"Gyarados, use Aqua Tail!"
Amid surging torrents, the crimson Gyarados's tail slammed into Nidoking, sending it flying several meters away.
"Megahorn!"
Nidoking's poisonous horn glowed emerald as it fiercely charged toward the crimson Gyarados.
(Could it be that Giovanni has already discovered Gyarados's attributes?)
Red speculated. As a Gym Leader, Giovanni could not possibly be unaware of type matchups. Against a typical Water + Flying-type Gyarados, a Bug-type move like Megahorn should not deal effective damage at all.
(It seems the earlier Brick Break was Giovanni's way of confirming this fact.)
After a brief moment of thought, Red quickly grasped the situation and also realized the connection between the crimson Gyarados and Team Rocket. But now was not the time to avenge it. Until his strength reached the true pinnacle, Red could not act recklessly on impulse. He did not want his family to be dragged into trouble.
"Use Ice Beam to freeze Nidoking's feet, then follow up with Aqua Tail!"
Perhaps due to overexcitement, even with its feet frozen, Nidoking swiftly broke free and continued charging toward the crimson Gyarados.
The best defense was offense. Red immediately commanded the crimson Gyarados to retaliate with Aqua Tail.
The collision of moves generated intense pressure waves, and the aftershock shattered the surrounding stone pillars. Had the staff not reinforced the battlefield in time, part of the Viridian Gym might have collapsed.
The crimson Gyarados and Nidoking both staggered back several steps. Perhaps driven by its desire to win, the evil factors lingering within the crimson Gyarados began to stir, and a black aura emanated from its body.
Suddenly, the crimson Gyarados unleashed Dark Pulse, striking Nidoking just as it was recovering. With its focus on regaining stamina, Nidoking had no spare strength to dodge and was hit head-on.
Seizing the opportunity, the crimson Gyarados used Crunch, biting down on half of Nidoking's body as if trying to tear it in two.
"Calm down!" Red warned, Aura abilities radiating from his body, helping the rampaging crimson Gyarados regain clarity.
Sensing the displeasure in Red's tone, the crimson Gyarados snapped back to its senses and refused to let the evil factors control its body.
"Finish it with Hyper Beam!" Red ordered.
Still gripping Nidoking in its jaws, the crimson Gyarados showed no intention of letting go. Energy particles gathered in its mouth before it unleashed Hyper Beam, piercing through the ceiling and utterly defeating Nidoking.
"Nidoking is unable to battle!" the referee announced.
"Impressive strength. Unfortunately, your Gyarados hasn't fully mastered its power," Giovanni praised.
Red recalled the crimson Gyarados, preparing to continue the battle. However, Giovanni, seated on the second floor, stood up and slowly extended his right hand.
"You've won two matches. Logically speaking, you already qualify to receive the Green Badge."
Clearly, Giovanni had no intention of continuing. Since Gym battles were primarily assessments, most Gym Leaders did not use their true strength. Tired of it all, Giovanni intended to simply grant Red the badge.
"No, Mr. Giovanni! My partner and I want to witness your true strength!"
Red threw the Poké Ball in his hand. A well-developed Beedrill appeared on the battlefield. Red's Beedrill was larger and more robust than others of its kind, reaching 1.3 meters in height. Its twin lances and stinger were also noticeably sharper.
"Beedrill…" Giovanni murmured nostalgically. At the age of ten, he too had received his own first Pokémon. But as a commoner, he could only capture unimpressive Pokémon. Even so, that never extinguished the longing in his heart.
After unexpectedly receiving the once-in-a-decade blessing of Viridian Forest, Giovanni and his Beedrill embarked on the path toward strength together. Yet as he matured, he gradually strayed from that path. The Viridian Power within him slowly dissipated, no longer acknowledging Giovanni after he stepped onto a dark road.
"This Beedrill is proof of my three years of effort. I'm counting on you, Beedrill!" Red shouted—one of the rare moments he showed such excitement.
"I see…" Giovanni said, snapping back to reality. He removed an Ultra Ball from the necklace around his neck and threw it. "In that case, let me show you true power!"
Another Beedrill appeared on the battlefield. The faint aura it emitted pressured Red's Beedrill, yet it showed no fear and immediately launched a Pin Missile as the match began.
Giovanni gave no commands, allowing his Beedrill to fight autonomously. In his eyes, Red and his Beedrill posed no real threat.
