The video continued playing.
Brock handed Tyranitar’s Poké Ball to one of the Gym staff members before turning his attention back to the battlefield.
"There’s still one more round," he said, looking at Raina. "Do you intend to continue using Gyarados?"
Raina looked at the wounds covering Gyarados’s body. After hesitating for a moment, she placed a hand against the tip of its snout.
"You did well. Get some rest."
A flash of red light appeared, and Gyarados returned to its Poké Ball.
After recalling Gyarados, Raina returned to her original position.
She took a deep breath and looked across the battlefield.
Brock had already taken out his second Poké Ball and was lightly tossing it in his hand.
"Raina, are you ready?"
"I’m ready!"
"Good."
Brock pressed the button on the Poké Ball.
"Then let’s begin—Steelix!"
A flash of red light appeared.
An extraordinarily massive Steelix crashed onto the battlefield.
Its body consisted of countless steel-coated boulders, each segment appearing as though it had been carefully forged. Beneath the Gym’s lights, they reflected a heavy metallic gleam.
Its eyes were deeply set within their rocky sockets and shone with a dark-red light.
The mere act of landing caused the entire battlefield to tremble.
"This is the Pokémon I’ve raised the longest," Brock explained in his usual unhurried voice. "Its defensive power is on an entirely different level from that of an ordinary Steelix. Unless your Water-type moves are powerful enough, hitting it will be little different from letting it stand in the rain."
Raina pursed her lips, her fingers moving between the two Poké Balls at her waist.
Then she made her choice.
"I’m counting on you—Blastoise!"
A flash of white light appeared.
Blastoise landed firmly on the ground. Its limbs were thick and powerful, while the twin cannons protruding from its shell gleamed coldly beneath the lights.
As soon as it landed, it bent its knees slightly and lowered its center of gravity before raising its head to face Steelix.
Steelix lowered its head as well and stared down at Blastoise.
The moment the two enormous Pokémon locked eyes, the Gym became so quiet that only the sound of raindrops striking the domed roof could be heard.
Steelix snorted, spraying fragments of stone from its nostrils.
Blastoise merely adjusted its stance slightly, while the cannons on its back rose by an inch.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Ash]: It evolved! When did that happen? What did we miss?!
[Gary]: Didn’t Asher mention that Wartortle had already evolved into Blastoise on the night before Raina began her journey? The video skipped over the actual Evolution. That’s perfectly normal.
[Ash]: I know! I’m just... curious about how it evolved!
[Misty]: She’s raised that Blastoise remarkably well...
[Daisy]: Oh? Misty, are you praising your daughter now?
[Misty]: Think whatever you like.
[Brock]: So that’s my... No, the parallel-world version of my Steelix? It certainly has an impressive presence!
[Gary]: First Tyranitar and now Steelix. They’re both heavyweights. It doesn’t look like Brock intends to go easy on her.
[Brock]: Ahem. Since this is a Gym battle, it must naturally be treated seriously.
The video continued.
On the screen, Brock smiled as well.
"That Blastoise has been raised remarkably well."
Raina proudly puffed out her chest.
"It was my very first partner! We’ve been together for six years!"
"Blastoise!"
Blastoise glanced back at Raina. Its voice was deep and powerful, as though it were telling her to leave everything to it.
Forrest raised his hand once again.
Perhaps because he had now recognized Raina’s strength, his expression was far more serious than during the previous round.
"The second round begins!"
Almost the instant Forrest finished speaking, Raina issued her command.
"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!"
Both cannons on Blastoise’s back fired simultaneously. Two thick jets of water shot directly toward Steelix’s face.
"Steelix, take it," Brock said casually.
Steelix did not even attempt to dodge.
It merely lowered its head and used the thickest section of armor on its forehead to withstand Hydro Pump head-on.
Boom!
Water exploded across the battlefield.
Hydro Pump struck Steelix directly.
However, when the mist dispersed, Steelix had not moved an inch.
The steel armor covering its forehead did not bear even the slightest mark. Only droplets of water rolled down its metallic surface.
Steam continued rising from Blastoise’s cannons.
Raina frowned. It appeared that this Steelix’s defenses far exceeded even her expectations.
"It’s our turn."
Brock raised one hand.
"Steelix, use Rock Blast!"
Steelix violently slammed its tail against the ground.
