"Okay, Gary, you can choose now. How many matches do you want to play?" Noland asked, his tone calm but authoritative.
"Of course, it's 3 vs 3," Gary replied confidently.
Since the Battle Frontier offered multiple options, it was natural to choose the most challenging format. More difficulty meant better rewards, and Gary had learned early that pushing himself always paid off.
"Alright, then which Pokémon would you like to challenge?" Noland inquired, eyes scanning Gary's face for any sign of hesitation.
Gary's gaze immediately shifted to the lineup of Pokémon before him. Without a moment's pause, he replied, "I will challenge Articuno, Venusaur, and Pinsir."
Noland's eyebrows shot up in surprise. The three Pokémon Gary had selected were indeed his strongest and most strategically valuable. For more chapters visıt 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝙣𝙚𝙩
Most Trainers wouldn't even dare to target them in a standard 3v3 match. Gary's selection revealed not only his confidence but also his keen eye for tactical advantage.
"You have remarkable judgment," Noland said with a hint of admiration. "These are indeed the strongest Pokémon in my hands. You are truly worthy of being a Trainer capable of defeating Ms. Agatha. Very well, let's schedule the battle for the afternoon. How does that sound?"
Before Gary could respond, a system notification suddenly appeared, buzzing in his mind through his interface:
[Ding! Knowledge Symbol Acquired! Rewards: Advanced Rare Candy ×6, Ability Strengthening Stone ×1, Silver Crown ×1, Self-Selected Permanent Skill Learning Device ×1!]
Gary's eyes widened slightly. The Battle Frontier's rewards were generous, but this was exceptional—even including a Silver Crown, a rare item usually reserved for Conference Champion missions.
This suggested that the system was recognizing the unique challenge Gary had set by selecting Noland's strongest Pokémon.
"Alright," Gary said firmly, nodding. "The battle will take place this afternoon."
"Then let's have lunch here at noon," Noland suggested.
"Sounds good," Gary replied, following the Frontier Head and his assistant Inla toward the rest area.
As they walked, Gary mused quietly, The reward is more generous than I expected… a Silver Crown is no small thing.
The item was designed to enhance a Pokémon's innate potential, a treasure usually reserved for major achievements.
The extra generosity was surely a result of his choice to select Noland's strongest Pokémon.
Unfortunately, only Noland's Battle Factory allowed challengers to pick their rivals so freely. The other Battle Frontier facilities had strict rules and preassigned Pokémon.
After lunch, Gary hurried to the teleporter, summoning Tracey to transfer several Pokémon over to the Battle Factory.
This time, the Rival won't be easy. Gary thought. Besides Blastoise and Moltres, his remaining Pokémon were all quasi-Elite strength—more than capable of challenging Noland's team but not overwhelmingly so.
By 2:30 PM, Noland led Gary and Scott to a unique battle venue: a massive industrial chimney repurposed as a battle arena. Inside, the space opened up into a vast vertical chamber.
Gary could barely hide his skepticism. A chimney? Really? Such an extravagant height for no apparent reason… he thought.
However, a closer look reminded him that none of Noland's Pokémon—except Articuno—could fly.
The chimney's size made strategic sense. It also explained why it remained standing; dismantling it would have been impossible during Articuno's absence over the past six months.
"Gary, take the elevator over there. That is the command area," Noland instructed, pointing toward the platform on one side of the chimney.
"Understood," Gary replied. He approached the elevator and stepped inside. Immediately, a curved lift rod rose around the edge, forming a protective barrier. The elevator ascended smoothly until it reached ten meters above the arena floor. On the opposite side, Noland's platform also rose into position.
From the elevated referee area, an official announced, "The next match will be between Noland and Gary. Each Trainer will use three Pokémon. Both sides may switch Pokémon from the Solaceon Reserve. Please release your Pokémon simultaneously."
"Let's see who comes out on top," Noland declared, throwing a Poké Ball.
A massive Venusaur appeared, its bulky body resembling a powerful African bullfrog, muscles rippling beneath its green hide.
[Level 62 Venusaur ♂ / Elite Potential]
"Glaceon, go!" Gary called. He released his sleek blue fox, whose eyes glimmered with icy intensity.
[Level 58 Glaceon ♂ / Elite Potential]
Glaceon had been with Gary for a long time. While its potential was always high, it had fallen slightly behind the Pokémon of his first team due to leveling gaps. However, it now had the tools to compete with some of Noland's strongest Pokémon.
As both sides took their positions, the referee called out, "Ready… Go!!"
"Venusaur, test the strength of Glaceon! Use Razor Leaf!" Noland commanded.
Venusaur shook its massive body, launching two enormous palm-shaped leaves like razor-sharp projectiles. The leaves spun as they hurtled forward, slicing the air.
"Icy Wind!" Gary shouted.
Glaceon exhaled a chilling blast of wind. The cold froze the spinning leaves midair, causing them to shatter and fall harmlessly to the ground.
The first round of confrontation ended in a stalemate—an even match that immediately demonstrated the high level of strategy required.
Glaceon's strength was amplified by its innate Ice tolerance. Without it, a quasi-Elite Pokémon like Glaceon would have struggled against Venusaur's raw power. Additionally, the species strengths of both Pokémon were well-matched, allowing a fair fight rather than a mismatch dictated by type advantage.
"Use Snow Scene!" Gary commanded.
"Ice!" Glaceon responded, summoning a layer of gray clouds above the chimney. Tiny snowballs the size of fingernails began to drift downward, creating a chilling battlefield.
Noland glanced upward and ordered, "Power Whip!"
Two thick vines sprouted violently from Venusaur's sides, arcing through the air like green whips. The sheer force of the attack would be difficult to dodge, even for Glaceon.
"Double Team!" Gary yelled.
Glaceon surged forward, splitting into multiple shimmering duplicates. Over ten Glaceon illusions raced toward Venusaur, each moving in perfect synchronization.
"Ba-na!" Venusaur swung its vines, expanding its arc. The attack obliterated the clones, leaving only two real Glaceon remaining.
The two Power Whips collided in midair. While they didn't strike the Glaceon directly, the force of impact sent tremors across the arena, clearing the remaining clones.
"Blizzard!" Gary commanded.
The surviving Glaceon exhaled a torrent of icy wind, engulfing the field in a freezing blast.
"Bar-na!" Venusaur tried to counter with its vines, forming a protective shield, but the Blizzard was relentless. The icy winds froze the shield instantly, shattering it. Venusaur staggered under the cold assault.
A layer of frost covered Venusaur's body, leaving it in a frostbitten condition. In this state, special attacks with non-fixed damage would deal half damage to it. Frostbite and burn conditions were similar: one reduced physical damage, the other reduced special damage, introducing additional strategy to the battle.
In a real battle simulation, Pokémon in these states would receive increased damage from all attacks, adding a tactical layer for both Trainers.