"Up next is today's third match, the one everyone's been waiting for! It's the showdown between Cerulean Gym Leader Misty and the wildly popular rising star Logan, who's been trending all over the net lately! We'd heard rumors of him arriving in Cerulean City, and it's now confirmed—he's officially participating in the Gym Challenge, and what's more, he's been personally approved by Misty to skip the preliminaries and head straight into the finals!"
"…Actually," the MC paused dramatically, "it's getting harder to call Logan a 'rookie' at this point. This trainer has already secured two Gym Badges—yes, you heard that right! In addition to the Boulder Badge from Pewter City's Brock, he's somehow obtained the Golden Badge from Sabrina, the psychic powerhouse of Saffron City!"
The crowd gasped, murmurs spreading like wildfire.
"Sabrina needs no introduction—renowned psychic specialist, one of the most enigmatic and powerful Gym Leaders in all of Kanto. While some may argue about who the strongest Gym Leader is, no one disputes that Sabrina is in the top tier. Even when she holds back her top Pokémon, most challengers barely make a dent. And Logan… he never even entered the official Saffron tournament."
There was confusion in the MC's voice, echoed by the thousands watching both live and on television.
Just then, a staff member rushed in with a document. After skimming it, the MC continued with renewed clarity:
"Ah… it seems the League has a rarely-invoked clause. If a trainer defeats a Gym Leader in an unofficial, private battle, the Leader may still award their badge. However, due to the potential harm to their reputation if the opponent lacks skill, few Gym Leaders ever exercise this option."
The MC then chuckled. "For Sabrina to personally give her badge to Logan… she must hold him in high regard. Maybe there's more than just admiration between them, eh?"
A wave of boos echoed through the stadium—almost entirely male voices.
After all, both Sabrina and Erika of Celadon were beloved throughout Kanto, admired by men and women alike—not just for their beauty, but their strength. To even jokingly suggest a romantic entanglement with someone like Logan was bound to ignite jealousy.
"And here's a fun tidbit," the MC added gleefully. "Just earlier today, a reporter tried to interview Sabrina about her match with Logan… and ended up on the wrong end of a psychic outburst. That poor journalist is now resting in the hospital with multiple casts. Let's all give him a round of applause for his dedication!"
Laughter erupted through the stadium, the MC expertly maintaining energy and avoiding any dead air while the trainers prepared.
"Alright! The battle is about to begin! Misty and Logan have completed the official League battle gesture. Since Logan already holds two badges, this will be a 2-on-2 match! Logan has sent out… yes, the familiar Gabite, and—wait, is that a Dratini?!"
Another uproar burst forth.
Dratini, revered as a near-legendary species in Kanto, was almost mythical in rarity. Seeing one live was like spotting a panda in the wild. Every head craned forward for a better view.
"Misty is countering with Starmie and Goldeen! She doesn't look like she's in peak form today, but her team selection shows that she's taking Logan seriously—these two are clearly well-trained."
"The match begins! Wait—Logan's going in directly! Just like with Brock, he's ordering a head-on assault without any setup or defense! But Misty's Pokémon aren't untrained newbies… especially—"
"Hold on! Yes! There it is! Misty was ready! Both Pokémon just launched Ice Beam!"
MC's voice climbed in excitement.
"Logan's dragons didn't even try to dodge! They took the hit head-on—Dratini and Gabite both hit squarely by Ice Beam, one of the most effective attacks against Dragon-types! They're finished for sure… wait… WAIT! What's this?!"
Shock exploded in the stadium. The MC practically screamed into the mic: ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢·𝗇𝗲𝘵
"They're fine?! Dratini and Gabite just shook off Ice Beam like it was a splash of cold water! No, it's not that they're fine… it's that Ice Beam barely did anything at all! It looked like a regular special move—not a Dragon-slayer!"
Even Misty couldn't contain her disbelief.
"H-How?!" she shouted. "Why did Ice Beam do so little?!"
She'd anticipated Logan's strength. That's why she'd chosen Pokémon with access to Ice-type moves, hoping to counter his Dragons. And yet… he'd just let them eat the attack. No shielding, no sidestepping—just raw resistance.
Cerulean Gym's arena resembled a massive pool. The chilling fog from frozen water and shattered ice drifted across the surface. Misty's instincts told her—her moves hadn't failed. It was his Dragons that were unnatural.
"Don't lump my Dragons in with the rest!" Logan's voice rang out confidently. "Mine are Perfect Dragons—beyond comparison!"
"Dratini, Thunderbolt! Gabite, Dragon Rage followed by Dragon Claw! Time to show our flat-chested Gym Leader the exit!"
Electricity exploded from Dratini in brilliant arcs, lashing across the pool like snapping whips of lightning. The bolts slammed into Starmie, sparks dancing across the water as the star-shaped Pokémon twitched violently, then sank—burnt and defeated.
Gabite let out a thunderous roar. Its scales darkened as the effect of Dragon Rage surged through its veins. A shadowed, violent glint burned in its eyes as its claws extended like glowing blades. In a flash of red and silver, Goldeen was torn apart mid-leap, vanishing into the water in a spray of blood.
"OH MY GOD! Logan's Dragons are monsters!!" the MC bellowed. "Not only did Ice Beam do nothing, but Dratini can use Thunderbolt—a technique that normally takes intense training for its species! Seventeen seconds—that's all it took! Look at Misty's face! She's stunned!"
"This wasn't a rookie battle. Logan already holds two badges—and yet he just wiped out a Gym Leader's carefully chosen team in under twenty seconds! Logan has once again blown away expectations and stunned us all!"
The crowd erupted into thunderous applause and screams.
The cameras zoomed in on Logan, whose figure now stood as a shining beacon of talent, charisma, and raw power. In that moment, it became clear—
Even if he wanted to keep a low profile…
Logan's legend had already begun.
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