Pokemon: Gym Leader

"Okidogi?"

Nemona clearly didn't recognize Okidogi but looked it up and down with great curiosity.

"Okidogi is a Poison and Fighting-type Pokémon."

Dylan introduced it gently. He didn't mind revealing this bit of information since it was a gym battle after all.

"Okidogi is far stronger than Arbok, so you should be careful, Miss Nemona."

Dylan reminded her. While Arbok was one of his "veterans," its level wasn't top-tier.

There was no helping it—managing the growth of his team while progressing through various scenarios in the simulation meant it was impossible to train everyone equally.

Even so, Dylan discovered that he had a decent talent for being a trainer. Even without the growth boost from the simulation, his focused training sessions during the day had notably increased his Pokémon's strength.

"Four times weakness to Psychic, huh."

Nemona pondered for a moment. Unfortunately, her Armarouge, which had Psychic moves, had already been defeated. It was her only Psychic-type Pokémon.

Additionally, the Toxic Spikes on the field were a serious problem. They needed to be cleared as soon as possible, or the continuous activation of Toxic Spikes would have a significant impact on the battle.

"Flygon!"

After some thought, Nemona threw out her second Poké Ball.

A flash of white light revealed a green, dragon-like Pokémon hovering in front of Nemona.

It had two antennae on its head, green wings with red edges, and a pair of semi-spherical red structures shielding its eyes.

It was Flygon.

'Beep—Flygon, Ground/Dragon-type, the Mystic Pokémon.

Ability: Levitate.

Moves: Dragon Claw, Boomburst, Dragon Rush, Earthquake, Dragon Dance, Superpower, Defog, Dragon Tail…

Description: Known as the Mystic Pokémon, Flygon kicks up sandstorms when it flaps its wings, always surrounded by swirling sands while in flight.'

This Flygon looked quite elegant.

"As expected, it knows Defog." Iono smiled knowingly as she looked at the Pokédex.

"Toxic Spikes are indeed troublesome. When triggered, the poison damage is devastating," Iono agreed. She now understood why Lillie had asked earlier about dealing with hazards.

Even though Toxic Spikes had only been triggered twice in the previous battle with Armarouge, it had already proven to be a game-changer.

Toxic Spikes were incredibly disruptive during critical moments in battle.

"Flygon, use Defog!" Nemona predictably chose to clear the field first.

"Snarl," Dylan said with a light chuckle.

Flygon flapped its wings furiously, unleashing a strong wind tinged with white light that swept across the battlefield.

Defog!

The purple fluid on the ground was blown away, and the Toxic Spikes were completely cleared.

At the same time, however, Okidogi let out a menacing growl, sending ripples of dark sound waves toward the airborne Flygon.

Snarl – a Dark-type move!

It's worth noting that as Okidogi used Snarl, the deep purple chain around its neck emitted a violet glow, and the sound waves were laced with specks of poisonous light.

The sound waves hit Flygon's body. Flygon winced slightly, closing its eyes in discomfort. Then...

Nothing much happened.

Okidogi's Special Attack stat was low, and Snarl wasn't a STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus) move. The damage was minimal.

Still, the secondary effect of Snarl successfully activated, and the white aura surrounding Flygon dispersed, lowering its Special Attack.

Typically, Flygon was known for its physical attacks, though it could occasionally be a mixed attacker. Purely Special Attack-focused Flygons were rare.

"That's it?"

Nemona was baffled. The pitiful power of Snarl made her wonder if Dylan was using a newly trained Pokémon to battle her.

Otherwise, this didn't make sense.

"Is this really a Legendary Pokémon?" Iono, watching from the sidelines, was equally stunned.

In her mind, Legendary Pokémon were supposed to be overwhelmingly powerful.

"Okidogi isn't a Special Attack-based Pokémon," Lillie replied with an awkward but polite smile.

On the field—

"Flygon, Dragon Rush!" Nemona hesitated for a moment but decided to test the strength of this Okidogi.

Since Snarl had lowered Flygon's Special Attack, using long-range moves to test the waters wasn't ideal. Besides, her Flygon was trained for close combat.

Roar~!

The ferocious sound of a dragon's cry echoed in her ears. A dark, dragon-shaped aura enveloped Flygon as it dove downward.

Dragon Rush!

Flygon descended in a powerful dive, exuding an overwhelming killing intent as it targeted Okidogi.

"Focus Punch," Dylan said with a calm smile.

Okidogi let out a guttural growl, its right fist glowing white while the purple chain around its neck shimmered with violet light.

Focus Punch – a Fighting-type move!

Faced with the terrifying dragon descending upon it, Okidogi stood its ground and swung its glowing fist with full force.

Boom!

Focus Punch collided with Dragon Rush, sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. The ground beneath Okidogi cracked from the impact.

With a roar, Okidogi shattered the dragon-shaped aura of Dragon Rush. Its fist struck Flygon directly.

A heavy thud echoed as Flygon was sent flying backward, crashing hard onto the ground.

