Tamagawa Naoki's Venusaur had already initiated its attack, prompting Kalia to forgo her turn and promptly switch to Charmeleon.
Defensive moves like Light Screen were highly effective against a lineup solely relying on Special Attacks. Unfortunately, despite having a Move Disk for Brick Break, none of Kalia's Pokemon could learn it; otherwise, she wouldn't have needed to worry about Light Screen, as one swift Brick Break would shatter it instantly.
"Charmeleon, go!" Kalia tossed the Poké Ball, and with a burst, Lian eagerly emerged from it, landing on the ground.
Surveying the vibrant surroundings, Lian feared that a single flame could easily destroy everything, making it difficult to unleash the Wrath of Fire without causing regrettable damage.
"Charmeleon, use spiraling flamethrower!" Kalia commanded immediately, aware that using Wrath of Fire in this environment could accidentally set ablaze the area, jeopardizing the flowers and plants she had nurtured long ago, which perfectly suited the Grass-type Gym's theme.
Lian glanced at the opposing Venusaur, noticing a massive, colorful transparent wall standing before it. The Light Screen was his least favorite move, significantly reducing the effectiveness of Special Attack moves—quite irritating indeed.
However, with Sunny Day activated and Venusaur being a Grass-type, Light Screen proved ineffective.
"Spiral Flamethrower," Kalia referred to Lian's move as such. Using Wrath of Fire would indeed be impractical here, so Flame Spiral was the suitable alternative.
"Venusaur, use Sleep Powder!" Tamagawa Naoki commanded loudly. His Venusaur excelled at Sleep Powder, having undergone specialized training for high accuracy. With Light Screen obstructing direct attacks, he aimed to employ Sleep Powder, hoping to induce sleep on Lian's Pokémon.
Against Fire-type Pokémon, Grass-type moves were not particularly effective. By using Sleep Powder to put his opponent to sleep, Naoki could safely launch subsequent attacks without interference.
Whoosh!
A massive burst of scorching flames erupted from Lian's mouth, swiftly transforming into a spiraling motion that concentrated its power and increased speed significantly.
The Flame Spiral collided with the Light Screen, which acted like a filter, weakening the intensity of the attack. Upon breaking through, the remaining force of the Flame Spiral, though considerably diminished, still rushed rapidly towards Venusaur.
Venusaur's speed was relatively slow due to its large size, limiting its mobility. As a result, Lian's Flame Spiral effortlessly struck it.
The intense heat engulfed Venusaur, clearly overwhelming its ability to withstand such scorching flames. It must be noted that this was Lian's strongest move; even with Light Screen as defense, Venusaur struggled immensely. Unless it could achieve Mega Evolution and acquire the Thick Fat Ability, there was no way for it to endure the onslaught.
In the next instant, Venusaur toppled onto the ground, losing its fighting capability and unable to release Sleep Powder in time.
Facing both significant type disadvantage and power disparity, any defense proved futile. Although Venusaur was built as a durable tank, Lian was far from an ordinary Pokémon.
"?" Tamagawa Naoki shuddered, feeling bewildered by the swift defeat. It happened too quickly; despite the boost from Sunny Day, he had deployed a Light Screen, yet still lost easily.
Moreover, this Flamethrower seemed unusual—why was it spiraling? Similar to yesterday's sky-descending flames technique, it felt entirely different from anything he'd seen before.
At this moment, Tamagawa Naoki felt immense confusion regarding Kalia's rapid progress. He couldn't comprehend how, within just a few months, she had become so incredibly powerful.
In the subsequent battles, Lian dominated effortlessly, as he had predicted - Fire-types against Grass-types were like a father disciplining his son, swiftly taking them down one after another.
What use was Light Screen here?
None of Tamagawa Naoki's three Pokemon could withstand Lian's Flame Spiral. In fact, there was no need for any combo moves; throughout the entire battle, Lian only used Flame Spiral three times before it concluded.
Tamagawa Naoki realized the significant gap between their strengths. It wasn't that he was weak, but rather Kalia had become exceptionally strong, leaving him with no opportunity to counter effectively. Even his Light Screen couldn't hold back the onslaught, and without access to Rain Dance, he found himself utterly helpless.
Against such overwhelming power, any strategy proved futile.
After the battle ended, Tamagawa Naoki smiled. A true Trainer is always willing to acknowledge defeat, especially as a Gym Leader encountering a type disadvantage, losing becomes quite normal.
Being young, he held infinite possibilities ahead, and a single loss meant little in the grand scheme.
"You've won." Realizing this, Tamagawa Naoki's mindset returned to normal. Although defeated by a former underdog, he had to admit Kalia was truly formidable, evident from their battle yesterday.
Tamagawa Naoki's calm demeanor made it seem effortless for Kalia to defeat him, highlighting her exceptional strength-or more precisely, showcasing her Charmeleon's immense prowess.
"Here is the Green Leaf Badge. Since you chose the path of challenging gyms, I hope you can go even further. There are many geniuses ahead, stronger than myself," Tamagawa Naoki handed over the badge.
Kalia accepted the Green Leaf Badge, now proudly possessing five badges in total. The Green Leaf Badge featured a vibrant emerald leaf design.
Hanging the Green Leaf Badge on her shoulder, Kalia remarked, "Initially, I held resentment towards you, but with time and experience, I realized being a Gym Leader can also be confining. If not for you taking the Gym Leader position, I wouldn't have discovered the wonders beyond."
"Indeed, everyone has different perspectives. Personally, I quite enjoy being a Gym Leader," Tamagawa Naoki smiled.
***
After receiving her badge, Kalia decided not to linger at the gym any longer. Previously, she considered Tamagawa Naoki as her main rival, but upon easily defeating him, she suddenly realized that her journey had just begun. Tamagawa Naoki was merely a Silver Rank Gym Leader.
Ahead lay Gold Rank Gyms, the League Competition, Elite Four members, and ultimately, the strongest Champion Trainer.
These individuals were her true future opponents, representing the pinnacle of Trainers in this world. She hadn't even reached the level of a high-ranking Trainer, let alone a mid-level one.
"The next city is Rockcliff City, home to a Fighting-type Gym."
Kalia clenched her fists with determination. After challenging the last Silver Rank Gym, she would be eligible for the mid-level trainer assessment. Compared to the beginner trainer evaluation, the mid-level assessment was significantly more rigorous. The number of mid-level trainers is far fewer than beginners, highlighting its difficulty.
However, there's no rush; she's only twelve years old. Over the next few days, she plans to prepare herself, explore the Dream World, and then consider continuing her journey.