The Pokémon journey begins in Galar

Watching from the stands was one thing, but standing on the battlefield was something else entirely. It was only when Yuri faced the move head-on that she realized how much more overwhelming the combination attack truly was.

How had they trained for this? To manipulate Magical Leaf normally a homing move so precisely that it seemed fully under the Pokémon's control?

Milo's Cottonee spun rapidly, shrouded in a swirl of emerald leaves. The sheer momentum of the Magical Leaf made it impossible for Yuri's Cottonee to break through. Even with the damage output from Round, the attack could only scatter the leaves temporarily. It didn't get close enough to land a blow on the actual target.

There wasn't time to think further. The enemy was closing in. Yuri had only one ace up her sleeve, and now was not the time to play it.

"Keep using Round to scatter the leaves, and get ready. When there's an opening, spin through with Rapid Spin!"

"Nya~!"

On command, her Cottonee stopped dodging and started spinning rapidly, her tiny body blurring as she built momentum. Just as the Magical Leaf vortex threatened to collide with her, a lilting song rang out from her mouth.

Then, she dove straight into the storm of spinning leaves.

Yuri's plan seemed to be working until Milo raised a hand and called out sharply.

"Razor Leaf! Knock it back!"

His Cottonee abruptly changed tactics. The swirling Magical Leaf stopped in place, the leaves reconfiguring in an instant. Now transformed into Razor Leaf, they fired at Yuri's Cottonee like a burst of sharpened missiles.

The sudden shift in strategy caught Yuri completely off guard. Changing Magical Leaf directly into Razor Leaf on the fly? And without preparation? Just like that?

Milo's training methods were clearly on a different level.

If this were any other time, Yuri would've loved to ask him how he pulled it off. But she couldn't afford to lose focus now.

"Dodge it! Don't let it knock you away!"

She called out urgently. Cottonee's light body was both a strength and a weakness. Thankfully, they had gone over the plan before the match. She knew this was her moment.

Her opponent had abandoned the Magical Leaf's defensive vortex. That left a window for offense. As long as she could withstand this wave of Razor Leaf and keep the distance close, she might just land a finishing blow.

The Razor Leaf barrage slammed into her Cottonee. While it wasn't strong enough to take her down, it did push her back just slightly.

Bits of cotton burst into the air, puffing out around her. Cottonee scooped up the loose tufts and flung them one by one, blocking part of the incoming attack.

"Now's your chance!"

Yuri saw the opening and shouted her next command. While Milo's Cottonee was still regaining control, Yuri's Cottonee lowered her head and summoned a concentrated ball of pollen. She hurled it forward with all her strength.

"Magical Leaf, block the Pollen Puff!"

Milo reacted quickly. The moment he saw the move leave her hand, he understood what Yuri was planning. He gave the order without hesitation.

But it was a second too late.

The Pollen Puff exploded just inches away from Milo's Cottonee. A surge of Bug-type energy blasted across the field, catching the Pokémon full force.

"Nya-!"

The attack, already irritating by nature, combined with the strain of using Magical Leaf twice in quick succession, sent Milo's Cottonee flying.

Yuri, standing inside the battlefield, didn't notice much beyond that. All she knew was that she had to press the advantage.

"Again! Use Pollen Puff!"

"Nya!"

Her Cottonee, clearly exhausted, let out a weak cry as another ball of pollen dropped from her head. She threw it at Milo's Cottonee before it could recover.

"Razor Leaf!"

Milo called out again. But the distance was greater now, and his Cottonee's reaction was slower. Once more, the Pollen Puff detonated near its target, catching it in the blast.

Seeing that his Pokémon was nearly out of stamina, Milo calmly took out his Poké Ball and recalled it.

Then, with a warm smile, he looked across the battlefield at Yuri.

"You've done well. Now show me what else you've got. Let's see what your Pokémon can do in Dynamax form."

From the moment Yuri's Cottonee had landed that first clean Pollen Puff, Milo had already considered this match a pass. He didn't need to push his Pokémon to its limit for one final move.

He had a bad habit of going easy on new challengers something he'd long since accepted he'd never change.

But this was still a two-on-two match. They had to see it through to the end. If he remembered correctly, that girl's second Pokémon should be an Applin, right? If she'd registered it, then that meant it had likely evolved already.

With that in mind, Milo reached for his second Poké Ball.

The announcer began narrating again, and Yuri snapped back to attention. She recalled her winded Cottonee, then pulled out another Poké Ball from her belt.

"My second partner is her."

"And mine is Flapple!"

The two trainers threw their Poké Balls in unison, and the next pair of Pokémon emerged onto the battlefield.

"Nya~!"

"Zee-zee-!"

Cottonee and Flapple faced each other down.

"Sunny Day!"

"Flapple, use Wing Attack!"

"Dodge it!"

As Flapple lunged forward, Milo didn't seem concerned. Once Sunny Day was in effect, Cottonee bounced into the air and floated just above the ground.

With uncanny agility, she used the wind currents to glide, dodging Flapple's incoming Wing Attack with surprising grace.

"What?!"

"Now's not the time to be surprised! Weather Ball, let's counterattack!"

Milo gave a helpful reminder, then turned his attention back to the battle. While Flapple circled below, Cottonee drifted overhead, calmly forming a glowing orb of heat in front of her.

"Solar Beam! Flapple, block it!"

Panicked, Yuri issued a command. Drawing on the boost from Sunny Day, Flapple struggled to channel the massive energy required for Solar Beam. She fired a not-so-thick beam of light straight at the flaming Weather Ball headed her way.

Boom!

Two blasts collided in midair, sending shockwaves rippling through the stadium. Flapple flapped her wings frantically to stay airborne, while Cottonee used the gusts to lift herself higher into the air.

Thankfully, Marie had warned her to get Flapple to practice Solar Beam ahead of time. Without it, there'd have been no choice but to take the hit from that blazing-fast Weather Ball.

"Not bad at all. I didn't expect you to be this skilled with Solar Beam. You've impressed me."

Milo's voice carried across the smoke-filled battlefield. For a challenger who hadn't even been a trainer for a full month, this Gym battle was going well beyond expectations.

Thinking that, Milo reached for the Poké Ball on his belt and raised his voice.

"In that case, let's see how you handle this! Dynamax time, Cottonee!"

He called out to his Pokémon and recalled her midair. The Dynamax Band on his wrist glowed bright as five pulses of Gigantamax energy surged into the Poké Ball, expanding it rapidly to the size of a boulder.

Then, turning his back to the field, Milo hurled it with all his strength into the open stadium.

NEXT CHAPTER : The End of Yuri's First Gym Battle

(Yuri faces off against Gym Leader Milo in a fierce Dynamax showdown that shakes the stadium! With Appletun and Eldegoss both supersized, the clash becomes a breathtaking test of wits, timing, and raw power. Just when it seems Yuri might gain the upper hand, Milo turns the tides with surprising agility and strategy. Poison and fire collide in an explosive finale that leaves both Pokémon spent and the crowd roaring. As the giants shrink and silence settles, the result is clear: Yuri's first Gym battle is over—but the journey is only just beginning.

Next chapter: What will Yuri take away from her first major battle? And what lies ahead on the road to the next Gym?)

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