"Flygon!" Nemona exclaimed in shock. The sheer power of Okidogi was astonishing!

Flygon struggled to lift itself, but suddenly, a deep purple glow enveloped its body. Horrifying purple blotches appeared on its skin.

Flygon let out a pained cry as the glow continued to flicker—poison coursing through its veins.

"Poison? Toxic?! How is this possible?"

Nemona was stunned. It didn't make sense! Those blotches were clearly from Toxic, but Okidogi hadn't used any poison-type moves.

Focus Punch was a Fighting-type move—how could it inflict Toxic?

"It's entirely possible, Miss Nemona. You don't fully understand Okidogi," Dylan said with a smile, causing Nemona to frown.

"Okidogi's ability is Poison Chain. This ability gives its attacks a chance to inflict Toxic on its opponent."

"Snarl has a high chance of lowering Flygon's Special Attack. Naturally, you would choose to make Flygon engage in close combat—even if only to test things out."

"I originally planned to have Okidogi use Snarl again after this Focus Punch to see if it could inflict Toxic. But as it turns out, that's no longer necessary."

Dylan explained with a chuckle. Poison Chain was an exceptionally powerful ability, far superior to abilities like Poison Point.

Unlike Poison Point, Poison Chain applied to all attacking moves. While Okidogi's Special Attack was low and Snarl wasn't a STAB move, Snarl was easy to hit with and had a high chance of lowering Special Attack.

If lucky, Snarl could even inflict Toxic outright. If not, it still forced opponents into close combat with Okidogi, which was advantageous either way.

"How impressive, Gym Leader Dylan."

Nemona finally understood, but this revelation left her in a difficult position.

Flygon had already suffered a heavy blow from Focus Punch and was now badly poisoned. This situation was incredibly unfavorable.

"This Poison Chain ability is ridiculously overpowered!"

Iono exclaimed in amazement. Any attack having a chance to inflict Toxic made this ability exceptionally strong.

"It really is an impressive ability," Irene agreed. There was no denying the effectiveness of Poison Chain.

"Come back, Flygon."

Nemona decisively recalled Flygon.

"A wise choice."

Dylan nodded in approval.

Flygon could no longer fight effectively. Its close-combat strength was inferior to Okidogi, and the Toxic condition only made matters worse. Continuing to fight would be futile. It was better to withdraw and reevaluate the situation, keeping an eye out for opportunities to counter Okidogi with a better-suited Pokémon.

The ability to assess the situation and adapt was an essential skill for any trainer in competitive battles.

"Revavroom!"

Nemona quickly threw out her third Poké Ball.

A Pokémon resembling a metal vehicle landed heavily in front of her. Its body was a mix of brownish-purple and silver, with a single eye resembling a headlight at the front.

It was Revavroom, a Steel/Poison-type Pokémon.

'Beep—Revavroom, Steel/Poison-type, the Multi-Cylinder Pokémon.

Ability: Filter.

Moves: Gunk Shot, Rapid Spin, Poison Jab, Swagger, Iron Head, High Horsepower, Explosion (Egg Move)…

Description: Its eight cylinders ignite a gas mixture of toxins and rocky particles to generate energy.'

The Pokédex detailed Revavroom's stats and abilities.

"Using a Steel and Poison-type Revavroom to counter Okidogi's Poison Chain—an excellent choice."

Dylan observed the Pokémon. This was a standard Revavroom, not one modified by Team Star.

The Steel/Poison typing was extremely effective, boasting numerous resistances. However, it still had glaring weaknesses—Ground and Fire, especially Ground with a four-times weakness.

However, with the Filter ability, Ground-type damage is reduced to 3x, which is somewhat acceptable.

"Revavroom! Rapid Spin!"

Without hesitation, Nemona gave the command to charge. This Okidogi needed to be dealt with quickly.

"Focus Punch." Dylan chuckled lightly. In terms of direct combat power, Okidogi was incredibly strong as well.

Revavroom's wheels spun at high speed, transforming into a massive silver roller, and it rushed straight at Okidogi.

The Steel-type Rapid Spin! This was a signature move of the Revavroom line.

Okidogi flashed a savage grin, clenching its right fist, white energy flickering around it. It timed its attack perfectly, swinging a heavy punch toward the incoming Revavroom.

Focus Punch!

"Revavroom!" Nemona shouted sharply.

Revavroom's rolling body suddenly swerved, making an emergency turn and dodging Okidogi's Focus Punch by a hair.

Dylan raised an eyebrow.

In the next moment, Revavroom demonstrated exceptional driving skills, making another sharp turn and charging back toward Okidogi.

Okidogi snarled and turned around, crossing its arms just as the attack was about to land.

Bang!

The Rapid Spin crashed heavily into Okidogi, causing it to growl in pain.

However, Okidogi was still in good condition. While the Rapid Spin was decently powerful, the damage was manageable.

That said, using Rapid Spin caused Revavroom's speed to drop.

"Zen Headbutt!"

