Team Rocket's trio was sent blasting off again by the fierce attacks of the three Lycanroc, disappearing into the sky like a shooting star.
Klein and Gary, both clad in gray cloaks and hiking gear, watched as the three Lycanroc excitedly ran up to Klein, circling him like overgrown puppies.
"It's been a while. How have you all been?"
Before he could finish speaking, the Midday and Dusk Lycanroc lunged at him, enthusiastically licking him like a pair of oversized Huskies. Meanwhile, Midnight Lycanroc, the bipedal one, simply stood coolly at a distance, watching over its brothers and trainer with a stoic gaze, ever vigilant for any lingering Team Rocket threats.
Taming these three Lycanroc had taken considerable effort, but compared to other Pokémon, the trio excelled at guarding territory. With them standing watch, the Pokémon in Klein's reserve could live in peace.
"Man, that's amazing! You actually have all three Lycanroc forms," Ash said, eyes sparkling with excitement.
But just as Ash was gearing up to challenge Klein, Gary stepped forward with a calm, yet sharp expression.
"You've really improved, huh? Getting caught so easily by Team Rocket," he said flatly.
"What?"
Gary crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. "I'm saying—just because you won the Orange League, you think that means you're ready to challenge Klein?"
"And what if I do?" Ash shot back defiantly.
"Then battle me first."
Gary held up a Poké Ball, his tone completely serious.
Ash swallowed but quickly composed himself. "Fine! Bring it on, Gary—I'm not afraid of you!"
Professor Oak, watching from the sidelines, merely chuckled.
These two had been rivals since childhood, always competing at every turn.
Letting them battle it out now was the perfect way to push them both forward.
Klein turned to the professor. "This will be their first battle since becoming official trainers, right?"
Professor Oak nodded. "Yes, this is their first real match."
Despite his scholarly nature, Professor Oak firmly believed in the importance of competition.
Without the drive to surpass others, how could one ever hope to stand at the pinnacle of the Pokémon League?
Ash took a deep breath, gripping his Poké Ball tightly.
"Gary, I'll show you what a Top 16 competitor from the Indigo League and an honorary Orange League Champion can do! Go, Pikachu!"
The yellow Electric-type leaped onto the battlefield, cheeks sparking with determination.
Gary simply smirked. "Then I'll go with… Riolu."
As the Poké Ball opened, a small, blue Pokémon emerged, standing proudly before its trainer.
The moment Ash saw Riolu, he quickly pulled out his Pokédex, only to be met with an error message.
"Huh? Professor, didn't you just update my Pokédex? Why isn't there any data on this Pokémon?"
Professor Oak scratched his head sheepishly. "Ahaha, well… Riolu is native to the Sinnoh region. The Pokédex update didn't include that data yet. It evolves into Lucario, a Fighting- and Steel-type Pokémon."
Hearing that, Ash's eyes widened.
Lucario!
Back on Shamouti Island, Klein's Lucario had left an unforgettable impression—floating in midair, radiating an overwhelming battle aura.
Now, seeing this small Riolu, he immediately recognized it as Lucario's pre-evolution.
"No wonder! As Klein's student, you picked a Pokémon just like his."
"Actually," Professor Oak interjected, "this Riolu was a gift from Queen Ilene of Rota Town."
The moment the word queen was mentioned, Brock's ears twitched, and his mouth nearly started watering as his imagination ran wild.
Unlike in the past, where Ash had underestimated Gary's Eevee, this time he took things seriously.
Lucario had left such a strong impression that both he and Pikachu knew they had to give it their all.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack with Agility!"
Blindly using Thunderbolt wouldn't guarantee a hit, and it would only drain Pikachu's stamina.
Instead, Ash opted for a strategy of high-speed mobility combined with Quick Attack, using hit-and-run tactics to probe Riolu's defenses.
"Use Foresight and sense him with Aura."
Foresight was a technique that enhanced a Pokémon's ability to track its opponent, ensuring that the next attack would land no matter how evasive the target was.
Though Riolu's Aura mastery was still limited, combining it with Foresight significantly expanded its sensory range.
Klein's multidimensional battle tactics included a variety of strategies for Lucario, one of which was using Foresight as a foundation for training.
Gary had studied Klein's teachings carefully and implemented this method perfectly.
On the battlefield, Pikachu blurred into motion, zigzagging unpredictably.
But Riolu calmly closed its eyes.
Its Aura flared, spreading out like an invisible radar, covering a five-meter radius.
To everyone else, Pikachu's movements seemed erratic and dazzling.
But to Riolu, its opponent's position was crystal clear.
A white streak flashed—Pikachu launched a precise Quick Attack from an impossible angle!
Yet, just as it was about to land, Riolu took a slight step to the side, effortlessly dodging.
"What?! Again, Pikachu!"
No matter how many times Pikachu attacked, Riolu always evaded with minimal effort.
The battle's momentum was slowly tilting in Gary's favor.
"That Riolu is incredible. Pikachu's entire rhythm is being dismantled," Professor Oak marveled.
Even he was impressed—this Riolu, though newly hatched, displayed remarkable combat awareness.
It was clear that Gary's training abilities had improved immensely.
"Use Toxic."
The moment Pikachu missed its attack, Riolu's paw flashed with a sinister purple glow.
A split second later, Pikachu staggered, its body tinged with a faint violet hue.
Poisoned.
"This Riolu has the Prankster ability, doesn't it?"
Professor Oak turned to Klein, who nodded.
"That's right. I confirmed it earlier. Gary's Riolu has the rare Prankster ability."
With Prankster, Riolu's status moves gained increased priority.
This allowed it to use Foresight and Toxic with near-instant activation, creating a deadly combo of enhanced awareness and debilitating status effects.
Pikachu winced, the poison taking its toll.
Seeing his partner suffering, Ash hesitated, about to call off the match.
But Pikachu let out a determined cry, signaling that it wanted to keep fighting.
"If that's the case… Riolu, use Focus Punch!"
Gary called out his next move, his voice calm and unwavering.
Riolu's small paws glowed with concentrated energy, forming a massive aura-infused punch.
Pikachu, though poisoned, charged forward, refusing to back down.
Riolu closed its eyes once more, sidestepping Pikachu's attack.
With the Focus Punch fully charged, Riolu flashed forward, appearing right in front of Pikachu.
The energy surged—
"STOP!"
Ash and Gary shouted at the same time.
The battle came to an abrupt halt.
Ash had seen enough—he knew Pikachu couldn't win this one.
Gary, on the other hand, was worried that Focus Punch's full power might cause lasting damage to Pikachu.
Both trainers made the responsible choice to call off the fight.
"Brock, help treat Pikachu."
Ash gently picked up his weakened partner, his expression serious.
This battle had made one thing clear—he still had a long way to go.
Gary smirked, recalling Riolu.
"Well, at least now you know… You're not ready to challenge Klein yet."
Ash clenched his fists but then sighed, accepting the truth.
For now, he had to get stronger.