Chapter 95: Cynthia Is My Mom (Membership Extra - )
The video continued playing.
Canalave Gym had a distinctly industrial appearance. Its lower section was built from stone, while the upper structure consisted of solid steel walls.
"This is Canalave Gym."
Tiana placed both hands on her hips.
"The Gym Leader here specializes in Steel-type Pokémon. Garchomp, are you ready?"
After all, Steel types resisted Dragon-type attacks. Tiana had therefore waited until Gabite evolved before coming to challenge Canalave Gym.
Gabite had already been close to evolving, however, so she had only needed to wait a few additional days.
"Gaarrr!"
Garchomp had become considerably more ferocious after evolving from Gabite, but its expression still looked slightly vacant.
Apparently, evolving hadn’t changed its personality.
"Good. That’s the spirit."
Tiana nodded in satisfaction and pushed open the doors.
The Gym’s interior contained a standard battlefield. Hard steel plates formed the walls on every side, while several large rocks were scattered across the field itself.
A Gym employee immediately approached upon seeing Tiana.
"Hello. Are you here to challenge the Gym?"
"Yes."
Tiana nodded politely.
"Is the Gym Leader here?"
"He is. Please wait a moment."
Shortly after the employee departed, Canalave Gym Leader Byron arrived at the battlefield.
Byron’s outfit was remarkably unconventional: work clothes beneath a cape, with an enormous iron shovel held in one hand.
"You’re today’s challenger?"
Byron looked Tiana up and down.
"Hiss... You look rather familiar."
"I’m Tiana from Celestic Town."
Tiana took her place on the challenger’s side of the battlefield and blinked.
"Grandpa Byron, don’t you remember me?"
"Celestic Town?"
Byron frowned and searched his memory.
"Celestic Town... Wait. Doesn’t Champion Cynthia live there?"
"Cynthia is my mom."
Upon hearing that, Byron nearly dropped his iron shovel.
He hurriedly tightened his grip around its handle, squeezing so hard that the metal creaked beneath his fingers.
"Ahem... You’re Cynthia’s daughter?"
Tiana scratched her head.
"Grandpa Byron, are you all right?"
Byron coughed several more times and forcibly regained his composure.
"I’m... I’m fine. I remember you now, Tiana. Wait here for a moment."
He immediately summoned the nearby Gym employee and handed over the Poké Balls he had originally intended to use.
"Go and bring me my main Pokémon."
The employee froze.
"Your main Pokémon? Gym Leader, she’s only a newly registered Trainer."
"Can’t you see the Garchomp standing beside her?"
Byron glared at the employee.
The meaning in his eyes was perfectly clear:
Say one more unnecessary word, and I’ll send you to work in the mines for a month.
The employee immediately closed his mouth, turned around, and hurried away to exchange the Poké Balls.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Roark]: Hahahahahahaha! That expression on my dad’s face! I took a screenshot and already made it the profile picture for our family group chat!
[Byron]: You little brat, just wait! The next time you come home, I’ll teach you a lesson!
[Roark]: Then I simply won’t come home~
[Byron]: You rotten brat! Just you wait! I’m going to throw away every mineral and fossil in your room!
[Roark]: Dad, calm down! Impulsive actions lead to disaster!!
[Steven]: A mineral collection? Roark, what kinds of minerals do you like?
[Roark]: Fossils! Especially Cranidos fossils. I recently obtained another one in excellent condition!
[Grant]: Speaking of which, Canalave Gym’s steel walls are quite distinctive. I’ve never seen that kind of riveted structure in Kalos.
[Byron]: I designed it myself when the Gym was constructed. Every single rivet was fastened by hand.
[Grant]: Hand-fastened rivets? That kind of craftsmanship has become extremely rare in Kalos. Most structures are now formed as single pieces by machines.
[Byron]: Machine-formed steel could never possess the same character as handmade riveting!
[Grant]: Those details are indeed difficult to find. I’ll have to examine the Gym in person the next time I visit Sinnoh.
The video continued playing.
The employee soon returned carrying two new Poké Balls.
Byron accepted them, weighed them in his hand, and finally appeared slightly more relaxed.
"All right, Tiana."
Byron took his position at the opposite end of the battlefield, planting his iron shovel beside him.
"Today’s Gym battle will be two-on-two. Only the challenger may freely switch Pokémon. Do you have any objections?"
"No."
Tiana patted Garchomp beside her.
"Garchomp, go!"
The moment Garchomp stepped onto the battlefield, its vacant expression completely disappeared.
Its previously half-closed eyes opened fully, its pupils locking onto the Poké Ball in Byron’s hand. Even its breathing slowed to the lowest possible rhythm.
Tiana’s arms rested naturally at her sides without a single unnecessary movement, but the emotions inside her mismatched eyes had also transformed.
Calmness.
Concentration.
And the faintest trace of desire and excitement for the coming battle.
Byron threw his first Poké Ball.
