Ritchie's mind was in a daze at this moment.
Good news: He had seen the legendary Articuno, the mythical bird Pokémon of Kanto. Articuno was as beautiful and enchanting as the legends described.
Bad news: He was challenging the gym, and Articuno was the gym leader's Pokémon, which meant Articuno was the opponent he would face next.
Oh, this…
"Gym Leader Dylan! I'm just a rookie who started this year! I've only earned four gym badges so far!"
After a while, Ritchie finally regained his senses and couldn't help but speak to Dylan tactfully.
Facing Articuno in a battle—did he really have the ability to do that? He was just a newcomer who started this year!
"Using this to battle me, isn't that a bit too much?"
"Don't panic, Mr. Ritchie. You are the first man to draw the 'Golden Legend.'"
Dylan tried to soothe the challenger's emotions.
Of course, you wouldn't panic! Because it was you who sent out Articuno! Ritchie ranted internally.
"Facing a formidable opponent and challenging fearlessly is also the spirit a trainer should possess, Mr. Ritchie, don't you agree?"
"Well, that's true, but…"
Ritchie was taken aback by the words but still felt something was off.
"Don't worry, Mr. Ritchie. Attack me with all your might and show me everything you've got."
Dylan extended his hand towards Ritchie.
"When you face a legend and dare to initiate an attack, I think you will have grasped the true meaning of being a trainer."
"This is just a regular gym challenge. If you can't even face this, then I hope, Mr. Ritchie, you seriously reconsider if you are truly fit to be a trainer."
Dylan spoke with a faint smile. Although he had a bit of a personal agenda in setting up this 'Golden Legend lineup,' the reasoning was indeed sound.
This was just a gym battle. Even if he failed, it wouldn't cause any loss in the gym battle.
Using a legendary Pokémon to temper the challengers was somewhat bullying, but a truly determined trainer would never give up because of the strength of their opponent.
Not to mention, this was just a gym challenge.
"That's right! A true trainer dares to face fear!"
Ritchie was filled with passion, his eyes seemingly ablaze with fiery determination.
What was he panicking about? This was just a gym battle. Even if he lost, he could always challenge again.
But to be the first one to draw the 'Golden Legend' and face Articuno—that was something!
Fired up!
Just an Articuno, right? It was weak to Electric, weak to Fire, and four times weak to Rock! Today, Ritchie would slay the god and prove his path! Today would be the starting point of his legendary journey!
"Sparky! I need you!"
Ritchie decisively threw a Poké Ball, and a Pikachu with a tuft of hair on its head landed in front of him.
Yes, he had named his Pikachu Sparky.
"Pika... Pikachu?"
Sparky landed with great momentum, looking up at the Pokémon opposite him, but upon seeing it clearly, Sparky was stunned.
Articuno flapped its wings slowly, its faint legendary aura spreading out, the overwhelming pressure causing Sparky the electric mouse to swallow nervously, taking two steps back as the tuft on its head drooped.
"Pika? Pikachu???"
Sparky couldn't help but turn back to Ritchie, calling out continuously, speaking very quickly, and casting a death glare.
'Are you crazy? I'm just an electric mouse, and you want me to fight Articuno? Why don't you send me to fight Ho-Oh?'
"Don't be afraid, Sparky! Show our spirit!"
Ritchie, caught up in the moment, encouraged Sparky.
"???" Sparky tilted his head, full of question marks.
No matter how much spirit you have, I can't beat this thing, you idiot! Why don't you go fight it yourself?
But seeing his trainer's high spirits, Sparky sighed human-like, turned back, and gazed up at Articuno.
Well, he was his trainer, so he had to indulge him.
"Gym Leader Dylan, please watch carefully! I will give everything I have as a trainer! I will burn myself and go all out!"
Ritchie declared passionately.
"Very well! Such spirit! Then attack with all your might!"
Dylan nodded in satisfaction.
"Sparky, use a powerful Thunderbolt!"
The Pikachu named Sparky gritted its teeth, its cheeks sparking, and a bolt of electricity shot towards Articuno in midair.
Articuno didn't dodge at all, directly getting hit by the Thunderbolt.
"It hit! Grea... huh?"
Ritchie was delighted but quickly noticed something was wrong.
The sound of crackling electricity continued, but Articuno, enveloped in the Thunderbolt, seemed unfazed. It simply flapped its wings heavily.
The golden current dispersed, and Articuno's feathers remained smooth and shiny, glowing faintly.
