Solrock and Lunatone were said to be Pokémon that came from outer space, not native to this world at all. Facing the two Psychic-type Pokémon floating before him, Aiden Flint curled his lips into a faint smile and flicked out two Luxury Balls.
Two elegant figures appeared in a flash of red light.
Two Gardevoirs.
Both of them had already reached level forty-four, more than enough to face Solrock and Lunatone head-on. And when it came to double battles, there was no pair in Aiden's team that matched the coordination of these twin sisters.
Ash and the others stared in amazement. It was the first time they had seen Aiden use these Pokémon.
Max in particular was practically vibrating with excitement. He had always loved Psychic-type Pokémon. If Aiden remembered correctly, this kid even dreamed of starting his journey with a Ralts someday.
The battle began instantly.
"Solrock, Rock Slide!"
"Lunatone, use Moonlight!"
The twin Gym Leaders gave their commands in perfect unison.
Aiden didn't say a word.
His eyes shimmered faintly as his psychic power connected directly with his Pokémon.
The moment the falling stones were about to strike, both Gardevoirs vanished at the same time, disappearing in twin flashes of light.
Solrock and Lunatone froze.
Before they could even react, countless glowing leaves materialized behind them.
Magical Leaf.
The attack spread in all directions, striking both Pokémon from every angle. Because it was an area attack, each one was hit twice. With the Fairy-type advantage, the damage was devastating.
Solrock and Lunatone were blown back, barely keeping themselves in the air.
Ash blinked in disbelief.
"He didn't even give an order… how did they move like that?"
Brock pushed his glasses up slightly.
"Aiden is a psychic. Just like Sabrina from Saffron Gym. He's using telepathy to command them directly."
Ash stiffened.
"Like mind-reading?"
"Exactly."
The twin leaders grit their teeth.
"We're not done yet!"
"Solrock, Stone Edge!"
"Lunatone, Stone Edge too!"
Razor-sharp rocks burst into the air and rained down like a meteor storm.
"Block them," Aiden said calmly.
Both Gardevoirs raised their hands.
The world seemed to pause.
Every single rock froze in midair, suspended by invisible force.
Then, with a flick of psychic power, the entire barrage reversed direction.
Solrock and Lunatone were hit by their own attacks.
The impact was overwhelming. Both Pokémon were knocked out at the same time, dropping to the ground in silence.
The arena went still.
Tate and Liza stared at each other.
"Both of them… at once?"
"So strong… but we're not finished!"
They recalled their Pokémon and threw out two more.
Claydol and Xatu emerged, their power far greater than the first pair.
Aiden didn't hesitate.
The Gardevoirs were recalled in twin flashes of light.
"Your turn."
Two Master Balls opened.
Groudon and Kyogre stepped forward.
Compared to their colossal battle forms earlier, they were now only a few meters tall—but the pressure they radiated was still overwhelming.
The twin Gym Leaders froze completely.
Aiden was doing this on purpose.
"Groudon, Precipice Blades."
"Kyogre, Origin Pulse."
The two Legendary Pokémon roared.
A blade of molten earth tore through Claydol, shattering its body apart—though it would eventually reform from the soil.
At the same time, a crushing wave of oceanic energy slammed into Xatu, pinning it against the far wall.
The battle ended before it could truly begin.
The referee swallowed hard.
"Claydol and Xatu are unable to battle… The winners are… Groudon and Kyogre. The victory goes to the challenger—Aiden Flint!"
Silence.
Then disbelief.
Tate and Liza just stared at him.
Aiden gave a small shrug.
"What? You said double battle."
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