"Magmortar is unable to battle! Zweilous wins!"
Two moves. That's all it took to bring Magmortar down.
The fiery titan was far glassier than Kashiwagi had anticipated, falling before it could even cycle through its tactical repertoire.
It was clear Flannery had poured her heart into training it—its reaction speed and raw power were top-tier.
Unfortunately for her, Zweilous was on a warpath today.
A Pokémon fueled by such high spirits can often perform at—or even beyond—their usual peak. Even with its Special Attack dropped by the Draco Meteor recoil, Kashiwagi had no intention of switching it out.
More importantly...
Just like Zweilous, he could feel it. A certain moment was fast approaching.
...
Across the field, Flannery recalled her Magmortar with a determined smile.
"I definitely underestimated you! No wonder Norman-san thinks so highly of your skills. I guess I'll have to get serious too! Go, Mag!"
With a sharp flick of her wrist, she hurled a Poké Ball forward.
POP!
A flash of white light hit the dirt, manifesting into a molten slug carrying a heavy shell of grey volcanic rock. Its large, glowing yellow eyes shone like twin lightbulbs.
It was her ace—Magcargo. This was "Mag," the same Pokémon that had been with her since it was a Slugma, back when she first met Ash and his friends.
She wasn't holding back anymore.
"Earth Power!" Kashiwagi barked, refusing to waste a single second of the switching window.
"Zwai!" "Zwai!"
Sensing the oppressive heat radiating from Magcargo, Zweilous went on high alert. It slammed its front paws into the ground, tearing an irregular fissure across the battlefield.
Rumble—!
The earth groaned as the jagged crack raced toward Magcargo.
"Double Team!"
The switch-in had delayed Flannery's command by a fraction of a second, but Magcargo's instincts were razor-sharp. It surged forward the moment the order left her lips, acting as if it had anticipated the plan all along.
It charged directly into the path of the Earth Power, and just as the ground erupted in a geyser of energy, its body blurred into a dozen flickering mirages.
BOOM!
Kashiwagi squinted through the dust. The field was suddenly swarming with nearly twenty identical Magcargo. Only one—a decoy caught in the blast—vanished into pixels.
He gritted his teeth. "Dark Pulse!"
"Zwai!" "Zwai!"
Dual rings of shadowy energy intertwined with violet beams erupted from Zweilous's two heads. The rays swept across the field like twin lasers of destruction, incinerating everything in their path.
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
The afterimages popped like smoke bubbles. But the moment the beam grazed the true Magcargo, Flannery's voice rang out:
"Light Screen!"
A shimmering, translucent wall of glass materialized in front of Magcargo. It absorbed the brunt of the Dark Pulse, though a small portion of the energy still splashed against its molten body.
Splut!
The "lava" sprayed outward, leaving a chunk of Magcargo's body missing. It winced in pain, but the molten gap was quickly filled by fresh magma from within its shell.
This thing is like an elemental from a fantasy novel, Kashiwagi thought. Unless I hit the core, it just keeps regenerating.
"Ranged attacks aren't going to cut it..." Kashiwagi murmured.
A Gym Leader's ace was no joke. In the logic of the games, a Magcargo—cursed with a quadruple weakness to Ground—should have been deleted the moment Earth Power touched it.
Instead, not only was it still standing, but Kashiwagi now found himself in an awkward position.
Close range combat? He knew this Magcargo had the Flame Body ability. Engaging physically was an open invitation for Zweilous to get burned. It was a gamble he wasn't sure he wanted to take.
He looked at Zweilous. Its heads were lowered, its four claws dug deep into the soil, and its breathing was heavy.
He didn't rush his next command.
That explosive chain of attacks had been like a series of back-to-back 100-meter sprints for the over-excited dragon. Even in its peak state, fatigue was starting to seep in.
He could feel Zweilous's impatience. It was desperate for a win to push its body to the limit.
But as a Trainer, Kashiwagi had to stay frosty. Even as his own nails dug into his palms from the tension, he didn't force the attack.
Opportunity is often seized, but sometimes, it must be invited. Mindless aggression isn't bravery—it's recklessness.
...
On the other side of the smoke, Flannery watched Kashiwagi's composure with growing respect.
Pulling back the fist makes the punch stronger, she thought. He hadn't let the previous win go to his head, nor had this stalemate discouraged him. In her career as a Gym Leader, she had met very few Trainers this focused.
"Sandstorm!" she commanded.
Taking advantage of the lull, Magcargo withdrew into its shell and began to spin like a top. Gritty sand and debris began to swirl outward, whipped up into a violent vortex!
