"Did you really do this?"
Though logically, he didn't believe Nozomi could single-handedly stop so many Team Rocket members, the Moon Stones laid out before him left no room for doubt.
"What benefit would I get from lying to you?" Nozomi countered calmly.
Gary thought about it and realized Nozomi had a point.
His earlier question had only been born of shock; deep down, he didn't really think Nozomi would deceive him.
"I didn't expect it… that you were the one who caught that bunch of Team Rocket members."
Gary clicked his tongue in amazement. Team Rocket executives weren't easy to catch, and even a group of league inspectors would consider such a feat impressive. Yet here Nozomi had done it—and he wondered if the people who had pushed Nozomi to resign felt the sting of being proven wrong.
"Correction," Nozomi said with a chuckle. "It wasn't just me. Over thirty trainers worked with me to capture Team Rocket."
"Alright, alright, stop being modest. Don't you have any sense of how strong the trainers in the League are now?" Gary waved him off.
Being Professor Oak's grandson, Gary had a much clearer picture of the League's current state than Ash ever could.
The Indigo League Conference had only concluded a few days ago, and many of the stronger trainers were still at Indigo Plateau. Even among the competent ones, Gary would never believe any of them could take on a Team Rocket executive.
And judging from the number of Moon Stones on the table, Nozomi must have exerted tremendous effort to claim such a haul.
"Let's have a battle. I want to see your true strength," Gary suddenly said, a spark of excitement in his eyes.
Nozomi wasn't surprised by Gary's challenge—it fit perfectly with Gary's usual demeanor. What did catch him off guard was the timing.
"Now?" he asked, having just finished eating and still digesting.
"Yes. No time to waste. Before I came to Cerulean Gym, I rented a training field," Gary said decisively. He grabbed the still-digesting Nozomi and led him to a battle arena on the outskirts of Cerulean City.
"Is it really necessary to rush? Strenuous exercise right after a meal can give you stomach problems," Nozomi muttered, unimpressed.
"Don't tell me you're scared now," Gary teased, goading him.
Nozomi responded with just a chuckle. Then, folding his arms over his chest, he asked: "1v1, 3v3, or 5v5? Whatever format you want, I'll accept."
Hearing such unwavering confidence, Gary hesitated for just a moment.
"3v3! Three Pokémon each, and no switching mid-battle!" Gary finally decided. Though he had caught many Pokémon, only three could truly be his core team.
"Alright! Shall we start now?" Nozomi asked.
"Start!" Gary responded, signaling to his support team. One member walked to the referee's stand and picked up a small flag.
"The battle is between Master Gary from Pallet Town and—"
"Cerulean City, Nozomi!"
Nozomi, if he remembered correctly, was originally from Cerulean City.
"The competitors are Master Gary from Pallet Town and Nozomi from Cerulean City! The rules are 3v3 elimination, no Pokémon switching mid-battle. The match begins now!"
At the referee's signal, both trainers simultaneously released their Pokémon.
"Leafeon, go!"
"Pidgeotto, it's up to you!"
The pale yellow Leafeon, graceful in stance with red feather tufts atop its head, faced off against the imposing Pidgeotto. Both Pokémon landed on the battlefield almost simultaneously.
"Hey! There's a battle happening!"
"Let's check it out!"
"Come on, let's go!"
Trainers who had been training nearby quickly gathered, forming a circle around the battlefield.
"What kind of Pokémon is that Leafeon?" Gary asked, scanning with his Pokédex several times to no avail, utterly perplexed.
"You're not supposed to reveal your Pokémon's information during battle," Nozomi said with a smile.
"Tch, fine. I'll just observe myself," Gary muttered. In the next instant, he decisively raised his hand.
"Pidgeotto, use Peck!" Gary commanded, striking suddenly.
Pidgeotto, accustomed to Gary's battle style, flapped its wings and accelerated like a spear, diving straight at Leafeon in an attempt to catch both trainer and Pokémon off guard.
But Nozomi had anticipated this. His battle mindset was always meticulous, and from the moment the referee raised the flag, his senses went on high alert.
"Leafeon, dodge!"
Leafeon leapt gracefully, evading the descending Pidgeotto.
Boom!
Pidgeotto's Peck slammed into the ground, gouging a deep crater—proof of its raw power.
"Impressive, Gary," Nozomi said, observing the attack. "Even a simple Peck can be unleashed with such force."
"Of course… Darn it, Nozomi, you're cheating!" Gary exclaimed.
Before he could react further, Leafeon flicked its ears and tail, sending three Razor Leaf blades slicing in a perfect triangle toward Pidgeotto.
The leaves cut through the air with a shrill whistling sound.
"Pidgeotto, dodge!" Gary shouted again.
Pidgeotto, now locked onto by the Razor Leaf attack, immediately soared higher, desperately trying to evade the incoming blades.