"Good work, Bronzor."
Recalling Bronzor into its Poké Ball, Byron raised his shovel high, his blood boiling with excitement.
"It's been so long since I had a real Gym Battle! Facing your Drapion is the perfect challenge!"
"Come on out, Steelix!"
"Roooooar!"
A massive Steelix slowly lifted its head, locking eyes with Drapion.
"Drapion, Pin Missile!"
Drapion raised both of its massive pincers like twin cannons. The next instant, a barrage of glowing green needles shot toward Steelix.
At the same time, Drapion's tail remained idle, once again activating Hone Claws to further enhance its power.
"Bring it on! Use Iron Defense!" Byron commanded.
"Rooar!"
Steelix stood its ground without flinching, its metallic body glowing white as its defenses sharply increased.
BOOM!
Just as Iron Defense activated, the Pin Missile attack rained down, landing multiple hits and dealing some damage.
"Keep attacking!"
Paul's strategy was simple—if the opponent refused to dodge, then he would just keep attacking and see how long Steelix could endure.
Drapion understood Paul's intent. It continuously fired wave after wave of Pin Missile, maximizing the damage it could inflict.
"Steelix, show them what true grit means! Use Heavy Slam!"
"Roooar!"
Ignoring the relentless barrage of Pin Missile, Steelix's body gleamed with a metallic sheen as it charged toward Drapion with unstoppable force.
At that precise moment, Drapion's second Hone Claws boost succeeded, significantly increasing its Speed!
"Dodge!"
With its newfound agility, Drapion swiftly leaped onto a nearby rock, narrowly avoiding Steelix's attack.
Using the stone as a foothold, Drapion launched itself into the air, dodging Heavy Slam while positioning itself directly above Steelix.
"Iron Tail!"
"Iron Tail!"
Paul and Byron shouted their commands simultaneously.
"Rooar!"
"Raaah?"
Steelix aborted its Heavy Slam and swiftly flipped over, swinging its tail—now glowing with metallic energy—straight at the airborne Drapion.
At the same time, Drapion whipped its own tail, striking Steelix head-on.
BOOM!
The two Iron Tail attacks clashed, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
After a brief struggle, Drapion, with the advantage of its earlier Hone Claws boost, overpowered Steelix, knocking its tail backward.
Capitalizing on the opening, Drapion delivered a direct Iron Tail strike to Steelix's body.
"Fire Fang!"
Having evolved, Drapion had not only mastered Iron Tail but also Fire Fang and Ice Fang!
At that moment, flames surged through Drapion's body, igniting its three pincers and fangs. With a crushing bite, it unleashed all four Fire Fang attacks simultaneously on Steelix!
Super effective!
"Rooaaar!"
Even with Iron Defense, Steelix couldn't withstand the devastating hit and let out a pained roar.
"Steelix, Screech!"
Despite its agony, Steelix lifted its head and let out an ear-splitting soundwave.
Though Screech wasn't a damaging move, its sheer intensity was overwhelming. Drapion grimaced in pain, its body shaking as it was forcefully pushed backward, eventually falling off Steelix's body.
Its Defense sharply dropped!
"Bind!"
Seizing the opportunity, Byron shouted his command.
Steelix swiftly extended its tail, coiling around the falling Drapion and squeezing it tightly.
Drapion struggled to break free, but with its both claws restrained, it couldn't leverage its strength effectively.
If it were any other Pokémon, Steelix might have worried about being poisoned. But against Drapion, a fellow Poison-type, there was no such concern.
Still… could Steelix really hold it down?
Most Pokémon would be helpless in this situation, but Drapion was no ordinary opponent!
Steelix had barely managed to trap its claws—its tail and fangs were still free!
"It's useless! Fire Fang, Hyper Voice!"
Paul remained unfazed.
The tip of Drapion's tail flared up with fire and struck Steelix's coils directly.
At the same time, Drapion bellowed, sending dark shockwaves from Hyper Voice crashing into Steelix.
Both attacks landed, sending Steelix tumbling to the ground with a loud crash.
"Steelix is unable to battle! The victory goes to Paul!"
The referee made the call.
"You did great, Steelix."
Byron recalled Steelix into its Poké Ball before grabbing another from his belt.
"You actually broke through my Steelix's defenses… But my Bastiodon will block every attack you throw at it! Go!"
"Yaaah!"
With its thick, fortress-like head and sturdy limbs, Bastiodon appeared on the battlefield.
It may have looked slow, but standing behind it inspired a deep sense of security.
"Drapion, return."
Recalling Drapion, Paul took out a new Poké Ball and tossed it onto the field.
"Ursaring, you're up!"