Whirrrrr—!
The entire arena was soon swallowed by a howling yellow gale.
Under the Sandstorm, Magcargo's Special Defense received a boost. Combined with Light Screen and Zweilous's lowered Special Attack, his ranged options were effectively sealed.
Will you switch? Flannery wondered. Or will you show me what else that dragon can do?
She got her answer seconds later. Or rather, the opportunity Kashiwagi had been waiting for delivered itself right to his door.
"Roar!"
Zweilous took a massive breath. Both heads lunged forward, unleashing a deafening, bone-shaking blast of sound toward the spinning Magcargo. The sheer pressure of the sonic wave blew the encroaching sand right back!
The spinning Magcargo couldn't dodge. Its body turned into a streak of white light and was forcibly sucked back into Flannery's Poké Ball.
In its place, another Pokémon was yanked onto the field.
"Ma-gu?"
A small, molten slug—a Slugma—blinked in confusion as it landed.
Flannery's hand hovered over her belt. This Slugma, "Meg," was supposed to be her opener, but after seeing how tough Kashiwagi was, she had planned to save her true powerhouse, Torkoal, for the finale.
The unexpected Roar had dragged the "wrong" Pokémon out of the wings.
Kashiwagi broke into a wide, confident grin. He had been hiding a new move since Zweilous leveled up, specifically for a moment like this.
Because he knew Meg the Slugma's ability: Magma Armor. No risk of burns.
"Dragon Rush!"
"ZWAI!!" "ZWAI!!"
Zweilous roared and charged. It ignored the stinging sand lashing against its scales. A fierce blue light ignited on its heads, quickly enveloping its entire body in a draconic shroud.
Within seconds, a massive, two-headed dragon of pure blue energy took shape, radiating a terrifying, predatory pressure as it bore down on the tiny Slugma!
Startled by the sudden onslaught, Slugma froze for a heartbeat, its face filled with visible dread.
"OVERHEAT!" Flannery screamed.
Just as the spectral blue dragon reached it, Slugma's body bubbled violently. A blinding white light erupted from its mouth, unleashing a colossal torrent of white-hot flames. The air warped from the sheer temperature as the fire slammed into the charging dragon!
BOOM—!!
The earth-shattering explosion was followed by a blinding flash of white light. A translucent shockwave rippled outward in all directions, completely scattering the swirling sandstorm. Both Kashiwagi and Flannery instinctively raised their arms to shield their eyes; the hem of Kashiwagi's coat whipped violently in the gale, billowing out like a cape.
A massive plume of black smoke rose from the center of the field like a miniature mushroom cloud, swallowing everything in sight.
Up in the referee's seat, the veteran Moore stood like a statue, completely unfazed by the smog.
He was beyond satisfied with what he was seeing.
A Pokémon's reactions often dictate the depth of its bond with its Trainer. Whether it was Magcargo's timely Double Team and Light Screen, Zweilous's split-second capitalization on an opening, or Slugma's desperate last-stand counter...
it all proved how exceptional these two were.
He looked at his granddaughter. Flannery had finally embraced the core duty of a Gym Leader: it wasn't just about winning, but about acting as the "ultimate exam" to help challengers find their flaws and transcend them.
As the light faded and the roar died down, the shockwave from the explosion finally cleared the remaining dust. Moore looked toward the challenger's side and saw Kashiwagi standing there, eyes unfocused as if listening to something far away.
Suddenly, Kashiwagi let out a thunderous shout:
"Crunch!"
The old man froze. Flannery, whose vision was still obscured by the smoke, was equally stunned.
Blindly giving orders without seeing the field? That's a rookie mistake, they both thought. How could Kashiwagi—
Unless!
They both whipped their heads toward the crater. Two crimson glints pierced through the remaining haze, followed by the sound of two distinct thuds. A final gust of wind cleared the air, revealing Slugma as it was sent tumbling backward across the dirt.
Meanwhile, Zweilous stood firmly in the center of the impact crater. Wisps of white steam curled off its battered hide, but its fighting spirit was white-hot.
Moore stared at Kashiwagi in disbelief.
How did he know? How could he possibly know his Pokémon hadn't been blown back, and was in the perfect position to strike? Trust? A lucky guess? Or...
Unlike her grandfather, Flannery's face was grim. She watched her Slugma crash to the ground and tried to squeeze out an order.
"Recover—!"
But soon, the words died in her throat. Slugma lay there with classic "spiral eyes."
