Machamp's expression changed dramatically.
The instant their fists collided, Machamp felt an overwhelming force crashing toward it.
It knew immediately—
If it didn't use its full strength...
It was going to lose.
Without hesitation, the second fist it had been holding back shot forward as well.
Seeing this, the Fighting-type Gym Leader Li Qing exclaimed in surprise,
"Gym Leader Red, your Swampert's strength is incredible."
"It actually forced Machamp to fight at full power."
Just as Li Qing was praising Swampert...
Swampert's blue fist finally collided head-on with Machamp's two fists.
The next moment—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Machamp staggered backward three full steps.
Each step left behind a deep crater in the dojo floor before it finally managed to stabilize itself.
"W-What...?"
Li Qing's compliment caught in his throat.
He couldn't finish it.
In his opinion...
Although Swampert was a Water/Ground-type covered in powerful muscles...
Against a higher-level Machamp...
Simply forcing it to fight seriously should already have been impressive.
But what he never expected...
Was that in a pure contest of strength...
The Fighting-type Pokémon would actually be the one pushed back.
Before Li Qing could issue another command...
The enraged Machamp charged again.
It refused to believe it.
It absolutely refused to believe...
That its strength could lose to a younger opponent whose level was even lower.
The next second...
All four of Machamp's fists rained down like a violent storm.
Facing the barrage...
Swampert remained expressionless.
Its yellow eyes were calm and indifferent.
Raising both blue fists...
Its biceps swelled dramatically, veins bulging like twisted steel cables.
The sound of each collision echoed throughout the entire dojo.
Machamp stared at Swampert.
Its eyes were filled with unwillingness.
This contest of raw power...
It had lost.
Completely.
Swampert drove it all the way back to the edge of the battlefield.
A long trench was carved into the ground beneath its feet.
Standing beside the arena, Li Qing shouted,
"Machamp, don't panic!"
"You're not just strong!"
"You're a Fighting-type!"
"Use your martial techniques!"
"Defeat that big guy with skill!"
Hearing its trainer's encouragement...
Machamp finally regained a little confidence.
That's right.
I don't only have strength.
I have technique too!
I'm not some brute!
But...
Just as Machamp prepared to showcase its martial arts...
Swampert smiled.
Revealing a row of gleaming white teeth.
More than two hours later...
Li Qing and Machamp lay flat on the dojo floor.
Both wore expressions of despair.
Even humiliation.
Li Qing looked toward Machamp.
"...You really weren't holding back?"
Machamp looked back at him with an aggrieved expression that practically screamed:
"Are you kidding me?"
At the beginning...
Its superior martial techniques had indeed completely overwhelmed Swampert.
But...
That Swampert was like a Saint Seiya.
Any move that worked once...
Would never work a second time.
On top of that...
Swampert had somehow learned several extremely advanced methods of generating power.
Every exchange became increasingly painful for Machamp.
During the first half hour...
Machamp completely dominated Swampert through technique.
After one hour...
Swampert had gradually adapted to its fighting style.
After two and a half hours...
Swampert had begun copying Machamp's techniques.
In just two and a half hours...
It had gone from being completely overwhelmed...
To barely falling behind.
Most terrifying of all...
Swampert's stamina seemed endless.
Even after such intense training...
It was still full of energy.
Its terrifying endurance left both Machamp and Li Qing speechless.
Even after witnessing such unbelievable combat ability...
Li Qing found himself entertaining an unrealistic thought.
Could Red and Swampert...
Actually defeat Ma Zhiqi and that Ampharos?
A few moments later...
He shook his head.
"Sigh..."
"Why am I even thinking about that?"
"I've already been eliminated."
"What does it have to do with me?"
Just then...
His phone vibrated.
It was a message from Red.
"Today's sparring taught me a great deal."
"I hope Gym Leader Li can battle me again tomorrow."
Reading the message...
Li Qing suddenly felt dizzy.
Again?
We're doing this again tomorrow?
For the first time in his life...
He regretted exchanging contact information with Red.
But in the end...
He gritted his teeth.
"Forget it!"
"I'll accompany you to the end!"
"I want to see..."
"Whether I collapse first..."
"Or you do!"
While Li Qing steeled himself for another day of suffering...
Red had already found another Gym Leader.
Miyuki.
Lorelei's disciple and a specialist in Ice-type Pokémon.
Although she specialized in Ice-types...
Just as Rock, Ground, and Steel often overlapped...
Ice and Water were closely connected as well.
"Swampert!"
"Frozen Hell!"
The next instant...
A gigantic icy hand suddenly materialized beside Dewgong.
The unexpected attack startled it.
However...
As an Ice-type specialist...
Dewgong's mastery over ice far surpassed Swampert's.
In the very next second...
Frozen Hell was shattered effortlessly.
But at that exact moment...
Swampert kicked off the ground.
Like a cannonball...
It charged directly toward Dewgong.
The instant it saw Swampert's fist...
Dewgong instinctively felt a chill.
Fortunately...
Miyuki immediately ordered it to erect an Ice Wall.
Looking at the massive fist imprint left on the frozen barrier...
Dewgong couldn't help thinking,
...That punch would've hurt.
As Miyuki's ace...
Its ice wasn't ordinary.
The Ice Wall's temperature and durability far exceeded anything Swampert's Frozen Hell could produce.
"Gym Leader Miyuki."
"How does your Dewgong lower the temperature that much?"
"Is there some secret?"
Miyuki thought for a moment before answering.
"There is."
"But..."
Red immediately understood.
"Would you happen to be interested..."
"...in learning Thunderstorm Weather?"
Just like that...
The two quickly reached an agreement.
Their Pokémon began training together.
Learning from one another.
Making up for each other's shortcomings.
By the time Red finally left Miyuki...
It was already late at night.
Beneath the moonlight...
He stretched and patted Swampert on the shoulder.
"As expected of Gym Leaders."
"Every one of them has something worth learning."
"A single day of exchanging experience with them..."
"...is worth more than ten days of training by ourselves."
Swampert nodded in complete agreement.
"Let's head back."
"Get some rest."
"We'll continue training tomorrow."
Swampert nodded again.
However...
The moment Red pushed open the hotel room door...
He froze.
Sabrina was sitting quietly on his bed.
Her beautiful eyes never left him.
It was obvious...
She had been waiting there for quite some time.
Silence filled the room.
Sabrina's nose twitched slightly.
Then she spoke in a calm voice.
"...You smell like another woman."
"...Where exactly did you go this late at night?"
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