Yozora strolled down the streets of Ecruteak City with his little Growlithe by his side. The pup's golden, shimmering coat caught the sunlight, drawing astonished glances from passersby along the way.
Ordinary Growlithe had gentle, amiable features that warmed hearts at first sight, making people want to reach out and pet them.
But Yozora's Growlithe was different. Its golden pelt shone with majesty, and the aura it carried was far from the playful charm of a typical Growlithe.
Yozora couldn't help feeling a tinge of regret. He loved Growlithe precisely because of their clumsy warmth and kindness.
Yet his Growlithe—though still a Growlithe—already radiated an imposing aura more befitting of an Arcanine. In fact, its presence even surpassed that of most Arcanine.
"Amazing! A golden Growlithe!"
"I want one so badly!"
The crowd whispered with envy and admiration as they passed.
At that moment, a blond boy stepped forward. He looked about fifteen years old, his face still youthful—clearly a rookie who had only just begun his journey.
"Hey! Your Growlithe looks pretty good. Battle me! The name's Jin—remember it! Someday, I'll become Champion of the Johto League!" He flipped his bangs with exaggerated flair, brimming with cocky arrogance.
Without hesitation, he threw out his first Pokémon—Kadabra.
It was at the Senior tier, near the peak of its level.
"Of course," Yozora replied smoothly, squaring off against Jin.
The sudden appearance of a battle drew a crowd. Onlookers circled around eagerly, curious to see whether this flashy rookie really had the skills to back up his words.
But what they really wanted to see was the power of Yozora's Shiny Growlithe.
The match began.
"Kadabra, let everyone witness your strength! Use Psychic—grab that Growlithe!" Jin shouted.
Kadabra's eyes glowed crimson as it raised its spoon, conjuring an invisible hand of psychic energy that shot toward Growlithe.
But then—
Growlithe simply let out a single, thunderous bark. Instantly, an invisible force pulsed outward. The psychic hand shattered like glass, and Kadabra itself was enveloped by Growlithe's overwhelming aura.
"Hhhhhh…" Kadabra froze, every hair on its body standing on end. In its vision, the little pup before it warped into the image of a radiant golden lion, exuding a pressure that suffocated its spirit.
"Roooar!"
The golden lion's roar crashed through the air. Kadabra's body shook violently, its entire frame trembling with fear.
No matter how Jin screamed its name, Kadabra could no longer fight. Cold sweat poured down its body as it quivered helplessly. It had fallen into a Flinch state, completely paralyzed by terror.
"Incredible… what a presence!"
"So strong! No wonder—it's a Shiny Pokémon. Even though it's just a Growlithe, its aura surpasses most Arcanine!"
"And it can still evolve! If it becomes an Arcanine, that presence will only grow even stronger!"
The spectators gasped in awe, their jealousy burning hotter than ever. Some young women even gazed at Yozora with admiration, their eyes sparkling.
But Yozora paid them no mind. To him, the battle was not yet over.
"Finish it, Growlithe! Flamethrower!"
"Fwoooosh!"
A jet of flame erupted from Growlithe's maw. Kadabra, still shuddering in fear, couldn't dodge. The fire engulfed it completely.
When the blaze subsided, Kadabra lay charred and unconscious on the ground.
So fragile.
Kadabra was naturally frail, and once trapped in fear, it had no means to defend itself. Growlithe's attack struck a critical blow, ending the fight instantly.
"Damn it… Kadabra!" Jin staggered back in disbelief, unable to accept that his battle had ended so easily.
"He won!"
"Too strong! That Shiny Growlithe crushed the match without breaking a sweat!"
"And Kadabra wasn't weak at all—its level was even higher than Growlithe's! But the fear crippled it completely…"
The crowd marveled as Yozora gave a faint smile, turning away with his golden Growlithe at his side.
Though still only at the Junior tier, Growlithe's aura alone was enough to force a Senior peak-tier Pokémon into a flinching state!
Even against Commander-tier Pokémon, it might not cause complete paralysis, but it could still instill fear and weaken them significantly.
In other words, this Growlithe already had the strength to stand against Commander-tier Pokémon head-on.
