"Gengar, Shadow Claw!"
At Ron's command, Gengar unleashed Shadow Claw. The dark energy fused with its domain, forming a pitch-black spectral claw that slashed toward Ursaring.
On instinct, Ursaring countered with Brick Break, but it was no match for the sheer force of Shadow Claw.
With a single strike, Ursaring was sent flying backward.
"Gengar, Ghost Chains!"
The moment Ron's command rang out, the black gaseous energy floating in the air coalesced into spectral chains, binding the airborne Ursaring.
With the Ghost Chains wrapped tightly around it, Ursaring's energy was being drained at an accelerating pace, making it increasingly difficult to struggle free.
"Gengar, finish it with Shadow Claw!"
The pitch-black claw materialized once more, slamming Ursaring into the ground.
Seeing Ursaring lose its ability to battle, Gengar dissipated its domain.
Despite defeating an opponent three levels higher, Gengar had expended little energy.
Turning toward Ron, Gengar gleefully nuzzled against his cheek.
"Alright, alright, I know you're strong and amazing."
Ron sighed, stroking Gengar's tangible yet spectral body before handing it a premium Pokéblock.
Perhaps due to prolonged exposure to Fighting Aura, Gengar had developed an unusual level of closeness with Ron.
Satisfied with its reward, Gengar put on a wise, senior-like demeanor, nodding toward Riolu and Frogadier before retreating into Ron's shadow.
After using his Fighting Aura to restore Ursaring and Teddiursa's strength, Ron resumed his hunt for more wild Pokémon to further strengthen his team.
By evening, Ron—having altered his appearance once again—returned to the Pokémon Center in Petalburg City.
For two whole days, this routine continued before it was finally time for Ron's Gym Challenge.
Stepping into the battlefield, Ron saw that Norman was already waiting for him.
"Greetings, I'm a Trainer from the Kanto region, and I hope to have a full-fledged battle with you."
As he spoke, Ron released his Machamp, its Elite Four-tier presence immediately filling the battlefield.
"A Trainer from Kanto, huh? Then it's your turn, Slaking."
Sensing Machamp's strength, Norman immediately released his own Elite Four-tier Slaking.
Its Truant Ability activated the moment it emerged, making Slaking appear utterly exhausted as it lay on the ground—one might even think it had overindulged in slacking off.
"Machamp, Finger Pistol: Morning Peacock!"
"Slaking, Thunder Punch!"
At Norman's command, Slaking lazily began to move.
Golden sparks of electricity crackled along its arm, and just as Machamp's Morning Peacock was about to land, Slaking executed Thunder Punch.
With a thunderous impact, the fiery fists of Morning Peacock were swiftly neutralized.
Fortunately, Machamp used Moonwalk to reposition itself, avoiding a direct hit from Thunder Punch.
After a single exchange, Slaking slumped back onto the ground as if completely drained.
"Machamp, Six King Pistol!"
The moment Machamp landed, Ron issued another command.
After gauging Slaking's level—68—Ron realized victory would be tough. His best bet was to force Norman and Slaking to reveal more of their strength.
Machamp clenched all four of its fists together, unleashing Six King Pistol as a visible shockwave burst forth.
"Slaking, another Thunder Punch!"
Stimulated by the electrical surge, Slaking seemed to regain vigor, countering yet again with a devastating punch that nullified Machamp's attack.
"Machamp, Six King Pistol!"
The moment Machamp dodged Slaking's attack using Shave, Ron seized the opportunity.
A far more powerful shockwave materialized, sweeping across the battlefield and crashing toward Slaking.
The relentless assault capitalized on Slaking's sluggish attack pattern, forcing it to endure the full impact of Six King Pistol.
"Machamp, Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant!"
With perfect timing, Ron ordered Machamp to strike once more.
A massive red elephantine foot materialized in midair, descending rapidly to crush Slaking.
"Slaking, Thunderous Sky!"
Seemingly enraged by Machamp's prior attacks, Norman gave his next command.
Golden lightning surged wildly around Slaking, and as it swung its fist, a pillar of lightning shot skyward, colliding directly with Machamp's Evening Elephant.
In an instant, Machamp's Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant crumbled under the overwhelming force, yet Slaking's assault remained relentless, surging toward Machamp with unyielding power.
"Machamp, Protect, then Iron Body: Steel!"
The sheer speed of the attack left Machamp with no time to counter with a move of its own. Ron had no choice but to prioritize defense.
A shimmering green Protect barrier formed first, followed by Machamp crossing its muscular arms before itself, reinforcing its body with Iron Body: Steel.
Even under consecutive strikes, the defensive measures held strong, successfully withstanding Slaking's onslaught.
Yet—this wasn't even the full extent of Slaking's power!
"How about now? Want to keep going?"
After Machamp landed back on solid ground, Norman turned to Ron, offering him a chance to reconsider.
"Please, let's continue—I want to test the limits of Machamp and myself."
Without hesitation, Ron steeled himself for the battle ahead, fully aware of the inevitable outcome.
"I see. Then let's carry on! Slaking, Thunder Punch!"
"Machamp, Four Tiger Slaughter!"
With their commands echoing through the battlefield, the fight reignited once more.
From then on, Ron had Machamp exploit its superior speed, aiming to capitalize on the openings left by Slaking's sluggish move execution.
But as a seasoned specialist in training Slaking, Norman was not one to leave such a glaring weakness unchecked.
His strategy was simple yet brutally effective—he commanded Slaking to unleash wide-range attacks or combine high-power moves to compensate.
With Slaking's sheer strength, ordinary tactics simply couldn't compete. No matter how much Machamp tried, it was inevitably forced into Slaking's rhythm.
In the end, the battle concluded with Machamp's defeat.
Having witnessed Slaking's raw might firsthand, Ron would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted.
However, Slaking's biggest flaw was just as apparent—its Truant Ability weighed down its full potential far too heavily. Unlike Machamp, Slaking couldn't train consistently, which meant its mastery over the Six Powers would progress at an agonizingly slow pace.
Moreover, Ron wasn't Norman. Without the proper methods to nurture a Slaking to such heights, there was little hope of ever reaching Norman's level.
Weighing the effort against the reward, Ron ultimately chose to let go of the idea.
"The forest feels much more like home... From now on, you two need to keep pushing yourselves to grow stronger."
He gently ruffled the heads of Riolu and Frogadier as he spoke.
Sensing it was being overlooked, Gengar emerged from the shadows, peeking its head out with a mischievous pout.
"Alright, alright, I know—you too. You have to get stronger as well."
Satisfied with the acknowledgment, Gengar grinned and obediently slipped back into the shadows.
...
In Petalburg City, at the Pokémon Center where Ron had stayed earlier, a few figures walked out, their expressions dark and brooding.
"The target has left. Requesting reinforcements."
As the man ended the call, a glint of blue flashed from his wrist—the unmistakable emblem of Team Aqua.
He quickly covered it up.
-----
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