Pokémon Adventures: GAMER PATH Chapter 522 522: Steel Gym Battle (1)

~Third POV~

[Sinnoh Region, Canalave City – Gym]

Byron grunted as he grasped his Poke Balls, explaining the rules, "A full six-on-six. No holds barred. My steel will not bend!"

Azure countered, grasping his lead for the battle, "Then I'll have to lt it! Gastrodon, front and center!"

*POP*

With a flash of light, the Shiny East Sea Gastrodon appeared. Its teal and green skin shimred with an iridescent sheen, and its eyes were calm—the eyes of a veteran holding its item [Rocky Helt].

Byron roared, "Skarmory! Take to the skies and hold the line!"

*POP*

The Armor Bird Pokémon erged with a tallic screech, its wings like jagged razors. It hovered over the field, the [Leftovers] tucked into its harness, ensuring its longevity. The statue referee announced, "Battle begins!"

Byron commanded, "Skarmory, go! Quick Attack!"

*Fwp*

Skarmory beca a silver blur, its wings tucked tight as it plumted toward the ground… and then slamd into Gastrodon!

*SH-SH-SH-SH-BOOM*

The impact was heavy, but Gastrodon didn't flinch. The [Rocky Helt] on its head glowed, and Skarmory recoiled with a pained tallic groan as the jagged spikes of the helt bit back. Azure commanded, "Muddy Water, Agile Style!"

*SPLASH*

Gastrodon didn't just fire a blast of water. It began to spin its head in a wide, rhythmic circle, drawing the moisture from the air and churning the mud from the arena's floor. A swirling vortex of brown, churning liquid rose, surrounding Gastrodon like a fortress of water. Pearl leaned forward, his eyes wide, "What is that? It looks like... a shield?"

Platinum whispered, her academic mind racing, "It's his Counter Shield. He's using an offensive move to create a defensive periter. Incredible."

*Fwp*

Skarmory tried to pull away, but the swirling Muddy Water clipped its wings, gunking up its joints and slowing it down as it screeched, "Skaaa! (Co and fight !)."

Byron shouted, "Don't let it pin you! Aerial Ace!"

*ZOOOOM*

Skarmory banked hard, its body glowing with white energy as it bypassed the shield's turbulence, aiming for a precision strike. But Azure grinned, expecting this as he commanded, "Body Slam!"

As Skarmory dove, Gastrodon did sothing no one expected. It used its soft, malleable body to spring upward like a massive piece of rubber. It t Skarmory mid-air, absorbing the impact and then wrapping its heavy body around the bird.

*THUD*

The two crashed to the floor, Gastrodon pinning Skarmory firmly under its weight. Azure seized the mont and commanded, "Now, Water Pulse! Strong Style!

*Sh-hhh-hhh*

Gastrodon opened its mouth and fired a dense sphere of oscillating water straight into the air. Byron commanded desperately, "Magnet Bomb! Lift off!"

*BOOOM*

Skarmory chirped a frantic command to the tallic minerals in the ground. The arena floor vibrated, and the magnetic pull yanked Skarmory upward just as Gastrodon rolled away!

*Wooosh*

The Water Pulse, reaching terminal velocity as it fell back down, missed by a fraction of an inch. Gengar comnted from the booth, munching on a handful of popcorn, "The dodge was a 9.5, but the landing was a bit rusty

Rotom added mischievously, "Skarmory is back in the air, but for how long?!"

Azure didn't miss a beat, "Whirlpool!"

*WHIRLLLL*

The water that had missed Skarmory pooled on the floor, and under Azure's command, it began to spiral with violent force. The centrifugal pull acted like a vacuum, dragging the low-flying Skarmory down into its maw.

*CRASH*

Skarmory hit the water and was bogged down. Azure grinned as he commanded, "Close it out. Body Slam into Earth Power!"

*BOOOM*

Azure pointed downward. Gastrodon launched its body, slamming down on Skarmory, pinning it to the ground. With Skarmory pinned, Gastrodon has no worries of landing its Ground-type moves now that it lost flight…

*KRA-BOOOM*

The iron floor beneath the Whirlpool began to glow with a molten orange radiance. A pillar of terrestrial energy erupted upward, shattering the whirlpool and sending Skarmory reeling into the air with its steel armor cracked!

*THUD*

Skarmory's eyes spiraled. It slumped to the floor and fainted as the statue referee declared, "Skarmory is unable to battle! Gastrodon wins!"

