Gaara's Tyranitar pressed the advantage with relentless precision. Crunch after Crunch, each connecting with enough force to crack armor. Earthquake chains that kept Sasuke's Pokemon off-balance. Hyper Beam fired with calculated timing, exploiting every opening created by accumulated damage.
The veteran Gym Leader was demonstrating exactly why he held a fifty-two win streak. Experience manifested as superior positioning, better timing, the ability to read opponents and exploit weakness. His Tyranitar moved like extension of his will, fifteen years of partnership creating near-telepathic coordination.
Sasuke's Tyranitar weathered the assault through pure determination. Armor plates showed deep cracks, movements had slowed, exhaustion visible in every labored breath. But it remained standing, refused to fall, maintained defensive posture despite overwhelming pressure.
The crowd sensed the turning point approaching. Gaara had momentum. One more solid combination would finish this.
In the VIP section, Kasumi couldn't watch. Her hands covered her face, peeking through fingers. "He's losing. Gaara's going to win."
"The battle isn't over," Miyuki said, though her voice carried uncertainty. Her tablet showed both Pokemon's energy signatures, Sasuke's Tyranitar approaching critical exhaustion levels. "Sasuke still has options."
"What options?" Kasumi demanded. "Look at his Tyranitar, it can barely stand!"
Kiyomi remained silent, camera focused on Sasuke's face. The trainer showed no panic, no desperation. Just focused calculation. He was planning something.
On the battlefield, Gaara prepared his finishing sequence. "You fought well, Sasuke Uchiha. Better than most challengers. But experience wins battles." He raised his hand. "Tyranitar, Stone Edge into Crunch combination. End this."
His Pokemon gathered energy for the dual attack. Sharp stones materialized around it, preparing to launch. Then it would close distance during the confusion, finish with devastating Crunch. Standard finisher that had ended dozens of battles.
But Sasuke spoke first, voice cutting through the tension. "True, experience matters. Years of partnership creates incredible coordination." He looked at his Tyranitar, battered but still standing. "But three years of intensive training with my father taught me something else. Power means nothing without timing."
He'd been waiting. Analyzing Gaara's pattern through the entire battle. The Gym Leader's defensive-aggressive style had one weakness, predictability. Gaara always finished the same way: Stone Edge to create openings, Crunch to capitalize. It worked because opponents were too exhausted to counter effectively.
But Sasuke had saved energy for exactly this moment.
"Tyranitar, now!"
His Pokemon moved faster than seemed possible given its condition. The exhaustion had been partially feigned, strategic deception, making Gaara believe victory was certain. In reality, Sasuke's Tyranitar had conserved critical energy reserves.
The Stone Edge launched. Sasuke's Tyranitar didn't dodge, it charged directly through the attack. Stones struck armor but failed to stop momentum. Pain, yes. Damage, yes. But nothing that prevented execution.
Gaara realized the trap half a second too late. "Counter-"
Too slow. Sasuke's Tyranitar had closed distance, positioned perfectly inside Gaara's defensive range. At point-blank range, where the veteran's superior positioning meant nothing.
"Stone Edge, concentrated burst!" Sasuke commanded.
His Tyranitar generated stones directly against Gaara's Pokemon's armor. Not projectiles, contact detonation. The sharpened rocks materialized and shattered simultaneously, each explosion channeling force into a single point. Gaara's reinforced shell, designed to absorb distributed damage, couldn't handle concentrated pressure.
The armor cracked. Not superficial damage, structural failure. A weak point created in supposedly impenetrable defense.
"Crunch, full power!"
Sasuke's Tyranitar's jaws clamped onto the crack. Dark energy flooded through the opening, bypassing the shell entirely, striking vulnerable interior. The attack connected with devastating effect, everything Sasuke's Pokemon had held in reserve, channeled into single decisive strike.
Gaara's Tyranitar roared, pain, surprise, recognition of defeat. The massive Pokemon staggered, took one step back, then collapsed. Not knocked unconscious, but unable to continue. The accumulated damage combined with that final attack had exceeded its endurance threshold.
