"Glastrier?"
Hearing that name, Byron was utterly stunned.
Although he was a Sinnoh Gym Leader, because of his work he knew a fair amount about other regions too.
If he remembered correctly, Glastrier should be one of the legendary Pokémon from the Galar region, right?
But he'd heard Glastrier had long since disappeared; the last historical record was from the Colonisation period of the Aurient region.
'There's no way this boy actually has an Glastrier, right?'
'That shouldn't be possible...'
'Most likely, this Trainer heard the name Glastrier somewhere in some ancient text, and just named his Pokémon that, right?'
Byron felt that was the most probable explanation.
Even if there was a one-in-ten-thousand chance the other really did catch an Glastrier, there's no way he'd use that thing in a Gym battle, right?
Strong people have pride.
Thinking that, Byron's tense heart finally relaxed a little.
At that moment Axel tossed the Poké Ball in his hand.
After a fierce flash of white light, the whole gym was instantly invaded by cold.
The arena's floor became visibly covered in ice crystals, and even the ceiling of the gym began to show delicate snow-like particles slowly drifting down.
The white light from Axel's Poké Ball took shape, coalescing into a massive horse-like Pokémon covered in ice crystals with horns atop its head.
Platinum's Rotom Pokédex started emitting a frantic series of "beeps," the shrill noises almost blending into one continuous sound.
Both Byron and Onix widened their eyes completely.
'Holy crap!'
'A legendary Pokémon really showed up to challenge the Gym?'
'You've got that thing, why don't you just get the League to hand you all eight Gym badges right now!'
'I'm just a poor, small, helpless first Gym Leader.'
'You gotta use that on me?'
'Not even Denji, Sinnoh's strongest Gym Leader, could beat you!'
Seeing Byron's reaction, Axel's mouth twitched into a slight smile.
"Byron, you don't look very happy. Do you think a battle with no level restrictions is boring?"
"No, I don't!", Byron ground his teeth and shook his head like crazy.
He'd just been the one to bend the rules a bit earlier, he had no right to complain now.
"Shall we get started then?", Axel said cheerfully, looking at Byron as if it were no big deal, "I'm a bit pressed for time, and you seem to be in a hurry too."
"Otherwise, Byron wouldn't have used such a high-level Pokémon to deal with a challenger, right?"
Byron: "..."
There really are times when a person is so speechless that they literally cannot speak.
But...
'Look at your Glastrier scaring my Onix like that, how are we supposed to fight now?'
After appearing from the Poké Ball, Glastrier glanced around.
Seeing that today's opponent wasn't a Pokémon on the level of Kyurem, it immediately started its daily show-off routine.
Ice crystals formed at Axel's waist as he precisely opened the Poké Balls for Gyarados and Dragonair.
The two burst out, tails curling into ring-like shapes, appearing above and behind Glastrier respectively.
At the same time, two orbs, one black, one white, radiating strong draconic presence spun on the ground around Glastrier, forming an esoteric yin-yang symbol.
Whether it was the unique pressure of a legendary Pokémon, or the dragon aura from Dragonair and Gyarados, Byron's Onix suddenly found it hard to breathe.
The special effects almost scared him to death.
Even more absurd, Glastrier poked Rayquaza's Poké Ball and said, ["Big bro, the chance to expand territory is here! Last time you conquered the Black-and-White Dragons and made Unova into Aurient. Now if you clear the Gym Leaders and the Champion of Sinnoh, why not make Sinnoh Aurient territory too!"]
Axel felt it clearly.
The moment Glastrier said that, Rayquaza's eyes noticeably widened.
Axel hurriedly grabbed Rayquaza's Poké Ball, afraid that the thing would actually come out.
Expanding territory might be fine, but not in front of Cynthia.
This Pokémon's social boundaries were clearly messed up. Dragonair and Gyarados playing along was one thing, even pulling the Black-and-White Dragons in was too far.
If Rayquaza joined in...
It would ruin the whole Sinnoh region.
"Glastrier, behave," Axel took a deep breath to stop Glastrier's show-off antics.
He fixed his gaze on Glastrier and spoke in a coaxing tone, "We still have things to do in Sinnoh, so don't waste time on meaningless stunts, okay?"
"In a few days this region will be plunged into disaster; we must blitz through these Gyms so we have more time later to save the world."
'Save the world?'
Glastrier had been working on its pitch to convince Axel to let it show off for a few minutes.
But when it heard the words "save the world," its eyes suddenly lit up.
If it wanted a chance to meet Celebi, it had to save the world.
Thinking of the long-unseen Old Cloud, Glastrier inhaled deeply.
Compared to saving the world, showing off was nothing.
'Blitz through, must blitz through!'
With that thought, Glastrier pressed Axel's Poké Ball with an ice crystal.
Two white flashes later, Gyarados and Dragonair vanished from the arena.
"Hrrmph!"
Glastrier snorted and stared intensely at Byron.
Through telepathy it said, ["Bro, is the match starting now?"]
Byron nodded instinctively.
The next moment Glastrier charged straight out.
At the same time, tan-colored light and metallic sheen flashed over its body.
Using Ten Thousand Horsepower and Iron Defense together, it hurled itself without hesitation at Onix, whose pupils had shrunk in alarm.
BANG!
The mountain-sized Onix was blasted by Glastrier's terrifying impact and slammed into the wall behind Byron.
It was embedded deep in the wall and couldn't get free no matter how it struggled.
At the same time, a sound like glass breaking came from Onix's body as it endured Glastrier's fierce attack.
"Huh?"
Glastrier blinked, and without waiting for Axel's command it used its next move, Icicle Crash.
Blue light flashed in its eyes, and a frigid aura poured from its body.
But after a while, Byron still didn't see Glastrier's attack land.
Just as Byron blinked in confusion and looked to Axel, about to ask whether Glastrier was malfunctioning, roaring sounds came from the sky.
A thunderous noise sounded above the Oreburgh Gym; the ceiling was suddenly shot through with a web of fine cracks.
Above Onix, a sharp, conical icicle could already be seen faintly through the crack in the ceiling.
An incredible thought flashed through Byron's mind.
'No way... Glastrier's Icicle Crash is actually coming down from the sky?'
'Buddy, if you're really in such a hurry just say so, I'll forfeit right now, okay?'
'A single badge, surely I can give it to you!'
'Why are you tearing my Gym apart!!'
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