Pearl cheered, "One down! That was textbook!"

Byron recalled his Pokémon, his face unreadable. But grabbed another Poke Ball as he grinned, comnting, "Good. You've got flow, kid. But can you handle a mountain? Bastiodon, to the front! Wall up!"

*POP*

The massive Shield Pokémon appeared, its face like a prehistoric fortress. A small, translucent [Air Balloon] was tied to its back, lifting its heavy feet off the ground—negating its primary weakness to Ground-type moves.

At the sa ti, Azure recalled Gastrodon, praising it while grabbing his next Pokémon for this battle, "You did great, Gastrodon. Take a rest. Rhyhorn, your turn. Let's show them what an Alpha can do!"

*POP*

*THUD*

The Alpha Rhyhorn erged, easily twice the size of a standard one. Its skin was like weathered stone, and its eyes burned with a primal intensity, with its held item [Leftovers] prepared for the long haul.

Azure commanded, "Rhyhorn, Counter!"

*Shiii*

Rhyhorn let out a low roar, its body shimring with a faint orange aura, "Rhyyyy!! (Hmph! Co and fight !!)"

It took a braced stance, entering a state of hyper-reflexive readiness. In this mode, any physical blow would be t with an instantaneous retaliation. Byron laughed, "A defensive posture? Against my Bastiodon? Rock Polish! Get your speed up!"

*FLASH*

Bastiodon began to glow, its tallic hide becoming slick and reflective as it started to move with surprising grace for its size. Azure grinned, commanding, "Fine, we'll go to you! Drill Run, Strong Style!"

*ZOOOM*

Rhyhorn lunged forward, the horn on its head spinning so fast it humd like a jet engine. Byron countered, "Iron Defense!"

*CLANG*

The two collided with a sound like a car crash. Bastiodon didn't budge, its face acting as an immovable buckler against the drill, and in doing so, from the force behind the attacks colliding…

*BOBBLE*

… The [Air Balloon] bobbed, keeping it floating just out of reach of any tremors. Byron ordered, "Flathrower!"

*HISSSS*

A stream of searing fire erupted from Bastiodon's mouth.

Rhyhorn didn't move. It took the flas head-on, its Rock Headability providing a ntal fortitude that allowed it to ignore the pain...

*ZOOOM*

It charged through the fire, its horn still spinning. Azure yelled, "Dragon Rush!"

Rhyhorn was swathed in a blue, draconic energy, taking the shape of a roaring beast. It slamd into Bastiodon.

*CLANG*

Byron grinned and ordered, "Iron Head!"

Bastiodon leaned into the hit, slamming its massive forehead into Rhyhorn's snout!

*CLANG*

But that was what Azure wanted. The mont the physical contact was made, Rhyhorn's Counter status triggered!

*HISSSS*

Without a command, Rhyhorn's muscles coiled and snapped back, releasing a point-blank Flathrower of its own that blasted right into Bastiodon's face!

Byron shouted, "What?! An automatic response?"

Azure grinned, seizing the opportunity, and shouted, "It's not just an attack, Byron. It's a consequence! Again! Flathrower!"

*HISSSS*

Rhyhorn exhaled another blast of heat, while Byron ordered, "Bastiodon, counter with Flash Cannon!"

*BOOOM*

The two beams t in the center of the arena, white light clashing against orange fla. The explosion was deafening, smoke billowing across the field.

*POP*

… When it cleared, Bastiodon was still standing, but the [Air Balloon] had popped. Its feet were now firmly on the ground.

Rhyhorn was panting, its body covered in soot and scrapes, but then…

[LEVEL UP: LV. 42]

Suddenly, a digital chi echoed in Azure's head. Above the arena, the holographic display showed Rhyhorn's experience bar slamming into the end of the ter as he grinned, 'Perfect! Just the right ti!'

Rhyhorn threw its head back and let out a roar that shook the very foundation of the building, "RHYYYYYY!!!"

*FLASH*

A blinding white light enveloped it. Its body began to stretch, its hind legs growing longer and more muscular. It stood upright, its front paws transforming into claws. Its horn grew longer, more serrated.

Pearl scread, jumping to his feet, "He's evolving!"

Platinum watched, her eyes shimring with fascination, "Now? In the middle of the match?"