The battlefield immediately cracked open, and dozens of boulders larger than Blastoise erupted from the fissures, hurtling toward it with sharp whistles.
"Use Rapid Spin to dodge!" Raina urgently commanded.
Blastoise instantly withdrew into its shell.
Its shell spun rapidly across the wet battlefield, weaving through the gaps between the incoming rocks.
One boulder grazed the edge of its shell, sending a trail of sparks into the air.
"Counter with Hydro Pump!"
Blastoise extended its head from its shell, and both cannons fired once again.
This time, it did not aim at Steelix’s armored forehead.
Instead, it targeted Steelix’s joints—the connecting points between the segments of its body.
Hydro Pump struck the gap between two sections near Steelix’s waist with pinpoint accuracy.
Steelix’s body swayed.
Brock’s eyebrows shifted slightly.
"...You found its weakness?"
Raina did not answer. Instead, she continued giving commands.
"Blastoise, keep your distance! Don’t let it get close! Use Rain Dance, then keep firing Hydro Pump!"
Rain began pouring down once again.
Blastoise remained at a distance from Steelix and repeatedly fired its twin cannons.
Every Hydro Pump struck the gaps between Steelix’s body segments with remarkable precision—its neck, waist, and the base of its tail.
Steelix possessed astonishing defenses, but after its joints were repeatedly struck, its movements gradually began to slow.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Gary]: Clever! Steelix’s body consists of multiple steel-and-stone segments, making the connecting points its weaknesses. Raina noticed that incredibly quickly.
[Clemont]: Blastoise’s accuracy with Hydro Pump is remarkable as well! Continuously striking the same target area while moving requires exceptional control.
[Lance]: There are fewer than five people in the entire world capable of training a Blastoise to this degree.
The video continued.
After taking repeated hits to its joints, Steelix’s movements had become noticeably slower.
Raina saw her opportunity and prepared to finish the battle in one decisive attack.
"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump at full—"
"Steelix, use Dig."
Brock’s calm voice interrupted her command.
Steelix plunged its enormous body into the ground, causing the entire battlefield to tremble.
Fragments of rock and splashes of water flew in every direction. Soon, nothing remained except a massive hole whose bottom could not be seen.
Blastoise’s Hydro Pump struck empty air.
Raina’s pupils contracted.
"Blastoise! Watch beneath you!"
The ground beneath Blastoise exploded the next second.
Steelix erupted directly from below, its steel-coated head slamming solidly into Blastoise’s abdomen.
"Blastoise!"
Blastoise was launched into the air. It flipped several times before crashing heavily onto the battlefield and sliding several meters across the ground.
Its body carved a deep trench through the rocky field before finally stopping.
"Blastoise!" Raina cried worriedly.
Blastoise lay on the ground, pressing all four limbs against the floor as it attempted to stand, but its body was trembling slightly.
Steelix completely emerged from the hole and coiled once again at the center of the battlefield, looking down upon Blastoise from above.
Brock maintained his composed posture.
"Your Blastoise possesses excellent defenses and powerful long-range attacks. However, because of its heavy body, it cannot quickly evade an attack once the opponent gets close."
"Maintaining your distance was certainly a good strategy, but that alone is not enough to decide the battle."
Raina bit her lip.
"Blastoise... Can you continue?"
Blastoise nodded.
It pushed firmly against the ground with all four limbs and slowly rose once again.
Raina looked at Blastoise, then at Steelix on the opposite side of the battlefield.
"Thank you for the guidance..." she said. "I really shouldn’t have become overconfident."
"But I’m going to continue battling and complete the most important part of this Gym match."
Brock raised an eyebrow.
"What would that be?"
"Showing you the bond between my Pokémon and me through battle."
Raina lowered her head and pulled the necklace out from beneath her collar.
A crystal-clear Key Stone hung from it.
Her fingers closed tightly around the stone.
"Dad told me that Mega Evolution is proof of a bond."
She raised her head. Her golden eyes reflected Blastoise’s figure.
"Blastoise, are you ready?"
Blastoise nodded firmly.
Raina raised the Key Stone.
It erupted with dazzling light beneath the pouring rain.
At the same time, the Blastoisinite carried by Blastoise released the same brilliant glow. Countless multicolored streams of light extended through the air and connected the two stones.
"Blastoise—Mega Evolve!"
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