The salty breeze of the Vermilion City harbor carried the noise of the crowd. By the dock, a Steelix was working hard, dragging cargo containers, while Lanturns swam beneath the water, providing illumination for the loading and unloading of goods.
As the largest trading port in the southern part of the Kanto Region, Vermilion City was full of bustle and vitality.
The salty sea breeze swept through the streets, carrying the clamor of the docks. Ignoring the curious and shocked gazes of those around him, Fuyuki strolled along the coastal avenue with Raikou and the others.
Squirtle looked left and right, examining this strange city with a face full of curiosity.
Gastly floated on Fuyuki's shoulder, feeling somewhat drowsy—daytime was not the time for Ghost-type Pokémon to be out.
Raikou walked slowly by his side, its golden mane flowing in the sunlight, causing passersby to stop, yet they dared not approach due to its restrained aura.
Fuyuki did not linger there. After entering the city, he headed straight for the iron-gray building on the west side, covered in lightning patterns.
That was the destination of Fuyuki's trip—the Vermilion Gym.
Pushing open the heavy metal door, the arena inside was a battle stage paved with non-slip alloy plates. Energy conduits all around hissed, and a faint smell of ozone permeated the air.
A tall man wearing a khaki flight jacket and a crew cut was standing in the center of the arena, wiping a pair of goggles printed with an air force emblem.
Several Poké Balls were attached to the tactical belt at his waist, and scars on his arms were faintly visible—it was the Vermilion Gym Leader, Lt. Surge.
"Challenger?" Lt. Surge looked up, his gaze as sharp as a hawk, scanning Fuyuki and his partners. When he saw Raikou, a flash of obvious shock appeared in his eyes.
But as a retired soldier, even though he was shocked inside, Lt. Surge's expression remained unchanged.
"Rules first. The challenge for the Vermilion Gym is 3v3. You can switch Pokémon in the middle. If you can withstand my thunder, the Thunder Badge is yours. I hate cowards who retreat in the face of battle. Show me your guts!"
Fuyuki smiled and nodded: "That goes without saying."
The Gym Leaders in these cities of the Kanto Region all had different temperaments, so the challenge process for each Gym was also different.
And someone like Lt. Surge belonged to the type who just got straight to business.
"Very good." Lt. Surge raised his hand and threw the first Poké Ball. "First round, my partner, Voltorb!"
White light burst forth, and the round Voltorb floated in mid-air, fine currents of electricity winding around its surface, making a crackling sound. On the shell of this Pokémon, there was a shallow bullet mark, obviously having been baptized by the fires of war.
It fits Lt. Surge's identity as a retired soldier, Fuyuki thought. Since that's the case, "Squirtle, I choose you!"
Hearing this, Squirtle immediately leaped onto the field, its feet firmly planted on the alloy plates, and let out a low Roar at Voltorb, full of fighting spirit.
After Fuyuki's painstaking cultivation and its own hard training, it was no longer the same as it used to be!
"The match begins!" the late-arriving referee announced loudly.
"A Water-type Squirtle has a natural disadvantage when facing an electric-type Pokémon!" Seeing Squirtle, Lt. Surge gave a reminder, then launched the first attack, his tone decisive: "Voltorb, Thunder Shock!"
Yellow electricity condensed into a wave and shot straight at Squirtle, as fast as an arrow.
"Withdraw into your shell!" Fuyuki's command was concise.
Squirtle curled its body instantly, and its hard shell blocked the Thunder Shock like a shield. Sparks exploded on the surface of the shell, but it failed to cause any harm.
"Not bad." Lt. Surge's eyes narrowed. "Rollout, stick close to it!"
Voltorb turned into a bolt of lightning, spinning as it rushed toward Squirtle, scratching the alloy plates and creating dazzling sparks.
"Now, Water Gun!"
Squirtle suddenly poked its head out, and a stream of water gushed from its mouth. Using the recoil, it instantly met Voltorb. The two forces collided, and Voltorb was knocked flying by the water, its high-speed rotation interrupted on the spot.
"Huh? The power of this Water Gun is not quite right!" Lt. Surge's eyes narrowed, but Fuyuki gave him no time to be stunned.
"Take this chance, Tackle!"
Squirtle used its limbs to gain momentum, leaped up, and slammed hard against Voltorb's shell.
After being strengthened by three meals of Sacred Ash a day, Squirtle's body was now like a robust little calf.
With a "clang," Voltorb lost its balance and slammed heavily onto the alloy plates. Electricity scattered, and it could no longer float.
"Voltorb is unable to battle!"
Lt. Surge recalled the Poké Ball. There was no disappointment on his face; instead, he showed a hint of approval: "Not bad, you know how to use the opponent's strength against them. But it won't be that easy next time."
This Trainer was definitely not a novice—a novice could never train a Squirtle to this extent.
The power of that Water Gun and Tackle had far exceeded that of a normal Water Gun and Tackle.
Various thoughts flashed through his mind. Lt. Surge threw the second Poké Ball. A white light flashed, and a small Pikachu with red electric sacs on its cheeks landed on the field.