The light shattered into a thousand sparks, revealing a towering, bipedal Rhydon. It pounded its chest, the sound echoing like a war drum, "RHYYYYDON!!! (Hmph! You done fucked now, Dino!)"

[NEW MOVES LEARNED: EARTHQUAKE, HORN DRILL, HAMR ARM (IM)!]

Azure grinned as he saw the new moves that Rhydon learned. Gengar was frantically waving a '10/10' sign. Rotom yelled into the mic, "Azure's Rhyhorn has evolved into Rhydon! This battle just got a whole lot heavier!"

Azure's voice was like thunder as he commanded, "Byron! The air is gone! You're on my turf now! Rhydon, Earthquake!"

*RMBL*

Rhydon lifted its massive foot and slamd it down. The entire Gym groaned. The iron floor buckled as a massive shockwave traveled through the tal, turning the very structure against Bastiodon.

*BOING*

Because it was no longer floating, Bastiodon took the full brunt of the 4x effective move. The Shield Pokémon was tossed into the air like a toy, its massive defense unable to mitigate the internal vibration of the tectonic strike.

Azure ordered, "Finish it! Horn Drill!"

Rhydon's horn began to spin with a terrifying, high-pitched whine. It caught Bastiodon as it fell, the point of the drill concentrating all Rhydon's staggering power into a single, infinitesimal point.

*VREEEEEEEEEEEEE—BANG*

A shockwave of air blasted the spectators. When the dust settled, Bastiodon lay on its back, its eyes swirling. Rhydon stood over it, its horn slowly coming to a halt as smoke drifted from the tip. The statue referee announced, "Bastiodon is unable to battle! Rhydon wins!"

The gym fell silent for a heartbeat before Pearl and Dia let out a deafening cheer. Pikachu sparked his cheeks in triumph, and even the Pichu (w) from the stands did a little sorsault. Byron stood in the aftermath, his coat singed and his shovel trembling slightly in his hand. He looked at the fallen Bastiodon, then at the towering Rhydon, and finally at Azure.

A slow, booming laugh began to build in his chest exclaid, "Hah... Hahaha! I haven't been pushed like that since... well, since I decided to dig my first hole! You didn't just move the cliff, boy. You brought the whole mountain down!"

Byron recalled Bastiodon, his eyes flashing with a renewed, fiercer light. He reached for a third Poke Ball, his thumb brushing against the Key Stone on his shovel as he declared, "But don't think for a second I'm out of materials! That was just the foundation. Now... let's see how you handle the superstructure!"

Azure wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, a grin mirroring Byron's appearing on his face, and replied excitedly, "Bring it on, Byron. I've got four more ready to go."

Rotom buzzed excitedly, comnting, "Byron's taken two hits to the chin, folks! Skarmory, then Bastiodon! That Bastiodon sure put up a fight, though, hats off! And Azure's Rhydon? Talk about a growth spurt mid-bout!"

Gengar corrected, adjusting an imaginary monocle, "Mid-brawl. That's what we call a power spike, dear Rotom. A very opportune power spike, if I do say so myself. Though I do believe Boss should give that big lug a rest."

As if on cue, Azure recalled Rhydon with a proud smile, praising him, "Excellent work, old friend. You've earned a breather."

The tired, but proud Pokémon returned to its ball with a flash of red light. Byron, seizing the free turn, clicked another Poké Ball into place and declared, "Alright, Magnezone! Ti for so magnetic mayhem!"

*POP*

With an audible thrum, a large, tallic Pokémon comprised of three units connected by magnetic force materialized on the field. Magnezone, its red and blue magnets humming, floated effortlessly, a faint, almost invisible [Air Balloon]shimring beneath its central body. Byron didn't waste a second ordering, "Magnezone, Magnet Rise!"

*Zzzzt*

The air around Magnezone distorted slightly as it began to ascend, its connection to the ground severed by magnetic force, making it immune to any ground-type attacks. Rotom observed, zipping closer to the action, "Oh, a free turn for the Gym Leader! Strategically sound, Byron, strategically sound!"

Gengar, however, rely scoffed as she comnted dismissively, "Please, as if Boss doesn't have a counter for everything. It's practically in his blood at this point. Prepare for the dance, boys and girls."

Azure, a faint smile playing on his lips, chose his next fighter and declared in a confident tone, "Liligant, ti to shine!"