Of course, unlike in the games, Growlithe's aura was tied directly to its presence. Once it left the field, its Intimidation Field vanished instantly.
A pity.
Otherwise, Yozora could have sent Growlithe in first to weaken his foes, then followed up with his ace to sweep the match.
Still, even as it was, Growlithe's Intimidation Field gave him a massive edge—especially in Double Battles, where two opponents could be weakened at once.
That night, Yozora arrived at the Ecruteak Pokémon Center. He entrusted all of his partners, including Growlithe, to Nurse Joy for care and took the chance to rest for the evening.
The next morning, he set foot inside Ecruteak Gym.
The Gym Leader was a young man of about twenty-five, with orange hair and heavy dark circles under his eyes. His name was Morty.
As expected of a Gym Leader, his strength was undoubtedly first-class.
Ecruteak Gym specialized in Ghost-type Pokémon, and the atmosphere reflected that. The moment Yozora entered, the hall plunged into pitch darkness, thick with a chilling aura. Gastly and Haunter lurked in the shadows, whispering and rattling to unsettle challengers.
It was the Gym's first trial—the Test of Courage.
But Yozora, armed with both Mind's Eye and the Power of Aura, passed without the slightest difficulty.
"Well done. It's been a long time since someone passed the first test alone, without relying on any Pokémon." Morty emerged from the shadows with his disciples, clapping slowly.
His eyes were perpetually half-closed, as though drained of energy. His followers, too, bore dark circles—an inevitable result of living alongside Ghost-types for so long.
"I'm Yozora. I've come to challenge this Gym," Yozora declared firmly.
"Oh? So you're Yozora? I've heard of you from Falkner and Bugsy…" Morty's lips curved into a faint smile. "They say you're strong, and that you even have a remarkable Eevee… Interesting. Let's see for myself if you're worthy of such praise."
He led Yozora into the Gym's main battlefield, a wide, brightly lit arena.
"The rules are three-on-three. Only the challenger may switch Pokémon freely. Are you ready?"
Yozora nodded.
"Then let's begin. Go—Gastly!"
Morty hurled his Poké Ball, releasing a Gastly. It hovered menacingly, its level at the Senior peak.
For a Gastly, that was already impressive. With evolution, it could easily reach Commander-tier. Morty had likely fed it an Everstone to prevent evolution, ensuring it stayed in its form to properly test challengers.
After all, Gym Leaders didn't lack powerful Pokémon—they needed reliable partners that could test trainers fairly.
"A Senior peak Gastly…" Yozora narrowed his eyes.
It had been more than half a month since his last Gym battle, against Whitney in Goldenrod. His partners had grown tremendously in that time. Even his weakest, Flaaffy and the Crystal Onix, had advanced to the Lord-tier.
Using them here would be meaningless—too overwhelming.
Instead, he sent out his golden Growlithe.
"Wha—?!" Morty's drowsy eyes flew wide open. His disciples shielded their faces against the brilliant glow.
"My eyes! I'm blind!""Golden Growlithe?! Who could resist drooling at that sight?"
Even in their grim Ghost-type Gym, the disciples cracked jokes to mask their shock.
"Roooar!"
Growlithe's battle cry shook the arena as its Intimidation Field expanded, enveloping Gastly.
Instantly, Gastly's body stiffened. Cold sweat condensed on its gaseous form as it stared at Growlithe in dread.
It wasn't as weak-willed as Jin's Kadabra—this Gastly retained its fighting spirit, though heavily suppressed.
The difference was clear. Morty's Gastly was leagues more resilient, bolstered by his expert training.
Still, Morty couldn't hide his shock. He could feel Gastly's aura plummet by half. Despite being Senior peak, its strength had dropped to nearly equal with the golden Growlithe.
The referee's flag dropped. The battle had begun.
"Growlithe, seize the initiative! Flamethrower!" Yozora commanded.
Growlithe loosed a blazing jet of fire. Though its range was narrow, the speed made it deadly.
"Dodge it, Gastly!" Morty reacted instantly.
Gastly blurred into a puff of smoke, barely evading the flames by a hair's breadth.
The fight was far from over.
(End of Chapter)