Sealeo rolled towards Slowking, but just before reaching it, it stopped spinning, using the momentum from its Rollout move to execute Body Slam. This type of attack, leveraging the inertia, packs an even greater punch.
"Slowking, use Protect!" Cain ordered.
A green energy shield appeared around Slowking, completely blocking Sealeo's attack.
"Charlie, use Icy Wind!" Wallace continued.
Sealeo shook its body, releasing a cold gust of wind filled with tiny ice particles directed at Slowking.
Although ice-type moves are not very effective against water-type Pokémon, if the slowing effect of Icy Wind took hold, it could be devastating for Slowking.
"Slowking, use Flamethrower!" Cain responded.
Fire burst from Slowking's mouth to counter the Icy Wind. The clash between cold and heat caused an explosion, sending up a cloud of smoke.
Both Pokémon were pushed back, clearly affected by the explosion, with visible injuries on their bodies.
Lance watched from the sidelines, nodding in approval.
Although, to Lance, these two Pokémon were somewhat weak compared to his own, he knew Wallace wasn't an easy opponent. At the same time, he recognized that Slowking had notable potential and that Cain, its trainer, was demonstrating excellent combat skills.
Cain had what it took to become an elite trainer.
"I think that's enough," Lance said suddenly. "There's no need to continue this battle."
Cain and Wallace, still engrossed in the fight, paused when they heard Lance.
Both knew that if Lance hadn't interrupted them, the battle would have continued until one of them emerged victorious. However, Lance's suggestion made sense; in a place like Leafy Town, where there was no Pokémon Center, caring for injured Pokémon would be more complicated.
Moreover, this was just a friendly training match, not a battle to the bitter end.
Cain had already gauged Wallace's strength. Although Sealeo wasn't Wallace's strongest Pokémon, Cain could imagine that his Milotic was far more powerful.
On the other hand, Sealeo hadn't yet reached its final form, whereas Slowking was already in its fully evolved state, making it one of Cain's strongest Pokémon at the moment.
Aside from Honchkrow, whose power grew with each battle, Slowking was Cain's best fighter.
Despite the disparity, Cain felt that the gap between him and Wallace wasn't as wide as the one he had with Steven.
It seemed that even Wallace wasn't on Steven's level.
Cain began speculating about Lance's strength. It was likely that Lance was even stronger than Steven.
Lance, for his part, had already formed his main team. His starter Pokémon was a Charizard, and his future Dragonite had probably already evolved from Dratini to Dragonair.
However, Cain also knew that Dragonair only evolved into Dragonite at level 55 and that a fully evolved Dragonite could reach the strength of a weak elite-level Pokémon or, at the very least, a max-level pseudo-elite.
Still, Cain calculated that Lance's Dragonair hadn't yet reached that level, though it probably wasn't far off.
"Yes, you're right. It's better to stop here," Wallace said, halting the battle.
"Cain, your skill is better than I imagined. You're definitely ready to open a water-type gym," Wallace commented with a smile.
Cain smiled and nodded humbly.
"I'll probably be the weakest gym leader in the Hoenn region," he replied with a laugh.
Cain knew his own level well. Among the gym leaders in the region, he would probably rank last.
"Don't be so modest. Power is built over time. I'm sure you'll surpass many others soon," Wallace added.
"That's right. You both have great potential. Don't underestimate yourselves," Lance said seriously.
Cain had nothing more to add. Although modest, he knew that within a year, things could change drastically, and he might become the strongest gym leader in Hoenn.
"Well, I need to investigate the town leaders. If I find anything suspicious, I'll act immediately," Lance announced as he pulled out a Poké Ball.
A Charizard appeared before the three, ready for action.
Pokémon: Charizard (Dark Blue)
Egg Moves: Crunch, Dragon Dance, Dragon Pulse, Bite
Basic Moves: Wing Attack, Flare Blitz, Heat Wave, Shadow Claw, Air Slash, Scratch, Growl, Ember, Smokescreen, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Slash, Flamethrower
Learned Moves: Blast Burn, Outrage, Tailwind, Iron Tail
TM Moves: Protect, Hidden Power (Water), Dragon Claw, Hyper Beam, Roost, Earthquake, Fire Blast, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, Swords Dance, Rock Slide
Observing Lance's Charizard's data, Cain couldn't help but feel awed.
Lance had already reached the level of a pseudo-elite trainer. Although his Charizard was only level 50, its dark blue quality and moves like Dragon Dance and Outrage, along with several fire- and dragon-type moves, placed it at a level beyond average.
Clearly, Lance was in the mid-range of a pseudo-elite trainer.
And even though his Dragonair hadn't yet evolved, when it did, Lance would become an unstoppable force.
After bidding farewell to Cain and Wallace, Lance mounted his Charizard and flew off.
"I think I'll head out as well. We've already discussed the gym details, and with our battle, I can provide a good report. Plus, I'll have the Pokémon League's approval for you to open your gym in this town," Wallace said with a smile.
It was evident that the battle with Cain wasn't just for fun.
The Pokémon League wanted to ensure that Cain had what it took to open a new gym in Leafy Town, something that would impact the prestige of Sootopolis Gym. This fight served as a sort of evaluation.
"Thanks for your help," Cain replied, expressing his gratitude to Wallace.
"No problem. Just choose a good location for the gym and submit the application to the League. They'll send specialized personnel to build it—just keep in mind that the costs are on you," Wallace said.
"That won't be an issue. I already have a spot in mind, right next to my house," Cain responded. "But I'd like to know when I'll be able to request a Pokémon Center."