*POP*

With a graceful pop, a Hisuian Liligant appeared, its vibrant, multi-layered petals swaying gently. Unlike its Unovan counterpart, this Liligant possessed a fiery, almost flanco-dancer-like elegance, its green-and-white form exuding a vibrant yet fierce energy. A subtle gleam around its eye revealed its held item: a [Zoom Lens], ready to compensate for the slight inaccuracy granted by its own ability.

H-Liligant's ability Hustle ant its physical attacks would hit harder, but with a slight dip in accuracy. The [Zoom Lens], however, ensured that if H-Liligant moved after its opponent, its accuracy would be restored to a perfect 100%.

Given Azure's specific training, H-Liligant often moved first, but not always, making the [Zoom Lens] a vital safeguard for critical hits. Rotom announced, "H-Liligant, our first Grass/Fighting type of the match! And look at that [Zoom Lens]! Smart play by Boss, countering the Hustle ability!"

Gengar drawled, comnting in a sagely tone, "Indeed, though the true counter for Hustle, in Boss's book, is sheer, unadulterated speed and overwhelming power. The [Zoom Lens] is rely a safety net for those rare monts of… sub-optimal performance."

Azure, ignoring the comntary, t Byron's gaze and declared, "Liligant, let's begin our performance! Victory Dance!"

*Wooosh*

With a flourish that captivated the audience, H-Liligant began to move. Its petals swirled, its lithe form twisting and turning in a captivating display of natural rhythm. Each step, each spin, was imbued with calculated energy, raising its spirit and physical prowess.

*Flash*

A visible aura pulsed around it, signifying a boost in its Attack, Defense, and Speed by 1 Stage. Byron's eyes widened slightly as he roared, "A stat-booster right off the bat! Not on my watch! Magnezone, Gravity!"

*THUMP*

Magnezone's magnets pulsed, and a heavy, unseen force descended upon the arena. The very air seed to thicken, pressing down on everything. The ground-bound Pokémon on the sidelines subtly sagged, feeling the increased gravitational pull.

The statue's referee seed to sink infinitesimally deeper into its pedestal. Pearl exclaid, leaning forward, "Gravity! That'll stop H-Liligant right in its tracks!"

Platinum nodded, her brow furrowed, "Indeed. Gravity severely reduces the jumping ability of Pokémon and forces any levitating or flying Pokémon to the ground. H-Liligant's dancing will be severely hampered, if not impossible."

Dia, however, rely continued to chew his Poffin, a small, knowing smile on his face. Pikachu, Eevee, and Pichu exchanged knowing glances.

But then, to Byron's utter shock, H-Liligant didn't falter. Not even for a mont. It continued its dance, its movents as fluid and unburdened as before. Its vibrant green leaves rustled, its leg kicks were as high, its spins as free.

It was as if Byron's Gravity had no effect whatsoever. Byron stamred, his confident expression replaced by genuine bewildernt, "What… how?!"

Azure and the Sinnoh Dex Holders shared a knowing grin. Gengar chuckled, a low, satisfied rumble, "Ah, there it is… The look of pure, unadulterated confusion."

Azure's voice carried clearly across the arena, "Byron, my Pokémon are trained under conditions far more rigorous than standard Gravity. What you use to shut down others only makes mine stronger and faster when the effects wear off. It's a fundantal part of their growth!"

Before Byron could fully process this revelation, Azure pressed his advantage, "H-Liligant, Teeter Dance!"

*Swirllll*

With another srizing swirl, H-Liligant perford a dizzying, disorienting dance. Waves of confusion emanated from its movents, washing over Magnezone. The Magnet Area Pokémon, already struggling with the unexpected failure of Gravity, suddenly found its senses muddled.

Its magnetic fields flickered erratically, and it began to wobble precariously. Rotom humd, "Oh dear, Magnezone is… confused! It hit itself in the confusion! No, wait, it's just wobbling! The confusion is strong with this one!"Gengar slapped a spectral hand to its forehead and uttered, "Amateur hour, Rotom. It's internal confusion. Magnezone is physically disoriented, unable to focus its powerful magnetic mind."

H-Liligant, unfazed and now fueled by the psychological advantage, continued to build its power. Azure commanded, "Now, Quiver Dance!"

*Swirllll*

The Hisuian Liligant's dance intensified, its movents becoming faster, more graceful, and imbued with a mystical energy. Its petals glowed, and a surge of power coursed through its form, boosting its Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed even further by 1 Stage. It was a whirlwind of rhythmic power.

