Pokemon: Gym Leader

"Ultra Ball, go!"

Dylan approached and, after contemplating for a moment, tossed an Ultra Ball at the unconscious Great Tusk.

The instant the Ultra Ball made contact, the Great Tusk was enveloped in a red light and absorbed into the ball.

Beep... Beep... Click!

The Ultra Ball clicked into place, signaling a successful capture.

Captured!

Iono widened his eyes in shock. The Pokémon that nearly sent him to the afterlife had been subdued.

"Is he the trainer of that green Pokémon?"

Iono looked at the boy in black standing nearby. With short, messy black hair and a handsome, gentle face, the boy's expression was calm and friendly. He exuded an air of approachability.

His clean-cut appearance was complemented by a black casual shirt and black jeans, with a well-proportioned physique—a strikingly handsome young man.

"He's amazing!"

A surprised female voice snapped Iono from his thoughts.

Turning around, he saw a girl in an Orange Academy uniform.

"Nemona, what are you doing here?"

"I saw you were in danger and happened to be nearby, so I came to help. But it seems you didn't need me."

Nemona curiously studied Dylan. She had occasionally watched Iono's livestreams but hadn't expected today's broadcast to almost turn into an emergency.

"That was easier than I expected."

Dylan picked up the Ultra Ball and opened it again after some thought. With a flash of white light, Great Tusk reappeared before him.

"Great Tusk. Ground/Fighting Type. Paradox Pokémon.

Ability: Protosynthesis.

Moves: Giga Impact, Earthquake, Knock Off, Stomp, Brick Break, Rapid Spin, Sunny Day, Heavy Slam...

Description: Resembling creatures described in ancient supernatural magazines, this Pokémon is said to have survived since prehistoric times."

The Rotom Dex floated over and diligently introduced the Pokémon.

"Don't be so aggressive. The world is full of wonderful things, delicious food, and fun activities. Learn to enjoy life."

Dylan spoke to Great Tusk with a warm smile.

But Great Tusk's golden eyes remained wild and wary, staring at Dylan. Despite being captured, its primal instincts made it reluctant to accept him.

"It seems you're still hesitant. Very well, Meow."

His Ogerpon paused its TV binge-watching and morphed its arm into a vine-covered mace, glaring at Great Tusk.

Startled, Great Tusk backed away several steps, its fierce gaze softening.

"See? I don't want to use force. Follow me, and your life will be far better than it is now." Dylan's tone was still gentle.

Great Tusk: "..."

"Looks like you've agreed. Don't worry; soon, you'll be glad you made the right choice."

Dylan pulled out a Max Potion and sprayed it on Great Tusk, calming its agitated spirit.

Paradox Pokémon are notorious for their ferocity, but Dylan believed any Pokémon could be won over with patience.

"You've been watching for a while now. Aren't you going to say anything?"

Dylan turned to Iono and Nemona, smiling.

"Hello, hello! I didn't want to interrupt while you were busy. Thanks so much for saving me!"

Iono's lively tone made it hard to tell she had just faced a life-threatening situation.

"You're really strong! I'm Nemona from Orange Academy," Nemona added, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Dylan from Kanto's Rota. This is my sister Lillie, and my good friend Ilene."

Dylan introduced himself with elegance and politeness.

"And this is my Pokémon, Meow. It's currently obsessed with watching dramas."

Dylan glanced at Ogerpon, who had already resumed its show, though he hoped the screen time wouldn't affect its eyesight.

"Mr. Dylan, your Ogerpon is amazing! I saw it take down Great Tusk in one hit during the livestream!" Nemona exclaimed, brimming with admiration.

"Thank you for the kind words," Dylan nodded humbly.

"I really can't thank you enough for saving me," Iono chimed in, her gratitude evident.

"No need to thank me. Travelers helping each other is only natural. Besides, as a fellow Gym Leader, it's only right to assist a colleague."

"You're a Gym Leader too?" Nemona's eyes lit up, her enthusiasm growing.

"Yes, he's a very famous Gym Leader from Kanto," Lillie said proudly.

"That's amazing, Dylan! You're so impressive!" Nemona exclaimed.

Seeing the livestream chat teasing her about the difference in their abilities, Iono puffed her cheeks in mock indignation.

"Oh no, I forgot the livestream was still on! I hope you don't mind, Dylan," Iono said apologetically.

"It's fine. I'm not doing anything shady, so there's nothing to hide," Dylan replied with a light laugh.

"That's great! By the way, Dylan, are you here in Paldea for sightseeing?" Iono asked curiously.

"Yes, as you said, being a Gym Leader can get dull, so I like exploring other regions when I have time."

