"Alright, without further delay, let's welcome the challenger—Gary—to the field!" Johanna announced, her voice clear and resonant as it carried across the lively festival grounds.
Her tone was warm, practiced, and energetic—perfectly suited to commanding a crowd.
As her words settled over the square, the noise gradually softened.
The chatter, laughter, and scattered conversations slowly died down, replaced by a collective ripple of anticipation.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward the entrance.
Gary stepped forward from within the sea of spectators.
Calm.
Steady.
Unshaken.
His pace was neither hurried nor slow. Each step was measured, controlled, as if he were simply walking into a routine training session rather than a high-stakes Frontier battle in front of a massive crowd.
He entered the command area with composed confidence.
The roaring audience.
The pressure of the moment.
The presence of the Battle Tower Tycoon himself—
None of it seemed to affect him.
Johanna continued her introduction, doing her best with the limited information she had:
"Gary, like Ash, comes from Pallet Town in the Kanto region. He is also a Trainer qualified to challenge the Battle Frontier and possesses considerable strength."
Her words were simple.
But the phrase "recommended by Scott" carried weight.
Even without details, that alone was enough to spark curiosity among experienced Trainers in the audience.
Still—
The general crowd remained skeptical.
"He looks about the same age as that other boy… Ash, right?"
"No way he can beat Palmer."
"Palmer is unbeatable! Only Champions can defeat him!"
"Still, this festival is incredible—food, games, and now a high-level battle!"
"Yeah! This is better than anything we've seen all day!"
"Go, Palmer! Show him your power!"
More and more people gathered around the battlefield.
Some stood on benches.
Others climbed onto nearby structures.
The roads leading into the square became congested, packed tightly with spectators trying to get a better view.
The atmosphere grew increasingly electric.
Excitement buzzed through the air like static before a storm.
Johanna turned gracefully toward the opposite side of the battlefield.
"Now, please welcome Mr. Palmer! Before the battle begins, would you like to say a few words?"
Palmer stepped forward.
The moment he moved, the atmosphere shifted.
His presence alone commanded attention.
Tall.
Composed.
Experienced.
There was no need for dramatic gestures or loud declarations.
The weight of his reputation spoke for him.
"I'm looking forward to this match," he said calmly. "A Trainer personally recommended by Scott is never ordinary."
His tone was relaxed.
Almost casual.
But his eyes—
Sharp.
Focused.
Serious.
He wasn't treating this as a festival exhibition.
He was treating it as a real battle.
Johanna smiled, clearly pleased.
"It seems Mr. Palmer is full of fighting spirit. I'll now hand things over to our referee."
A professional referee from the Battle Tower stepped forward, replacing the earlier event staff.
His posture was firm, his voice authoritative.
"The Battle Tower Frontier challenge will now begin!"
"Each Trainer may use two Pokémon."
"The battle will end when all Pokémon on one side are unable to continue."
He paused briefly before adding:
"Only the challenger, Gary, is permitted to switch Pokémon during the match."
That single rule immediately drew murmurs from the audience.
"So Palmer can't switch?"
"That's a huge restriction…"
"Yeah, but that's how Frontier rules work."
"Still—this just got more interesting."
At that moment—
A familiar system notification echoed in Gary's mind.
[Ding! Mission issued: Obtain the Tower Print.]
Rewards:
• Master Rare Candy ×2
• Gold Bottle Cap ×1
• Ability Expansion Stone ×1
• Selectable Permanent TM ×1
Gary's eyes flickered slightly.
He didn't react outwardly.
But internally—
He had already analyzed the reward tier.
From the scaling alone, he could estimate Palmer's remaining Pokémon.
Milotic.
Most likely below level 75.
That aligned perfectly with his expectations.
If he wanted his team to grow beyond the Elite tier—
He needed stronger opponents.
Elite Four level.
Champion level.
Consistently.
"Gary, do you understand the rules?" the referee asked.
Gary nodded once.
"Understood."
"Then Mr. Palmer will send out the first Pokémon."
Palmer reached into his coat and casually retrieved a Poké Ball.
