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"Psychic!"
He couldn't waste the stat boost gained from the critical hit.
He had to try to deal as much damage as possible.
Lunatone's eyes shot out blue light, and an invisible Psychic attack rushed toward Riolu at incredible speed.
Steven wasn't sure if Lunatone's Psychic was a single-target or area-of-effect attack.
The application of Psychic is very broad, making it quite difficult to predict.
It can be a powerful single-target strike, or it can be an area attack to ensure accuracy.
It can even be used for control and support, like Metagross does.
Since Steven couldn't figure it out himself, he'd let Riolu handle it!
"Detect!"
Riolu's gaze sharpened, and time around it seemed to slow!
In Riolu's vision, a dark ripple appeared out of thin air.
Riolu immediately leaped up, successfully avoiding the energy ripple of Psychic.
Lunatone was using an area-type Psychic, but it was two-dimensional, not three-dimensional.
It couldn't affect the entire battlefield.
Of course, to achieve full-field coverage, the energy consumed would be enormous.
Whoosh—
As soon as Riolu landed, it quickly sprang forward, charging toward Lunatone!
Quick Attack!
"Bullet Punch!"
Steven's reaction was equally quick—seeing Riolu land safely, he called out immediately.
"Psyshock! Don't let it get close!"
Upon seeing Riolu avoid Psychic, the Gym Leader quickly reacted and shouted to Lunatone.
But—
Riolu's fighting style was very similar to Scizor's.
After all, it learned from Scizor directly.
The target of Quick Attack was never Lunatone, but the ground in front of it!
Bang!
Riolu, with a faint white glow, stomped hard on the ground, and its small body instantly launched into the air!
Lunatone's Psyshock was unleashed but struck nothing.
Riolu, in midair, rotated its body, its eyes tracking Lunatone's movements.
In Riolu's vision, Lunatone slowly raised itself, its expressionless surface gradually becoming clear.
Its raised fist shimmered with a silver glow.
Bang!
Riolu landed, and its fist swung out with the momentum!
It slammed heavily into Lunatone's center!
Knocking it to the ground, unable to rise again!
Riolu's first battle—a victory!
"Lunatone is unable to battle—Riolu wins!"
As Tate's voice fell, the Gym Leader recalled the defeated Lunatone into its Poké Ball.
He took a deep breath. Although the outcome was already decided, as a Gym Leader, this battle had to be finished properly.
"Come back, Riolu." Steven also recalled Riolu into its Poké Ball, whispering to it, "The first battle was excellently fought."
Then he retrieved Scizor's Poké Ball.
"Are you using me for training experience?" The Gym Leader gave a helpless, wry smile.
This time, Steven didn't wait for the Gym Leader to send out a Pokémon first—instead, he sent out Scizor immediately.
Bang—
When Scizor appeared, the Gym Leader's expression turned quite grim.
Wait a minute.
I'm battling you at the level appropriate for a seventh badge,
and you're battling me with a Champion-level Pokémon?
The Gym Leader's mouth twitched, and he reluctantly sent out his final Pokémon.
With a flash of white light, the last Pokémon appeared.
Its spherical body was orange, with eight yellow rock spikes extending from its sides, and patterns formed by many small yellow stones on its front and back.
Its eyes were large and distinctive, with thick, semicircular eyelids. Through the black slit in the middle, red pupils could be seen.
Above and below each eye were circular patterns and three black markings.
If the previous Lunatone's shape resembled the moon, then this Pokémon's shape resembled the sun.
A Pokémon paired with Lunatone, also a Rock and Psychic-type meteorite Pokémon.
Solrock!
Simply put, this Solrock's strength was similar to Lunatone's—perhaps slightly stronger.
"Earthquake!" The Gym Leader chose to initiate the attack.
The opponent was using a Champion-level Pokémon—wasn't the Gym Leader allowed the first move?
Solrock, which appeared to be squinting, was about to channel energy into the ground when, unexpectedly, a red figure suddenly materialized before it.
For the first time, a bewildered look appeared in its eyes.
Scizor knocked Solrock to the ground with one of its claws.
The struck ground cracked, spreading like a spiderweb.
Fortunately, Scizor didn't use its full strength, and Solrock itself resisted Normal-type moves.
Otherwise, it really would have been knocked out with one strike.
Scizor's eyes remained calm, without a ripple.
It lifted its leg and kicked Solrock upward, like in a soccer match.
It turned and extended its leg, kicking the falling Solrock midair.
Bang!
Solrock flew in a straight line through the air, struck the wall, then fell to the ground, unable to battle.
"So-Solrock is unable to battle, Scizor wins."
"The victor is challenger Steven!"
Tate was stunned for a moment—it was his first time seeing his father defeated so quickly.
"As expected of Mr. Steven." Liza didn't seem surprised at all.
If he didn't have considerable strength, how could he have gone straight to the core with Wallace?
The Gym Leader, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief, recalling the unconscious Solrock into its Poké Ball.
He approached Steven, who had just recalled Scizor, and handed him a heart-shaped pink badge.
"This is the Mind Badge, proof that you defeated the Mossdeep Gym."
"Uh, Tate, don't keep staring at Steven like that—it's rude!" The Gym Leader looked sideways, as if stimulated by some bright light, and quickly raised his hand to shield his face.
"Dad, that's Liza," Tate said helplessly.
"Ah? I got it wrong again, ha ha!"
The Gym Leader scratched the back of his head awkwardly, laughing loudly.
Liza and Tate only differed in gender. Usually, it was Liza wearing a hair clip that allowed one to distinguish them.
If they wore identical clothes, even their father couldn't tell who was who.
"Honestly, I'm going to tell Mom!" Liza also put away her starry eyes, looking impatiently at her father.
"Hey, hey, hey, don't bother Mom with everything!"
Steven smiled slightly and bid farewell to this entertaining family.
Looking at the seven badges in his badge case, only the one held by Sootopolis Gym Leader Wallace remained—the Rain Badge!
"I just hope Wallace stays put in Sootopolis City and doesn't run around."
Steven put away the badge case, planning to purchase a boat ticket and head directly to Sootopolis City.
After all, Sootopolis City is surrounded by water on all sides, so a ship would be the most convenient option.
Buzz buzz—
Well, speak of the devil.
No sooner had he mentioned Wallace than Wallace called.
"Hello? Wallace."
"Steven, I'll be staying in Sootopolis City during this time, waiting for you to arrive."
Hearing Wallace's words, Steven was delighted.
But the next sentence made Steven freeze in astonishment.
"I hope we can battle at full strength, and of course, it will be three-on-three."
The call ended—Wallace had called specifically to mention this matter and let Steven prepare.
Full... strength?
What did Wallace mean by a full-strength battle?
Using Milotic to sweep Steven's three Pokémon?
Even with Mega Evolution, the current Metagross couldn't defeat Wallace's Milotic!
Wait a minute...
He's going to wait for me?
Then I won't go just yet.
Coincidentally, Cynthia is preparing for the Lily of the Valley Conference.
I'll go to Sinnoh to train together.
With Garchomp and Lucario there, Metagross and Scizor's progress will definitely improve considerably!
Steven retrieved a black, teardrop-shaped accessory from his bag.
Perfect timing.
Steven decisively purchased a plane ticket to Eterna City.
He could also take Piplup back to Sandgem Town to visit the Professor.
He'd heard that Professor Rowan was also Professor Oak's senior colleague.
With an introduction from Professor Rowan, he could discuss the Pokédex and game development with Professor Oak.
Sigh!
I'm sorry, Wallace, it's not that I don't want to come sooner.
It's just that I really have numerous matters to handle in Sinnoh.
You'll understand, right?