Tyranitar threw itself into a reckless barrage, smashing down with both arms again and again. Dust and grit erupted into the air as it hammered Ampharos into the ground.
But ending it with that single sequence was clearly impossible.
When Thrash ended, Tyranitar immediately slipped into confusion. Yet it didn't stop moving—if anything, it became even more dangerous. It staggered and struck wildly at whatever was around it, giving Ampharos the one opening it needed.
Ampharos forced itself up from the rubble and scrambled away on all fours, dragging its battered body to a safer position.
Only after putting distance between them did it finally exhale—still shaken. Looking back at the towering Tyranitar flailing in place, Ampharos felt a lingering chill. It was as if every bone in its body had been rattled loose. The pain was deep, sharp, and everywhere.
Wattson's voice snapped across the battlefield.
"Ampharos! Don't just stand there—fight back, quickly!!"
The shout jolted Ampharos awake like a slap. It steadied its breathing, drew up the electricity in its body, and began charging an attack.
A powerful Thunder Shock burst from the glowing tip of its tail—fast, clean, and direct—and struck Tyranitar squarely.
Zzzzt!!
Electricity raced across Tyranitar's body. It roared, muscles tensing as the pain surged through it.
But that same jolt turned into a blessing in disguise.
The shock snapped Tyranitar out of confusion.
Natsui didn't hesitate. At this point, there was no need to keep forcing close combat. Ampharos was clearly battered—its stamina drained, its body already scarred—so Natsui immediately switched to a safer, more decisive approach.
"Tyranitar—Dark Pulse!"
A wave of dark energy surged forward.
Ampharos refused to back down. It gathered what it had left and answered with Signal Beam, sending a bright, concentrated ray straight into the oncoming attack.
But this time, Natsui made a calculated adjustment.
Instead of letting the two moves collide head-on, he had Tyranitar shift the angle—just enough so the attacks would graze past each other, missing the midpoint clash entirely.
They passed at razor-thin distance, and then—
Both strikes landed.
The impact rocked both Pokémon. Their bodies swayed under the damage.
In the end, Ampharos couldn't hold on. Its legs gave out first, and it collapsed.
Watt raised the colored flag at exactly the right moment and announced loudly:
"Ampharos is unable to battle! The winner of this Gym Battle is the challenger—Natsui!"
For Natsui, with the lineup he was using, this had actually been a fairly difficult Gym battle.
That didn't mean Wattson's Pokémon were absurdly overpowered. The real issue was Wattson himself—his careful scheming and the way he arranged his team.
In most Gyms, the lineup followed a clear "weak to strong" progression. But aside from Wattson, Natsui had never seen a Gym Leader whose Pokémon had such an obvious and deliberate gap in strength. And the worst part?
Wattson didn't follow any "martial courtesy." He didn't announce the twist in advance—he just smiled and sprung it when it mattered most.
Fortunately, Natsui's Pokémon were strong enough to withstand it. Otherwise, he really could have capsized here.
Of course, there was a reason Wattson could afford to do this.
Before challengers even stepped onto the battlefield, Wattson tested them with his mechanical Raikou. Anyone who could pass that test wasn't weak—so Wattson could adjust his lineup based on what he'd already seen.
With the match settled, and despite losing a Pokémon like Ampharos, Wattson's expression quickly returned to his signature hearty smile. He walked up to Natsui.
"That was really impressive," Wattson said warmly. "You may not know this, but Ampharos is one of the few truly powerful Pokémon I have. Defeating it means you already have the standard to challenge the League!"
If Wattson truly knew Natsui, he wouldn't be reacting like this.
But Natsui had no intention of correcting him. He simply smiled.
"Not at all. You flatter me. My Pokémon are still far from that level. They need more honing."
Wattson looked genuinely pleased with the modest response.
"Then keep it up, young man. I have high hopes for you!"
At that moment, Watt walked over from the side. Wattson took a badge from him and presented it to Natsui.
"Take it. This is my Dynamo Badge—and proof you defeated me."
The Dynamo Badge wasn't flashy. It looked like a simple yellow electromagnetic coil—clean, straightforward, and unmistakably Electric-type.
Natsui thanked him, accepted the badge, and placed it into his Badge Case.
With the Dynamo Badge added, Natsui now had three. One more, and he would have exactly collected half of what he needed.
Wattson's eyes were sharp. In the brief moment the case opened, he caught a glimpse of the Heat Badge—and immediately laughed.
"What? Was that guy Moore defeated by you too?"
Natsui wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but Wattson's tone almost sounded… smug.
Unfortunately for Wattson, his assumption was wrong.
"No," Natsui said, shaking his head. "When I went to the Lavaridge Gym, Mr. Moore had already retired. The one presiding over the Gym was his granddaughter, Flannery."
"He retired!?" Wattson froze. "He actually gave up that Gym!?"
From his expression, it was obvious this was the first time he'd heard it. He stood there, stunned for a long moment.
And honestly, it made sense.
Moore was around the same age as Wattson. If even Moore had stepped down, then Wattson—whether he liked it or not—would have to reflect on his own situation sooner or later.
Watt seized the moment to tease him, smiling as he spoke.
"Teacher, you've reached that age too, and your waist is injured. Maybe you should retire together with Mr. Moore."
"Hmph! What nonsense are you talking about?" Wattson snapped, puffing up. "I'm still hale and hearty. Retire? Let's talk about it again in another ten years!"
Then his expression shifted, and his annoyance found a new target.
"But still—something this big, and that old guy didn't tell me? Next time I meet him, I definitely won't let him off easy!"
Even in those words, the bond was obvious. Whatever else was true, Wattson and Moore clearly had a deep friendship.
But it wasn't Natsui's business.
He closed the Badge Case, recalled Tyranitar, and—together with Misty—gave Wattson a polite nod before leaving Mauville Gym.
They were traveling trainers. Once the battle was over, the next destination always waited.
Still, Mauville City had left a strong impression on Misty. Not far beyond the city gates, she paused and looked back at the central metropolis of Hoenn, her gaze lingering.
It was her first time setting foot here.
And probably her last.
So… goodbye, Mauville City.
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Pokémon Legend — Status: Ongoing — Latest Chapter: 719 — Next: 800 (Coming Soon)
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