Though surprised by Winona's Shiny Swellow's reckless use of the Hyper Beam, in terms of energy reserves, Rex's Swellow was not to be underestimated.
After both Swellows bombarded each other with skills for a while, Winona's Swellow showed signs of fatigue for the first time. Its energy was not infinite, and being able to use Hyper Beam so many times in a row was already its limit. On the other hand, Rex's Swellow, although also somewhat depleted, could still hold on.
"Swellow, use Aerial Ace!"
Seeing her Swellow starting to struggle, Winona began to change her battle strategy, abandoning high-power skill bombardment and shifting to skillful tactics.
The Shiny Swellow spun in the air for a circle before suddenly disappearing from sight. When it reappeared, its pointed beak had already ruthlessly struck the back of Rex's Swellow. After a successful hit, it immediately moved out of Rex's Swellow's attack range to prevent a counterattack.
"Swellow, are you okay?"
Seeing his Swellow rolling in the air after being hit, Rex hurriedly asked.
After steadying itself, Swellow chirped at Rex several times, indicating it was fine, then looked disdainfully at Winona's Shiny Swellow.
It seemed to be saying that Winona's flashy tactics weren't effective, even with the opportunity she had. Its attacks were not powerful enough to even tickle.
Although Rex didn't understand what his Swellow meant, Winona's Shiny Swellow received the disdain loud and clear. Veins bulged on its forehead, and it suddenly became very angry.
Being a one in a million Shiny Swellow, it had been bullied by other Swellows when it was young. However, it eventually defeated them through hard training and became their leader. Even after being captured by a trainer, it remained the most outstanding one among them.
The more it thought about it, the angrier Winona's Shiny Swellow became. It directly used Aerial Ace again, wanting to show Rex's Swellow what it was made of.
But Rex's Swellow, having already suffered once, wouldn't be hit by the same skill twice. It closed its eyes and sensed the airflow in the sky.
Suddenly, there was a slight abnormal disturbance behind it. Rex's Swellow knew the opponent's attack was coming. It flapped its right wing forcefully, shifting its body slightly in an instant, while Winona's Shiny Swellow's figure also appeared.
What was originally a surefire hit unexpectedly missed, leaving Winona's Shiny Swellow stunned.
However, Rex's Swellow wouldn't let this opportunity pass. Its wings flapped continuously, and multiple Air Slashes slashed through the air, hitting Winona's Shiny Swellow.
After being hit repeatedly, Winona's Shiny Swellow screamed in pain, then quickly plummeted from the sky. If it hit the ground hard, it would undoubtedly suffer serious injuries.
Fortunately, just as Winona's Shiny Swellow was about to hit the ground, Rex's Swellow caught it from below and gently lowered it to the ground.
"I concede. Rex, thank you for your help, Swellow!"
After seeing her Swellow was unharmed, Winona also breathed a sigh of relief.
The battle between the two sides had been too intense. By the time her Swellow was about to crash to the ground, she couldn't release another Pokémon for rescue in time. Fortunately, Rex's Swellow came to the rescue; otherwise, her Swellow would need some time to recuperate.
"The match is over. Challenger Rex wins!"
After seeing Winona concede, Zachary, the referee, announced the results in a timely manner, bringing this Gym challenge to a satisfactory conclusion.
As the platform slowly descended, Rex also let out a long breath. The battle had been intense, and he had put all his focus into it. After the battle, he felt a slight mental fatigue.
"Among the recent challengers, besides Ash from Pallet Town, your battle is the most enjoyable for me."
Winona checked her Shiny Swellow's injuries, knowing it was fine, she recalled it into its Poké Ball, then walked over to Rex.
"Oh, when did Ash from Pallet Town have a match with you, Miss Winona?"
Rex, seeing Winona mention Ash, pretended to be curious and asked.
"It was about half a month ago. His fighting style is very unique; he's very good at using unexpected methods to counterattack and win."
After pondering for a moment, Winona said somewhat strangely.
In her battles with Ash, she had almost secured victory several times, only to be unexpectedly turned around by his unique methods. So until today, she still had a strong impression of Ash from Pallet Town.
"Oh, I see. If I have the chance to meet him, I definitely want to have a Pokémon battle with him."
Rex pretended to be very interested in Ash.
"He'll also be participating in the Ever Grande Conference, so there's a good chance you'll meet him. By then, you'll know his fighting style."
"Oh, then I'll look forward to it"
Afterward, Winona handed the Feather Badge representing the Fortree Gym to Rex. The design of the Feather Badge resembled a silver-white wing.
Accepting the Feather Badge, Rex didn't strike a dramatic pose but solemnly placed it in the Badge Box, then expressed his gratitude to Winona.
"Miss Winona, as far as I know, after using the Hyper Beam, there's usually a period of adjustment needed. Why can your Swellow keep using it?"
Following behind Winona, Rex finally couldn't help but ask his question.
"Well, that's a secret!"
Winona wasn't surprised by Rex's inquiry but replied somewhat mysteriously.
"I see. I apologize for being rude!"
Seeing the other party's attitude of having nothing to disclose, Rex apologized with a hint of regret.
"Haha, just kidding. Actually, there's nothing wrong with telling you. My Swellow has managed to weaken the aftereffects of the Hyper Beam move through rigorous training.
After using the Hyper Beam move, it does need a period of rest, but it can shorten this rest time by reducing the power of Hyper Beam."
Winona teased for a moment, then explained the reason to Rex.
Of course, although Winona's explanation sounded simple, Rex didn't think it was an easy task to achieve.
Firstly, Swellow needed to perfectly control the Brave Bird skill, familiarize itself with the energy operation of the entire skill. Secondly, it required high insight to make slight adjustments to the Brave Bird skill. Finally, it needed to be prepared for injuries. Any slight mistake during the skill adjustment process could lead to an energy explosion and cause significant harm to Swellow.
Of course, this was just his own opinion. Whether it was true or not could only be understood after he tried it himself, but the difficulties involved were certainly not small.
"Miss Winona, can I let my Swellow learn Hyper Beam from your Swellow, just the regular Hyper Beam move?"
Rex didn't inquire further about the specific improvement plan for the Hyper Beam move, but he wanted his Swellow to learn this powerful skill.
"Of course, no problem. However, learning Hyper Beam isn't easy. You have to be mentally prepared"
Winona, seeing Rex didn't continue to ask about the improvement plan for Hyper Beam move, also breathed a sigh of relief and then casually responded.
For Winona, the improved Hyper Beam was her exclusive secret technique. The general improvement idea could be shared, but the specific improvement plan was her personal secret.
As for the regular Hyper Beam move, it wasn't a secret at all; many Pokémon could use it. So when Rex requested to let his Swellow learn it, Winona agreed without hesitation.
(End of this chapter)