"Sounds wonderful. I haven't been to other regions yet," Iono said wistfully.

Suddenly, Nemona's eyes sparkled with determination.

"Dylan, can I challenge you to a battle?" she asked eagerly.

Dylan raised an eyebrow. Nemona's passion for battles was palpable, and her eager gaze was hard to refuse.

"It's not impossible," Dylan said, smiling at her excitement.

Nemona had already defeated the Paldea Elite Four and Champion before. Despite that, her love for battling only grew stronger, making her one of the fiercest trainers Dylan had ever met.

"Dylan, Nemona is a very strong Trainer. She successfully challenged the Elite Four and the reigning Champion last year, claiming the top spot in Paldea," Iono introduced Nemona to Dylan.

While outsiders might not be aware, as Gym Leaders, they certainly knew this. Nemona had already reached Champion-level last year.

"Champion-level?"

Hearing this, both Ilene and Lillie looked at the clean-auraed Orange Academy student in astonishment.

Are Paldea's students this amazing?!

"Hehe~ It's not really something to boast about. I feel like Champion Geeta wasn't even using her full strength. I don't really like that," Nemona said with a scrunch of her nose.

Although she had become the new Champion, she did not take pride in it.

For her, battles were her passion, her love, and her ideal. She yearned for battles fought with all-out effort.

But when she challenged Champion Geeta last year, she clearly felt Geeta was holding back. And why?

What kind of top Champion uses a Glimmora with Toxic Debris as their trump card?

"That makes sense. Miss Nemona, did you bring your main team with you?" Dylan asked thoughtfully.

"Of course! I always have my Pokémon with me. Are you accepting my challenge, Gym Leader Dylan?" Nemona's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Of course, but I hope Miss Nemona will give it her all. Otherwise, you won't be earning my badge," Dylan replied with a smile.

"I understand, Gym Leader Dylan. You can count on me!" Nemona's eyes shone brightly, her expression brimming with excitement.

Knowing I'm a Champion-level Trainer and still giving such a reminder... What does that mean?

It means Dylan is definitely a Champion-level Trainer too! And it makes sense, considering the incredible strength of his Pokémon, like that Overqwil.

"Big sister Nemona, you should be cautious. My brother's strength is formidable—it's no weaker than a regional Champion's," Lillie kindly warned Nemona.

She found this straightforward older sister quite likable.

"Hehe~ Thanks, little Lillie. I always give my all in every battle!" Nemona replied with a big grin.

"If we've decided to battle, then let's spin for the type matchup, big sister Nemona."

Lillie took out a small spinner from her spatial bag.

"What's this?" Nemona blinked in surprise.

Iono was curious too. It was just a common spinner, but the sections on it represented different Pokémon types.

"It's a special feature of the Rota Gym! Since my brother is skilled in multiple types, we use this spinner. Whatever type it lands on, my brother will use a team of that type to battle you," Lillie explained.

"Wow~ That's amazing!" Nemona's eyes lit up. Gym Leader Dylan was skilled in so many types?!

"Do I just press this?"

"That's right."

Nemona eagerly pressed the button, and the spinner began to whirl.

Soon, the needle stopped on the deep purple section.

"Poison?"

"Correct, you landed on Poison."

Dylan raised an eyebrow. How fortunate—he had just acquired several Poison-type Pokémon.

"Poison, huh? Not bad!" Nemona blinked with interest.

There was no need to search for a special battleground. This spacious area was perfect for a battle.

"Now, the Rota Gym Challenge begins! The challenger is big sister Nemona, and the chosen type is Poison."

"The battle rules are a 5 vs. 5 match. My brother will send out his Pokémon first and cannot switch. Big sister Nemona wins if she defeats all of my brother's Pokémon."

"Battle, start!"

Lillie raised a small flag and announced the rules.

"Wow~ Lillie, you totally have the vibe of a referee," Iono remarked in surprise.

"I've seen it so many times, I just picked it up naturally," Lillie replied, slightly shy. After all, she watched battles at the Rota Gym every day, so she had memorized the referee's lines.

Plus, being a referee wasn't particularly difficult.

On the battlefield.

"Whew~ I didn't expect to challenge a Gym Leader from another region so soon. What luck!"

Nemona patted her cheeks, her excitement growing as she stretched and warmed up.

"Come at me with everything you've got," Dylan said, his demeanor still calm and refined.

"Alright! Gym Leader Dylan, please guide me!"

Nemona quickly adjusted her mood. She raised her left arm to rest on her right arm, gripping her Poké Ball with her right hand and aiming it at Dylan, her aura sharp and commanding.

"I am Nemona!!"

Champion-level Nemona is challenging you!

(Chapter ends here.)