By the time Theo finally climbed up to the mountaintop where the Fortree Gym stood, a thin layer of sweat had already formed across his forehead. The staircase leading to the gym stretched for thousands of steps, which fully lived up to its reputation as the Stairway to Heaven.
Turning back to look, Theo could not help but smile wryly. A large group of local residents had been drawn in by the swarm of butterflies summoned by Volcarona, and they had followed along the entire way just to watch his upcoming battle.
Originally, Theo had planned to simply sit on Volcarona's back and let it carry him gently up through the air. However, because Volcarona had called forth a grand procession of butterflies and moths when they set out, the spectacle attracted countless onlookers along the way. Many of them even decided to follow him all the way up the mountain to witness the battle firsthand.
With such a lively crowd trailing behind him, Theo felt too embarrassed to ride comfortably on Volcarona while everyone else had to climb on foot. In the end, he let Volcarona carry Fire Vulpix and Ice Vulpix ahead, while he himself joined the crowd and pushed through the exhausting climb step by step.
At first, the two little Vulpix had clung to Theo, unwilling to leave his arms. But when they noticed how tired their trainer was becoming, they thoughtfully jumped down and began climbing the stairs on their own. After a while, however, even they grew exhausted, and eventually turned to their "nanny," Volcarona, letting it carry them as they enjoyed the breeze and the view from above.
As for Tyrantrum, Zweilous, and the others, Theo had already recalled them into their Poké Balls so they could rest and conserve their energy in preparation for the upcoming Gym battle.
"Phew… finally made it."
Theo wiped the sweat from his brow and squeezed into the spectator area. In the center of the battlefield, a match was already underway and had reached an intense, heated stage.
At the Fortree Gym, official Gym battles were typically held only in the morning. By the afternoon, challenges would no longer be accepted. Instead, the Gym would open up for flying Pokémon ride experiences, allowing visiting tourists and local children alike to enjoy the thrill of aerial travel.
Among the available flying partners, Winona's Skarmory and her shiny Swellow were the most popular.
Her Skarmory was an exceptionally rare giant specimen, nearly as large as Theo's Volcarona. Not only could it carry multiple passengers at once, but its flight was also incredibly stable and comfortable, giving riders a strong sense of security.
As for the shiny Swellow, it was even more eye catching. Although it was much smaller than Skarmory and could not carry multiple people, its rare coloration made it highly sought after. Shiny Pokémon were exceedingly rare, and most trainers would never encounter one in their entire lifetime.
Even Theo's own shiny Feebas had only been obtained as an initial reward when his livestream system was first activated, which showed just how precious such Pokémon were.
At this moment, standing on the right side of the battlefield was the Gym Leader, Winona.
She wore a light, streamlined flight suit in shades of sky blue and pure white. The outfit fit her figure perfectly, simple yet refined, accentuating her tall and graceful physique. Combined with her flowing purple hair and pale violet eyes and brows, she exuded an aura that was both cool and elegant, like a messenger of the skies descending from the clouds.
Theo could not help but think to himself that it was hard to understand how Wallace could have broken up with someone like her. Truly a lack of taste.
Facing Winona was a young male challenger, slightly older than Theo, with a hint of arrogance on his face.
"How was the earlier battle?" Theo asked softly to a local little girl beside him who was holding a stick of cotton candy.
The girl chewed as she spoke, her words slightly muffled. "That big brother from Kanto was pretty strong. He used Electrode and Jolteon to defeat Sister Winona's Skarmory. But…"
She suddenly lifted her chin proudly. "Sister Winona isn't that easy to beat!"
Listening to the surrounding chatter, Theo quickly pieced together the situation.
The challenger was a trainer from the Kanto region, traveling through Hoenn while taking on Gym challenges. Earlier, he had already sent out Electrode and Jolteon to battle against Winona's Skarmory.
In the final exchange, his Jolteon used Thunder while Winona's Skarmory unleashed Brave Bird. The two attacks collided head on, and after both Pokémon took heavy damage, they collapsed simultaneously, losing their ability to battle.
The match had now reached its final stage, with only one Pokémon remaining on each side.
Winona raised her hand first and gracefully tossed out a Poké Ball.
A flash of red light appeared, and a Pokémon with a wide beak and light, agile body landed steadily in the center of the field.
It was one of her main partners, Pelipper.
Theo's eyes immediately displayed its data:
[Pokémon: Pelipper]
Type: Water/Flying
Category: Water Bird Pokémon
Ability: Keen Eye (Extremely sharp vision that allows it to clearly capture even the smallest movements of its opponent, preventing its accuracy from being lowered.)
Moves: Water Pulse, Roost, Protect, Aerial Ace, Wing Attack, Ice Beam, Tailwind, Air Slash, Mist, Hydro Pump, Hurricane, Steel Wing, Rain Dance…
"Challenger, please send out your final Pokémon," Winona's cool voice rang out.
The boy from Kanto took a deep breath and raised the Pokédex-like device in his hand toward Pelipper. The machine's voice sounded in his ears:
"Pelipper, the Water Bird Pokémon. A dual Water and Flying type. It flies close to the sea's surface in search of food, scooping prey into its large beak and swallowing it whole."
"Water and Flying type?" The boy paused for a moment, then burst into laughter. "That's four times weak to Electric! Then it's decided, go, Raichu! One move is all it takes. After that, we'll prepare for the final battle and show them the power of Kanto's Electric Pokémon!"
"Chu!"
Raichu sprang out of the Poké Ball, flipping midair before landing smoothly. Electric sparks crackled around its cheeks as it stared confidently at Pelipper.
Hearing the opponent's bold declaration, Winona slightly raised an eyebrow.
"Pelipper, it seems you've been underestimated. In that case, show him the majesty of the skies. Pelipper, go!"
"Peli! Peli!"
Pelipper cried out brightly, nodding toward Winona before suddenly lowering its body and gliding rapidly close to the ground.
"Raichu, Thunderbolt!"
The challenger immediately issued his command.
Upon hearing it, Raichu leapt into the air. Sparks of electricity flickered from its cheek pouches, spreading across its entire body.
"Chuuu!"
With a fierce shout, a bolt of golden lightning shot forward, striking straight toward Pelipper.
From the spectator stands, murmurs quickly spread among the local audience.
"This Kanto trainer is way too impatient, isn't he?"
"Doesn't he know how strong Leader Winona's Pelipper is?"
"Just watch, he's about to be completely stunned!"
At the very moment Raichu launched its attack, Pelipper flapped its wings powerfully. Instead of rising into the air to dodge, it dove sharply downward toward the ground.
(End of Chapter)