Overheat was her ultimate trump card, the perfect response to a head-on collision. Yet, it had still lost to the sheer momentum of Dragon Rush.
Meg, while not as powerful as Torkoal, was still one of her main Pokémon!
Not only that, but after the clash, Zweilous attacked first. Was it because she didn't trust her Meg enough? Perhaps she should have given it a command as soon as the smoke filled the air, like Kashiwagi did…
No.
Pokémon battles can't be won by gambling
"Slugma is unable to battle! Zweilous wins!"
Hearing her grandfather's voice, Flannery shook her head and recalled her Pokémon. She looked across the field at Kashiwagi.
"Why were you so decisive just now? Did you just... know it wouldn't be defeated?"
"No," Kashiwagi replied with a smile. "I heard it."
"Heard it?"
"Yes. To me, as long as they haven't fallen, as long as a single spark of stamina remains... they never stop shouting. They're always waiting for my response."
His smile widened. "Just now was no exception. Zweilous told me that victory was within reach. Its moment of metamorphosis has arrived."
"Metamorphosis?!"
As the realization hit Flannery, two roars split the sky, louder and more resonant than ever before.
"ZWAI-LOUS—!!" "ZWAI-LOUS—!!"
...
In the arena.
Under the gaze of the three onlookers, Zweilous reached its absolute limit of energy and spirit. A brilliant, sapphire-blue light erupted from its body, surrounded by swirling motes of bioluminescent energy.
The change was breathtaking:
The two separate necks began to merge at the base, fusing into a single, powerful trunk.
The fur around its face grew rapidly, sweeping upward to reveal a pair of piercing, blood-red eyes.
Its front paws lifted off the ground as two new "heads"—specialized arm-necks—sprouted and took shape.
The heavy body began to defy gravity, hovering in the air.
The stubby tail lengthened into a sleek, whip-like appendage, while the rear legs regressed into tufts of dark fur.
The single pair of wings split into three distinct pairs, beating rhythmically to keep the dragon aloft.
As the light shattered like glass, sparkling fragments rained down around the new Pokémon like celebratory fireworks.
"HYDREI!!"
The deep, guttural roar vibrated in their very marrow.
Evolution complete.
After a long journey as a late-bloomer, the Brutal Pokémon had finally reached its final, terrifying form.
Feeling the explosive power coursing through its veins, Hydreigon felt a surge of intoxicating confidence. It turned toward Flannery and opened its maws to let out another intimidating roar—
"HYDRE—"
It cut itself off.
It felt a very specific, burning gaze coming from behind. Rotating its main head slightly, it saw its Trainer smiling at it. It was a warm smile, yes, but it carried a very "I see you're getting cocky" subtext...
The newly evolved dragon, not wanting to test Kashiwagi's patience, sheepishly floated back a few inches, signaling it was still perfectly sane and obedient.
A red beam hit the dragon, returning it to its ball.
Flannery blinked. "You're switching it out?"
"Most Pokémon can't properly control their power right after evolving," Kashiwagi explained as he adjusted his glove. "I'd rather not have it rely on raw, clumsy force. Unless it's an emergency, I prefer to rotate. Let's finish this, Leader Flannery."
He tossed his next ball.
POP!
"Happy-happy!"
Blissey bounced onto the field, her cheerful demeanor a sharp contrast to the terrifying dragon that just departed.
Moore's admiration for Kashiwagi was now almost impossible to hide. True excellence reveals itself in every detail, and Kashiwagi's refusal to push his newly evolved Pokémon was exactly the kind of maturity the veteran Gym Leader respected.
In his decades of service, Moore had seen countless challengers whose Pokémon evolved mid-battle. Most of them, caught up in the surge of adrenaline and the Pokémon's newfound confidence, would press the attack.
But evolution means a brand-new body. Unless the form is nearly identical to the previous one, a Pokémon needs time to calibrate. While some master their new limits quickly, most end up relying on clumsy, raw power—a mistake that often leads to a quick defeat. By switching Hydreigon out, Kashiwagi proved he valued the integrity of the match over a flashy spectacle.
While Moore was impressed, Flannery looked a little disappointed. She had never fought a Hydreigon before and was itching to see what the "Brutal Pokémon" could do. But she shook it off; a Gym battle was still a battle.
"Back to the front, Mag!"
She re-summoned her Magcargo, who had been forcibly roared off the stage earlier.
"Telekinesis!" Kashiwagi commanded instantly.
Blissey raised her tiny hands, her eyes glowing with a sharp blue hue. An invisible psychic tether snared Magcargo, yanking the heavy lava-snail off the ground and suspending it helplessly in mid-air.