"Ursaaaa!"
With a thunderous roar, Ursaring emerged, towering over Bastiodon with a menacing grin.
"Yaaah?"
Seeing the massive bear, Bastiodon hesitated for a brief moment.
"Hah! Just because your Ursaring is big doesn't mean it can break through my Bastiodon's defense!"
Byron was confident. His Pokémon's defensive power was unmatched!
"Ursaring, Guts—Full Power!"
The moment Paul spoke, flames ignited around Ursaring's body. Its eyes glowed red.
In an instant, it became burned—activating its Guts Ability and dramatically boosting its Attack!
At the same time, it activated Facade, using the burn as fuel to unleash devastating power.
Like an unstoppable truck, Ursaring charged straight at Bastiodon!
"Bastiodon, Iron Defense! Hold your ground!"
Byron wasn't backing down.
Bastiodon stomped forward, its body glowing blue as its Defense soared.
In the blink of an eye, the two heavyweight Pokémon clashed head-on.
In terms of raw strength, Ursaring far surpassed Bastiodon. However, when it came to defense, the roles were reversed.
Yet, despite Bastiodon using all its might to resist, Ursaring's sheer power forced it backward upon impact.
"Hold your ground, Bastiodon! Stay strong—stay strong!"
Byron's shouts reached Bastiodon's ears, and it quickly rallied, unleashing an even greater burst of strength to stop its backward slide. It barely managed to hold Ursaring at bay.
"Just like that—use Hammer Arm!"
Suddenly, Ursaring withdrew its force, raising its massive arms high. In an instant, it bypassed Bastiodon's strongest defense—the front of its head—and swung Hammer Arm straight at its exposed back!
Bastiodon barely had time to react before Ursaring's devastating blow landed.
A surge of pain accompanied by overwhelming force crashed over Bastiodon. The Pokémon, resembling an impenetrable fortress, was struck down, collapsing onto the ground in an awkward posture.
"Keep going—Hammer Arm!"
Paul's cold voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Ursaaaa!"
Ursaring lifted both of its powerful arms once again. They gleamed with white light as it prepared to bring them down on Bastiodon once more.
"Bastiodon, use Metal Sound—quick!"
At that moment, Byron repeated the same tactic he had used earlier with Steelix. He aimed to disrupt Ursaring, catching it off guard and turning the tide of battle.
Bastiodon's Metal Sound activated instantly, sending piercing soundwaves straight toward Ursaring.
However, Ursaring, in its Guts-fueled state, was already on the edge of frenzy. Instead of halting its attack, the painful sound only enraged it further.
Fueled by fury, the impact of Hammer Arm intensified even more.
BOOM!
A deafening crash shook the battlefield as Bastiodon was sent flying from the sheer force of the attack. It landed harshly on the ground, looking battered and exhausted.
There was no doubt—Bastiodon's boosted Iron Defense had made it incredibly tanky. Even after taking two consecutive Hammer Arm attacks head-on, it had not yet lost the ability to battle.
"Stand up, Bastiodon!"
Byron shouted, his voice filled with determination.
"Rrrrhh!"
Feeling the will of its Trainer, Bastiodon struggled to lift itself, attempting to rise once more.
Seeing this resolute display, even Paul's gaze flickered with a slight change in expression.
Then, in a cold tone, he commanded:
"Ursaring—Earthquake!"
"Ursaaaa!"
Ursaring showed no mercy. It raised its foot and stomped down forcefully, sending powerful shockwaves rippling across the battlefield.
The ground trembled violently. A surge of energy spread rapidly, directly targeting Bastiodon's already weakened state.
Amidst the violent shaking, Bastiodon finally collapsed completely, losing all ability to battle.
"Bastiodon is unable to battle—Ursaring wins!"
"The winner of this Gym Battle is Paul!"
The referee officially declared the result.
"You did great. Next time, focus on attacking weaker defensive spots. Return."
Paul gave Ursaring a slight nod before recalling it into its Poké Ball.
To be honest, Paul never liked Gym Leaders with styles similar to Byron's or Crasher Wake's—trainers who prioritized brute force over strategy. Too often, they would stubbornly refuse to dodge or counter, choosing instead to endure attacks head-on.
Even though such battles allowed him to win easily, they rarely provided him with any valuable experience.
"Kid, your Pokémon is truly impressive. Here—this Mine Badge is yours!"
Byron, resting his shovel on his shoulder, stepped forward and handed Paul the badge.
"Thanks."
Paul accepted the badge and gave a small nod of acknowledgment. He wanted to say something else but, upon noticing Byron's massive shovel, he silently turned around and left.
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