After Eddie gave the order, he narrowed his eyes and assessed the situation.
This battle can't be delayed any longer. Even though the situation seems favorable to him now, he is well aware of Charmeleon's [Blaze] Ability, so he must act quickly to finish the battle.
After all, the gap between the two sides isn't large. It's not impossible for Gary to use the [Blaze] Ability to turn defeat into victory.
"Roar!"
Eddie's Charmeleon understood the order and charged straight toward the opponent.
Gary's Charmeleon, seeing the charge, rushed at Eddie's Charmeleon and immediately used [Iron Tail] again without hesitation.
It performed another spinning jump, swinging its tail to strike.
However...
"Crackle~~~"
The sound of electric currents crackled.
Then a fist, charged with the power of thunder and lightning, blocked [Iron Tail].
"That's... [Thunder Punch]! Charmeleon, get out of the way!!"
Gary noticed the electricity surrounding Eddie's Charmeleon's hands and immediately realized the danger.
One fist had already blocked [Iron Tail], so the other fist was clearly aimed at his Charmeleon. "Roar!"
However, Gary's Charmeleon couldn't dodge in time.
It was still committed to its [Iron Tail] attack, and its whole body was engaged in the move.
Even if it wanted to react or dodge, it was too late.
Eddie's Charmeleon's other fist landed perfectly on Gary's Charmeleon's abdomen, delivering a powerful blow that clearly dealt vital damage and knocked it back. "Damn it, it can even use [Thunder Punch]! I miscalculated, but there's still one last chance—now's the critical moment! Charmeleon, use [Flamethrower] with all your strength!"
Gary had not expected that Eddie's Charmeleon could use [Thunder Punch].
That move severely injured his Charmeleon, and now he could only hope for one final attack.
Ability [Blaze]: In a critical moment, the power of Fire-type moves increases by 1.5 times.
Gary's Charmeleon, gravely wounded, was surrounded by a surge of flame energy, a clear indication of its Ability activating.
Hearing Gary's command, it endured the pain, opened its mouth, and prepared to unleash [Flamethrower] with all its might.
However, before it could gather enough power, a figure appeared before it.
It was a figure engulfed in flames, radiating heat that matched and even surpassed its own.
Before Gary's Charmeleon could react, it was struck and sent flying.
With a loud crash, Gary's Charmeleon was knocked to the ground, unconscious.
Standing victorious on the battlefield was Eddie's Charmeleon, its flames now dissipating.
The winner had already been decided.
At that moment, Charmeleon and Frogadier's accumulated experience from their time in Viridian Forest reached a level where they could evolve.
"Ding! Charmeleon gained experience! Charmeleon leveled up to Lv26!"
"Ding! Frogadier gained experience! Frogadier leveled up to Lv25!"
"Ding! You defeated Gary and earned Silver Crown x3, Mystic Water!"
"Hey hey hey!! Morning Sun, you're going too far! This is [Flare Blitz]! How do you even know this move? This is impossible! Isn't this a move that only Charizard can learn?!"
Gary looked at Chenhan's Charmeleon, covered in flames and charging toward him, immediately recognizing the move as it was used. Following Professor Oak's teachings, he quickly identified the attack.
At this point, he could no longer maintain his calm demeanor and shouted at Chenhan, feeling it was too much.
"That's too much. You're a champion-level Charmander, and you're saying that to me—a Charmander that started with Quasi-Elite potential? Forget it."
Eddie couldn't help but laugh when he heard this. Gary, you've finally come to this point, and now you understand how I felt before. "I'm lucky."
"This [Flare Blitz] is an egg move, a genetic skill. It's a move Charmeleon learned at birth."
Though Eddie was still amused, he kindly explained to Gary the origin of the [Flare Blitz].
Gary's face darkened upon hearing this.
Had it not been for the Oak family's good upbringing, Gary might have let out a few foul words right then and there.
But after taking a few deep breaths, he regained his composure.
"Oh my god, the self-control to keep his emotions in check is impressive. Gary, this guy, deserves to be the leader of the 'Pokédex Owners'!"
Eddie watched Gary shift his emotions in just a few seconds and secretly admired him.
Once Gary had regained his calm, he first returned his fainted Charmeleon to its Poké Ball, then walked over to Eddie.
"I lost. I was completely defeated in both Pokémon training and battling. But next time we meet, we'll have a chance to continue this fight."
Though some reluctance remained in his eyes, Gary didn't express any regret or resentment. He made no excuses and accepted his defeat.
"It was just an unexpected surprise. Our Pokémon aren't much different in strength. It's just that I have more skills. Next time we meet, I don't think it'll be so easy to defeat you."
Eddie's principle was: "If someone respects me one foot, I will respect them one foot." Gary's cultivation, character, and personal charm were undeniable, and Eddie was happy to consider him both a friend and rival.
"Pokémon having more skills also reflects your strength as a Trainer. Don't comfort me, I was too confident before. I'll train my Pokémon better in the future. Let's fight again then."
"Okay, let's fight again next time."
"Ding! Gary recognizes you as his Rival, and his favorability toward you has increased! It is now 'friendly.'"
"Ding! You have a good relationship with two main characters. Warm reminder: please build a good relationship with the main characters; there will be unexpected surprises."