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Inside the observation room of the underwater Gym, Sabrina had already taken a seat in the viewing gallery.
From her vantage point, she had a wide-open view of the battlefield it felt like watching an ocean-themed performance. She crossed her legs and leaned back, perfectly relaxed, clearly confident that Kai would win this battle with ease.
After all, this was a private Gym, far from official League standards. Unless Kai seriously slipped up, there was no chance he'd lose.
Meanwhile, beneath the waves, Dorian stood in his Trainer's position and pointed toward a signal light mounted on the wall.
Since they couldn't speak underwater, the match relied on basic hand gestures and light signals for communication.
Kai turned to look. Through his diving mask, he saw the light shift from red to green.
The match had begun.
Kai waved to Dragonair, and the Pokémon immediately launched forward.
Though not a Water-type, Dragonair moved like a sea serpent—gracefully slicing through the water. But without verbal commands, this battle would be a true test of the trust and synchronization between Trainer and Pokémon.
In contrast, Dorian and his Pokémon had no such problem. Having rehearsed water ballets for years, they were perfectly attuned to underwater movement.
At a glance from Dorian, Qwilfish inhaled deeply, swelling up like a balloon. With a sudden jolt, it fired a barrage of venomous spines in all directions, creating a wide net of projectiles.
But Dragonair wasn't fazed.
It retaliated with Dragon Rage, the sheer power of the blast deflecting the poison needles and pushing forward with relentless force—striking Qwilfish directly and sending shockwaves through the water.
Kai didn't let up.
He swept his right hand sideways in a signal. Dragonair understood instantly. Before Qwilfish could regain its balance, Dragonair slammed into it, sending the pufferfish tumbling through the water in a chaotic spin.
Two clean hits in a row. Dorian's expression tightened.
He had assumed that Water-types held the edge underwater but Dragonair was proving just as agile and deadly beneath the surface.
This battle… wasn't looking good.
Trying to shake off the doubt, Dorian focused and commanded a counterattack. Qwilfish's spines glowed green as it surged forward Poison Jab.
If it connected, not only would it deal solid damage, it could even leave Dragonair poisoned.
Kai signaled with a swirling motion, and Dragonair responded instantly. It opened its mouth and unleashed a Whirlwind—not the usual air-based tornado, but rather a churning underwater vortex.
In a stadium, it would blow everything away. On the sea's surface, it would create a water twister. But here, underwater, it formed a swirling whirlpool that began sucking in everything nearby.
The vortex expanded rapidly—until it covered half the battlefield.
Qwilfish, with its bulky, balloon-like shape, couldn't escape. It tried to swim away, flailing, but was helpless against the suction.
Blub-blub-blub…
Air bubbles streamed upward as Qwilfish spun helplessly, caught in the maelstrom. After a long struggle, its strength finally gave out. The vortex faded… and Qwilfish floated limply in the current, completely unconscious.
Kai didn't even need to deliver a finishing blow.
Seeing the defeated Qwilfish drifting upward, Dorian immediately retrieved it with a Poké Ball.
He stole a glance at Kai, who remained calm and composed.
Dorian could only sigh.
This guy's Pokémon are seriously powerful.
He hadn't seen any of Kai's matches or read any news—but had he known, he would've recognized Kai as the current Indigo League Champion and an honorary Trainer of the Orange League.
Even without knowing the titles, Dorian could sense it: the difference in skill between them was massive.
Refocusing, he sent out his second Pokémon—Mantine.
Kai narrowed his eyes.
Mantine, a Water/flying type, resembled a graceful manta ray. Gentle by nature, it usually drifted peacefully through the ocean but was also capable of leaping into the air and gliding above the waves.
Kai recalled its specialty—high special defense. That meant this fight would have to be won through physical attacks.
He checked on Dragonair.
Still in good shape. Having taken minimal damage and no status effects, Dragonair was more than ready to continue. Kai didn't switch out—it was time to press the advantage.
The light turned green.
Dragonair surged forward with Dragon Rush, closing the distance and ramming directly into Mantine. As the Flying-type reeled from the impact, Dragonair quickly followed up with Bind, wrapping its long tail around Mantine's body.
Though Mantine managed to break free with a twist of its wings, Dragonair's combination had already landed solid damage.
Now it was Mantine's turn to strike back.
Prompted by Dorian, it launched a series of evasive, graceful movements, weaving through the water with impressive speed. Its agility was far better than Qwilfish's, allowing it to dodge several of Dragonair's attacks.
But even with that edge, it couldn't win.
Eventually, Dragonair found an opening—and with one powerful Dragon Tail, sent Mantine crashing to the seabed, unconscious.
Two down.
Dragonair swam back to Kai's side, nuzzling his arm in a show of affection.
Their bond had grown even stronger over the course of these matches.
Kai was quietly impressed. Dorian's Pokémon were stronger than most ordinary Trainers', no doubt about it. He wasn't bad. It made sense why Dorian had the confidence to open a private Gym.
But his battle style was… safe. Too standard. There was nothing particularly creative about his tactics—and that dulled the effectiveness of his team's natural strength.
Across the arena, Dorian sent out his final Pokémon—Lanturn.
A Water/Electric-type, Lanturn resembled a deep-sea anglerfish, using a glowing lure to attract prey. It was one of Dorian's trump cards.
Whether it could turn the tide… depended entirely on its performance.
Unfortunately for Dorian, Kai and Dragonair were already in sync—and riding high on momentum.
The battle began.
Lanturn's Electric-type attacks were a serious threat. It landed a few solid hits that visibly hurt Dragonair, but despite the pain, Dragonair pressed forward with unrelenting force.
In a dazzling finish, Dragonair overwhelmed Lanturn with a final combo—winning the battle singlehandedly.
Three wins. One Pokémon.
Dorian stared, stunned.
He had just been swept—completely defeated by a single Pokémon.
It was humiliating.
To be defeated wasn't shameful—but to lose 3-0 in a Gym battle? That was a painful reminder of just how big the gap was between them.
The blow wasn't just to his ego it rattled his belief in whether he was fit to run a Gym at all.
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