The edges of this Pikachu's ears had signs of wear, and it wore a small military dog tag around its waist. Its eyes were vigilant and calm, completely different from ordinary wild Pikachu.
"Second round, Pikachu!" Lt. Surge's voice became a bit softer. "It once blocked a missile for me on the battlefield."
Fuyuki squinted his eyes. Lt. Surge was a retired soldier—was there still a war between the Pokémon League regions?
However, he didn't think too much about it; the battle was important.
Fuyuki looked at Squirtle: "Can you continue?"
Squirtle puffed out its chest and nodded heavily. The water stains on its shell hadn't dried yet, and its fighting spirit hadn't diminished at all.
"The match continues!"
"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" The moment Lt. Surge gave the command, Pikachu had turned into a golden bolt of lightning.
"Squirtle, use Water Gun to intercept!"
A stream of water gushed out, but Pikachu flexibly dodged to the side, instantly reaching behind Squirtle. An electric orb condensed on its tail, and it slammed it onto the shell.
"Can't dodge! This Pikachu's speed is so fast!" Fuyuki reacted quickly: "Take it head-on, Skull Bash!"
Squirtle took the electric orb head-on, its body trembling slightly, then immediately turned around and slammed its head into Pikachu.
Pikachu was knocked back several steps, but immediately adjusted its posture, flicked its tail, and let out a "Pika" battle cry.
"Thunderbolt!" Lt. Surge's voice suddenly rose.
Dazzling golden electricity erupted from Pikachu's body, like thunder striking the ground, crashing straight toward Squirtle.
"Squirtle, Water Gun, counterattack with all your might!" Fuyuki gritted his teeth and ordered.
"Can't lose!" Thinking this, a fierce power suddenly erupted from Squirtle's body.
Following that, a huge Water Gun gushed from its mouth, colliding with the Thunderbolt in the center of the arena.
Water vapor and electricity intertwined, making a deafening Roar, and white smoke instantly enveloped the entire field.
In the smoke, two figures rushed out at the same time.
Pikachu used the boost from the electricity to use Quick Attack again, slamming hard into Squirtle's chest; Squirtle used its last bit of strength to aim the Water Gun at Pikachu's abdomen.
"Bang!"
Two muffled sounds rang out at the same time.
Squirtle and Pikachu were both knocked flying, slamming heavily onto the alloy plates.
Squirtle's mouth stopped spraying water, and Pikachu's red electric sacs also lost their luster. Both Pokémon lay on the ground, unable to get up.
"Squirtle and Pikachu are both unable to battle!"
Fuyuki hurriedly ran onto the field, took Squirtle into his arms, and soothed it softly: "You worked hard, you did well, Squirtle. Now, have a good rest!"
"Squirtle~" Squirtle had fought two enemies in a row and was now exhausted. It lay in Fuyuki's arms and closed its eyes with peace of mind.
Lt. Surge also walked to Pikachu's side, carefully recalling it into the Poké Ball, his eyes full of heartache: "Well done, old partner, rest now."
After a short break, Fuyuki threw the second Poké Ball: "Gastly, it's your turn!"
Purple-black mist emerged, and Gastly floated in mid-air, surrounded by eerie shadow energy.
Lt. Surge's eyes became sharp, and he threw the last Poké Ball: "The trump card, Raichu!"
White light fell, and the sturdy Raichu appeared. Its fur was thicker than an ordinary Raichu, its limb muscles were distinct, and it wore a heavily worn flight gear around its neck—this was an accessory from Lt. Surge's fighter jet back in the day.
"Raichu, Thunder Punch!"
Raichu stomped on the ground, electricity gathered in its right fist, turning into a bolt of lightning as it rushed toward Gastly.
"Dodge!"
Gastly's figure instantly disappeared, turning into smoke and dissipating. This was the special ability of Ghost-type Pokémon.
Raichu's Thunder Punch missed, slamming into the alloy plates and blasting out a charred hole.
"Detect, Thunderbolt, area attack!" Lt. Surge was experienced and didn't bother trying to distinguish the invisible Gastly.
Raichu erupted with a wide-range electric current, golden thunder sweeping the entire field. Gastly, hiding on the floor, was instantly grazed by the electricity, letting out a painful hiss.
"Kueh!"
"Hypnosis!" Fuyuki immediately counterattacked.
Gastly immediately applied hypnotic Confusion to Raichu.
But Lt. Surge was a veteran of many battles and reacted immediately the moment he saw Gastly's action.
"Use Quick Attack to dodge, then use Iron Tail!"
Raichu turned into lightning, instantly dodging the Hypnosis, then leaped up, slashing at Gastly with its tail, which carried a fierce momentum.
Gastly couldn't dodge in time and was hit hard by the Iron Tail. Its body twisted as if it were being torn apart, and it slammed heavily onto the ground, the purple-black mist becoming thin.
"Gastly is unable to battle!"
"You worked hard." Fuyuki recalled Gastly.
Just as he was hesitating whether to let the huge Dragonite come out to help, he saw Raikou beside him walk slowly onto the field. Its golden eyes stared directly at Raichu, then looked at Lt. Surge, letting out a low and majestic Roar.
