"You're Gary? You're so young."
Argenta stepped into the lobby with brisk, confident strides and looked Gary over from head to toe. Her eyes carried unmistakable surprise.
Scott had mentioned the challenger named Gary more than once.
But hearing about someone and seeing them in person were two entirely different things.
She had imagined a seasoned Trainer in his twenties.
Not a teenager who still looked like he should be attending school.
Gary observed her just as carefully.
Argenta appeared to be approaching fifty, yet the years seemed to treat her kindly. Perhaps it was her career as a stage performer, or perhaps it was simply her natural charisma—but she radiated energy.
Her posture was straight.
Her movements fluid.
Her expression lively and confident.
She carried the unmistakable presence of someone accustomed to standing beneath bright lights and commanding an audience's attention.
Compared to most people her age, she looked far younger.
"Hello, Ms. Argenta," Gary said politely. "I've come to challenge the Battle Hall. When would it be convenient for you to battle?"
He glanced briefly at the clock mounted on the wall.
It was already past ten in the morning.
Lunchtime would arrive soon.
Gary had originally intended to simply schedule the match so he could avoid interfering with Argenta's routine.
Argenta waved her hand casually, as if brushing aside the concern.
"That's fine," she said with a relaxed smile. "We can battle now."
Gary blinked slightly.
He hadn't expected her to agree so quickly.
"It's almost noon," he pointed out. "Wouldn't that interfere with your schedule?"
"It won't take long," Argenta replied confidently. "We'll do a one-on-one battle. It'll be over quickly."
Gary nodded.
"That works for me."
A one-on-one battle was indeed the fastest possible format.
Argenta was known to specialize in Flying-type Pokémon.
From Gary's knowledge of the Sinnoh Battle Frontier, her team included Skarmory and Dragonite.
Among them, Dragonite was unquestionably her strongest partner.
Gary secretly hoped Dragonite's level would be sufficiently high—preferably within the Champion-level threshold.
After all, the stronger the opponent…
The greater the system's reward.
Argenta gestured for Gary to follow her.
They walked through a hallway decorated with theatrical posters, past rehearsal rooms and costume storage areas, until they arrived at the Battle Hall's central arena.
However—
Calling it a battlefield might not be entirely accurate.
The arena looked more like a performance stage prepared for a dramatic play.
Spotlights hung above.
Velvet curtains framed the sides.
The polished floor reflected light like a theater stage.
Considering this was the Battle Hall, the design made perfect sense.
In the official Battle Hall format, challengers typically selected a single Pokémon and fought consecutive matches against opponents of different types.
Only after achieving a long streak of victories would the Frontier Brain appear.
But today, Argenta had agreed to skip the entire qualification process and face Gary directly.
Soon, a female referee stepped onto the stage.
She raised a small flag and announced loudly:
"The Battle Hall Frontier challenge will now begin!"
"The two Trainers are the challenger—Gary!"
"And the famous stage performer and Battle Hall Frontier Brain—Argenta!"
"The battle format will be one-on-one!"
"The match will end when one Pokémon is unable to continue battling!"
[Ding! Mission obtained: Acquire the Stage Symbol.]
Reward:
• Master Rare Candy ×1
• Ability Enhancement Stone ×1
• Silver Bottle Cap ×1
• Self-Selected Permanent TM ×1
Gary's eyes brightened slightly.
From the reward scale alone, he could tell something important.
Argenta's Pokémon was strong.
Very strong.
Likely approaching the Champion threshold.
"Please send out your Pokémon," the referee announced.
Argenta stepped forward first.
Her movements were graceful—almost theatrical.
"Come onto the stage, Dragonite!"
She threw her Poké Ball high into the air.
Flash!
A burst of light exploded outward.
"Draaagonite!"
A powerful Dragonite materialized midair before descending onto the battlefield with a heavy landing.
Its large wings spread wide as it roared confidently.
Dragonite — Level 70
Level seventy.
Just stepping across the threshold into Champion-level territory.
Gary smiled faintly.
"This opponent is perfect."
Without hesitation, he tossed his own Poké Ball.
"Blastoise, you're up."
Flash!
A massive Blastoise emerged from the light, its steel cannons gleaming as it planted its feet firmly on the ground.
"Blastoise!"
Blastoise — Level 74
Gary's Blastoise had already reached level seventy-four.
Four levels above Dragonite.
The difference might appear small.
But at Champion-level ranges, even a single level could represent a significant advantage.
"The battle begins!" the referee declared.
Argenta did not waste time.
"Dragonite, use Thunder Punch!"
"Draaagonite!"