Silence filled the stadium. Fifty thousand people processing what they'd witnessed. The upset victory, achieved through tactical brilliance and perfect timing.
The referee approached Gaara's fallen Pokemon, checked its condition, then raised her flag toward Sasuke.
"Gym Leader's Pokemon is unable to continue! Victory to challenger Sasuke Uchiha!"
The crowd exploded. Cheering, screaming, stamping feet until the stadium shook. The underdog victory, the rookie defeating a veteran Gym Leader's fifty-two win streak. This would be replayed and analyzed for years.
Sasuke recalled his Tyranitar immediately, holding the Pokeball with reverence. "You did it. Thank you."
Through their bond, he felt the Pokemon's exhaustion, pain, but also satisfaction. They'd won together, through partnership and strategy, exactly as intended.
Gaara stood motionless for a moment, processing his first loss in months. Then he walked across the devastated battlefield, each step deliberate. When he reached Sasuke, he extended his hand.
"Exceptional tactics. You baited me into predictable finish, conserved energy for counter-strike, executed perfectly." No bitterness in his voice, pure professional respect. "Your father taught you well, but that final sequence was your own innovation."
Sasuke shook his hand. "You pushed me further than any training session ever did. This victory cost everything we had."
"As it should." Gaara released his grip, pulled something from his pocket. The Boulder Badge, octagonal stone emblem, engraved with Pewter Gym's symbol. "You've earned this, Sasuke Uchiha. Not as Itachi's brother. As yourself."
Sasuke accepted the badge. Cool metal against his palm, weight insignificant physically but enormous symbolically. First gym badge. First major victory. First proof that his journey was valid.
The stadium erupted again as cameras captured the moment. Sasuke holding the Boulder Badge, Gaara standing beside him, mutual respect between trainer and Gym Leader. The image would grace sports pages across Kanto.
In the VIP section, Kasumi had launched from her seat. "HE WON! HE ACTUALLY WON!"
Miyuki stood with more composure but equal joy. "That final strategy, feigning greater exhaustion than reality, waiting for predictable finish, exploiting the opening. That was brilliant."
"That was Sasuke," Kiyomi said, camera still recording. "Three days of studying Gaara's pattern, finding the weakness, preparing the counter. This wasn't luck."
They rushed toward the competitor's exit, wanting to congratulate him properly. Other audience members had the same idea, crowd converging on the tunnel where Sasuke would emerge. Security formed barriers, trying to maintain order.
Sasuke walked through the tunnel in daze. Adrenaline fading, exhaustion replacing it. His legs felt unstable, hands shaking slightly from sustained tension. Victini chirped on his shoulder, flames flickering with pride and fatigue.
Media ambushed him immediately. Microphones thrust forward, cameras flashing, questions shouted from all directions:
"How does it feel to beat Gaara's streak?" "Did your brother give you advice?" "What's your strategy for future gym battles?" "Will you challenge the Elite Four after collecting all badges?"
Security pushed them back. "Challenger needs Pokemon Center access immediately. Interviews later."
Sasuke appreciated the intervention. He needed to get Tyranitar to Nurse Joy, ensure proper treatment after that brutal battle. Everything else could wait.
He emerged from the competitor's area to find his companions waiting. Miyuki reached him first, silver hair disheveled from rushing through crowds. "Your Tyranitar, is it okay?"
"Exhausted, injured, but stable. Nurse Joy's taking it now." Sasuke showed her the Boulder Badge. "We did it."
Kasumi tackled him with a hug that nearly knocked him over. "That was INSANE! The timing on that final counter, I thought you'd lost and then BAM! Gaara's Tyranitar just collapsed!"
"Strategic deception," Kiyomi said, more measured but eyes bright with analysis. "You made him think you were more damaged than reality. Classic misdirection."
