The apprentice from the Sootopolis Gym stopped Sam and asked, "Hello, are you Mr. Sam?"
"That's right." Sam nodded.
"Please come in. Mr. Wallace has been waiting for you for a long time." The apprentice led Sam inside.
Following behind, Sam felt a bit confused. He hadn't told anyone he was coming to challenge the Gym—so how did Wallace know?
Suppressing his doubts, he continued inside.
The battle arena of the Sootopolis Gym was similar to the one at Cerulean Gym—it was also a water battlefield.
However, unlike Cerulean's simple layout, Sootopolis's arena had clearly been designed with Contest aesthetics in mind.
While Sam was observing the venue, Wallace walked in.
He looked completely at ease. The moment he saw Sam, he smiled and greeted him.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time, Sam."
That only made Sam more confused.
"You know me, Mr. Wallace?"
"Of course," Wallace replied with a smile. "I've heard my friend Steven mention you many times. He holds you in very high regard."
Sam suddenly understood.
Wallace and Steven were close friends. It wasn't surprising he'd heard about him.
"But how did you know I came to challenge the Sootopolis Gym?"
Wallace smiled faintly.
"It's simple. As a Trainer, if you come to Sootopolis City… wouldn't you want to challenge a master?"
Confident—but not wrong.
That was exactly what Sam wanted.
"To be honest, I'm curious about you too," Wallace continued as he walked toward the battlefield. "I want to see for myself the strength of the 'all-powerful young man' Steven keeps talking about. I hope you won't disappoint me."
The meaning was clear.
A direct invitation to battle.
Sam smiled and stepped forward, taking his position.
"It's exactly what I wanted."
He took a Poké Ball from his waist.
"Go—Lapras!"
In a water battlefield, Charizard and Tyranitar weren't ideal choices. Between Dragonair and Lapras, the decision was obvious.
Lapras appeared on the field with a graceful cry.
It was no longer the same as before.
After gaining the Three-Tails template, Lapras had grown rapidly. Now, it had already reached mid-level Elite strength.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before it became another ace in Sam's team.
"What a perfect Lapras," Wallace praised sincerely.
"Thank you, Mr. Wallace," Sam replied with a smile.
Few things felt better than having your Pokémon recognized.
"Then I'll have to take this seriously," Wallace said calmly. "Come out—Milotic."
A beautiful Milotic appeared on the field.
Its elegant body shimmered under the lights, exuding both beauty and power.
[Pokémon]: Milotic
[Attribute]: Water
[Strength]: Elite High Level
[Potential]: Champion
This wasn't Wallace's main Milotic, but it was still incredibly strong—stronger than Lapras in raw power.
Sam's heartbeat quickened.
This battle… was going to be intense.
"Lapras—Ice Beam!"
Without hesitation, Sam gave the first command.
But the target… wasn't Milotic.
It was the battlefield itself.
The already cool water rapidly froze under Lapras's full-power Ice Beam. Layer by layer, the water surface turned into solid ice.
Wallace watched quietly, not interrupting.
"Is it really worth using so much energy just for a slight terrain advantage?" he asked curiously. "The cost seems higher than the gain."
Sam simply smiled and didn't explain.
For normal Pokémon, Wallace would be right.
But this was Lapras with the Three-Tails template.
Its stamina was practically endless.
This trade… was absolutely worth it.
Soon, the entire battlefield became a crystal-clear ice field.
Lapras let out a cheerful cry—it hadn't been on ice like this in a long time.
"It seems you're done," Wallace said calmly. "Then it's my turn."
"Milotic, use Water Pulse."
A transparent water sphere formed in front of Milotic.
With a gentle flick of its elegant tail, the sphere shot forward at incredible speed.
Faster than expected.
"Lapras—Light Screen!"
An icy barrier instantly formed in front of Lapras.
For a moment, it seemed to hold—
Crack!
The barrier shattered instantly.
The Water Pulse suddenly began spinning, gaining even more destructive power.
After breaking through the defense, it slammed directly into Lapras.
With no time to dodge, Lapras adjusted its body and took the hit head-on—using its toughest back to absorb the damage.
The impact landed solidly.
But thanks to its durable shell-like back, Lapras endured the attack without taking serious damage.
The real battle…
was just beginning.
---------------Author---------------
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