"Phew… That scared the crap out of me."
"Rosee~"
Watching the Chimchar collapsed on the battlefield, both Barry and Roserade sighed in relief, though their hearts were still pounding.
Wasn't this supposed to be a match with Pokémon below Gym Leader-level strength? How was it possible for this Chimchar to unleash such overwhelming power? It felt like it had broken the rules entirely.
Back when Paul fought Tobias, even Tobias' Pokémon, which were just barely approaching Elite Four-level, had a hard time winning. And now Roserade had nearly been taken down by this seemingly ordinary Chimchar?
At that moment, both Barry and Roserade felt an odd sense of gratitude.
One had been thoroughly crushed by Paul in the past, the other discarded by him entirely—they both knew full well how seriously Paul took his battles.
Their past experiences had taught them: Paul's strength was not to be underestimated. He could sweep through multiple Pokémon of the same tier effortlessly. So even if Chimchar seemed weak, they hadn't dared to fully drop their guard.
Had they underestimated it, and let Flamethrower and Flame Wheel hit Roserade cleanly, Chimchar might have actually knocked her out, despite the type disadvantage.
"Sure enough, no matter who you're facing, you can never let your guard down."
Barry internalized this hard-earned lesson.
If he'd known about the time in the anime when Diantha and her Gardevoir underestimated Ash and only used Reflect and Shadow Ball against a Greninja that hadn't even reached Elite Four-level—and lost—he'd have taken every match with utmost seriousness.
"Return."
Paul withdrew Chimchar into its Poké Ball, whispering, "You did well. I saw your fighting spirit. Rest up." He tucked the ball away and tossed another.
"Aggron, prepare for battle!"
"Aggrrr~!"
With a roar, the steel-armored titan, Aggron, stomped onto the field. Its battle-worn armor, etched with countless scars, was a badge of honor from past victories.
Even though Paul had effectively thrown the first match, Barry didn't dare relax for a second. His painful history taught him that celebrating too early against Paul always ended in disaster.
So, without hesitation, he made the first move—
"Roserade, use Grass Knot!"
"Roseee!"
Roserade's eyes glowed blue. The ground beneath Aggron's feet cracked open, and thick sturdy grass vines shot upward, aiming to tangle its legs and trip it—inflicting massive damage due to Aggron's sheer weight.
The heavier the opponent, the more devastating Grass Knot would be—and Aggron was one of the heaviest out there.
But…
What worked in theory failed in practice. Aggron simply shifted its weight lower, its red eyes flashing—and the vines couldn't topple it.
"Aggrrr~!"
Aggron smirked.
Though it didn't look much different from a typical Aggron, Paul had fed it rare metals and Origin Ore, refining its steel body to extreme density. Its armor wasn't just tough, it was practically unyielding. And while Grass Knot was designed to exploit weight, the move was worthless if it couldn't trip its target.
"What?! That doesn't make sense!"
Barry frowned and immediately launched another command:
"Use Grass Whistle!"
Roserade raised her hand to her lips. Her leafy arms unfurled, and a soothing melody filled the air, lulling even the most energetic creatures into a dreamy stupor.
"Begin Metal Sound!"
Aggron didn't move or open its mouth. Instead, its body emitted a dazzling white light as its armor began to scrape and grind against itself—producing an ear-piercing screech.
The horrifying sound drowned out the melody entirely. Even Roserade winced in agony, her face contorted in pain.
Her defense… began to drop.
"What the hell is that?!"
Barry clutched his ears in discomfort.
The soundwave's radius was absurd—it affected even him, outside the battlefield. It was unbearable.
"Roserade, use Sunny Day!"
"Ro…see?"
Roserade hesitated. Though she could vaguely sense Barry's command, the grating noise completely engulfed her, muffling every external sound.
"Damn it!"
Barry was furious.
How was this even fair?! That screech didn't just damage, it overwhelmed all communication! His Pokémon couldn't even hear him anymore!
What was he supposed to rely on hand signals? At this level, no opponent would ever give him the chance.
Still… maybe Paul's Aggron couldn't hear its Trainer either?
Just as that comforting thought emerged, Paul smirked—and activated telepathy.
"Use Rock Tomb!"
"Aggrrr~!"
Maintaining its Metal Sound, Aggron raised its arms. Countless glowing white energy orbs shot into the sky and transformed into massive boulders, raining down across the battlefield and sealing off Roserade's movement.
