gaze fell upon the Pikachu in the center of the field—its tail tip was still smoking, yet its eyes were as sharp as lightning—and it felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head.
This Pikachu... was uncanny!
The power of that Thunderbolt just now definitely exceeded the scope of a normal Pikachu; it was even more terrifying than his Raichu's full-power strike!
This kid... what exactly was his background?
Lt. Surge's heart was filled with suspicion and uncertainty; anger and wariness intertwined, making his face look even more hideous.
Wait... Leader..." The female subordinate nearby was also stunned by the turn of events, but she reacted faster. Remembering the Gym's rules, she had to brace herself, swaying her slender waist and clicking her high heels as she wobbled toward Roy.
She deliberately pulled down the top of her already tight Gym uniform, revealing a deep, snowy cleavage that was almost squeezed out entirely.
Walking up to Roy, she put on a flirtatious smile and held out an orange badge with a lightning bolt symbol in both hands, her voice soft and cloying:
"Hey there, handsome~ This is the proof of defeating the Vermilion Gym, the orange badge~"
"You're really powerful~ My heart is just pounding watching you~"
As she spoke, she intentionally used the hand holding the badge to try and brush against Roy's hand with her fingertips.
"Thanks."
Before Roy could move, Misty, who had been unable to contain herself, stepped forward in a flash and snatched the badge away first.
She stood with her hands on her hips, chest puffed out like a little lioness protecting her food, blocking the path between Roy and the female subordinate. Her pretty face was frosty, and her voice was clear but carried an unquestionable declaration:
"Whether my boyfriend is powerful or not, I know it myself!"
"We don't need you to worry about it!"
Misty was sharp-witted and saw through everything.
Roy was so outstanding that there certainly wouldn't be a shortage of'sisters' in the future.
A good woman like Sister Delia, who was gentle, virtuous, and kind-hearted, she would welcome with both hands and feet.
But a slutty bitch like the one in front of her—who looked seductive to the core and clearly had some sordid relationship with that bastard Lt. Surge—absolutely not!
With Sister Delia away, she was the second-in-command of the household and had to guard the gate well!
Who knew if this woman was clean or had some disease? What if she hooked up with Roy and made a mess of their home?
She had to maintain a strict defense!
The female subordinate's smile froze on her face from Misty's retort, and her outstretched hand stopped awkwardly in mid-air.
She looked at Misty's wary yet beautiful face, then glanced at Roy's expression—he showed no reaction and even looked at Misty with a hint of approval. Cursing "little hussy" in her heart, she could only withdraw her hand sheepishly and retreat back to Lt. Surge's side, tail between her legs.
Looking at Misty protecting him like a bristling kitten, Roy felt a warmth in his heart.
He reached out and dotedly ruffled Misty's soft hair, smiling, "Good job."
Being ruffled by him, Misty's fierce aura from a moment ago immediately deflated quite a bit. Her ears turned slightly red, but she still lifted her chin proudly and carefully put away the orange badge.
This was won by Roy!
Just then, a series of urgent and loud sirens sounded from far to near, quickly echoing outside the Gym, followed by the sound of rhythmic footsteps and stern shouts.
"Listen, people inside! This is the Vermilion City Police Department! We are now conducting a search of the Vermilion Gym according to the law! Please cooperate!"
The Gym doors were suddenly pushed open.
Dazzling light flooded in, dispelling the gloom inside the arena.
By the way, the ID 51 was used twice in my source, so I will continue sequentially.
Officer Jenny was in her crisp police uniform, looking heroic and valiant. Her face was frosty, and her gaze swept through the arena like lightning before finally locking onto Lt. Surge, whose face had changed drastically.
"Lt. Surge! You are now suspected of multiple cases of molesting and threatening female Trainers, as well as abusing Gym authority, harming others' Pokémon, and various other charges! Please come with us to the station for investigation!"
Officer Jenny's voice was clear, cold, and brook no argument.
Lt. Surge panicked at first, then forced himself to calm down, shouting with false bravado:
"Jenny! On what grounds are you arresting me? I am the official Gym Leader of Vermilion City! I am a representative of this city! Your police department has no authority to arrest me directly! I want to see the Mayor! I want to contact the League!"
He tried to use his status and network of connections to apply pressure.
Officer Jenny had long expected him to do this. She snorted coldly and took a document with a red stamp from a nearby officer, displaying it directly before Lt. Surge's eyes.
"Look closely! This is a special Arrest Warrant jointly issued by the Kanto League Headquarters and the Vermilion City Government! It authorizes the police to take coercive measures against city public officials suspected of serious crimes!"
"Those connections of yours can't save you anymore! Lt. Surge!"
The bright red seal and striking text were like the final straw that broke Lt. Surge's psychological defense.
His face instantly turned deathly pale, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"No... impossible... you guys..."
He subconsciously took a step back, his hand moving toward his waist as if he still wanted to resist.
"Raichu! Go... ah!" He habitually wanted to call out Raichu, but suddenly remembered that his strongest Raichu had just been paralyzed by that terrifying Pikachu's strike and was currently unconscious inside its Poké Ball!
Lt. Surge was in complete despair.
"Take him down!" Officer Jenny ordered.
Two tall police officers immediately stepped forward and efficiently handcuffed Lt. Surge.
The male and female subordinates were also scared witless, trembling as they were also taken into custody by other officers.
"You... you just wait! I won't let you get away with this!" As Lt. Surge was escorted past Roy, his eyes were bloodshot as he glared fiercely at him and Misty, growling in a low voice.
Roy only gave him a faint glance, not even bothering to respond.
It was nothing more than the howl of a defeated dog.