When Luna's request for a battle was declined by Yuga, she pouted in dissatisfaction and recalled her Pokémon.
"Rand, let me see your Pokémon as well," Yuga turned to Rand after observing Luna's Pokémon.
Yuga had heard from Robert that Rand had exceptional results in the Prep Camp, which piqued Yuga's curiosity.
Rand nodded in response and released five Pokémon from their Poké Balls.
Blitzle, Psyduck, Magneton, Jolteon, and Pikachu.
"Hey, didn't the Prep Camp give you guys one of the Pokémon starters? Where's yours?" Yuga asked, surprised to see that none of Rand's team included a Unova starter.
"He requested to trade the Pokémon starter for an Eevee," Luna interjected.
Ah, that explained it! Yuga suddenly understood.
"So, you're a fan of Electric-type Pokémon," Yuga noted.
Among Rand's five Pokémon, four of them were Electric-types, and the only non-Electric type, Psyduck, was one he had caught while fishing with Yuga.
Rand nodded but remained silent, confirming Yuga's observation.
Rand's Blitzle had a yellow potential, Magneton had a blue potential, and the other three were green, not far behind Luna's Pokémon in terms of potential.
However, despite Rand's Pokémon not reaching their final evolutions except for Jolteon, Rand's Pokémon generally had higher levels.
From this perspective, Rand seemed to work harder than Luna.
"Very good, very good," Yuga patted Rand's head with satisfaction. Rand dodged, but Yuga noticed his ears turning red, a sign of shyness.
"How about it? Would you like to have a battle with me?" Robert suddenly asked Yuga after Rand recalled his Pokémon.
"A battle? You and me?" Yuga pointed at himself and then at Robert, surprised.
Robert chuckled, "Of course! You're about to become a Gym Leader. It's better to practice now than later."
Yuga considered it and agreed. After all, Robert didn't need to challenge the Gym.
"Alright, but let's make it a one-round match," Yuga suggested.
"Agreed," Robert said.
So, the two of them took their positions on opposite sides of a battle arena.
"Let's not waste time; I'll go first with my Pokémon," Robert said with a smile as he released his Pokémon.
Moves: Growl, Psywave, Hex, Shadow Ball, Magical Leaf, Mystical Fire, Calm Mind, Thunderbolt, Dark Pulse, Dazzling Gleam, Icy Wind.
"This Pokémon is the one I sent to you, right?" Yuga asked, having observed Mismagius's stats.
"You guessed it! How does it look? Pretty good, right?" Robert replied with a smile.
Yuga thought, "More than just 'pretty good,' it's incredibly talented, reaching level 52 so quickly."
Without further hesitation, Yuga released his Pokémon, Chimecho.
"Let's begin!" Yuga said.
Robert nodded, and both of them issued commands to their Pokémon.
"Mismagius, use Shadow Ball!"
"Chimecho, use Shadow Ball!"
Massive dark purple Pokéballs formed in front of both Mismagius and Chimecho and were swiftly launched towards each other.
Mismagius's speed allowed it to easily dodge Chimecho's Shadow Ball.
However, when Mismagius's Shadow Ball was about to hit Chimecho, several light screens appeared in front of Chimecho.
The light screens appeared one after another in front of Chimecho, creating a protective barrier. As Mismagius's Shadow Ball dissipated, it didn't even come close to touching Chimecho.
"Light screens? When did you set those up?" Robert was utterly astonished by the numerous layers of light screens.
Seeing Robert's surprised expression, Yuga felt a sense of triumph. He thought, "You didn't expect that, did you? My Chimecho can create Light Screen and Reflect almost effortlessly. Now, let's see if you can break through."
Robert said, "Mismagius, use Mystical Fire!"
Mismagius nodded and conjured a fiery ring of flames that shot towards Chimecho.
However, each time Mismagius's Mystical Fire got close to Chimecho, the concealed light screens in the air would shimmer and deflect the attack.
Robert was left dumbfounded, staring at the shimmering, transparent light screens in the sky. How was he supposed to fight this? He couldn't even penetrate Chimecho's defenses. Was this what a regular Chimecho could do?
Robert had his own Chimecho, but he had never realized that a Chimecho could possess such powerful defensive abilities.
The battle between Yuga and Robert soon caught the attention of Akihito and the others who were moving into the gym. Several young trainers stopped their work, gathered around the battle arena, and watched the match.
"Wow, the Gym Leader is amazing!" Akihito's younger brother, Anmu, clapped his hands and cheered when he saw the dazzling light screens illuminated by the sunlight.
"Go, Gym Leader, go!"
"Go, Gym Leader, go!"
The young trainers quickly started chanting in support.
Hearing the voices of the young trainers, Yuga shook his head helplessly and then said to Robert, "It's my turn to attack now."
"Let's not waste any time. Chimecho, use Shadow Ball!" Yuga commanded.
Unlike the initial testing, Chimecho now unleashed a powerful attack. Several Shadow Balls, each the size of a human head, floated around Chimecho, gradually increasing in number.
Controlled by Chimecho, these Shadow Balls were launched towards Mismagius with tremendous force.
"Quick, Mismagius, dodge!" Robert initially planned to have Mismagius and Chimecho engage in a direct showdown, but when he saw the sheer number of Shadow Balls, he had to change tactics. Mismagius swiftly evaded, zigzagging to avoid the incoming Shadow Balls.
However, while Mismagius's speed was impressive, Chimecho's attacks were even faster. Mismagius couldn't evade one of the Shadow Balls, and it was struck by a massive one.
Typically, Chimecho wasn't known for its offensive capabilities, but Yuga's Chimecho was different. It had been modified with Deoxys's energy core, and Deoxys was an exceptionally skilled attacker.
Due to the combined effects of the light screens' defense, Robert's Mismagius couldn't even reach Yuga's Chimecho. Meanwhile, Chimecho was bombarding Mismagius relentlessly, and it quickly succumbed to the assault.
Robert recalled his injured Mismagius with a sigh and said, "You've improved so quickly that I'm no match for you in the blink of an eye."
Yuga, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratched the back of his head. "Heh, it was just an unexpected turn of events."
Robert rolled his eyes silently, thinking, "Unexpected, indeed! I hope you bring more 'unexpected' challenges next time."
"You're a Coordination Trainer, after all! It's normal to have weaknesses in battle," Yuga consoled him.
Robert retorted, "Go tell that to my senior brother."
Yuga decided it was best to stay quiet after that comment.