Pokemon: I'll Exchange Everything

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"I want to witness the gym leader's true strength," Liam said firmly.

As soon as Liam spoke, silence fell across the Vermilion Gym. The onlookers exchanged surprised glances, taken aback by his boldness.

Even Lt. Surge seemed momentarily stunned. Crossing his arms, he broke into a slight smirk. "You seem pretty confident in your strength. Are you sure you want me to go all out?"

Liam nodded slightly and opened his jacket to reveal the badges he had already earned, showing them to Lt. Surge.

"I'm not overestimating myself. I've already obtained three badges. While some battles were tough, none were beyond my expectations. Moreover, I've experienced a lot lately and grown stronger because of it. I'm eager to face powerful opponents to continue improving," Liam explained seriously.

Lt. Surge gave a faint, mocking laugh before declaring loudly, "The Viridian Gym, Pewter Gym, and Cerulean Gym—none of them are worth a second thought. That includes the so-called gym leader of the Viridian Gym, a complete fraud. Even Pewter Gym, with its type advantage over me, doesn't scare me. Don't lump me in with them. But since this is your request, I'll oblige. Keep in mind, though, that if I go all out this time and you lose, don't expect me to hold back the next time."

"Of course!" Liam replied confidently.

"Alright! Darryl, prepare the battlefield!" Lt. Surge called out, turning to one of his subordinates.

"Yes, sir!" a burly man replied loudly.

Soon, the battlefield was ready. It was a simple, flat area marked with white boundary lines, serving as the standard battle area of the Vermilion Gym.

Liam took his position at the challenger's spot and looked across at Lt. Surge.

Lt. Surge casually pulled a PokéBall from his pocket and tossed it into the air. In a flash of light, a Jolteon appeared on the battlefield.

"Jolt!"

Liam frowned slightly as he saw the Jolteon, then looked up at Lt. Surge with a hint of confusion. "I thought you had an Electabuzz? Or is this Jolteon your true ace Pokémon?"

Lt. Surge was momentarily surprised, puzzled as to how Liam knew about his Electabuzz. Since becoming a gym leader, he hadn't used Electabuzz in battle. How could Liam know?

"I don't have Electabuzz with me today. This Jolteon is just as strong, so don't underestimate it, or you'll regret it," Lt. Surge said, masking his thoughts behind a calm expression.

"That's unfortunate," Liam muttered with a tinge of disappointment but quickly resolved himself. He reached for a PokéBall at his waist.

Lt. Surge interrupted, "Choose your Pokémon carefully. At the Vermilion Gym, it's a one-on-one battle. A win is a win, and a loss is a loss. There's no room for regrets, so think carefully before deciding."

Liam nodded. He had already been considering his options carefully. 

Garchomp and Nidoking are Ground types; using them would be overkill. Arcanine is too high-leveled, and Sneasel hits too hard. It seems Arbok is the best choice. 

This will also let me test how it's doing now.

Had Lt. Surge known what Liam was thinking, he might have been furious.

"Alright, it's decided. Go, Arbok! Show your strength!"

"Chaaaar-bok!"

Liam released his PokéBall, and in a flash of light, a large, light purple cobra with a commanding presence appeared, its massive body intimidating Jolteon.

"Both Pokémon are on the field! The battle begins now!" the burly man declared, taking on the role of referee.

"Electricity is a man's romance! Jolteon, use Discharge!"

Lt. Surge wasted no time and immediately ordered an attack, in stark contrast to other gym leaders who often exchanged pleasantries before a fight. His military background was evident—no need for words, just action.

"Jolt!"

Jolteon leaped forward, electricity crackling as it charged toward Arbok.

"Arbok, don't let it get close! Use Mud Bomb!" Liam countered, calm and composed.

"Charrr!"

At Liam's command, Arbok twisted its body and opened its mouth wide, launching a mud-colored projectile straight at Jolteon.

"Dodge it, Jolteon! Use Quick Attack!" Lt. Surge ordered sharply.

"Jolt!"

Jolteon suddenly accelerated, becoming a blur of light as it narrowly dodged the Mud Bomb and closed in on Arbok. The missed attack exploded harmlessly on the ground, sending dust into the air.

"Arbok, Screech! Disrupt its approach!"

"Chaaa-chaaa-chaaa-chaa!"

A piercing screech filled the battlefield, causing Jolteon to wince and slow down, its advance disrupted.

"Hang in there, Jolteon! Show some grit and use Pin Missile to interrupt it!"

"Jolt!"

With renewed determination, Jolteon's spiky fur bristled, and countless white needles shot out, striking Arbok's scales with a series of sharp clinks but failing to inflict any real damage. 

The attack only succeeded in silencing Arbok's screech.

"Impressive defense! No wonder you're so confident. This Arbok is well-trained," Lt. Surge admitted, his tone serious.

"...Uh, haha," Liam responded awkwardly, knowing he'd deliberately held back his stronger Pokémon to avoid overwhelming the gym leader.

"Jolteon, if we can't get close, attack from afar! Use Thunder!"

Lt. Surge swiftly adapted his strategy.

"Jolt!"

Jolteon leaped back, crying out as storm clouds rapidly formed above the battlefield. Sparks of electricity crackled ominously.

"Arbok, interrupt it with Poison Sting!" Liam commanded.

"Charrr!"

Arbok opened its mouth again, launching a barrage of venomous needles at Jolteon like a rainstorm.

"Hold steady, Jolteon! Take the hit and finish charging Thunder!" Lt. Surge roared, trusting in Jolteon's resilience.

"Jolt!"

Jolteon endured the poisonous assault, even as its body began to show signs of poisoning. Still, it completed the charge.

"Now, unleash Thunder!"

A massive lightning bolt descended from the clouds, striking toward Arbok with ferocious intensity.

"Arbok, use Protect!"

At the critical moment, Arbok coiled tightly, summoning a green barrier that absorbed the electric onslaught. The lightning dissipated, leaving the battlefield shrouded in dust.

"Is it over?" the referee muttered, peering into the dust cloud.

"Arbok, Mud Bomb!" Liam's voice rang out.

A muddy projectile shot out of the cloud, heading straight for Jolteon.

"Dodge it, Jolteon!" Lt. Surge shouted.

But Jolteon, weakened by poison, stumbled and failed to evade. The Mud Bomb struck directly, exploding in a burst of dirt.

"Jolteon!"

Lt. Surge rushed into the smoke and emerged moments later, cradling his fainted Jolteon.

"Jolteon is unable to battle! The challenger is the winner!" the referee announced, still in disbelief.

"Good job, Arbok," Liam said, recalling the satisfied Pokémon into its PokéBall.

Lt. Surge returned Jolteon to its PokéBall and handed it to a subordinate for treatment. Turning to Liam, he smiled.

"Well done. You're stronger than I gave you credit for. I underestimated you. Here's your reward—the Thunder Badge. Take it."

Liam accepted the orange badge with both hands and smiled. "Your Jolteon was incredible. I look forward to facing your Electabuzz someday."

"Hahaha! You've got spirit! That day will come. I'll be waiting for your next challenge!"

With that, Liam earned the Thunder Badge at Vermilion Gym.