The video continued playing.
Aoi looked up at Brock across the battlefield.
Brock still wore his usual calm smile, his eyes narrowed as always.
Yet the aura surrounding him was completely different from the friendly man who had been cooking curry at home just moments ago.
It was the composure of someone who had fought countless battles and stood before countless powerful trainers.
Aoi took a deep breath and rested her hand on a Poké Ball at her waist.
Watching her, Brock’s lips curled slightly upward.
“Ready?”
Aoi stepped back and pulled out a Poké Ball.
“I’m ready!”
“Good.”
Brock also retreated two steps.
“The Gym Battle will be a two-on-two match.
You’re free to switch Pokémon at any time.”
Aoi glanced down at the Poké Ball in her hand.
After a moment of hesitation, she put it away and selected another one.
“Go, Gyarados!”
A burst of red light flashed.
A massive figure crashed onto the battlefield.
Its body dwarfed that of an ordinary Gyarados.
Golden scales reflected brilliant light from the Gym’s ceiling, dazzling everyone present.
The Golden Gyarados coiled across the rocky battlefield, and a casual sweep of its tail generated a powerful gust of wind.
Even more striking was its gaze.
Unlike the usual rage and ferocity associated with Gyarados, its eyes were calm and steady.
Image of the Golden Gyarados.
Brock’s eyebrows rose.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Ash]: G-Golden Gyarados?!
[Gary]: Not a shiny.
Shiny Gyarados are red.
[Brock]: That’s right.
A normal shiny Gyarados is red.
But a golden one…
I’ve never seen anything like it.
[Professor Oak]: Hmm…
records of Golden Gyarados are extremely rare.
Ancient texts mention them occasionally, but there are virtually no modern sightings.
[Lorelei]: Wait, do you remember?
When Aoi first caught that Magikarp, Misty mentioned its scales had a faint golden tint.
Back then I thought it was simply an exceptionally talented specimen.
Now it seems it was much more than that.
[Lance]: Golden Gyarados…
“rare” doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Aoi’s battle strength may be on an entirely different level than we estimated.
[Agatha]: Heh.
Did you notice its eyes?
Ordinary Gyarados are notorious for their violent temperament.
After evolving, they’re often difficult to control for some time.
But this one is remarkably composed.
That says a lot about the bond between it and its trainer.
[Bruno]: Exactly!
That’s true trust!
A genuine bond!
On screen, Gyarados lowered its enormous head toward Aoi.
Aoi reached out and gently touched the tip of its nose.
The giant Pokémon let out a deep, rumbling growl in response.
Then it lifted its head and turned toward Tyranitar.
The warmth in its eyes vanished instantly, replaced by razor-sharp focus.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Dawn]: I-It was acting cute?!
[Max]: A Gyarados being affectionate…
that feels so weird.
The video continued.
At the edge of the battlefield, Forrest raised his hand.
“Battle start!”
The instant his words fell, Tyranitar threw back its head and roared.
A sandstorm exploded across the arena.
Visibility plummeted.
Brock’s calm voice echoed through the swirling sands.
“Tyranitar, Rock Slide.”
Tyranitar roared.
Dozens of massive rocks rose from across the battlefield before hurtling toward Gyarados like a collapsing mountain.
“Gyarados, dodge!”
To everyone’s surprise, Gyarados displayed agility completely at odds with its enormous size.
It weaved effortlessly through the gaps between the falling rocks.
Its tail snapped out, shattering one incoming boulder.
A slight turn of its body avoided two more.
The entire sequence flowed as smoothly as water.
Not a single rock touched it.
Brock nodded.
“Not bad.
Tyranitar, Crunch!”
Tyranitar suddenly burst forward with astonishing speed.
Its gigantic jaws opened wide, powerful enough to crush steel.
“Gyarados, Aqua Tail!”
Aoi shouted.
Gyarados spun around.
Its golden tail became wrapped in spiraling water as it met Crunch head-on.
BOOM!
The two attacks collided violently.
