Indeed.
Bugsy was no ordinary Gym Trainer—he was a true Gym Leader.
What's more, he was the youngest Gym Leader in all of Johto, which spoke volumes about his talent and strength.
He specialized in Bug-type Pokémon, and perhaps it was precisely this unwavering dedication that had allowed him to achieve such heights at such a young age.
"Yozora, you're Yozora?" Bugsy's face lit up in surprise when Yozora introduced himself and submitted his challenge application.
Yozora blinked, while Akai and Tiane stared at him with growing admiration. So their senior was this famous? Even Gym Leaders knew of him!
"You know me?" Yozora asked with a touch of doubt.
Bugsy nodded. "Falkner told me about you. He said a remarkable Trainer named Yozora had appeared in our Johto League. That was more than a month ago. I've been waiting ever since. Now, show me if your strength is as incredible as Falkner claimed!"
At his words, Yozora remained calm, but Akai and Tiane gasped in awe.
As expected, this senior of theirs was extraordinary. So young, yet already receiving praise from strong Gym Leaders like Bugsy and Falkner.
The group soon entered the Gym's battlefield.
Yozora and Bugsy stood facing each other.
"The rules of the Azalea Gym are three-on-three. Any objections, Yozora?" Bugsy explained the rules. Once Yozora nodded, Bugsy immediately threw out his first Poké Ball.
A flash of white light revealed a green, crescent-shaped cocoon—Metapod.
It was difficult to believe that a Gym Leader would send out such a Pokémon.
After all, Metapod knew little beyond Harden and Tackle.
But the shock came not from the species, but the level. This Metapod was at the very peak of the Senior tier.
For a Metapod, that was terrifying. It was also a testament to Bugsy's brilliance as a Trainer.
"Be careful, senior! That Metapod is no ordinary Metapod!" Akai called out in alarm.
A few days earlier, he too had challenged this Gym and had faced this very same Metapod. His Cyndaquil hadn't even lasted a moment—it was crushed instantly.
Yozora nodded, accepting Akai's warning, then threw out his first Poké Ball.
A dazzling light burst forth.
The elegant, towering Crystal Onix loomed onto the field.
Akai's jaw dropped. "No way! Right from the start, he's sending out Crystal Onix…?"
Tiane shot him a look of disdain and sneered, "Idiot. Do you really think Senior Yozora is just a normal Trainer like you? Have you already forgotten about his Dragonair?"
Akai stiffened, silenced by the reminder.
"Hmph," Tiane continued smugly. "If you ask me, every Pokémon in Senior Yozora's hands is a powerhouse!"
Across the field, Bugsy's eyes widened at the sight of the Crystal Onix.
"As expected of the Trainer Falkner praised. The battle's only just begun, and already he's surprised me…" Bugsy thought with a grin.
"Harden, Metapod!" Bugsy commanded, officially starting the three-on-three Gym battle.
"Shrrp!"
Metapod glowed with a vibrant green light. Its shell gleamed as its defenses rose sharply.
"Defensive tactics, huh? But a slow Metapod is just a sitting target. No matter how high its defense, it'll fall eventually to sustained assault…"
Yozora smiled faintly, then gave his order. "Crystal Onix, use Ice Shard!"
"Roooar!"
From above, the Crystal Onix bellowed and launched a razor-sharp chunk of ice down toward Metapod.
Bugsy, however, remained calm—like the first-rate Trainer he was.
His composure spread to his Pokémon. Metapod didn't panic in the face of danger.
Just as the shard was about to strike, Bugsy's eyes lit up. "Now, Metapod! Leap up and use Tackle!"
"Shrrp!"
Metapod suddenly launched itself upward, moving with a speed completely uncharacteristic of its species. It narrowly avoided the ice shard and soared high into the air.
Then, it dove straight down toward Crystal Onix.
"Interesting…" Yozora's eyes gleamed. "Crystal Onix, Harden as well!"
Bang!
Metapod slammed into Crystal Onix.
Yet the towering serpent didn't even flinch.
Instead, it was Metapod that grimaced in pain from the collision.
"Metapod!" Bugsy called out in shock.
Yozora couldn't help but smile at Bugsy's expression. "Even if their levels are the same, even if your Metapod specializes in defense, when it comes to sheer durability, it's nothing compared to my Crystal Onix."
He had every reason to be confident.
Species mattered.
At base, Crystal Onix's defense was easily 150 points.
Metapod's? Barely seventy or eighty.
Both used Harden. Both increased defense by thirty percent.
But for Crystal Onix, that meant nearly 200 points of defense.
For Metapod, barely over 100.
Same level. Both defensive Pokémon.
But the gap was an entire magnitude apart!
"Now, Crystal Onix—Bind!" Yozora ordered.
With a hiss of stone grinding on stone, Crystal Onix coiled its body around Metapod, squeezing tightly.
Within a second, Metapod's expression twisted in pain.
"Metapod, use String Shot!" Bugsy commanded, unshaken even at the last moment.
If Metapod was going down, it would leave something behind.
"Shrrp, shrrp, shrrp!"
Metapod spewed streams of sticky white silk, wrapping around Crystal Onix's rocky body, slowing its movements considerably.
Only then did Metapod faint, its contribution made.
"Metapod is unable to battle. Crystal Onix wins!" the referee declared.
"As expected—he left me with one last trap even in defeat," Yozora chuckled. This was exactly the kind of battle he craved.
To fight opponents as strong and cunning as Bugsy—that was his pursuit.
"Senior Yozora is smiling… but his advantage isn't even that big," Akai and Tiane whispered, their faces full of shock.
(End of Chapter)