Using the recoil, Revavroom leaped backward, gathering multicolored energy around its body before charging at Okidogi once again.

"Okidogi!"

Okidogi immediately stepped back, trying to evade, but it was a moment too late. One of Revavroom's sharp edges scraped against it.

Even though it wasn't a direct hit, the Zen Headbutt still caused significant damage—Okidogi's quadruple weakness to Psychic-type moves was glaring.

The power of this Revavroom was extraordinary, and its level was clearly high.

Seeing this, Dylan was able to confirm it.

"High Horsepower!" Nemona immediately followed up to capitalize on the situation.

Revavroom was now surrounded by earthy energy as it charged toward Okidogi once more.

"You're getting a bit ahead of yourself, Miss Nemona. Okidogi, use Close Combat!"

Okidogi roared as it rushed forward to meet the charging Revavroom, throwing a flurry of punches at it.

The Fighting-type Close Combat—an all-out attack with no defense.

Okidogi's heavy punches rained down on Revavroom, forcibly halting its High Horsepower. With a final powerful blow, Okidogi shattered the energy surrounding Revavroom and sent it flying back, groaning in pain.

Although Revavroom wasn't weak to Fighting-types, the damage from Close Combat was still significant.

However, due to the nature of Close Combat, white light spread across Okidogi's body, reducing both its Defense and Special Defense by one stage.

"This strength…" Nemona frowned immediately upon witnessing the scene.

Okidogi's power was overwhelming. Her Revavroom was also known for its high physical attack, yet it was struggling.

"High Horsepower," Dylan ordered with a faint smile.

Okidogi charged at Revavroom with full momentum, cloaked in Ground-type energy.

"Revavroom, Stomping Tantrum!" Nemona countered quickly.

Revavroom raised its front body and slammed it down forcefully, creating a tangible shockwave that spread across the ground.

The Ground-type Stomping Tantrum! While not as powerful as Earthquake, it was the best option since Revavroom couldn't learn Earthquake.

As Okidogi charged forward, its protective High Horsepower energy reduced the damage from Stomping Tantrum. In turn, Okidogi's own High Horsepower slammed into Revavroom, sending it flying.

Even with its Filter ability reducing the damage, High Horsepower was still a 3x super-effective hit, causing severe damage to Revavroom.

Revavroom was now barely holding on, hanging by a thread.

"One more High Horsepower."

Okidogi began another charge, the distance between it and Revavroom closing rapidly.

"Explosion!"

The moment was right, and Nemona immediately shouted to her weakened Revavroom.

Revavroom's body began to glow brightly, resembling a small sun.

"Protect," Dylan clicked his tongue.

Though he ordered Okidogi to use Protect, Dylan estimated it was unlikely to work—the two Pokémon were already too close.

Okidogi forcibly stopped its charge as a green Protect barrier formed in front of it.

Boom!

A massive explosion rocked the battlefield, unleashing a powerful shockwave that resembled a storm. Nemona had to duck and shield her face from the blast.

The Normal-type Explosion was an incredibly powerful move. True to its name, it caused a self-destructive blast that damaged all nearby Pokémon. Once used, the user would inevitably faint.

As the energy from the Explosion dissipated and the dust settled, the battlefield revealed a massive crater. At the bottom, Revavroom was clearly unconscious. Okidogi, however...

Huff... huff...

Okidogi was gasping heavily, struggling to crawl out of the crater. Its body was battered and bruised, its energy dangerously low.

"It's still standing?!"

Iono was shocked.

Nemona was equally surprised. How was this possible?

In reality, Okidogi had barely survived. Its Protect wasn't fully executed before the Explosion went off, meaning it took almost the full brunt of the blast at close range.

Thud.

Okidogi felt its body grow heavier and heavier. Finally, its vision went black, and it collapsed, fainting with swirls in its eyes.

"Okidogi and Revavroom are both unable to battle."

Lillie declared the result of the match—it was yet another double knockout.

After making the announcement, Lillie glanced at Nemona. This seemingly bright and upright trainer definitely had her own unique style.

She had taken out Dylan's Arbok with Destiny Bond and Okidogi with Explosion. There was definitely something to her approach.

"Well done, Miss Nemona," Dylan praised as he recalled Okidogi.

After all, Okidogi was a Legendary Pokémon with decent combat power. Though it was taken out by Explosion in a double knockout, it had been defeated nonetheless.

This might actually be the first time one of his Legendary Pokémon had been defeated. Huh.

"But it's nothing to be proud of," Nemona shook her head. She still preferred winning fair and square in a head-to-head battle.

"No, you should be proud. Any strategy that falls within the rules is fair game."

Dylan smiled as he spoke. After all, many of his own tactics were often criticized behind his back as "dirty," "despicable," or "shameless." Compared to those, Nemona's Explosion was nothing.

"Well then, Miss Nemona, here comes my third Pokémon. This one is far more challenging than the previous two."

Dylan flipped a luxury ball in his hand and threw it out.

"Pecharunt, prepare for battle!"

(End of Chapter)