A cold drop of sweat trickled down Kiyomi Tsugumi's forehead.
The air in the gym was thick with tension.
"Charmander, use Smokescreen—now!" Kiyomi ordered. The goal was clear: to cloud Onix's vision, slow down its attack, and buy some time to think.
"Not bad for a rookie," Brock muttered, growing more serious. "Instead of attacking head-on, he used Smokescreen to hide his position. Good strategy... but my Onix doesn't need to see to find you."
With a powerful roar, Onix swung its massive tail, striking the gravel-strewn ground hard. Rocks and pebbles shot flying into the smoke, clattering loudly and hitting Charmander's hiding spot.
Several painful cries echoed through the dust.
"Damn it, Yan! The smoke's gone!" Kiyomi cursed under his breath as the thick, inky smokescreen quickly dissipated. Charmander's embarrassed form reappeared, spotted with red bruises on its arms and thighs.
Each time the gravel slammed into his body, Charmander crossed his arms to block it—but the impacts still left painful red lumps, making every movement a challenge.
"Alright, Onix—use Tackle! Don't give it a moment to rest!" Brock shouted urgently, pointing at the little fire lizard.
Onix lowered its massive head and charged forward like a runaway freight train.
Seeing the huge rock snake barreling toward him, Kiyomi reacted quickly: "Charmander, roll to dodge! Then use Scratch—jump up and grab it!"
Just before Onix's charge could land, Charmander twisted his body and rolled aside. The giant snake thundered past, narrowly missing him.
Despite the pain from the gravel bruises, Charmander sprang to his feet and leapt onto Onix's smooth, stony back.
He struggled to find purchase—only managing to dig one claw into a crack between the rocks. His other claw suddenly flared with a white glow and stabbed furiously into Onix's body.
"Onix, roll!" Brock commanded sharply.
The rock snake immediately curled and began thrashing wildly, shaking off Charmander's grip in pain.
Charmander held on tight, but as Onix rolled, the little fire Pokémon was forced to leap off to avoid being crushed, tumbling forward twice to absorb the impact.
Brock took advantage of this moment and ordered, "Use your tail—smash it now!"
Kiyomi's eyes widened in alarm. "Watch out, Charmander!"
From the corner of his vision, Charmander caught sight of a massive rock tail swinging fast—and had no time to react.
Bam! Onix's tail smashed into Charmander's side with a loud crack, bending his body painfully.
The force sent Charmander flying through the air—and Onix coiled in midair, ready to constrict and trap him.
Kiyomi's heart pounded.
"What now? Charmander may not withstand another hit. If Onix binds him midair, it's over."
His gaze darted around, searching desperately for a plan.
"I can't think clearly. I have to take a risk."
Suddenly, determination replaced his fear.
"Charmander! Spin and use Ember with your tail—now!" Kiyomi shouted.
The world blurred as Charmander twisted midair. The flame at the tip of his tail shifted from bright orange to a glowing light red.
Sparks shot out like bullets from the fire, the powerful blast hitting Onix with a fierce explosion.
"You think Ember can save you?" Brock smirked. "Onix is too agile."
But at that moment, Onix's body stretched suddenly as it released Charmander, then lunged forward, tightly wrapping itself around the little fire Pokémon.
Both crashed to the ground with a thunderous crash, dust billowing across the gym.
Brock's face was calm as he watched Onix successfully restrain Charmander—but Kiyomi only smiled.
Then, unexpectedly, a few drops of water splashed onto Kiyomi's forehead.
Brock looked up, confused.
The gym's automatic sprinkler system had activated, spraying water over the entire battlefield.
The once uneven rocky floor shimmered under the wetness.
Onix recoiled, stunned by the water, then rolled over, exhausted and weakened.
"Now, Charmander! Break free and use Dragon Rage—aim for Onix's head!" Kiyomi urged.
Summoning every ounce of strength, Charmander struggled against the bind.
With a powerful roar, he unleashed Dragon Rage—a bright, fierce attack that slammed directly into Onix's stunned head.
Onix let out a deafening roar before collapsing heavily.
Charmander, swaying unsteadily, could barely stand.
In the end, it was the mighty Onix who fell first.