"My 'wall' has already battled today," he said, almost conversationally. "So I'll start with this instead."
He tossed the Poké Ball forward.
"Go—Rampardos."
Flash!
A burst of white light exploded across the battlefield.
A massive Rampardos materialized.
Its thick, reinforced skull gleamed under the light.
Its powerful legs dug into the ground, leaving shallow cracks beneath its weight.
Its entire body radiated raw, unrestrained offensive power.
[Rampardos — Level 72/Champion]
"There it is!" Barry shouted from the sidelines, practically bouncing with excitement. "My dad's invincible warhammer!"
"Warhammer?" Ash blinked, clearly confused.
"Yeah!" Barry grinned proudly. "Rhyperior is his defensive wall—but Rampardos? That's his ultimate offensive weapon!"
"Oh… I see," Ash said slowly, nodding as he processed the explanation. "So it's a balance—defense and offense."
Dawn leaned forward, eyes bright with curiosity.
"So how will Gary respond?"
Ash didn't answer immediately.
He frowned slightly.
"I've battled Rampardos before… Roark's was already strong."
He looked toward Palmer's Pokémon.
"This one is on a completely different level."
Gary narrowed his eyes slightly.
He had expected Palmer to open with Dragonite.
Or Milotic.
But Rampardos?
A Champion-level Rampardos?
That was… unexpected.
"Alright then…" Gary murmured quietly.
"If it's Rampardos—Blastoise, you're up."
He threw his Poké Ball.
Flash!
Blastoise emerged with a heavy, grounded presence.
"Kami!"
Its deep cry echoed as it locked onto Rampardos instantly.
Dawn's eyes lit up immediately.
"That's the Blastoise that destroyed the meteor in Veilstone City!"
The memory was still vivid in her mind—
The overwhelming Hydro Cannon.
The sheer destructive force.
Barry scoffed loudly.
"So what? Type advantage doesn't matter! My dad's Pokémon can win even against unfavorable matchups!"
Ash and Brock exchanged a glance.
Neither of them argued.
Because they knew something Barry didn't fully understand.
Gary's Blastoise wasn't just strong—
It was terrifying.
Ash clenched his fists slightly.
"Let me see… how strong you really are now."
"Pika…" Pikachu murmured beside him, equally focused.
The referee raised his hand sharply.
"Battle—begin!"
"Rampardos, use Rock Polish!" Palmer ordered immediately.
"ROOOAR!"
A green glow spread across Rampardos' body.
Its movements became smoother.
Sharper.
Faster.
Its speed increased dramatically in an instant.
Gary remained completely calm.
"Blastoise—use Rain Dance."
"Kami!"
Blastoise tilted its head upward and roared.
Dark clouds gathered rapidly overhead.
Within seconds—
Rain began to fall.
At first, light droplets.
Then steady rainfall.
Then a full downpour.
The battlefield transformed instantly.
The ground darkened.
Water pooled across the surface.
Spectators stepped back slightly as rain splashed outward.
"This is going to get intense…"
Palmer smirked faintly.
"Trying to gain an advantage with the weather, huh? Not bad."
Then—
"Rampardos—Thunder Punch!"
Electricity surged violently across Rampardos' body.
Golden arcs crackled wildly as it charged forward like a lightning bolt.
"Blastoise—Aqua Jet!" Gary countered immediately.
"Kami!"
Water wrapped tightly around Blastoise's body.
It launched forward at high speed, cutting through the rain like a projectile.
BOOM!!
The two attacks collided head-on.
Water and electricity exploded outward.
Shockwaves rippled across the rain-soaked battlefield.
Both Pokémon were thrown backward several meters.
They landed—
Then immediately regained their footing.
The first exchange—
Even.
Perfectly even.
But Gary knew the truth.
Without Rain Dance boosting Aqua Jet—
Blastoise would have lost that clash.
Palmer didn't hesitate for even a second.
"Rampardos—Stone Edge!"
The ground fractured violently.
Jagged stone pillars erupted upward, launching toward Blastoise with deadly precision.
"Blastoise—Water Pulse!"