Boom!
This time, Pidgeotto couldn't dodge Leafeon's attack.
The Seed Bomb had its trajectory temporarily altered mid-flight by Leafeon, catching Pidgeotto completely off guard. The air currents swirling around it only made its flight more unstable, and the Seed Bomb struck it directly.
Seeing Pidgeotto plummet from the sky like a kite with a broken string, Leafeon didn't wait for Nozomi's signal—it immediately unleashed Magical Leaf.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Magical Leaves shot out, and amidst a series of explosive sounds, Pidgeotto crashed to the ground, charred and unable to continue fighting.
"Su-su-koku-ichi!"
"Unexpected!"
The trainers watching gasped in surprise.
They had all predicted that the Seed Bomb wouldn't hit. They had assumed it was a done deal.
Yet Leafeon had managed to forcibly alter the Seed Bomb's midair path with Razor Leaf, ensuring it struck Pidgeotto.
This wasn't just a simple tap or nudge.
Strictly speaking, it involved highly complex geometry. That's why Leafeon's maneuver was all the more astonishing.
"How was this Leafeon trained?"
All the trainers looked at Nozomi, thinking that after the match, they absolutely had to ask him how he trained his Pokémon. If their own Pokémon could learn a move like this, it would be a tremendous advantage in future Gym challenges.
"Gary…"
On the sidelines, Gary Oak's supporters slumped when Pidgeotto was knocked out, feeling as if they themselves had lost the battle.
"Please send out your second Pokémon," the referee, a young woman, said firmly, not letting her disappointment show. She spoke with utmost professionalism.
Then, blushing, she added, "Come on, Gary, don't lose to that guy over there!"
"??"
Nozomi tilted his head in confusion.
Him? "That guy over there"?
Of course, Nozomi didn't dwell on this. His attention was fixed on Gary, waiting for him to send out his second Pokémon.
"The first match went to you, but the second won't be so easy. My second Pokémon is this one!" Gary said seriously, his voice drowned by the fangirls' cheers.
A fierce Growlithe appeared on the field, glaring at Leafeon.
Barreling forward, it bared its teeth and let out a low, threatening growl.
"A Growlithe!" a trainer exclaimed.
"Such a rare Pokémon… can he even catch one?" a skeptical onlooker muttered.
"This Growlithe looks strong," others whispered along the sidelines.
"Growlithe?"
Nozomi frowned.
Honestly, Growlithe posed a serious threat to Leafeon.
Leafeon had already expended significant energy against Pidgeotto, and now it had to face a fast, type-advantageous Pokémon like Growlithe. Nozomi's chances didn't look great.
After careful consideration, just as the referee was about to announce the start of the match, Nozomi recalled Leafeon.
This was only a friendly match. He wasn't about to let his gleaming Leafeon get scorched black by Growlithe.
"?"
Gary looked puzzled.
He had been ready to avenge Pidgeotto with Growlithe, so why was Nozomi recalling Leafeon?
"My Leafeon has no energy left. I'll forfeit this round," Nozomi said with a smile.
"Pfft!"
Gary clutched his chest, feeling like he was about to spit blood.
It felt as if he had swung with all his might, only to hit a pillow.
It drove him crazy!
But Nozomi had already conceded this round. There was nothing he could do.
Gary could only glare at him, resentment in his eyes. "Nozomi, what have you been learning all these years at the Investigator School?"
Nozomi merely smiled.
He gave no words—just an expression for Gary to interpret.
Amid Gary's frustration, Nozomi sent out his second Pokémon.
"Gastly, I'll leave this battle to you."
Hidden in a shroud of black mist, only Gastly's sharp fangs were visible as it let out an eerie, cackling laugh.
"Gastly!"
Gary tensed immediately.
Ghost-type Pokémon were never easy to deal with.
Growlithe, who had been dominating the field, shuddered when it saw Gastly.
"Woo~"
Its menacing growl turned into a whimper. Its tail, which had been held high, drooped in fear. A look of terror filled its eyes.
From a single glance, Nozomi could tell—this Growlithe was afraid of Ghost-types.
Gary noticed too. He had never expected the seemingly perfect Growlithe he had just caught to be scared of Gastly!
The situation was extremely awkward.
"How am I supposed to fight now?"
Gary stared at Growlithe, who cowered before Gastly, feeling utterly hopeless.
Was today his unlucky day?
First, he had been fined by Officer Jenny for overload. Then, at the Gym, he found the Gym trainers had no Pokémon left to battle. He lost to Nozomi's Leafeon, and now, even his ace Growlithe feared ghosts!
"I give up. I'm done."
Even someone like Gary, who never gave up easily, had lost the will to continue.
Nozomi didn't press him either.
The friendly match ended anticlimactically.
Seeing there was no battle to watch, the trainers dispersed. Some came up to ask Nozomi about training Leafeon, but he brushed them off casually, and peace returned to the training field.
"Nozomi, I need a favor."
Gary approached, speaking seriously to Nozomi.