Giovanni's Beedrill used Agility to evade all attacks, then struck Red's Beedrill's back with X-Scissor. Though the move's power was halved, the damage was enough to leave Beedrill gasping for breath.
"Young man, recklessness does not always mean strength," Giovanni said calmly, seemingly dissatisfied with Red's performance. Yet he soon froze.
(Why… why do I feel dissatisfied with him?)
Faced with someone who might become an enemy in the future, Giovanni's first instinct was not to eliminate him, but to recruit him—or witness his growth.
"Beedrill is the proof of my efforts!"
Red slowly lowered his cap, revealing only his left eye. Then something strange happened. His left eye turned crimson. On the battlefield, Beedrill began to change, forming a telepathic link with Red behind it. A powerful aura collided with Giovanni's Beedrill's aura. Even without direct clashes of moves, the two forces affected everything around them.
"Aura Resonance? To think you've become an Aura Resonance Trainer at such a young age!" Giovanni exclaimed.
What is Aura Resonance? There are many forms, but the most widespread is the Aura Resonance of Battle—a domain born from the telepathic resonance between Trainer and Pokémon. It stimulates a Pokémon's latent potential, enhances combat adaptability, and draws upon instinct to defeat opponents.
Red and his Beedrill had accidentally triggered the Aura Resonance of Battle during their fight against Mew through Aura abilities. Three years of training had allowed them to master the conditions required to activate it.
"Beedrill, use X-Scissor!" Red shouted.
(I didn't expect him to have such fiery passion!)
Giovanni was startled. Over the past few years of observation, he had always thought of Red as a cold, detached boy.
Perhaps sensing the burning spirit between Red and his Beedrill, Giovanni's Beedrill did not evade. It responded with its own X-Scissor, clashing head-on and soon suppressing Red's attack.
"Refusing to give up?" Giovanni frowned as Red's Beedrill struggled back to its feet after being knocked away. Red attempted to use his psychic power and Aura abilities to bolster Beedrill, but Beedrill refused. It wanted to defeat this senior through its own true strength.
"Beedrill, X-Scissor!"
Recovered, Beedrill charged once more, its crossing blades glowing green.
"Even when facing the strong, you fight without fear? This scene feels as if…" Giovanni murmured, and a faint green Viridian Power began to emanate from his body.
(So that's it… I remember now! I remember this feeling from before—the excitement, the sensation of my blood boiling and burning! I once stood just like this boy, saying 'I'm counting on you,' pouring my emotions into my Pokémon. There was a time I was just as obsessed with Pokémon as he is!)
On the field, Giovanni's Beedrill turned in disbelief to look at its master. It froze upon seeing the clearly reemerging Viridian Power around him. How long had it been since it last saw that power? Even after Giovanni fell, Beedrill remained faithfully by his side, yet it longed for the Giovanni who once carried dreams.
(I never expected this human to rekindle my master's former aspirations!)
Beedrill took a long look at Red, committing his image to memory.
"Young man, thank you for helping me rediscover that old feeling. Because of you, I will no longer suppress my strength!" Giovanni shouted. "Beedrill, use Drill Run!"
On the battlefield, Beedrill excitedly executed Drill Run. It was rare to hear Giovanni shout so passionately, showing just how seriously he regarded Red and his Beedrill.
"Beedrill, use the final Giga Impact!"
The two Beedrill shot toward the center of the field. The collision of their moves generated immense pressure. The ceiling above shattered and crashed down. Yet neither Red nor Giovanni paid attention to such details—they focused solely on the battle's outcome.
In the end, Giovanni's Beedrill struck with X-Scissor, sending Red's Beedrill flying. It hit the ground, wounded and without strength to continue.
"Return, Beedrill!"
Suddenly, Giovanni recalled his Beedrill, refraining from finishing off Red's weakened partner.
Seeing Red's confusion, Giovanni said calmly, "Challenging the strong is worthy of praise. Not crushing them completely is also a form of acknowledgment."
With that, Giovanni tossed the green badge in his hand and turned away, disappearing from Red's sight.
"This battle is your victory. This badge is yours by right!"
(I never expected the Viridian Power I thought I'd lost to still lie dormant within me. Perhaps it wasn't the Viridian Power that abandoned me… perhaps I was the one who abandoned it…)
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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