Tyranitar’s jaws clamped down on Gyarados’s tail.
Water exploded outward in every direction.
“High Horsepower!”
Brock immediately followed up.
With a savage swing of its head, Tyranitar hurled Gyarados into the air before smashing it back toward the ground.
“Gyarados!”
Aoi cried out.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Ash]: It got caught!
[Gary]: The power gap is too large.
Tyranitar’s raw strength isn’t something Gyarados can overpower directly.
[Misty]: Aoi, think of something…
[Daisy]: Relax, Misty.
Your daughter knows what she’s doing.
[Misty]: I’m not nervous!
On screen, Aoi’s fists had clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Yet she remained calm.
“Gyarados, Rain Dance!”
Gyarados raised its head.
A deep rumble emerged from its throat.
Dark clouds rapidly gathered beneath the Gym’s dome.
Moments later, heavy rain poured down.
The sandstorm was immediately suppressed.
A smile appeared on Brock’s face.
“Using Rain Dance to counter Sandstorm?
Good judgment.”
Rainwater streamed down Tyranitar’s rocky body.
It wasn’t enough to reverse the battle entirely, but Tyranitar’s weather advantage was gone.
“That’s still not enough.”
Brock’s voice remained steady.
“Tyranitar, Thunder Punch!”
Golden lightning instantly wrapped around Tyranitar’s fist.
The electrified punch tore through the rain, creating a blinding arc aimed straight at Gyarados’s face.
[Sawyer]: Thunder Punch?!
Tyranitar can learn Thunder Punch?!
[Gary]: Tyranitar has an incredibly deep movepool.
Thunder Punch is definitely one of the moves it can master.
[Max]: Wait!
If Gyarados gets hit by that, it’s four times weak to Electric attacks!
On screen, the electrified fist rapidly grew larger in Aoi’s vision.
Yet there wasn’t the slightest trace of panic in her eyes.
“Gyarados, Dragon Dance!”
Gyarados suddenly began twisting and spinning.
Its body moved in a strange, rhythmic pattern.
The Thunder Punch barely grazed past its scales.
It missed completely.
While dancing, Gyarados adjusted its position.
Using the momentum, it whipped its tail around.
Aqua Tail formed once more and slammed into Tyranitar’s arm from the side.
The attack was knocked off course again.
Brock frowned slightly.
“…The speed boost from Dragon Dance.”
A smile appeared on Aoi’s face.
“Gyarados, Dragon Dance again!”
Gyarados began dancing once more.
This time its movements were even faster.
Its golden scales reflected dreamlike flashes of light through the curtain of rain.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Dawn]: Two Dragon Dances?!
Its Attack and Speed are going to skyrocket!
[Max]: But Tyranitar won’t just let it keep setting up, right?
[Brock]: I think I…
I mean, the version of me in that world probably won’t allow such comfortable boosting.
[Barry]: Fine!
Fine!
That’s a penalty fee right there!
This girl’s got guts!
Setting up Dragon Dance twice right in front of her opponent?!
Does she think Tyranitar is a training dummy?!
[Ash]: Barry, stop yelling!
She’s battling really well!
[Barry]: Well?
What’s so well about it?!
Tyranitar only needs one punch to…
Huh?!
It missed again?!
As expected, Tyranitar threw another punch.
But Gyarados had already become noticeably faster.
It slipped aside effortlessly.
Its tail pressed against the ground and launched its massive body backward, widening the distance.
For the first time, Brock’s tone changed.
“Tyranitar, Rock Tomb!”
Tyranitar slammed both fists into the ground.
The battlefield shook violently.
Massive stone pillars erupted around Gyarados, attempting to trap it inside.
“Gyarados, smash them with Aqua Tail!”
Aoi reacted instantly.
Gyarados spun around.
Its tail, wrapped in swirling water, shattered the nearest pillar with a single strike.
Then the second.
Then the third.
Stone fragments exploded everywhere.
Within seconds, every stone pillar had been completely destroyed.