The video continued.
Brock handed Tyranitar’s Poké Ball to one of the Gym staff before turning his attention back to the battlefield.
“There’s still one more match,” he said, looking at Aoi.
“Are you planning to keep using Gyarados?”
Aoi glanced at the injuries covering Gyarados’s body and hesitated.
Then she gently placed a hand on its nose.
“You worked hard.
Take a break.”
A flash of red light appeared as Gyarados was recalled into its Poké Ball.
After returning Gyarados, Aoi stepped back into position.
She took a deep breath and looked across the field.
Brock had already taken out his second Poké Ball and was casually tossing it in his hand.
“Aoi, are you ready?”
“I’m ready!”
“Good.” Brock pressed the button on the Poké Ball.
“Then let’s begin…
Steelix!”
A burst of red light flashed.
An enormous Steelix slammed onto the battlefield.
Its gigantic body was made up of countless steel-hard boulders, each segment polished like masterfully forged metal.
Under the Gym lights, it reflected a heavy metallic sheen.
Its eyes glowed dark red from deep within its rocky sockets.
The moment it landed, the entire arena trembled.
“This is the Pokémon I’ve trained the longest,” Brock said calmly.
“Its defense is on a completely different level from ordinary Steelix.
If your Water-type attacks aren’t powerful enough, hitting it will be about as effective as giving it a shower.”
Aoi pressed her lips together.
Her fingers hovered between two Poké Balls at her waist.
Then she made her choice.
“I’m counting on you…
Blastoise!”
A flash of white light erupted.
Blastoise landed firmly on the battlefield.
Its sturdy limbs planted themselves solidly on the ground while the twin cannons on its shell gleamed coldly under the lights.
It lowered its center of gravity before lifting its head to stare at Steelix.
Steelix lowered its head as well.
The moment the two giants locked eyes, the Gym fell silent except for the sound of rain falling from the ceiling above.
Then Steelix snorted, blasting two streams of gravel from its nostrils.
Blastoise merely adjusted its stance slightly, raising the cannons on its shell by an inch.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Ash]: It evolved?!
When did that happen?
Did we miss something?!
[Gary]: The night before Aoi left, Asher mentioned that Wartortle had already evolved into Blastoise.
The video skipped the process.
That’s normal.
[Ash]: I know!
I’m just really curious about how it evolved!
[Misty]: …She’s raised that Blastoise really well.
[Daisy]: Oh?
Misty, are you praising your daughter?
[Misty]: Think whatever you want.
[Brock]: So that’s the Steelix from my parallel world…
no, the Steelix trained by my parallel self?
Pretty impressive!
[Gary]: Tyranitar first, then Steelix.
Nothing but heavy hitters.
Brock really isn’t planning to hold back, huh?
[Brock]: Ahem.
Since it’s a Gym Battle, it deserves to be taken seriously.
The video continued.
“That Blastoise has been trained exceptionally well.”
Aoi proudly puffed out her chest.
“It’s my very first partner!
We’ve been together for six years!”
“Blastoise!”
Blastoise glanced back at her and let out a deep, confident cry, as if saying, Leave it to me.
Jiro raised his hand again.
Having witnessed Aoi’s strength, he looked far more serious than before.
“Second battle, begin!”
Almost the instant the words left his mouth, Aoi gave her command.
“Blastoise, Hydro Pump!”
The twin cannons on Blastoise’s shell fired simultaneously.
Two massive streams of water shot directly toward Steelix’s face.
“Steelix, take it head-on,” Brock said casually.
Steelix didn’t even bother dodging.
It simply lowered its head and used the thickest steel armor on its forehead to receive the attack.
BOOM!
Water exploded everywhere.
The Hydro Pump struck dead on.
But when the mist cleared, Steelix hadn’t moved an inch.
There wasn’t even a scratch on the steel plating covering its head.
Only droplets of water rolled down its metallic body.
Steam still rose from Blastoise’s cannons.
Aoi frowned.
This Steelix’s defensive power far exceeded her expectations.
“Our turn.”
Brock raised his hand.
“Steelix, Rock Blast.”
Steelix slammed its tail into the ground.