It traced an arc through the air, and after a flash of red light, a powerfully built Bastiodon landed on the field.
Its four limbs were thick and sturdy, while heavy steel armor covered its head. The ground trembled slightly beneath it as it landed.
Bastiodon lowered its head and released a deep roar, its armor gleaming coldly beneath the lights.
The referee raised his flag and swung it down forcefully.
"The Canalave Gym challenge officially begins!"
Tiana immediately seized the initiative.
"Garchomp, use Brick Break!"
Garchomp disappeared from its position almost the instant Tiana issued the command.
It moved with its body nearly pressed against the ground, so quickly that the naked eye could see only a dark-blue afterimage.
Garchomp swiftly circled around to Bastiodon’s side.
The portions of Bastiodon covered by steel armor possessed extraordinary defenses. Conversely, the areas left uncovered were its weaknesses!
Byron’s pupils contracted.
"Bastiodon, turn around!"
But it was already too late.
White light surrounded Garchomp’s right claw before it struck Bastiodon’s exposed side with a dull impact.
The force of the blow sent Bastiodon’s enormous body sliding half a step sideways, its four feet carving shallow trenches into the ground.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Ash]: That attack was so fast!
[Lance]: Brick Break is a Fighting-type move, making it super effective against Steel types. Tiana clearly came prepared.
[Roark]: Garchomp’s movement speed is ridiculous! Bastiodon didn’t even have time to turn around!
[Korrina]: It didn’t waste any strength either. Even my Lucario might not be capable of executing that move with such precision!
The video continued playing.
"Bastiodon, use Metal Sound!"
Byron quickly recovered and issued another command.
Bastiodon raised its head and scraped the edges of its steel armor together, producing a piercing metallic shriek.
The noise resembled a hundred files scraping across steel plates simultaneously. Even the Gym’s metal walls began resonating faintly.
Garchomp’s movements visibly faltered. Metal Sound’s interference was obvious.
"Now, use Iron Head!"
Byron didn’t allow the opportunity to pass.
Bastiodon slammed its front feet into the ground and charged toward Garchomp like a heavy truck.
"Garchomp, use Dig!"
Tiana’s voice remained steady.
Garchomp plunged headfirst into the battlefield.
Bastiodon’s Iron Head struck nothing, and its legs carved several more deep trenches into the ground.
"Bastiodon, use Iron Defense!"
Byron issued his next command just as calmly.
A metallic sheen spread across Bastiodon’s armor as its defensive power rapidly increased.
At that moment, the ground beneath Bastiodon suddenly exploded.
Garchomp burst from the earth directly beneath its abdomen, white light once again surrounding its right claw.
Another Brick Break struck Bastiodon precisely in the stomach—another area unprotected by its steel armor.
Bastiodon released a pained grunt, its enormous body nearly losing its balance.
"Hold on!"
Byron gripped his iron shovel tightly.
"Bastiodon, use Iron Defense again!"
A metallic glow once more covered Bastiodon’s armor. However, after suffering two super-effective Fighting-type attacks, most of its stamina had already been depleted.
Tiana gave it no opportunity to recover.
"Garchomp, use Brick Break once more!"
Garchomp lowered its body again, a dark-blue afterimage flashing across the battlefield.
"Bastiodon, use Heavy Slam!"
Byron roared.
Bastiodon released a low growl, kicked powerfully against the ground with all four legs, and charged toward Garchomp.
Every step produced a heavy tremor, causing the loose stones along its path to leap into the air.
However, just as Garchomp was about to collide with Bastiodon, it suddenly changed direction.
Its body twisted around Bastiodon at an exceptionally difficult angle, carrying it directly behind its opponent.
Byron’s pupils contracted sharply.
"Not good!"
It was already too late.
White light surrounded Garchomp’s right claw, and its third Brick Break struck precisely against the joint of Bastiodon’s rear leg.
Bastiodon released a deep cry of pain.
Its rear leg buckled, and its enormous body finally lost its balance before crashing heavily to the ground.
The referee raised his flag.
"Bastiodon is unable to battle! Garchomp wins!"
[VIP Chat Group]
[Roark]: All three Brick Break attacks struck areas with weaker defenses! That Garchomp’s accuracy is terrifying!
[Grant]: Bastiodon’s defenses weren’t inadequate. Its opponent was simply exceptionally skilled at identifying openings. This Garchomp also possesses tremendous battle experience.
[Drayden]: Dragon-type Pokémon naturally possess exceptional talent for battle. Combined with this Garchomp’s lineage, such a performance isn’t particularly surprising.
[Maylene]: Still, Gym Leader Byron raised his Bastiodon extremely well. It endured three super-effective attacks before falling. That Bastiodon’s stamina is unquestionably at the highest level.
...
TL: Yo, shout-out to my boy balmung1989 for the Tier 3 membership on P@treon. I’m giving out an extra Chapter per paid membership and per 100 free members, so you guys can check my page and become free members—it costs nothing! B-Bakana, i-is this a copy-paste?