"Dad's technique. He called it 'controlled vulnerability.'" Sasuke steadied himself against a wall, legs threatening to give out. "Show weakness to invite aggression, then exploit the opponent's overconfidence."
"Sit before you fall," Miyuki ordered, guiding him to a bench. "You're running on adrenaline fumes. When was the last time you ate?"
"Breakfast. Six hours ago."
"Unacceptable." She pulled out her phone. "I'm ordering food delivery to the Pokemon Center. You need calories and rest."
They made their way through celebrating crowds back to the Center. People recognized Sasuke now, some cheered, others wanted autographs, a few challenged him to battles. Security escort helped navigate to the entrance.
Inside, Nurse Joy had Tyranitar in intensive care. The Rock/Dark type was conscious but clearly suffering. Deep cracks in armor plates, muscle strain from overexertion, internal damage from that final dark-energy attack it had endured.
"He'll recover fully," Nurse Joy assured Sasuke. "But we're talking weeks, not days. That battle pushed him beyond normal limits. Remarkable endurance, but there are consequences."
"Do whatever's necessary. Cost doesn't matter."
"League covers gym battle injuries. Your Tyranitar will receive optimal care." She consulted her tablet. "I recommend letting him rest in the healing chamber for at least forty-eight hours. No training, no battling, just recovery."
Sasuke nodded, though the timeline complicated his journey plans. Two days minimum in Pewter City, possibly more depending on recovery speed. But Tyranitar's health took priority over scheduling.
Back in their suite, Miyuki's food delivery arrived, massive order of protein-rich meals, energy drinks, recovery supplements. She practically force-fed Sasuke, ignoring his protests about not being hungry.
"Your body burned enormous calories during that battle. Stress, tension, adrenaline, all metabolically expensive. Eat."
He ate, too tired to argue. The food helped, energy returning, shakiness subsiding. Around him, the others discussed the battle, replaying footage on tablets, analyzing specific exchanges.
"That moment when you charged through Stone Edge," Kiyomi said, showing him the video. "Gaara's face, he realized too late what you'd done. Beautiful execution."
"Lucky timing."
"Not luck," Miyuki corrected firmly. "Preparation meeting opportunity. You'd studied his pattern, recognized the predictable finish, prepared the counter. That's skill."
Sasuke's phone buzzed, messages flooding in. His mother, proud and emotional. Sayuri, screaming in all caps about how amazing the battle was. Even his father sent brief acknowledgment: Well executed. The controlled vulnerability technique was properly applied.
And Itachi: Congratulations on your first badge, little brother. You fought with honor. Keep moving forward.
Simple words, but Sasuke felt their weight. His brother acknowledged him, not as shadow or comparison, just as trainer who'd earned victory.
"What now?" Kasumi asked. "Tyranitar needs rest, you need rest. Do we stay in Pewter or move on?"
"Stay," Sasuke decided. "Two days minimum. Let Tyranitar recover properly, give everyone time to prepare for the next leg. Kasumi, you have Contest training. Miyuki, continue Ryu's care. Kiyomi, finish your temple research."
"And you?" Miyuki asked.
"Sleep. Then review the battle footage, identify mistakes, improve for next time." He stood, legs steadier now. "Winning doesn't mean perfect execution. I made errors Gaara exploited. Need to analyze and correct."
"Later," Miyuki said firmly. "Sleep first. Everything else can wait."
She was right. Exhaustion hit him like physical force now that adrenaline had fully drained. Sasuke retreated to his room, collapsed on the bed still wearing his battle clothes. Victini curled beside him, flames dimmed to gentle warmth.
Before sleep claimed him, one thought crystallized clearly.
First badge earned. Fifteen more to go.
And every battle would be harder than the last.
But today had proven something crucial, he could win through his own merit, his own strategy, his own partnership with his Pokemon. Not as Itachi's brother. As Sasuke Uchiha, trainer and partner.
That knowledge carried him into deep, dreamless sleep.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges.
Tonight, he could rest with the Boulder Badge secured.