The battlefield instantly cracked apart.
Dozens of boulders, each larger than Blastoise itself, erupted from the fissures and hurtled toward it with terrifying force.
“Rapid Spin!
Dodge them!” Aoi shouted.
Blastoise immediately withdrew into its shell.
The shell spun at incredible speed as it weaved through the gaps between the incoming rocks.
One boulder grazed the edge of its shell, throwing sparks into the air.
“Counter with Hydro Pump!”
Blastoise poked its head out of the shell.
Its cannons fired once more.
This time, it wasn’t aiming at Steelix’s head.
It targeted the joints connecting Steelix’s body segments.
The Hydro Pump struck the seam around Steelix’s midsection with pinpoint accuracy.
Steelix’s body swayed slightly.
Brock’s eyebrow twitched.
“…Found the weak point?”
Aoi didn’t answer.
Instead, she continued issuing commands.
“Blastoise, keep your distance!
Don’t let it get close!
Use Rain Dance, then keep firing Hydro Pump!”
Rain began pouring down once more.
Blastoise stayed far away from Steelix while continuously firing Hydro Pumps from its twin cannons.
Every shot landed precisely on a joint.
Its neck.
Its waist.
The base of its tail.
Steelix’s defense was incredible, but after repeated strikes to its connecting segments, its movements began to slow.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Gary]: Smart!
Steelix’s body is made of multiple steel-rock segments.
The joints are its weak points.
[Clemont]: And Blastoise’s accuracy is incredible!
Hitting the same target area repeatedly while moving requires amazing control!
[Lance]: There are fewer than five people in the world capable of training a Blastoise to this level.
The video continued.
Steelix’s movements had become noticeably sluggish from the continuous attacks on its joints.
Seeing an opening, Aoi prepared to finish things in one decisive strike.
“Blastoise, maximum power…”
“Steelix, Dig.”
Brock’s calm voice interrupted her.
Steelix’s massive body suddenly burrowed underground.
The entire battlefield shook violently.
Water and debris flew everywhere.
Only a deep, dark hole remained.
Blastoise’s Hydro Pump struck empty air.
Aoi’s pupils shrank.
“Blastoise!
Watch your feet!”
The next second, the ground beneath Blastoise exploded.
Steelix burst upward from below.
Its steel-coated head slammed directly into Blastoise’s stomach.
“BLASTOISE!!!”
Blastoise was launched into the air.
It flipped several times before crashing heavily onto the battlefield, sliding several meters and carving a deep trench into the ground before finally stopping.
“Blastoise!”
Aoi cried out anxiously.
Blastoise lay on the ground, pushing against the floor with trembling limbs as it struggled to stand.
Steelix fully emerged from the tunnel and coiled itself once more in the center of the arena, looking down at Blastoise from above.
Brock remained calm and composed.
“Your Blastoise has excellent defense and strong long-range firepower.
But because it’s so heavy, it can’t quickly evade attacks once an opponent closes the distance.
Keeping your distance is a good strategy, but it isn’t enough to decide the battle.”
Aoi bit her lip.
“Blastoise…
can you still continue?”
Blastoise nodded firmly.
Planting all four limbs on the ground, it slowly stood back up.
Aoi looked at Blastoise.
Then she looked at Steelix.
“Thank you for the advice…” she said.
“I really was getting overconfident.”
“But I’m still going to keep fighting.”
“And I’m going to complete the most important part of a Gym Battle.”
Brock raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?”
“In battle, you’re supposed to show the bond between yourself and your Pokémon.”
Aoi reached beneath her collar and pulled out a necklace.
Hanging from it was a crystal-clear Key Stone.
Her fingers tightened around it.
“Dad told me that Mega Evolution is proof of a bond.”
She raised her head, her golden eyes reflecting Blastoise’s figure.
“Blastoise…
are you ready?”
Blastoise nodded heavily.
Aoi raised the Key Stone high.
The Key Stone erupted with dazzling light beneath the curtain of rain.
At the same time, the Mega Stone attached to Blastoise began shining with the same brilliance.
Countless streams of colorful light connected in midair.
“Blastoise…”
“MEGA EVOLVE!!!”