With both Pokémon appearing, Shiro quickly gave his command.
"Corviknight! Use Quick Attack, then Aerial Ace!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the steel bird rushed forward like an arrow released from a bow. Its black feathers rippled violently in the wind and some even scattered in its wake from the sheer speed. In a flash, it came in front of Eiscue. Then its body flickered and vanished again.
Melony remained calm, not the slightest bit worried. Her Eiscue had an ability that let it block the first physical attack completely. On top of that, it could restore its ability by using moves like Snowscape to create snowy weather, making it seem almost untouchable against reckless strikes. She had no reason to panic.
"Eiscue, use Icy Wind!"
Following the order, the Pokémon opened its mouth. Without even a pause, the strange square head split to reveal a mouth that spewed a burst of chilling air. The icy breath thickened fast, starting light then becoming heavy and biting cold.
At the same time, Corviknight, already close, slammed into Eiscue from behind. The blow lifted the smaller Pokémon off the ground, sending it rolling upward. The icy breath that had been aimed forward now turned into a freezing mist surrounding its body. As it spun in the air, the cube on its head began to shrink and melt away, slowly deforming until it became a flattened oval.
"Air Cutter!" Shiro followed up, unwilling to miss the chance for another strike.
Corviknight beat its massive wings. The gust that surged outward instantly condensed into pale, razor-sharp blades of wind, cutting straight toward the tumbling penguin.
A buzzing hum filled the arena as the ice covering the ground split into neat, crisscrossing lines. Eiscue, helpless in midair with no leverage to dodge, took the full brunt of the attack. The strike knocked it sideways, hurling it across the battlefield.
But Melony didn't flinch. She casually placed one hand on her hip, watching her Pokémon roll on the field with surprising interest.
'What is this woman thinking?' Shiro frowned. He couldn't figure out her strategy. She wasn't rushing, instead, she looked like she just wanted to drag things out… drag things out?
Then he noticed it. Even as the battered Eiscue staggered back to its feet, cold mist still poured steadily from its mouth. The frigid air spread further with each second. Shiro finally felt the chill creeping against his skin.
So that was it. She wanted to keep lowering the temperature, to use the so-called gym trial to freeze him out. She was stalling, not fighting.
'She's playing the endurance game?'
Shiro glanced at Melony's smug expression and nearly laughed. If that was her plan, he wasn't going to show mercy.
"Corviknight! Quick Attack into Steel Wing!"
Simultaneously, Melony gave her order.
"Eiscue, Chilling Water! Aim straight ahead!"
Corviknight blurred once more, vanishing in a streak of speed, while Eiscue opened its mouth wide, unleashing a stream of icy blue water. It wasn't freezing solid, but the cold it carried could numb and weaken anything it touched.
Only its target wasn't Corviknight at all. The chilling spray shot directly at Shiro himself.
"What's happening?! Eiscue isn't attacking Corviknight, it's aiming at challenger Shiro! What is going on here?!" Ryan shouted in shock. His voice blasted through the microphone, echoing around the icy field.
Eiscue's Chilling Water looked no stronger than a water gun, but the chill inside was enough to freeze anything solid on contact. Even a Gym-level Pokémon with poor cold resistance could be left immobile temporarily if hit. For a human, there was no chance of withstanding it. In this freezing arena, a single hit could mean death.
Shiro never planned to take it head-on though. He had expected something like this. The instant the attack came, he leapt back and yanked off his bathrobe, flinging it into the path of Chilling Water.
The spray struck the white fabric, transforming it into a twisted block of ice. But that brief pause was enough to disrupt the stream's rhythm and slow it down, giving Shiro the opening he needed to retreat to the far corner of the trainer's area, safe from harm.
"Challenger Shiro threw out his bathrobe! He successfully avoided that sudden strike!" Ryan's voice grew more frantic as he explained. "Meanwhile, Corviknight has reached Eiscue and is using Steel Wing!"
Bang! Bang!
The sound of steel striking ice rang out sharp and clear.
Steel-type moves dealt double damage to Ice-types and Eiscue had no secondary typing to shield it. The blow landed heavy, and the Chilling Water it had been spitting was cut short by the furious assault.
The penguin was launched into the air, then smashed onto the ground. It tried to rise, trembling, but Corviknight raised a talon glowing with metallic light.
Metal Claw.
"Ei—"
Eiscue barely managed a cry before the glowing talon slammed it back down. Pinned against the cracked ice floor, it struggled weakly for a bit, then went limp.
"Cooorv!"
Corviknight let out a harsh, piercing screech. Its blood-red eyes turned toward Melony, blazing with fury. It was ready to attack her next if Shiro ordered so.
Startled, Melony stumbled a step back. She reached for her belt and drew a Poké Ball, trying to recall her fallen Pokémon from a distance.
But Corviknight shifted slightly, spreading its black wings wide. The red beam shot from the ball, but the bird blocked it completely. Eiscue remained trapped under its claws.
"Wha…" Melony's composure cracked. She glanced at the edge of the field, at Ryan, who was acting as referee.
But he didn't seem to notice her silent plea. He kept talking into the mic with rising excitement.
"Gym Leader Melony has ordered her Pokémon to attack the opposing trainer, a clear violation of League rules! Challenger Shiro's Corviknight has been enraged and refuses to let her recall Eiscue!"
* * *
Hammerlocke, outside the stadium gates.
"Disgusting old hag!"
"I told you, when I saw that Melony, I knew nothing good could come out of Circhester! Corviknight should just kill the whole lot of them!"
"What's the point of this battle? That old woman doesn't even want to fight."
"Her dumb son froze himself into an idiot, serves her right. Damn it!"
The insults from the gathered trainers spread like wildfire. Even people who stayed home rushed outside, shouting curses into the street.
In a proper League battle, ordering a Pokémon to attack the opposing trainer was the lowest of lows. This wasn't the wilds, where savagery was common. In regulated matches, such behavior was unforgivable.
And Melony was a Gym Leader no less.
This year's Gym Challenge had shattered the public's image of what Gym Leaders were supposed to be. Trainers across Galar had believed them to be strong, noble, and upright. Now?
Spikemuth. Circhester. Nothing but trash.
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