As the battlefield assembled, Flint stepped down from his stone perch, landing on the opposite side of the field. He raised his voice and declared:
"Let the battle begin! Geodude, I choose you!"
With a flash of light, a Geodude materialized onto the battlefield, its rocky fists clenched in anticipation.
Seeing Flint send out Geodude, Maen immediately understood—Flint had likely underestimated him, assuming he was just another beginner.
Maen didn't bother correcting this assumption. Instead, he calmly summoned Haunter from the shadows.
The moment Haunter appeared, Flint's expression shifted to mild surprise.
This Haunter was larger than average and had an unusual coloration. As a Gym Leader, Flint could immediately tell—this Haunter was at the elite level.
Flint sighed, his face filled with resignation.
"I have to ask… Maen, are you really a Rookie Trainer?"
Maen smirked. "Technically, yes. I just started traveling today."
...?!
Flint was stunned.
Are Rookie Trainers this overpowered now?!
They come out with elite-level Pokémon… and Ghost-types, no less!
For a moment, Flint thought of his son, Brock.
Maybe he should start training Brock harder. If Rookie Trainers were this strong, Brock needed to be better prepared—or Pewter Gym's badges would be taken left and right.
Yes. The escape plan can wait.
First, I need to make sure Brock can hold his own.
What Maen didn't realize was that his battle would shape Brock's future training—causing Brock to become so strong that a certain "fool" would struggle and suffer multiple losses before finally earning the Boulder Badge years later.
---
A Swift Victory
The battle started.
But it ended just as quickly.
Geodude, while strong against most new Trainers, was outmatched against Maen's Haunter.
With a single Shadow Claw, Haunter sliced through the air, striking Geodude.
The Rock-type Pokémon collapsed immediately, its body twitching before going completely still.
"Geodude is unable to battle!" the referee announced.
Flint sighed, recalling his Pokémon.
"I see… You're not an ordinary Trainer. Alright then, I'll take this seriously."
Flint grabbed another Poké Ball and threw it into the air.
"Go, Golem!"
With a thunderous crash, a massive Golem landed on the battlefield. It let out a deep, rumbling roar, causing dust to rise around it.
Now, Maen finally got serious.
This was no longer just playing around—this was a real Trainer battle.
---
A Fierce Fight – Haunter vs. Golem
"Golem, use Rollout!"
Hearing its Trainer's command, Golem curled into a massive stone ball and began rolling toward Haunter at high speed.
"Haunter, use Shadow Ball!" Maen countered.
Haunter let out a low chuckle, raising both hands as dark energy swirled between its fingers.
With a flick of its wrists, it hurled a Shadow Ball straight at the incoming Golem.
The attack struck head-on, halting Golem's movement and sending it skidding backward.
But Flint remained calm.
"My Golem's defense isn't that easy to break! Get up, and use Heavy Slam!"
Golem quickly recovered, launching itself into the air.
Its entire body glowed white, utilizing gravity to plummet downward—a living meteor, aiming straight for Haunter!
"Haunter, use Protect!"
At the last second, a translucent barrier materialized in front of Haunter.
With an earth-shaking crash, Golem slammed into the shield. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield, but the barrier held strong.
The move failed, and Haunter took zero damage.
Maen saw his opening.
"Haunter, use Haze!"
Haunter opened its mouth, releasing a thick, ghostly mist that spread rapidly across the battlefield.
The entire rock arena was engulfed in dark fog, making visibility almost zero.
Flint frowned.
"Haunter must be planning a sneak attack..."
But he wouldn't go down easily.
"Golem, spin at high speed! Use the wind to clear the Haze!"
Obeying, Golem began spinning on the spot. The sheer force of its rotation created powerful gusts, rapidly blowing the mist away.
But as the fog dispersed…
Haunter was nowhere to be seen.
Flint's expression turned serious.
"If it's not on the ground… then it must be above!"
Flint quickly looked up—
—and his eyes widened in shock.
---
The Final Attack – A Colossal Shadow Ball
Above the battlefield, Haunter floated in the air—holding a Shadow Ball in both hands.
But this wasn't a normal Shadow Ball.
It was huge—nearly the size of Golem itself.
Even a novice Trainer would know—this attack was on a completely different level.
Flint reacted instantly.
"Golem, dodge it—!"
But it was too late.
The colossal Shadow Ball was already flying straight toward Golem.
BOOM!
A massive explosion shook the battlefield, sending shockwaves and debris flying.
The dust slowly settled.
In the middle of the battlefield was a deep crater.
Inside that crater—Golem lay unconscious.
The referee raised his flag.
"Golem is unable to battle! The winner of this match is the challenger—Maen!"
Flint let out a deep breath.
"You did well, Golem."
He recalled his Pokémon, then looked across the battlefield—where Maen and Haunter were high-fiving each other in celebration.
Flint smiled slightly.
Then, he stepped forward, approaching Maen.
---
Aftermath & Rewards
Flint nodded approvingly.
"That was impressive, Maen. Your Haunter is truly something special."
Maen grinned. "Thanks. That was fun."
Flint chuckled, then reached into his pocket, pulling out a small object.
"Here. As the Gym Leader of Pewter City, I officially award you the Boulder Badge!"
He handed the badge to Maen, who took it with satisfaction.
"Thanks, Flint."
Flint scratched his head. "I have a feeling you're going to go far as a Trainer."
Maen smirked. "I plan to."
With that, Maen turned and left the Pewter Gym, his first badge in hand—ready for the next challenge.
And so, his journey continued.
---
(End of Chapter 8)
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