There was a moment of complete stillness, the kind that pressed gently against the ears. The arena felt as if it were holding its breath.
Ash was crouched slightly, talking in a low voice to Pikachu perched on his shoulder, his expression bright and animated. Pikachu responded with small, energetic chirps, its tail flicking as sparks crackled faintly at the tip. The two of them looked relaxed—almost too relaxed for a gym battle—but anyone who knew Ash could tell this was his version of focus.
Across the field, Flint rolled his shoulders once and tightened his grip around a Poké Ball. His eyes sharpened, the easygoing smile fading into something more serious.
"Ash," he called out. "Let's continue."
The moment Flint spoke, Ash straightened. His body trembled slightly—not from fear, but from pure excitement. His eyes lit up as he looked at Flint, curiosity bubbling up instantly.
'So Onix wasn't the finisher,' Ash thought, grinning. 'He really did throw it out first.'
Flint didn't waste another second. He swung his arm forward.
"Come out, Rhydon!"
The Poké Ball burst open in a flash of red light, and a massive figure slammed onto the battlefield. Rhydon's armored body slid forward as if it were skating across stone, its heavy feet carving deep grooves into the arena floor. Dust and pebbles scattered outward, the ground trembling under its weight.
"Rhydooon!" The roar echoed, deep and heavy, vibrating through the stands. Flint lowered his hand slightly and muttered, almost to himself, "Let's change the layout a bit." The ground responded instantly.
Stone cracked and rose upward in uneven slabs. Pillars of rock pushed themselves out from beneath the arena, forming small hill-like structures and jagged cover points. The battlefield transformed into rough terrain in seconds.
Ash squinted, taking it all in—then his lips curved upward.
'This looks so cool.'
His eyes practically sparkled, the thrill of it written all over his face. Flint caught the look and couldn't help but chuckle. "You really do enjoy this, don't you?"
In the stands, Yellow noticed Ash immediately. The tension she'd been holding onto quietly slipped away. Watching him now—excited, confident, alive—she wondered why she'd been worried at all. Ash stepped forward and reached for his Poké Ball.
"Then I'll choose you," he said, voice clear and steady. "Riolu!" The ball opened, releasing a soft blue glow. A small, bipedal Pokémon landed lightly on the ground, fists clenched, eyes sharp. "Rau~!"
Riolu let out a short, spirited cry before turning back toward Ash. Their eyes met, and Riolu smiled—small, confident, and eager. Ash returned the smile. "I know, right? Let's do it, partner." The two stood in sync, trainer and Pokémon sharing the same fighting spirit.
Up in the stands, Leaf and several other girls leaned forward, eyes wide. "What is that Pokémon?" one of them asked, clearly stunned.
"I've never seen it before."
Elsa smiled softly, a hint of pride showing on her face. She adjusted the strap of her small notebook before speaking. "That's Riolu. It's a fighting-type Pokémon." She explained calmly, repeating knowledge she'd picked up while travelling with Ash.
His explanations were always detailed and always precise, and she'd made a habit of writing things down. Staying beside him and not learning would've felt like a waste. Plus, she always finds Ash's knowledge to be quite crucial for her own growth too. As a trainer, she truly admires how Ash trains and thinks out of the box.
"Oh!" another girl exclaimed. "So Ash has the type advantage then?"
"Yeah, fighting beats rock," someone else chimed in.
Elsa nodded, but her gaze lingered on Rhydon. Its massive frame and thick armour made her hesitate. Even with the advantage, this wouldn't be easy. On the battlefield, Flint smiled, clearly amused.
"Looks like you're finally making a rational choice." He spoke, looking a bit amused.
His eyes lingered on Riolu for a moment longer. 'A Riolu, huh,' he thought. 'And its evolution is Lucario… fighting and steel. That's one dangerous line.' As a gym leader, his knowledge was truly extensive. Plus, he has once gone out to challenge, and thanks to it, he has experience of different regions too.
The crowd was starting to wake up now. "Go, Ash!" one of the girls shouted suddenly. Ash blinked, surprised, then looked up toward the stands. Spotting the cheering faces, he laughed and raised his hand, flashing a bold V-sign.
"I won't disappoint!" Another shout followed immediately. "Don't lose to the kid, Flint!"
Flint glanced up and snorted. More people from the city had arrived, some still rubbing sleep from their eyes. Even trainers who had lost to him earlier were there, watching intently.
Maybe they didn't want to believe a newcomer was stronger than them.
But the large screen above the arena told a clear story. Flint's Onix icon was dimmed, its colour dulled to grey.
"Hiss—so that kid really took down Onix," a spectator muttered.
He had been watching Mia's live stream earlier and rushed over the moment he realised the battle was still going. Others had followed him, drawn by curiosity and disbelief. Now, with Rhydon standing tall and Riolu poised to strike, the arena buzzed with anticipation.
"La~lu."
Ralts' small voice rang out softly as the little Pokémon shifted on Yellow's lap, its green hair bobbing lightly with the motion. The warmth of the Pokémon seemed to seep into the air itself.