Byron's worry lines deepened as he commanded, "It's stacking stat boosts! Magnezone, shake it off! Use Thunder Wave!"

Magnezone tried. Its central eye unit glowed, attempting to unleash an electric current, but its internal confusion proved too great.

*Smack*

Instead of striking H-Liligant, a jolt of electricity arced into itself, causing the tallic Pokémon to shudder violently. Pearl cheered, punching the air, "Strike one for confusion condition!"

Platinum observed, a hint of amusent in her voice, "It would appear Byron's Pokémon are not accustod to such… bewildering performances."

Azure, seeing his opening, seized the mont, finally instructed an attack, "H-Liligant, Strong Style Rock Smash!"

*ZOOOM*

With a burst of surprising speed for a 'Strong Style' move, H-Liligant darted forward. Its elegant foot transford into a hardened, rock-solid weapon, imbued with imnse force. It swung, a powerful, axe-like kick, delivering a devastating blow directly to Magnezone's central body...

*CLANG*

*POP*

A loud CLANG echoed through the arena, followed by a lighter POP as Magnezone's [Air Balloon], unable to withstand the impact, burst and deflated, sending the tallic Pokémon thudding heavily to the ground.

A visible dent marred Magnezone's otherwise pristine tallic shell. Rotom squeaked, "Ooh, that's gotta hurt! And there goes the Air Balloon! Magnezone is grounded, literally!"

Gengar purred, clearly enjoying the spectacle, "Finally, so real damage! And Magnezone is no longer floating around like a misplaced hubcap."

The impact seed to montarily jolt Magnezone out of its confusion. Its lights stabilized, and it glared at H-Liligant with renewed focus.

It had broken free. But Azure was already one step ahead as he followed up, "Perfect! Follow up with Drain Punch!"

H-Liligant, its montum unbroken, clenched one of its dancing hands into a fist, energy swirling around it, ready to deliver a powerful, life-draining blow. Byron, reacting quickly, barked, "Protect!"

*CLANG*

Just as H-Liligant's fist ca within inches of Magnezone, a shimring, green barrier of energy materialized around the Steel/Electric type, absorbing the impact of the Drain Punch.

Rotom buzzed, "Protect! Excellent call, Byron! A defensive save!"

Gengar countered, "A reprieve, but our dancer isn't finished yet!"

Indeed, H-Liligant, instead of retreating, subtly shifted its weight. The 'Drain Punch' was blocked, but it was rely a setup. With incredible agility, it followed up with an instant, powerful move, reeling its leg back…

Azure commanded, "Now, Axe Kick!"

*BOOOOM*

Before Magnezone could recover from the Protect, H-Liligant launched itself upwards, delivering a powerful, mid-air spinning kick right to Magnezone's underside. The force was imnse, sending the heavy Pokémon sprawling and tossing it flying across the arena, skidding on its tallic body before coming to a stop near the edge of the field, its magnets sparking.

Pearl exclaid, wide-eyed, "That's what we call a combo, folks!"

Platinum comnted, impressed, "The physical prowess of H-Liligant is truly remarkable. A Grass-type with such powerful fighting moves is rare."

Byron, picking himself up, frowned. He roared, determined to retaliate, "Magnezone, Tri Attack!"

*SHEEEEE*

Magnezone, now fully lucid, focused its three eye units. Purple, blue, and orange energy began to gather, swirling into a chaotic, multi-elental orb, ready to be unleashed. Azure, however, rely offered a sly grin and ordered, "Liligant, Magical Leaf!"

Pearl blinked as he uttered, confused, "Magical Leaf? But... Tri Attack is going to be stronger, isn't it?!"

Gengar chuckled as she explained, "Ah, my dear Pearl, you underestimate Boss's flair for the dramatic… and the effective."

H-Liligant, infused with its earlier speed boosts, moved with blinding swiftness. It didn't send out a barrage of leaves as a standard Magical Leaf would. Instead, with a flick of its wrist and an almost imperceptible kick, it summoned only one leaf. This single, erald projectile pulsed with an intense, concentrated energy, shimring with an otherworldly glow…

Azure, having fine-tuned its abilities, had taught H-Liligant a unique technique: the Sky-Mach-One-and-Only Attack. It was a technique designed to ensure maximum velocity and pinpoint accuracy, sacrificing quantity for unparalleled speed and impact.