Flannery frowned. "Lava Plume!"
Thick, searing flames and choking soot billowed from Magcargo's shell, racing toward Blissey. It was a dual-purpose move: deal damage and create a smokescreen.
But Blissey wasn't bothered.
"Psychic!"
"Happy!"
Blissey's eyes flared. With a sweeping motion of her "psychic hands," she literally shoved the wall of fire and smoke to either side, clearing a path directly to Magcargo.
The Light Screen shimmered into view, absorbing the brunt of the mental assault, but the residual force still slammed into Magcargo's psyche.
"Ma-gu!" The snail groaned.
Flannery was taken aback by Blissey's stability. That is some terrifyingly disciplined mental power, she thought. To displace a Lava Plume so cleanly required incredible focus.
"Target yourself with Smack Down!"
Flannery's counter was clever. A golden orb of energy formed above Magcargo's head and crashed down on its own shell.
BOOM!
The impact forced Magcargo back to the ground, breaking the Telekinesis grip. Flannery had clearly dealt with psychic tactics before.
"Recover!" she followed up.
Magcargo began to glow with a mix of red, purple, and soft pink lights as its molten body stabilized and its health began to climb back up. But Kashiwagi saw his window.
"Sing!"
"Happy~ ♫"
Blissey clasped her hands, and a wave of melodic notes and soothing sonic ripples drifted across the field toward Magcargo.
"Get out of the way!" Flannery yelled, but Magcargo was too slow. A single musical note touched its shell, and the sturdy snail's eyes immediately grew heavy. Its bright yellow pupils turned into sleepy crescents.
It was out cold.
"Psychic!" Kashiwagi called out.
"Sleep Talk!" Flannery countered.
As Blissey began to gather psychic energy, the sleeping Magcargo's body twitched. Sensing its Trainer's voice through the haze of sleep, it released a pulse of deep brown energy rings.
Ancient Power!
Having just unleashed its psychic power, Blissey couldn't dodge in time and took the hit head-on. However, her legendary Special Defense made the attack feel like a light breeze.
She maintained her focus, lifted the sleeping Magcargo high into the air, and slammed it back down like a meteor hitting the earth.
CRASH!
Magcargo winced in its sleep, but it didn't wake up.
"Wake up, Mag! One more time, Sleep Talk!" Flannery urged.
"Copycat!" Kashiwagi pressed the advantage.
Blissey's eyes glowed again, and she mimicked the Ancient Power Magcargo had just used. Unlike the random aim of a sleeping Pokémon, Blissey's attack was a focused barrage that pelted the snail just as it exhaled a puff of white mist.
POP!
The translucent Light Screen finally shattered. Its duration was over.
Magcargo, struck by Ancient Power let out a pained cry even in its slumber, its energy visibly flagging. Yet, it remained asleep.
Meanwhile, the white mist it had released—Yawn—settled over Blissey, making the pink nurse look suddenly drowsy.
"A Yawn...?"
Kashiwagi frowned slightly. Flannery was getting lucky with those Sleep Talk rolls. "Create some distance! Use Heal Bell!"
If she stayed too close, the chime might wake Magcargo up.
But honestly, after being attacked twice in a row,
it wasn't far from waking up...
seemingly confirming his thoughts.
As the soothing ring of the bell cleared Blissey's drowsiness, the sheer duration of the sleep wore off. Magcargo's eyes snapped open.
"Recover—!" Flannery shouted, desperate to get back into the green.
"Sweet Kiss!"
Before the healing light could fully form, Blissey blew a massive, fluttering heart across the field. It smacked Magcargo right on the forehead, leaving it spinning in a state of total confusion.
The healing move was canceled.
"Last move, Psychic!"
"Snap out of it, Mag! Use Overheat!"
A massive wall of psychic force bore down on Magcargo. The snail's mouth glowed with white-hot intensity, the air shimmering as it prepared to unleash its most powerful fire...
Suddenly, Magcargo's head tilted. It wobbled, the confusion taking hold at the worst possible second.
The Overheat fizzled.
The psychic force seized it, hoisted it high into the air, and drove it into the dirt one last time.
THOOM!
Smoke rose from the small crater.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Neither Trainer spoke. Blissey stood perfectly still, waiting.
A few seconds later, the smoke cleared to show Magcargo slumped in the pit, its eyes swirled in defeat.
Moore raised his flag high.
"Magcargo is unable to battle! Blissey wins! The winner of the match is the challenger, Kashiwagi!"