Dragonite flapped its wings powerfully and accelerated forward.
Electricity crackled violently around its fist as it shot toward Blastoise like a lightning-charged comet.
"Ice Punch," Gary responded calmly.
"Blastoise!"
Blastoise stepped forward, raising its arm.
A thick layer of freezing energy coated its fist instantly.
The air around it dropped several degrees.
Argenta's eyes narrowed.
"Fly up—avoid it!"
Dragonite immediately changed trajectory.
With a powerful beat of its wings, it surged upward into the air, narrowly avoiding the incoming Ice Punch.
But Gary had already anticipated that reaction.
"Aura Sphere."
Blastoise tilted its head upward.
Two glowing spheres of condensed energy formed instantly.
Then—
Whoosh!
They launched into the sky.
The Aura Spheres curved through the air, splitting into two separate trajectories as they pursued Dragonite relentlessly.
"Draaagonite!"
Dragonite did not dodge.
Instead—
Its electrified fists flashed.
Boom! Boom!
With two precise punches, Dragonite smashed both Aura Spheres out of the air.
But the brief delay had been enough.
Gary spoke again.
"Ice Beam."
"Blastoise!"
Blastoise's cannons opened.
A blazing white beam of freezing energy erupted upward.
Dragonite had just finished destroying the Aura Spheres.
There was no time left to evade.
"Flamethrower!" Argenta shouted quickly.
Dragonite opened its mouth and unleashed a torrent of flames—
But the fire traveled barely two meters before the Ice Beam tore straight through it.
The freezing ray struck Dragonite squarely in the abdomen.
"Draa—!"
Frost exploded across its body as the icy energy spread rapidly along its scales.
Argenta frowned.
She had realized something.
The Aura Spheres had never been intended to deal damage.
They were distractions.
The Ice Beam had always been the true attack.
"Dragonite—use Rain Dance, then follow with Thunder!"
Dragonite's antennae began glowing faintly.
Dark clouds formed instantly above the stage.
Within seconds—
Rain began pouring down across the battlefield.
The polished stage became slick with water.
Thunderclouds rumbled overhead.
"Dragon Pulse," Gary ordered calmly.
"Blastoise!"
Energy gathered inside Blastoise's cannons.
A swirling beam of dragon energy shot upward.
Dragon Pulse.
Dragonite ignored the incoming attack.
Instead, it focused on finishing its move.
Lightning roared.
BOOM!
A massive Thunder strike descended from the storm clouds.
The lightning bolt crashed directly onto Blastoise.
At the exact same moment—
Dragon Pulse slammed into Dragonite midair.
The resulting explosion shook the stage violently.
Dragonite was thrown backward through the rain before falling heavily to the ground.
Blastoise staggered slightly as electricity surged through its body.
"Draa…"
"Blastoise…"
Both Pokémon stood again.
Breathing heavily.
Facing each other across the rain-soaked battlefield.
Argenta felt a chill run through her thoughts.
"So strong…"
"It endured Thunder without collapsing."
She knew exactly how powerful her Dragonite was.
If Blastoise could withstand that attack and continue battling normally…
Then its level was likely equal to—or even higher than—Dragonite's.
"Dragonite, charge in and use Thunder Punch again!"
Argenta decided to rely on Dragonite's greatest strength.
Physical combat.
Dragonite's raw physical power was terrifying.
If she could not exploit that advantage—
Victory would become extremely unlikely.
"Draaagonite!"
Dragonite dashed forward again.
Lightning surged around its fist.
"Rapid Spin—Water Blade," Gary commanded.
"Blastoise!"
Blastoise withdrew partially into its shell.
Then it began spinning rapidly.
Water from the rain surged toward the rotating shell.
Under centrifugal force, the water formed sharp blades along the rim.
A deadly spinning ring of pressurized water.
Dragonite did not retreat.
It thrust its electrified fist forward.
The punch struck the spinning barrier—
But the flowing water absorbed much of the impact, dispersing the electricity through motion.
In the next instant—
Slash!
The rotating water blade sliced across Dragonite's shoulder.
Dragonite was thrown backward several meters by the force.
Blastoise stopped spinning as well.
However—
Although Rapid Spin had reduced the damage, electricity from Thunder Punch still traveled through the water.
Blastoise flinched slightly as residual current surged across its shell.
Both Pokémon stepped back.
Breathing hard.
Injured—
But still determined.
Dragonite's strength lay in raw physical offense.
Blastoise could not match that power directly.
Instead, Gary relied on technique.
Layered tactics.
Move combinations.
Momentum control.
Against overwhelming strength—
Precision would decide the outcome.