"Good, Pidgeot, keep up the good work!" Robert called out, his eyes filled with confidence as he observed his Pokémon's performance.
On the other side of the battle pool, Sakura sighed and shook her head slightly before retrieving her defeated Seel. With a quick flick of her wrist, she pressed the button on her Poké Ball, and the fainted Pokémon disappeared into the red light.
"Come back, Seel."
Despite knowing the inevitable outcome, Sakura couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. The moment she saw Robert's Pidgeot, she realized her chances of victory were slim. However, what she hadn't expected was for the battle to end so quickly—just two moves. It was clear that Robert's Pidgeot was far stronger than she had anticipated.
"Sis, are you alright?" Violet, one of the other Cerulean Gym Leaders, stepped forward, concern evident in her voice.
"I'm fine," Sakura reassured her, forcing a small smile. Then, placing a hand on her younger sister's shoulder, she added, "It's your turn now, Violet. Give it your best shot. Even though we may not be as strong as Robert, that doesn't mean we should go down without a fight."
Violet nodded determinedly. "Yeah, I won't hold back!"
She walked to her designated trainer spot, pulling a Poké Ball from her pocket. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed it into the air.
"Alright, Robert, your next opponent is me! Go, my precious Goldeen!"
With a burst of red light, Goldeen appeared in the water, gracefully swimming to the center of the battle pool. Its red and white body glistened under the gym's lights, and the sharp horn on its forehead gleamed menacingly.
Goldeen's Stats:
Category: Goldfish Pokémon
Type: Water
Height: 1.3m
Weight: 39.0kg
Gender: Female
Ability: Swift Swim (Speed increases when it rains)
Moves: Peck, Horn Attack, Fury Attack, Tail Whip, Water Sport, Water Gun
Strength Level: Advanced Ordinary
Robert analyzed Goldeen's stats, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"It seems to be around the same strength as Seel," he murmured. "Which means this battle won't last long."
It wasn't arrogance—just a simple observation. Based on Pidgeot's overwhelming strength, Goldeen wouldn't be able to withstand more than one or two attacks.
Violet wasted no time. She clenched her fists and shouted, "Goldeen, use Horn Attack on Pidgeot!"
The water Pokémon sprang into action, launching itself out of the water with surprising speed. Its sharp horn gleamed as it shot straight toward Pidgeot, aiming for a critical hit.
"Quick, Pidgeot! Dodge and counter with Wing Attack!" Robert commanded.
With a swift movement, Pidgeot spun gracefully in the air, effortlessly avoiding Goldeen's attack. Then, with incredible speed, its wings glowed white as it delivered a devastating strike.
WHAM!
The impact sent Goldeen flying across the pool, slamming into the water with a loud splash. A few ripples spread across the surface before the Pokémon floated motionlessly, clearly knocked out.
Violet stood frozen, mouth slightly open in shock.
"Goldeen is unable to battle!" The referee raised his hand. "Robert's Pidgeot wins!"
Gasps and murmurs filled the air. Even though Violet had predicted Robert's strength, she hadn't expected to be defeated in just one move.
"Wow!" The referee exclaimed, still processing the battle's speed. "Pidgeot's Wing Attack was incredibly powerful! To defeat Goldeen in one hit—it's absolutely remarkable! This really makes you wonder, is Robert really a Rookie Trainer?"
Before he could continue his analysis, a piercing glare from Violet silenced him instantly.
Yikes... The referee quickly changed the subject. Clearing his throat, he raised his hand again. "Let's move on to the third match!"
Lily, the youngest of the three Cerulean sisters, stepped forward, determination shining in her eyes.
"Alright, it's my turn now! I, Lily, will be your next opponent, Robert! Let's go, Shellder!"
She tossed a Poké Ball into the air, and in a flash of red light, Shellder appeared on the battlefield. The Pokémon's purple shell had two sharp spikes at the edges, and beneath its black, beady eyes, its bright red tongue stuck out.
Shellder's Stats:
Category: Bivalve Pokémon
Type: Water
Height: 0.3m
Weight: 4.0kg
Gender: Female
Ability: Shell Armor (Prevents critical hits)
Moves: Tackle, Icicle Spear, Supersonic, Withdraw, Water Gun
Strength Level: Advanced Ordinary
Robert examined the Shellder carefully.
"This one is a bit different," he thought. "It has some impressive moves like Icicle Spear and Withdraw, which can be troublesome if it stalls for time."
Lily smirked, sensing Robert's hesitation. "Shellder, use Supersonic!"
A high-pitched sound echoed across the battlefield. Pidgeot flinched slightly as waves of energy attempted to disorient it.
"Not bad," Robert admitted. "But we won't fall for that!"
"Pidgeot, use Quick Attack to close the distance!"
The large bird Pokémon shot forward in a blur of speed, closing the gap between itself and Shellder in the blink of an eye.
Lily gritted her teeth. "Withdraw, Shellder!"
Shellder quickly retreated into its shell, increasing its defense just before Pidgeot struck. The impact sent it skidding across the floating platform but didn't knock it out completely.
"Hah! Looks like it won't be a one-hit knockout this time!" Lily smirked triumphantly.
Robert chuckled. "Don't get too excited. Pidgeot, use Wing Attack—full power!"
Pidgeot's wings shimmered with energy as it soared into the air before diving down at incredible speed.
WHAM!
The sheer force of the attack sent Shellder tumbling backward. Despite its high defense, the impact was too much. It skidded off the platform and splashed into the water.
A moment of silence passed before the referee declared, "Shellder is unable to battle! Robert wins the third match!"
Lily's shoulders slumped. She sighed before giving Robert a small smile.
"Well, that was fast."
Robert nodded respectfully. "Your Shellder had good defense, but it wasn't enough to stop Pidgeot's power."
The three sisters gathered together, exchanging glances.
"Well, it's pretty clear," Sakura said with a sigh. "Robert is too strong for us. Even if we sent out our best Pokémon, the result wouldn't change."
Violet nodded. "Yeah… He's on a completely different level."
Lily turned to Robert with a bright smile. "Congratulations, Robert! As gym leaders, we officially acknowledge your strength. You've earned the Cascade Badge!"
She walked over and handed him a small, blue badge shaped like a drop of water.
Robert took the badge with a satisfied smile. "Thanks! This was a great battle."
Sakura chuckled. "Maybe for you! For us, it was a complete defeat."
Violet smirked. "Yeah, but we'll get stronger. Next time we battle, don't expect such an easy win!"
Robert laughed. "I'll be looking forward to it!"
With his second badge in hand, Robert turned to leave the Cerulean Gym, ready for his next challenge.
---
End of Chapter 40: One Strike Kills!
More episodes are available on patreon
https://www.patreon.com/Atoki_29