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"In that case, let's begin. I accept your challenge. You know the rules of a Gym battle, right?" Brock asked Gary as per usual before a Gym battle.
"Of course, I know. I've been influenced since childhood," Gary replied confidently. After all, Professor Oak had taught him everything he needed to know.
"'Influenced'—that's an interesting choice of words. Let's see how strong you really are. Go, Onix!" Brock smiled and sent out his first Pokémon.
Gary's eyes narrowed as he saw Onix. "Deino, go!" he called out, sending out his Pokémon. Gary knew better than to underestimate the Gym Leader's Onix, especially since Brock was one of the strongest Gym Leaders in the Kanto region.
"A Deino from the Unova region? You must have put in some serious effort to catch it. I'm looking forward to this battle," Brock said, surprised to see a rare Pokémon like Deino.
"Onix, use Rock Tomb!" Brock commanded, wasting no time.
"Trying to slow down Deino? Dodge it and counter with Dragon Rage!" Gary ordered, understanding Brock's strategy immediately. Onix's large size made it less mobile, so Brock was aiming to reduce Deino's speed.
"You know the effect of Rock Tomb, but that won't fully save you. Onix, use Slam!" Brock admired Gary's quick thinking. Rock Tomb was a less common move, mainly used for its speed-reducing effect rather than damage, which often caught opponents off guard.
Deino unleashed a shockwave of Dragon Rage at Onix, but Onix swung its tail, blocking the attack.
"Onix's defense is as strong as ever," Gary noted. He knew that breaking through Onix's defenses wouldn't be easy. The two Pokémon exchanged blows, but neither could gain a clear advantage. However, as the battle dragged on, it was clear that Deino was tiring faster than Onix.
"It looks like Deino is reaching its limit," Brock observed with a slight smile. Everything was going according to his plan—Rock Tomb was just the first step in wearing down Gary's Pokémon.
"Is that so?" Gary smiled back. "If that's your strategy, it might work on someone else, but not me. Deino, increase your speed, get close to Onix, and avoid its tail. This is our chance—use Hyper Beam!"
Gary had been holding back Deino's strongest move, waiting for the right moment. Now, with Deino's sudden burst of speed, the moment had come. Brock hadn't anticipated Deino's ability to learn Hyper Beam.
With a powerful blast, Deino's Hyper Beam struck Onix before it could react. The attack was too much for Onix to handle, and it collapsed to the ground, unable to continue the battle.
"You've really surprised me. I didn't expect your Deino to know Hyper Beam. I can't say I lost unfairly, but the next battle won't be so easy," Brock admitted as he recalled his fainted Onix.
In the next round, Gary sent out Charmander, while Brock chose Geodude. This battle was much easier for Gary—Charmander's fire attacks quickly overwhelmed Geodude. After the battles, both Deino and Charmander had leveled up—Deino to level 12 and Charmander to level 11. Gary was pleased with their progress.
"The younger generation truly surpasses the old. It's been a long time since I've faced such a strong challenger," Brock said, looking at Gary with admiration.
"You're too kind, Gym Leader. I just used some strategies. If it were a battle of pure strength, I wouldn't have stood a chance. Hyper Beam is a risky move—after using it, Deino was left in a weakened state. I only used it because I had no other choice," Gary replied humbly.
"You're very modest. Here's the Boulder Badge. Take it," Brock said, handing Gary the badge.
Gary placed the badge in his badge case, feeling a sense of accomplishment. With his first badge in hand, Gary had officially taken his first step on the road to the Pokémon League.
After leaving the Pewter City Gym, Gary took a deep breath. "Gym battles are really different from regular battles. The strength of a Gym Leader is on another level. If I hadn't used some clever tactics, I would have lost today."
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