Yellow froze for half a second before her eyes widened—and then her entire face melted into a bright, helpless smile. She gently wrapped her arms around the tiny Psychic-type, careful not to startle it. Around her, the reactions came instantly.
"So cute…!"
"Wait—what is that Pokémon?"
"It's adorable…!"
Leaf and the two girls beside her leaned in almost at the same time, completely taken aback by Ralts' gentle presence. Even the usual background noise of the gym seemed to dull for a brief moment as attention unconsciously shifted toward the small figure.
Leaf smiled as well, though her smile carried a faint trace of amusement mixed with something softer. She let out a small chuckle and explained, "It's not mine. It's Ash's… well, kind of. He hasn't caught it. It just follows him around."
That only made the girls stare even harder.
Yellow tilted her head slightly. "Ash asked it to sit with me when he noticed the cameras."
As if responding to her words, Ralts gave a tiny nod and snuggled a bit closer, its calm emotions spreading outward like a quiet ripple.
Ash, meanwhile, had already shifted his focus back to the battlefield.
'Let's do it.'
He stretched his legs forward and straightened his posture, rolling his shoulders once as he locked eyes with the towering Rhydon across the field. The rocky giant scraped the ground beneath its feet, stone plates grinding together.
"Rhy~!"
A deep, resonant battle cry echoed through the gym, sending faint vibrations through the arena floor.
"Use Bulk Up." Flint's voice was sharp and decisive.
Rhydon roared as its muscles visibly tensed, its rocky frame swelling slightly as fighting-type energy surged through its body. Dust scattered outward under the pressure alone.
Ash didn't hesitate.
"Use Quick Attack."
Riolu kicked off the ground instantly, his small body becoming a blue blur as he darted forward, weaving through the shifting terrain. Using the uneven rocks to his advantage, he leapt mid-sprint, twisting his body in the air.
"Use Brick Break."
Energy condensed around Riolu's fist as he brought his arm down in a clean, chopping motion. The strike landed solidly—but Rhydon reacted at the same time.
Flint's follow-up command came almost simultaneously.
Rhydon's arm swung with terrifying force, its amplified strength crashing into Riolu mid-attack. The impact sent Riolu flying backward, his body skipping across the ground before he barely managed to regain footing, jumping back three times in quick succession to stabilise himself.
Dust rose around him.
"Riolu!" Ash called out, his voice cutting through the noise.
Riolu's ears twitched. He steadied his breathing, blue eyes narrowing with focus. Invisible energy gathered around his fists, compressing tightly before bursting outward.
Two shockwave punches shot forward in rapid succession, the compressed aura tearing through the air as they slammed into Rhydon's chest. The massive Pokémon grunted, sliding back a step, its momentum finally interrupted.
This technique—using [Vacuum Wave] as a chained barrage—was something Riolu had first shown during his battle against Onix. When Ash had asked if it could be repeated that way, Riolu had simply tried… and succeeded. His control over Aura bordered on instinctive.
"Magnit—!" Flint began.
"Again!" Ash shouted immediately. Riolu thrust his fist forward once more, another wave forming—but Rhydon stomped down hard before it could land. The ground cracked.
A violent tremor surged outward, the shockwave throwing off Riolu's balance mid-attack. His feet slid as rocks burst upward around him. "Rock Throw!"
Rhydon moved with surprising speed for its size, scooping and launching jagged stones with pinpoint accuracy. The rocks tore through the air like bullets. Ash's breath hitched for a split second—but his voice stayed calm.
"Detect." Riolu's eyes flashed.
In that instant, the world seemed to slow. The incoming rocks traced clear paths in his vision, each trajectory unfolding before impact. With minimal movement, Riolu shifted his body just enough to let the stones pass harmlessly by—or shattered them outright with precise Brick Break strikes, each motion clean and efficient.
From the video shooting team, a man wearing a pair of thick goggles stared at his Rotom's screen, his breath catching silently. His sudden stillness drew Mia's attention. Trusting her team, she leaned closer and asked, "What is it?"
The man tilted the screen toward her. "This angle…" His Rotom had been positioned opposite the main broadcast. From Rhydon's side, the footage showed something unsettlingly clear.
"Riolu could have dodged much earlier," he continued.
"But he didn't. He adjusted himself so the rocks wouldn't pass through in that direction." He pointed. The replay froze for a moment—Ash was standing directly behind that line of attack. Murmurs spread among the crew as others noticed it too. 'Does it have eyes on its back?'
'How did it know?' They didn't understand Aura yet. Ash did.
That was why he stood there calmly, hands clenched at his sides, eyes unwavering. With Riolu's Aura Sense and natural talent, no attack would ever slip past him unnoticed.
Flint's eyes burnt brighter than before. He felt it now too—and the realisation only deepened his excitement. As the last rock shattered, Riolu's fist glowed once more.
Another [Vacuum Wave] erupted forward, slamming into Rhydon head-on, completely crushing the giant's regained momentum and forcing it to dig its feet into the arena floor to stay standing.
The battle had shifted.