[VIP Chat Group]
Gary: …This Gyarados has incredibly sharp battle instincts.
Ash: Of course!
Aoi’s always trained hard!
Gary: …Didn’t you notice?
Every move it’s made has flowed naturally into the next.
It dodged Thunder Punch while counterattacking with its tail.
It shattered the stone pillars while maintaining its movement.
That’s not something training alone can produce.
Brock: Gary’s right.
That’s the understanding between a Pokémon and its trainer.
Gyarados knows what Aoi wants to do, and Aoi knows what Gyarados is capable of.
Misty: …Could you all stop analyzing things?!
The battle isn’t over yet!
Cynthia: Misty’s right.
This isn’t the time for conclusions.
Steven Stone: …I’m getting more and more curious.
Just where did this golden Gyarados come from?
In the video, Brock’s lips curled into a faint smile.
“Not bad.
But how are you going to handle this?
Tyranitar, Stone Edge!”
Tyranitar roared.
Countless sharp stone spikes erupted from the ground, attacking Gyarados from every direction.
There was nowhere to dodge.
[VIP Chat Group]
Ash: This is bad!
Gary: Stone Edge from all sides.
If it gets hit, it’s over.
Dawn: Aoi, think of something!
Iris: Can…
Gyarados fly?
Lance: …Gyarados can hover to some extent, but it can’t fly like a typical Flying-type Pokémon.
May: Ah!
It’s going to get hit!
On the battlefield, Aoi took a deep breath.
“Gyarados, Hydro Pump!”
[VIP Chat Group]
Brock: What?!
Ash: Hydro Pump?!
But Stone Edge is surrounding it!
Gary: That angle…
she’s trying to—
Gyarados opened its mouth.
Blue energy gathered rapidly.
Then—
BOOM!
The Hydro Pump wasn’t aimed at Tyranitar.
It was aimed at the ground.
The powerful blast slammed into the battlefield, and the tremendous recoil launched Gyarados into the air.
Rocks and dust exploded outward.
Using the force of the recoil, Gyarados adjusted its posture midair and landed safely in a gap untouched by Stone Edge.
[VIP Chat Group]
Barry: AAAAAAAAAH!!!
Penalty!
Penalty!
What kind of move is that?!
Is that even possible?!
Lucian: Theoretically, yes.
But it requires an extraordinary level of control over the move.
Gary: …Just how long has this Gyarados been trained?
Misty: Aoi’s been with it ever since it was a Magikarp.
Daisy: Misty, you’ve completely immersed yourself in this, haven’t you?
Why do you sound like a proud mother?
Misty: I do not!
Violet: You do.
Lily: Definitely.
Misty: I DO NOT!!!
Lily: You totally do.
Misty: …Enough, you three.
The video continued.
“Hyper Beam!”
Aoi didn’t hesitate.
She immediately pressed the attack.
Gyarados opened its jaws and fired a massive golden beam straight at Tyranitar.
Given Tyranitar’s size, dodging was impossible.
“Tyranitar, Protect!”
A pale green barrier appeared in front of Tyranitar.
Hyper Beam crashed into it.
The barrier trembled violently but held.
Tyranitar breathed heavily.
The defense had clearly consumed a great deal of energy, but its fighting spirit remained undiminished.
Brock stared at Gyarados for a few seconds.
Then suddenly asked:
“This Gyarados…
you didn’t train it entirely by yourself, did you?”
Aoi blinked.
“Huh?”
“I mean, you weren’t the only one who trained it,” Brock explained.
“A battle sense like this doesn’t appear out of nowhere.
A very powerful trainer must have been guiding it.”
Aoi scratched her head sheepishly.
“You figured it out…”
Then she nodded.
“Dad helped me train it.”
Brock covered his forehead with one hand.
“…I knew it.”
Of course.
That explained everything.
“Alright.”
He lowered his hand.
“Then let me see just how strong it really is.”
“Tyranitar, Giga Impact!”
Brilliant white light erupted from Tyranitar’s body.
Its massive form became a meteor streaking across the battlefield with unstoppable force.
Aoi clenched her fists.
In the end, she chose to meet the attack head-on.
“Gyarados.
Full-power Hydro Pump.”
Rain poured from above.
The falling raindrops seemed to freeze in place before being drawn toward the blue energy gathering inside Gyarados’s mouth.
A Hydro Pump twice as large as before exploded forward.
Hydro Pump and Giga Impact collided in the center of the battlefield.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The shockwave blasted every loose rock off the field.
Even Jiro was forced several steps backward from the referee’s platform, raising an arm to shield his face.
Dust rained down from the Gym ceiling.
Then the light faded.
Tyranitar and Gyarados stood facing one another.
Neither moved.
A moment later—
Tyranitar took a step forward.
Then another.
Then its knees buckled.
The giant Pokémon slowly collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash.
Gyarados remained standing.
It was breathing heavily.
Its body was covered in injuries.
But it was still standing.
Jiro stood frozen for several seconds before finally snapping out of it.
“T-Tyranitar is unable to battle!
Gyarados wins!”
Brock recalled Tyranitar.
“Good work.”
He spoke softly to the Poké Ball.
Then he looked up.
Across the field, Aoi had already run to Gyarados’s side.
She hurriedly rummaged through her bag, pulled out some medicine, and carefully sprayed it onto Gyarados’s wounds.
Gyarados lowered its head and gently rubbed its nose against her cheek.
“So itchy!”
Aoi laughed as she shrank back.
“You won!
You really won!
You’re amazing!”
Gyarados let out a deep rumbling growl in response.
[VIP Chat Group]
Ash: That battle was AMAZING!!!
Bonnie: Seriously!
Aoi’s Gyarados is so strong!
Tyranitar’s Giga Impact looked terrifying, but Gyarados actually beat it head-on?
Clemont: Bonnie, that’s because Gyarados used Rain Dance earlier.
Water-type moves receive a significant power boost in rain.
Bonnie: I see!
Big brother, you’re amazing!
Clemont: Hehe, that’s basic knowledge.
Lance: A man capable of teaching a trainer this talented…
I’m becoming increasingly curious about who he really is.
Steven Stone: So am I.
Wallace: Hey, hey, hey.
Can you stop making everything about Asher Winter?
Aoi is the protagonist here.
She’s the one who won.
Steven Stone: You’re right.
Congratulations to Aoi on winning the first match.
Lance: But there’s still one battle left.
“And now…”
“I’m looking forward to it even more.”