This…
Ritchie was dumbfounded.
Sparky: (—) "Sparky, put in more effort!" Ritchie scratched his head. This electric mouse couldn't be messing with him, could it? No, Sparky wasn't that kind of Pikachu.
"Pikachu!!" Sparky was furious.
A thicker golden current shot towards Articuno—Thunderbolt!
Thunderbolt hit again, but Articuno didn't move an inch. The electricity continued to crackle and corrode Articuno's body.
But Articuno still seemed unaffected.
Wait, Articuno frowned! It frowned slightly, then shook its body, dispersing the current.
Ritchie: "..." At least pretend to be hurt by the Thunderbolt!! And then…
There was no 'and then.'
"I'm sorry, Gym Leader Dylan. I'm too weak to meet your expectations."
After the battle, Ritchie was very disheartened and upset.
In the just-concluded battle, Dylan had really been considerate, hardly letting Articuno take the initiative to attack and even deliberately lowering its flight height.
But even so, his Pikachu (Sparky) and Charmander (Ben) had no chance of winning.
Even when Sparky's Thunderbolt hit Articuno, Articuno didn't react at all, as if leisurely bathing in the electricity.
"Don't be so down, Mr. Ritchie. Everyone starts as a rookie trainer and gradually grows stronger."
Dylan walked up to Ritchie and spoke gently, with Articuno slowly folding its wings and landing behind him.
"Weak strength can be improved with time, but weak willpower is hard to change. What I saw in you, Mr. Ritchie, is a rare spirit. Even when facing Articuno, you didn't give up."
Dylan's soft voice made the disheartened Ritchie look up, tears welling up in his eyes with emotion.
"I am looking forward to your future."
Dylan seemed to remember something and gave Ritchie a suggestion.
Being able to draw such a low-probability "Golden Legend" meant Ritchie's luck was off the charts today.
"Huh? I get it." Ritchie was taken aback by the suggestion but nodded, though not entirely understanding.
After watching Ritchie leave Rota Gym, Dylan turned to look at the innocent-looking Articuno.
"Next time, at least put on a show. That Thunderbolt was a move that should have affected you. You could at least cry out in pain to give the challenger some comfort."
"Yiao?"
Articuno tilted its head thoughtfully, seeming to understand a little.
"Yiao!!"
"A promising student," Dylan nodded in satisfaction.
Sparky: (—)
Meanwhile, as Ritchie stepped out of Rota Gym, he was immediately surrounded by three people.
"You guys..." Ritchie looked nervously at the three strangers of varying heights and sizes in front of him.
"Don't be nervous, man. We're just regular folks."
"Yeah, brother, we're not bad people. By the way, what type did you get when you spun the wheel in the gym?"
"That gym is off the charts! They've even added a spinning wheel; it's making the challenges even harder."
The three men continued talking, both intrigued and complaining, leaving Ritchie a bit dazed.
"You guys?" But Ritchie started to understand.
"That's right! We're also challengers at Rota Gym, brother. Want to join us? We can share challenge experiences and tackle this vicious Rota Gym together!"
The tall guy spoke with a serious expression.
"Huh?" Ritchie was even more confused—vicious Rota Gym?
"To be honest, we've suffered at the hands of Rota Gym for too long! Ever since that ruthless Gym Leader started using a Poison-type lineup, it's been over a month, brother, and as far as I know, not a single person has earned the Rota Badge. Can you believe that?"
"I've challenged the gym three times! Three times! I finally managed to train two Pokémon specifically to counter Poison-types, and today, on my fourth challenge, they had a spinning wheel, and I ended up with a Dark-type team!"
"Is this something a Gym Leader should be doing?"
The short guy looked deeply aggrieved and frustrated.
"By the way, let's head over there. There's a really good drink shop. I'm quite familiar with this place." The short guy enthusiastically invited Ritchie.
Yeah, after coming to Rota three times—no, four times now—he was very familiar with Rota.
"Brother, what lineup did you get?" The chubby guy was very curious.
"I got the golden one. Gym Leader Dylan used Articuno against me."
Ritchie answered honestly.
"Huh? ×3"
The three were stunned—Articuno? Was it the same Articuno they were thinking of?
"Brother, let's go, let's chat properly."
At 3 PM, Dylan was resting in the backyard.
Gym Leader Group Chat.
Officer Jenny: @RotaGymLeader-Dylan, Dylan, I think you're being a bit too extreme. (Sweating profusely.jpg)
(End of this chapter)