"Rosee~!"
Roserade reacted quickly, dodging the rocks with graceful agility. She weaved and spun like a dancer, avoiding each stone with poise.
It seemed Rock Tomb had failed.
"Aggrrr!"
But just as the downpour ended, a sudden roar erupted. The stones—seemingly dormant—shattered explosively. Aggron surged forward like a runaway freight train, smashing through the rubble.
Having been enhanced by Metal Sound, Aggron was now fast. Too fast.
Roserade, barely processing what happened, found her escape route blocked. The very rocks she had dodged earlier now trapped her in place, reducing her mobility.
In that instant of hesitation, Aggron's Heavy Slam connected point-blank, filling her entire vision.
BOOM!
Aggron didn't stop after the initial impact. Using Roserade as a battering ram, it continued its charge, smashing through boulder after boulder until it finally slammed into the stadium wall, causing the whole structure to quake.
"AGGRRR~!"
With its first assault complete, Aggron let out a triumphant growl and ceased the metal grinding noise, casually pulling the nearly embedded Roserade from its armor and letting her slump to the ground.
It hadn't expected Paul's specially taught Metal Sound strategy to work so well in a real battle.
Whether the screech affected enemy Pokémon didn't matter. As long as it disrupted the opposing Trainer, that was enough.
If the other Trainer couldn't give commands, wasn't victory already half-assured?
"…AAHHH!!!"
Barry silently recalled Roserade, then exploded in frustration:
"Paul! That's cheating! You're totally cheating! That Metal Sound is way too loud! How the hell am I supposed to issue commands like this?! It's unfair!"
"Command however you like. If your Pokémon and you truly share a bond, it'll know what you want. It'll hear your heart."
Paul's reply was calm and cold.
"What the hell! I don't have psychic powers! How would they hear me?!" Barry yelled, nearly losing it.
"Well… you don't. But I do. That's enough."
"…"
That one line shut Barry up. Mouth agape, he couldn't even come up with a retort.
So Paul had secretly learned telepathy, and was now using it for underhanded tactics?
Forget targeting the Pokémon, just neutralize the Trainer first.
Silence fell over the arena.
And with it… came Barry's complete mental collapse.
He was barely able to beat Paul in a fair match, now Paul was playing dirty too?
This… this was bullying the honest man!
"Go! Hitmonlee!"
Having pondered for ages and finding no solution, Barry finally threw in a type-advantage Pokémon, banking everything on this bet.
"I'm counting on you, Hitmonlee! Use your instincts, take down the enemy in your own way!"
"Shah~"
Hitmonlee tensed in anticipation. While it didn't fully understand Barry's command, it instinctively sank its center of gravity, long legs coiling like compressed springs, ready to unleash a devastating attack at any moment.
"Start Iron Defense and Metal Sound."
Paul gave the command calmly.
At present, Aggron's battle style refined through countless rounds of Iron Defense and Metal Sound could only activate two moves simultaneously without weakening either's power.
The earlier Agility was sufficient. Now, it was time to bolster defenses.
"AGGRRR~!"
Aggron roared, releasing a horrific screech that echoed across the battlefield. The Metal Sound sent shockwaves that seemed to vibrate through the very air. That was when Hitmonlee realized what Barry had meant earlier.
"Shah~!"
Braving the painful sonic waves, Hitmonlee launched itself forward, executing a powerful High Jump Kick as it descended with full force.
If the kick landed thanks to its type advantage, a few follow-up strikes would be enough to take down Aggron.
But…
As Hitmonlee fell, Aggron suddenly shifted—its body moved with astonishing speed, darting several meters across the battlefield before leaping high. It pounced directly toward the spot where Hitmonlee was landing.
"Shah~!"
Hitmonlee couldn't understand how Aggron was so fast, but it didn't hesitate. It adjusted midair, landed cleanly, and rebounded instantly with another High Jump Kick aimed straight at Aggron's chest.
BOOM!
The moment contact was made, Hitmonlee felt a crushing force surge back at it. Its expression twisted in shock. Even with its Fighting-type reflexes, the sheer brute strength of the impact overwhelmed it.
"AGGRRR!!"
But Aggron wasn't letting up. It bore down like a mountain, slamming Hitmonlee into the ground beneath it.
