Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 24: Challenging the Pewter City Gym

The Pewter City Gym reopened.

The reason was that the Pewter City police had discovered that all Team Rocket members in the city appeared to have left—they had all gathered on the outskirts of Viridian Forest, frantically searching for something.

Rio, who had received the reopening news immediately, rushed over with Charmeleon and Munchlax, becoming the first trainer to challenge the Gym that day.

"You’re the guy from the Pokémon Center a few days ago?" Brock was taken aback when he saw his first challenger was Rio.

"That’s right. I’m curious—did you eventually catch Team Rocket and recover that treasure map?" Rio asked with a smile.

To be honest, he was still intensely curious about that treasure map—after all, it involved a legendary Pokémon. He’d been in this world for a while now and genuinely wanted to see a legendary Pokémon with his own eyes.

Brock shook his head: "No. But from what we gathered, it seems Team Rocket lost the map as well."

As he spoke, Brock noticed the Munchlax standing at Rio’s feet. He recalled that, according to League intelligence, Team Rocket’s treasure map had apparently been stolen by a Munchlax.

"Is it that one?" Brock wondered to himself. But he quickly shook off the thought, feeling he was overthinking things. A trainer capable of commanding a Munchlax to rob Team Rocket and escape unscathed wouldn’t need to challenge his Gym.

"Lost it?" Rio’s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing the map had been lost.

"How did that happen?"

Brock noticed Rio’s convincingly shocked expression, and any lingering suspicion about the Munchlax vanished completely. After all, how could a Pokémon steal a treasure map without its own trainer knowing about it?

"Don’t ask about that. In any case, it’s better that it’s lost—if that map had remained in Team Rocket’s hands, it would’ve spelled disaster for the entire Kanto region."

Brock walked to the other side of the battlefield.

"Let’s start the battle now. Besides you, there are four other trainers waiting to challenge the Gym today, so time is tight."

With a flash of light, Brock sent out his first Pokémon: a Geodude.

Rio glanced at Geodude’s info panel.

[Pokémon: Geodude]

[Level: 18]

[Talent: Elite]

[Ability: Rock Head]

[Gender: Male]

[Moves: Tackle (33%), Rock Polish (32%), Rollout (32%), Rock Throw (32%), Smack Down (30%)]

"As expected of a Gym Leader—none of its move proficiencies are below 30%, almost all at the level cap," Rio thought to himself. He couldn’t help but wonder what Brock’s ace Pokémon’s stats would look like. But he knew Brock wouldn’t show his true strength in a beginner’s challenge—otherwise, no rookie trainer would ever succeed.

"Charmeleon, show Gym Leader Brock what a genius can do."

Rio raised his right hand and pointed at the battlefield.

"Rua~" Charmeleon roared and charged onto the rocky battlefield with high spirits.

"A Fire-type Pokémon—you’re at a severe type disadvantage in this battle," Brock remarked, seeing Rio send out Charmeleon.

"We’ll see about that," Rio replied with a casual shrug.

A dozen seconds later, with the Gym referee’s signal, the Gym battle began.

"Geodude, Rock Throw!" Brock gave the first attack command.

Geodude grabbed two rocks and hurled them at Charmeleon.

"Charmeleon, charge in—use Scratch to shatter the rocks!" Rio countered.

"Rua~" Charmeleon dashed toward Geodude, its claws tracing crescent arcs through the air. The two incoming rocks shattered instantly upon contact.

"Not bad," Brock acknowledged.

Rio pressed the attack: "Charmeleon, when you get close, use Ember!"

Brock countered: "Geodude, Rollout! Since they want to fight up close, let’s oblige—and teach this trainer a lesson about type matchups."

Geodude curled into a ball and rolled toward Charmeleon. Just as Charmeleon released its Ember—a fireball as large as a blazing orb—it struck the rolling Geodude, instantly turning it into a flaming sphere. Dull cries of pain came from within.

Seconds later, the flames died out, and Geodude collapsed.

"Th-this..." Brock fell silent.

He couldn’t believe that Geodude—a Rock-type that resisted Fire on both offense and defense—had been taken out in one hit by a Charmeleon’s Ember.

"Gym Leader Brock, please send out your second Pokémon. Charmeleon is consuming its own health under Solar Power," Rio said with a smile.

Type disadvantage? Even without using Sunny Day, the weather was naturally clear—enough to activate Charmeleon’s Solar Power ability. Plus, Rio had given Charmeleon the Charcoal that Munchlax had picked up, boosting its Fire-type move power. Against that, Brock’s so-called type advantage meant nothing.

Not to mention, Ember’s proficiency was at 42%, Charmeleon was five levels higher than Geodude, and it had Quasi-Elite Four talent. It was a complete domination in every aspect. If it hadn’t one-shot Geodude, that would have been the real surprise.

"Would you mind waiting a moment? Your strength has caught me off guard. I think I should switch to a different Pokémon for the next round—in keeping with the League’s rules for training new trainers."

Brock pressed a button on his side, and a pillar rose from the ground beside him, holding two Poké Balls. He placed the Poké Ball he’d been about to use back into the pillar and took out a new one instead.