"Finally stepping onto the field?" Lt. Surge's pupils shrank. He recognized this Legendary Pokémon, but he didn't flinch at all; instead, he felt extremely excited. "Good! So what if it's a Legendary Pokémon? Raichu, prepare to fight!"
Raichu roared at Raikou, electricity surging all over its body, its fighting spirit soaring.
Raikou stepped slowly onto the battle field, its golden mane moving without wind. With every step it took, the alloy plates on the ground trembled slightly. A powerful and violent electric energy swept across the field instantly, and a strong sense of oppression came rushing toward them.
Lt. Surge's fingers holding the Poké Ball tightened slightly. He had been in the military for many years, had seen storms of bullets, and had seen the ravages of war; he would never flinch just because his opponent was strong.
"Raikou—the legendary electric-type Pokémon, it really lives up to its reputation!" Lt. Surge said in a deep voice, his eyes locked on Raichu in the field. "But my Raichu will never fear any opponent! Raichu, attack with all your might! Thunder Punch!"
Raichu roared, its right fist wrapped in dazzling golden thunder. The wind from its fist carried electricity as it broke through the air. Its speed and power reached their peak; this was a move it had honed on the battlefield.
Fuyuki did not give commands, because the strength of Raikou and the strength of that Raichu were too far apart.
Lt. Surge had no chance of winning this battle!
Raikou roared at the sky. Facing Raichu's fist, its whole body erupted with a terrifying electric current.
In the next second, Raikou flashed, not dodging or evading. Electric energy condensed on its teeth, which were as sharp as a saber-toothed tiger's, and it met it head-on!
Thunder Fang vs. Thunder Punch!
"Boom—!"
The loud noise of the collision of electricity resounded through the Gym. Golden and yellow electric lights exploded, the strong light blinding people.
Airwaves swept across the field, the surrounding battery conduits hissed and exploded, and sparks splashed everywhere.
When the dust settled, Raichu stumbled back several steps, the fur on its arm scorched by the electricity, and it was panting heavily.
And Raikou stood steadily in place, unscathed, its momentum even better.
Obviously, Raikou had held back; it hadn't used its full strength.
"What powerful strength—" Lt. Surge was shocked, but he still didn't give up. "Raichu, Thunderbolt, maximum power!"
Raichu used all its strength, and violent thunder erupted all over its body, covering the entire field like golden rain, intending to swallow Raikou completely. This was the strongest attack it could release, the lethal move that had saved Lt. Surge on the battlefield back then.
"Dad, Discharge."
Fuyuki's tone was flat, but carried absolute confidence.
A circle of golden electric shockwaves suddenly exploded around Raikou, its power far exceeding Raichu's Thunderbolt. The two currents collided, and Raichu's attack was instantly crushed. The violent electricity rebounded, slamming hard into Raichu!
Raichu let out a cry of pain, its body stiffened, and it fell heavily onto the alloy plates, its eyes turning into spirals, having completely lost the ability to battle.
"Raichu is unable to battle! The winner is the challenger—Fuyuki!"
As the referee's voice fell, the entire Gym fell into a brief silence.
Raikou slowly restrained its electric energy, walked back to Fuyuki's side, lowered its head and rubbed against his arm, as docile as family.
"Good job, Dad!" Fuyuki patted Raikou's neck gently, then looked at Lt. Surge.
Lt. Surge silently recalled Raichu, lowered his head and stroked the Poké Ball, as if comforting this old partner who had fought side by side with him.
A moment later, he looked up, no frustration on his face, but instead raised a hearty laugh and walked toward Fuyuki.
"Good kid! Young, not only is your commanding excellent, but you also have a Legendary Pokémon by your side, and more importantly—you have guts, you dare to rise to the challenge!"
He stretched out his rough palm and slapped Fuyuki's shoulder hard, with great force, showing the straightforwardness of a soldier.
Then, he took out a badge flickering with light blue electric light from his pocket and handed it solemnly to Fuyuki.
The Thunder Badge!
The badge felt slightly cool in his hand, and the lightning pattern on the surface was exquisite and powerful, representing the highest recognition of the Vermilion Gym.
"This badge, you deserve it." Lt. Surge looked at Fuyuki, his eyes serious. "My Raichu and Pikachu have seen too much cowardice and avoidance on the battlefield. A Trainer like you is the kind of partner that Pokémon are truly worth entrusting to."
Fuyuki gripped the Thunder Badge tightly. Another badge was in hand: "Thank you, Gym Leader Lt. Surge!"
"You're welcome." Lt. Surge pointed in the direction of the harbor, his tone slightly heavy. "Be careful when you go to sea. The electric turbulence at sea recently is very strange. It seems that some powerful existence is active in the deep sea. Also, remember, no matter how strong the opponent is, don't lose the guts in your bones!"
"Thank you very much for your advice, Gym Leader. I will remember it." Fuyuki said, while glancing at the panel.
This trip to the Vermilion Gym allowed him to gain nearly 800 shock points from Lt. Surge and that referee.
In this way, their trip was not in vain!