One slam. If not a knockout, then at least a crippling blow!
"Shah~!"
At the critical moment, Hitmonlee gritted its teeth. Its willpower flared, activating Endure. Through sheer determination, it clung to consciousness beneath Aggron's massive weight.
Sensing the overwhelming presence pressing it down, Hitmonlee's spirit surged back—like a flame flaring up in its final moment. From deep within, a powerful force erupted upward.
Reversal!
Although Aggron had braced itself, the counterstrike sent it skidding back from the force of the blow.
But thanks to Iron Defense, its damage was mitigated. The attack wasn't enough to finish it.
"Aggrrr~"
Aggron steadied itself, eyes locked on Hitmonlee who was struggling to stand again. There was no fear in Aggron's expression—just a fierce, and toothy grin.
The more you use a technique, the more you understand its nuances. The more refined it becomes.
"Aggrrr!"
Aggron's body shimmered as it channeled the pain it had just endured into power, fusing it with its metallic core. Its eyes blazed as it charged forward.
Metal Burst!
"Shah!"
Hitmonlee knew its opponent was faster. Still, it didn't retreat. It activated Reversal once more, this time fusing it with Close Combat, unleashing every last ounce of energy in a final charge.
Just before the impact, its legs ignited—flames dancing at its heels.
Blazing Reversal Kick – Reversal + Close Combat + Blaze Kick!
BOOM!
An explosion erupted in the center of the arena, shaking the battlefield. Paul and Barry both narrowed their eyes, focusing intently.
Metal Burst was brutal, returning incoming damage with 1.5x power. But Hitmonlee's fused move wasn't weak either. The sheer force rivaled even Aggron's counter.
Who would come out on top?
The smoke slowly cleared.
Aggron stood tall, panting heavily.
Hitmonlee had collapsed.
"AGGRRR~…"
Aggron let out a heavy breath, then grinned in triumph.
'So what if you had a type advantage? So what if you combined multiple moves? In the end, I still brought you down.'
True, Hitmonlee's last move was powerful, but it was already at its limit. It couldn't Endure again. Meanwhile, Aggron still had stamina left… it hadn't even used Endure yet.
Victory had not come by luck.
"Hitmonlee is unable to battle. Aggron wins. This match goes to Paul!"
Drone Rotom announced the result, uploading the battle data before flying off to the next scheduled match.
"You did well." Paul commented briefly, glancing at his phone. His trainer rank had just upgraded to Ultra Tier.
"AGGRRR~!"
Aggron beat its chest proudly.
At first, it hadn't realized how effective this tactic could be. Other strategies target Pokémon, but this one? It directly "silences" the opponent's trainer by disrupting their command flow.
Now it understood. It made a silent vow to perfect this battle style, mastering the synergy of Iron Defense, Metal Sound, and Rock Tomb—and taking the strategy to the next level.
"PAUL! PAUL! PAUL!!!"
Barry rushed over after recalling Hitmonlee, glaring at Paul with a comically aggrieved expression.
"What's your deal?!"
"Your Pokémon are already so strong. Why pull this kind of crap? It's disgusting!"
"Is a normal battle that difficult? Huh?! Is it impossible?!"
"..."
Paul raised an eyebrow and replied coldly:
"If it were a normal battle, could you beat me?"
"Of course I could! I definitely have a chance!"
Barry answered without hesitation.
"Is there a chance… that your Pokémon might perform better without your instructions?"
Paul didn't even acknowledge Barry's confidence, he posed the question plainly.
It wasn't mockery. It was… the truth.
In truth, Barry was a competent Pokémon trainer. Though he often came up with bizarre, chaotic ideas, when he had a clear goal, his Pokémon grew quickly—sometimes even faster than Lucas'.
But truthfully… his command skills were lacking.
Unless he was following a pre-planned strategy, Barry's in-battle decisions were often subpar.
"What did you just say?! Don't look down on me just because you're stronger!"
Barry exploded.
"Being a trainer isn't just about being a commander."
"Some are good at tactics. Some are great at raising or nurturing. Everyone has their strengths. There's nothing wrong with that."
With that, Paul waved a hand and turned to leave.
"Everyone has strengths, huh? Then what about you, Paul?" Barry called out.
"What's your strength?"
Paul paused.
"My strength?" He smirked slightly.
"…There's nothing I'm not good at."
(End of Chapter)
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