Azure had trained his Pokémon to launch a singular, focused attack from moves that normally release many, granting it manifold the speed a normal move of its type would travel. It was so fast, it reached its target near-instantly, often before Azure could even finish his attack order.

*Wheeeeee*

A low, whistling sound, barely perceptible, preceded the leaf's arrival. Magnezone, still charging its Tri Attack, its lights blazing, looked up just as the compressed, super-fast Magical Leaf struck with the force of a bullet.

*BOOM*

The impact was shockingly loud, reverberating through the entire gym. Magnezone's Tri Attack, still forming, dissipated into nothingness as the powerful leaf tore through its magnetic fields. The tallic Pokémon staggered, its body oscillating violently from the kinetic energy of the blow. The Sky-Mach-One-and-Only Attack had not only been faster, but it had also nullified Magnezone's offensive. But H-Liligant wasn't finished…

*ZOOOM*

After launching the impossibly fast leaf, it lunged forward, following its own projectile with unbelievable speed, closing the distance between itself and the reeling Magnezone in a blink. It was too close, too fast.

Byron, seeing the overwhelming pressure and a wild, desperate glint in Magnezone's rapidly dimming eye, knew this was their last stand and commanded, "Magnezone! All or nothing! Explosion!"

Magnezone's tallic body began to glow with an intense, unstable light. Its three eye-units flared incandescently, signifying a self-destructive, but incredibly powerful, final attack. Rotom shrieked, fear creeping into its electronic voice, "Magnezone is using Explosion! H-Liligant is too close! It's going to be caught in the blast!"

Gengar, for once, was silent, its eyes wide as it watched the impending detonation. H-Liligant, having delivered its devastating Magical Leaf and rushed in, was indeed trapped. The light from Magnezone intensified, expanding rapidly.

*KRA-KOOM*

A blinding flash, followed by a deafening roar, ripped through the arena. A massive cloud of smoke and debris erupted from Magnezone's position, engulfing H-Liligant. The force of the explosion shook the very foundations of the gym, rattling the spectator stands.

Pikachu, Eevee, and Pichu (w) cried out in alarm. Platinum gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Pearl and Dia stared, stunned, at the swirling vortex of smoke.

As the dust slowly began to settle, revealing the mangled, sparking remains of Magnezone, which had clearly fainted from its own last-ditch effort, all eyes strained to see H-Liligant. Had it survived? Could anything withstand such a blast at point-blank range?

*Tmp*

The smoke cleared entirely, revealing H-Liligant. It was on one knee, its vibrant petals singed, its usually pristine white form smudged with soot, a few scorch marks visible on its arms. Its chest heaved, a palpable effort to draw breath. But its eyes, though narrowed, burned with an indomitable fire.

In the split second before the explosion, Azure had given a final, desperate command, "Now! Endure!"

And H-Liligant, drawing on every ounce of its will, had held on, surviving the impossible. Slowly, deliberately, the Hisuian Liligant pushed itself to its feet, swaying slightly but defiant. It stood tall, a warrior stained but unbroken, its gaze fixed on where Magnezone once stood.

It's silent victory over the powerful Steel/Electric type was absolute. Rotom finally managed to stamr, its circuits buzzing with renewed excitent, "Unbelievable! H-Liligant endured! It used Endure! Azure's Pokémon just won a direct Explosion!"

Gengar let out a slow, appreciative whistle, "That's our dancer. Always knows how to take a bow… even after being blown up. What grit! What determination!"

Azure smiled, a deep sense of pride swelling within him. H-Liligant might be battered, but it had erged victorious, proving once again the incredible resilience born from his rigorous training. The crowd erupted in a mix of cheers and gasps, still reeling from the dramatic conclusion.

Byron, though his Magnezone was down, couldn't help but offer a sincere, impressed nod, uttering, "Incredible… incredible. I've never seen a Pokémon endure an Explosion like that and stand. Your Liligant is truly sothing special."

He clicked a button on his Rotom Phone, recalling his fainted Magnezone. The scoreboard above them updated, showing Byron now down three Pokémon, with three remaining. Azure still had a full team, though his H-Liligant was clearly exhausted.

The battle was far from over. Byron reached for his fourth Poké Ball, a determined glint returning to his eyes as he thought, 'This brat is making a sweep out of ! Hell nah, he ain't sweeping without so payback! Ti for the Emperor to co!'

/////

A/N: Hope you like the chapter!