You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
Luther hadn't even used a Move. What caused Machamp to collapse was the loose gravel that had rolled into the battle-worn pits and grooves on the field.
Stepping on the slick stones to exert strength, Machamp lost its balance entirely.
The fallen Machamp fainted. Matsuto shook his head and declared that Machamp had lost its ability to battle.
Gym Leader Endou caught the disappointment in Matsuto's eyes. He looked at Luther for a long while in silence, then let out a heavy sigh.
The final Poké Ball was shoved back into Endou's pocket. He entered the field, carefully checking Machamp's condition. Only when Machamp slowly regained consciousness and assured him it was fine did a faint smile return to his face.
"Luther San, there's no need to continue."
"You mean to say I've passed Rockfist Gym's assessment, and have the strength to earn its Badge, correct?"
Machamp glanced at Endou anxiously, hoping he would still give it one last try. After all, it wasn't unheard of for a single Pokémon to sweep three opponents in a row.
Seeing that Endou had already admitted defeat, Matsuto dropped his referee's demeanor and stepped forward, hoping he would reconsider.
"I know what you want to say. As a Gym Leader, I've been unqualified. A Gym Leader should fight with everything they have to protect the Gym's honor. Yet I've been careless with the challenges brought by Trainers. You've been to Snowpoint City Gym, how strong is Candice compared to me?"
"The Gym represents the face of a city. If we've failed the League's assessment, we should accept the consequences with that awareness."
Matsuto clenched his fists tightly, unwillingness boiling in his voice. "So you won't even try? And yet you dared to sneer at Stonebreak Gym, calling it a place run by women? Was that all just empty talk?"
"Tempering? Your own will is this weak, yet when Grandpa entrusted the Gym to you, you managed it like this. And now you still have the gall to use 'tempering' as an excuse to look down on challengers, pretending superiority?"
Perhaps it was because he was so used to Matsuto's normally quiet nature, Gym Leader Endou seemed completely unprepared for his sudden outburst. He looked flustered, avoided eye contact, and after stammering for a long while, sighed.
"Go bring the Badge to Luther. A loss is a loss."
Matsuto shoved the referee's flag into Endou's hand, snatched the Poké Ball from his pocket, and growled:
"I refuse to admit defeat. If you can't protect this Gym, then I will."
Gym Leader Endou hurriedly stopped him. "Don't make trouble. You're not even listed among the League's registered Gym Leaders. Even if you win, it won't be recognized."
Those words made Matsuto's grip on the Poké Ball slacken instantly. Rage welled up in his throat, but unable to vent it, he kicked a chunk of gravel with all his strength and stormed back into the inner Gym in a fury.
Moments later, he returned carrying a heavy box. He hurled it at Gym Leader Endou with a glare, then turned away, forcing himself not to look back.
Luther had watched the entire father-son drama unfold in utter confusion, leaving both him and Kirlia exchanging baffled looks.
Wait… so this wasn't about me passing the assessment and skipping the third match?
When he saw Gym Leader Endou carrying over the heavy box, Luther became even more bewildered.
"Luther, oh, I should say, Pokémon League inspector Mr. Luther, this is Rockfist Gym's supply of Badges. Every Badge issued is recorded, and the number ordered from the League is strictly tracked without any missing. Please verify them."
Luther, dazed, accepted the heavy box. Opening it, he found it full of Rockfist Badges neatly arranged inside.
Finally piecing together what was going on, Luther picked one out, placed it into his Badge case, then hesitated.
"Gym Leader Endou… I don't know what misunderstanding you're under, but I'm not the inspector you keep mentioning. I'm just a Pokémon Trainer. I came here simply to earn a Badge so I can qualify for the Lily of the Valley Conference."
Gym Leader Endou froze, then let out a bitter laugh. "Inspector, please don't joke about this. We failed the League's assessment. Losing the right to run the Gym is only natural. You don't need to comfort us with such words."
Luther sighed. "I really am not a League inspector."
He simply pulled out his Pokédex, opened his Trainer profile, and played it aloud for Gym Leader Endou to hear.
Hearing only half of the explanation, Matsuto had already turned away, while Gym Leader Endou hugged his Machamp with unrestrained joy.
Luther and Kirlia could only watch the two men and Machamp act out their touching scene of "losing and regaining hope." He couldn't leave, nor could he just stand there gawking, so Luther reached out to tease Kirlia, waiting for the trio to calm down.
Only when Gym Leader Endou firmly grabbed Luther's free hand did Luther finally believe the man was ready to listen again.
"So, Gym Leader Endou, why exactly did you think I was an inspector?"
Gym Leader Endou scratched his head. "Not long ago, the Gym received a notice saying the League would send a special commissioner to resolve the disputes around Snowpoint City's Gyms. They'd be focusing on evaluating the battle capabilities of two particular Gyms."
"We waited two weeks. Aside from a handful of ordinary Trainers, no one came. Then we saw you walk in with a Pokédex… checking the Badges right away, moving through everything so smoothly and businesslike. Naturally, I thought you were the one…"
So it had all been a huge misunderstanding. He wasn't here to check Badge integrity, he was only worried this Gym might not be recognized by the League, and that his victory would go to waste.
"Smooth and businesslike"? That was just because he'd already challenged two Gyms before. He more or less understood the routine and went straight to the point.
But… "businesslike"? Did that mean he gave off the same air as those stiff Pokémon League officials?
Once the misunderstanding cleared, Matsuto visibly relaxed. A moment ago, he'd felt utter despair, and now this rollercoaster of emotions gave him the resolve to make his own decision.
He needed to be upfront with his father. The old-fashioned battle rules and antique traditions Endou clung to were long out of sync with the current pace of the League.
"Gym Leader Endou, does this mean… in our match just now, you weren't holding back?"
Endou's weathered face flushed red. "I don't have that kind of strength. Holding back to test challengers, that's something only truly powerful Gym Leaders are qualified to do. I've always fought with everything I have and then judged whether a Badge should be awarded."
Luther had heard of this before. When Gardenia had first become a Gym Leader, she fought every battle at full strength to secure her win rate. Only later, once her power grew and she became part of the League's core Gyms, did she adopt the "holding back for assessment" style.
"Goodness gracious, Luther, you nearly scared me half to death. I really thought I was about to lose the Gym passed down by my ancestors."
Luther held his head in disbelief. Where exactly was Endou's optimism coming from? Did he actually believe Luther was stronger than an official League inspector?
Matsuto voiced what Luther was thinking.
"Father, you'd better consider how you'll handle things when the real inspector arrives."
But Endou's optimism seemed endless. "The real inspector might not even care much about winning or losing. The League has plenty of Gyms to review. They might just be here to go through the motions. No point scaring ourselves in advance."
At that moment, Luther heard footsteps approaching outside. Ignoring the bickering father and son, he turned curiously to see which Trainer had also been led here by navigation to this chaotic Fighting-type Gym.
A flicker of pale-gold hair caught his eye. With a lollipop in her mouth, Cynthia locked eyes with him.
"Although I want to say this is a coincidence," Luther began cautiously, "let me just ask, you mentioned over breakfast that you were here on another mission… Don't tell me you're the one assigned to assess Snowpoint City's Gyms?"
Cynthia blinked, then nodded.
"I am the League's examiner for the Snowpoint City Gyms."
(End of Chapter)