Chapter 242: Pokémon Battles Are a Coward's Game
Whoosh!
A swirling wall of fire erupted from Arcanine's mouth, encircling Onix.
The flames licked at Onix's rocky body, heating the stones that made up its frame.
Yet, obeying its trainer's command, Onix paid no mind to the burning sensation and slammed the ground with full force — triggering Earthquake.
The battlefield trembled violently. Cracks spidered out from Onix's position, rapidly spreading toward Arcanine.
Seeing this, Gary's mind flashed back to a special training session at Saffron City's headquarters.
Back then, he had just lost a sparring match to a Gyarados and couldn't help but ask Asahi: "What should I do if I face a massive Pokémon like Gyarados in the Indigo League?"
Asahi didn't answer right away — he simply gave a small gesture.
In the blink of an eye, Gary felt a sharp sting on the back of his head — Eevee had darted behind him and swiped him before he could react.
Clutching his head, Gary asked, "Wait… are you telling me to rely on sneak attacks?"
Asahi had given him a look of pure exasperation. "No, you idiot — I'm telling you to use their blind spots! Exploit their lack of agility!"
Back on the battlefield, Gary snapped back to reality.
Seeing Earthquake tearing through the ground, Gary sharply commanded: "Arcanine — Extreme Speed, circle behind it!"
Bathed in a burst of light, Arcanine dashed with blinding speed, weaving through the cracks in the battlefield. It darted around the edge of the Fire Spin and evaded the core of Earthquake's destruction — swiftly closing the distance behind Onix.
The roaring flames, combined with Arcanine's blinding speed, obscured Onix's vision. Before Onix could adjust, Arcanine had already reached its blind spot.
"Onix, watch out!" AJ shouted.
Realizing the danger, Onix lashed its tail out wildly in an attempt to strike Arcanine.
However, Gary's Arcanine — with its high speed and agility — dodged with ease, weaving through the attacks while launching bursts of Flamethrower.
Though Onix had a high resistance to Fire-type moves, the combined pressure of the swirling Fire Spin and repeated Flamethrower gradually wore it down. Cracks began to form on Onix's rocky surface.
Onix roared in pain.
"What a clever strategy! Arcanine is using Fire Spin as cover while playing a hit-and-run game with Onix! Although Earthquake landed, Gary clearly minimized the damage. This was a calculated risk!" the commentator explained passionately.
AJ quickly realized the danger. "Onix — Dig!"
Unable to withstand the flames any longer, Onix burrowed into the ground with startling speed.
A deep rumble echoed through the stadium as Onix disappeared beneath the surface.
"Looks like AJ's Onix is using Dig to escape Arcanine's relentless assault. It seems Gary's fast attacks have backed Onix into a corner…"
"But now — how will Gary respond to an underground attack?"
How would he respond?
Gary smirked. I'm not a Pewter City Gym Leader for nothing.
"Arcanine — Bulldoze!"
Following Gary's command, Arcanine leapt high into the air and crashed down with tremendous force. The shockwaves rippled across the battlefield, shaking the ground and sending vibrations deep into the soil.
A muffled, agonized roar echoed from beneath — Onix had taken a direct hit underground.
Yet, the attack wasn't enough to knock it out — Onix's defense was no joke.
Before Arcanine could strike again, the ground trembled even more violently.
Having endured Bulldoze, Onix was now tunneling upward at full speed.
Gary's experience at the Pewter Gym immediately kicked in. The intensity of the tremors told him exactly how far Onix was from the surface.
Just like Asahi had taught him — read the ground.
He quickly calculated Onix's position and timing.
"Now — Arcanine, jump!"
At Gary's command, Arcanine sprang into the air.
The moment Arcanine ascended, Onix's head burst from the ground, narrowly missing its target.
"An incredible read! Gary perfectly predicted Onix's attack and timed Arcanine's dodge to avoid the counterstrike!"
AJ's eyes widened. His plan to ambush Arcanine had completely failed.
But he wasn't done yet. "Onix — Stone Edge!"
Shards of rock erupted from the ground, flying toward the airborne Arcanine.
Gary hadn't expected a follow-up move this fast.
So the finals really aren't going to be easy…
With no way to dodge midair, Arcanine braced itself as the sharp stones struck its body.
The crowd gasped as Arcanine winced in pain.
But Gary's mind flashed with Asahi's voice again:
"Pokémon battles aren't like online battles — they're a coward's game. When it comes down to it, the boldest trainer wins."
Gritting his teeth, Gary made a bold call.
"Arcanine — take the hit! Then use Reversal!"
Even as the rocks slammed into its body, Arcanine's eyes gleamed with fiery resolve. Its injuries fueled its power, and its body flared with a brilliant glow.
Harnessing the pain from Stone Edge, Arcanine dove down at Onix with blinding speed — its attack strength now amplified.
Reversal — a Fighting-type move that grows stronger the lower the user's health is.
At that moment, Arcanine's Reversal reached its peak.
With a devastating strike, Arcanine's paw slammed into Onix's head.
BAM!
To the shock of everyone watching — despite Onix's enormous size — the sheer force of Arcanine's attack sent Onix's head reeling to the side.
The ground quaked as Onix's massive form collapsed, its head crashing into the dirt — motionless.
"Onix!" AJ called out, but Onix didn't respond.
Standing atop Onix's defeated form, Arcanine lifted its head proudly, battered but victorious.
"Onix is unable to battle — Arcanine wins!"
The referee's voice echoed across the stadium.
"What an intense match! In a critical moment, Gary used Arcanine's Reversal to overpower Onix — securing his second win!"
A smile crept onto Gary's face.
This time, he didn't bother flipping his hair.
Instead, he glanced toward the VIP seating area — toward Asahi.
Asahi, having witnessed everything, gave a slight wave. A flicker of pride shone in his eyes.
Gary's grown a lot…