Pokemon:I'm redThe strongest champion

As Red analyzed the data on Geodude, he confirmed his initial thoughts. "As expected, it's at the intermediate ordinary level," he muttered to himself.

Although he knew Flint wouldn't start with a high-level Pokémon, he had still held onto a small glimmer of hope. After all, he wasn't just any Rookie trainer—his skills and experience far surpassed the average beginner.

Geodude appeared on the battlefield, raising its muscular arms in a show of confidence. Its fighting spirit was evident as it locked eyes with Red.

"Alright, young man, it's time for you to send out your Pokémon," Flint said, crossing his arms as he observed Red with curiosity.

"In that case, let's go! My first choice is Charmeleon!" Red reached for his waist, grabbed Charmeleon's Luxury Ball, and tossed it onto the battlefield.

The ball burst open, releasing Charmeleon in a bright red flash. The Fire-type Pokémon let out a fierce roar before locking onto Geodude with an intense gaze.

Flint's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Huh, a Luxury Ball? That's not a standard Poké Ball. And more importantly, your Charmander has already evolved into Charmeleon? That's quite impressive for a Rookie trainer."

Flint observed the scene closely. If Red had still been using a Charmander, the match would have been heavily in his favor, given the natural disadvantage Fire-types had against Rock-types. However, with an evolved Charmeleon, the balance shifted. After evolving, Charmeleon had access to moves that could effectively counter Rock-types, potentially turning the tide of battle.

"I must admit, you're the first Rookie I've encountered who has managed to evolve their starter Pokémon so early in their journey. That's no small feat."

"I appreciate the compliment, Gym Leader Flint, but let's get this battle started!"

"Of course," Flint said with a smirk. "Let's kick things off, Geodude! Use Rock Throw!"

Geodude slammed its hands into the ground, lifting and hurling small rocks toward Charmeleon with impressive force.

"Dodge it, Charmeleon! Then counter with Ember!" Red commanded.

Charmeleon swiftly maneuvered around the incoming rocks with practiced ease, dodging each projectile effortlessly. Once in the clear, it took a deep breath and released a flurry of small orange flames toward Geodude.

Flint chuckled. "That won't work, kid. Ember is just a low-level Fire-type move. Rock and Ground-types like Geodude have high resistance to Fire, so this attack won't do much."

Confident in his assessment, Flint ordered, "Geodude, don't bother dodging! Take the hit and then use Defense Curl to boost your defenses before launching a counterattack."

Geodude braced itself as the flames engulfed it. However, rather than remaining unscathed, it let out a sudden, pained cry. The unexpected damage caused Flint to furrow his brows in confusion.

"What? That shouldn't have happened!" Flint exclaimed.

Red smirked knowingly. "You underestimated my Charmeleon, Gym Leader. Ember may be a low-level move, but my Charmeleon is not an ordinary one. Didn't you notice the collar around its neck?"

Flint quickly focused on Charmeleon's neck, where a distinct charcoal-black accessory gleamed under the gym lights. "That's… Charcoal?!"

Red nodded. "That's right. Charcoal enhances Fire-type moves, increasing their power significantly. Combine that with Charmeleon's rigorous training, and you get flames that are nearly as hot as a Flamethrower."

Flint let out a low whistle. "I see… that explains the unexpected damage. It looks like I truly underestimated you."

"It's too late for regrets now! Charmeleon, finish this with Metal Claw!"

Charmeleon dashed toward Geodude, its right claw glowing as if encased in steel. With a swift and powerful slash, the attack connected, sending Geodude flying backward. The Rock-type Pokémon hit the ground hard, struggling for a moment before fainting.

Silence filled the gym.

Flint exhaled and shook his head, recalling Geodude back into its Poké Ball. "Well, well. I must admit, I didn't expect you to defeat Geodude so quickly. You've earned my respect, Red. From here on out, I'll take you seriously."

Flint reached for another Poké Ball on his belt and tossed it onto the field. "Now, let's see how you handle this one. Come out, Rhydon!"

A bright red light flashed, and a massive Pokémon took shape on the battlefield. Standing at over six feet tall, its rocky armor gleamed under the gym lights. With its powerful limbs and sharp horn, Rhydon let out a deep, rumbling growl.

Red's eyes narrowed as he activated his Pokédex to gather information on his new opponent.

[Rhydon]

Category: Drill Pokémon

Type: Ground/Rock

Height: 1.9m

Weight: 120kg

Ability: Lightning Rod

Moves: Horn Attack, Stomp, Rock Blast, Bulldoze

Strength Level: Gym Advanced

Red clenched his fists. "This one is going to be tough."

Flint smirked. "Rhydon is on a whole different level compared to Geodude. Let's see if you can keep up."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Red replied confidently.

Flint wasted no time. "Rhydon, use Bulldoze!"

Rhydon stomped the ground with incredible force, causing a shockwave to ripple across the battlefield. The sheer power of the attack sent debris flying as it raced toward Charmeleon.

"Jump and counter with Dragon Rage!" Red commanded.

Charmeleon leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the full impact of Bulldoze. As it reached the peak of its jump, Charmeleon opened its mouth and unleashed a swirling vortex of blue flames toward Rhydon.

The attack struck head-on, causing Rhydon to stagger slightly. However, the powerful Ground-type Pokémon remained standing, shaking off the damage with a fierce growl.

Flint chuckled. "Not bad, but not enough. Rhydon, use Rock Blast!"

Rhydon gathered energy and launched a barrage of large boulders at Charmeleon.

"Charmeleon, use Metal Claw to break through the rocks!"

Charmeleon's claws glowed with metallic energy as it slashed through the incoming boulders, shattering them mid-air. However, one rock managed to slip past and struck Charmeleon, sending it skidding backward.

"Charmeleon! Are you okay?" Red called out.

Charmeleon gritted its teeth, shaking off the impact before standing firm once more.

Red smiled. "That's the spirit! Now let's turn this around. Charmeleon, use Smokescreen!"

A thick cloud of black smoke enveloped the battlefield, reducing visibility for Rhydon.

"Trying to obscure my vision, huh? Clever, but it won't work. Rhydon, use Bulldoze again!"

The ground shook violently as Rhydon stomped down. However, within the smoke, Charmeleon had already repositioned itself.

"Now! Jump and use Dragon Claw!"

Bursting out from the smokescreen, Charmeleon's claws shone with a brilliant blue glow as it struck Rhydon's side with incredible force.

Rhydon roared in pain, stumbling before finally collapsing to the ground.

The battlefield fell silent.

Flint sighed, then smiled. "I must say, that was an impressive battle. You've more than earned your Boulder Badge. Congratulations, Red."

Red grinned as he took a deep breath, feeling a surge of pride. His first gym victory was just the beginning.

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