I, Gary, Want to Become a Pokemon Master

Chapter 659 - 659: First Meeting with Tobias

Upon evolving into Togekiss, it had awakened Air Slash—a move that, in Gary's eyes, was nothing short of perfect.The moment he had reviewed its new ability, everything clicked into place.

EX Serene Grace… combined with Air Slash.

The move's natural flinch chance was multiplied far beyond normal limits. It wasn't just high anymore.

It was absolute.

If the probability exceeds one hundred percent… then it becomes guaranteed.

Gary's thoughts had lingered on that realization for a long time. It meant that once Togekiss started attacking, the opponent might never even get a chance to respond.

A one-sided suppression.

A complete lock.

A total denial of counterplay.

He exhaled slowly. That alone could dictate the flow of entire battles.

With his preparations complete and his team's strength stabilized, Gary settled into the contestant village. The buildings were arranged in neat, uniform rows, each designed to accommodate Trainers from all corners of the region.

The atmosphere seemed calm on the surface, but beneath it lay a thick, undeniable tension. Everyone here was waiting for the exact same thing.

The qualifiers.

—

Three days later.

Morning light spilled across the battle complex.

Gary arrived at his assigned venue right on time.

Arena A.

The battlefield stretched wide before him, its surface clean and meticulously maintained. Around it, rows of seats had been arranged, though the audience was sparse—unlike the later rounds, the qualifiers were closed to the general public.

Still, there were plenty of Trainers present. Some stood quietly, watching the ongoing matches. Others whispered among themselves, analyzing their potential opponents.

Gary's gaze swept methodically across the area.

No sign of him…

He had been looking for one person in particular.

Tobias.

But even as time passed and more Trainers filtered in, the man didn't appear.

Gary's eyes narrowed slightly. Assigned to another arena?

That was the most likely explanation. Still, he couldn't help but feel a faint hum of anticipation.

I want to see Darkrai's level.

From his knowledge of the original timeline, Ash had eventually defeated Tobias's Darkrai and Latios using his veteran Pokémon from Johto and Hoenn. That fact alone confirmed something critical: both of Tobias's known Pokémon were at least Elite-tier. Possibly high Elite-tier.

Level 65 or above.

Gary folded his arms. And Tobias still had four completely unused, unseen Pokémon.

Unknown variables. Those were always the most dangerous factors in any tournament.

If I had more resources… I could have pushed all my Sinnoh Pokémon to Level 70.

But reality didn't allow for that. Resources were strictly limited. And more importantly—

Mega Evolution wasn't allowed in this League.

That restriction alone severed one of his most overwhelming advantages.

Gary exhaled quietly, his expression hardening.

Fine. Then I'll just win without it.

—

"Contestant Gary and Contestant Yamaguchi, please enter the field!"

The referee's announcement echoed clearly over the PA system.

Gary lifted his head. Finally.

He stepped forward, walking onto the battlefield with steady, unhurried steps. His eyes immediately locked onto his opponent.

Yamaguchi was a young man, perhaps a few years older than Gary. His appearance was painfully ordinary. His posture lacked the sharp, grounded discipline Gary had come to recognize in truly strong Trainers.

He had no presence.

Gary evaluated him in an instant. Not strong.

Even before the battle began, the outcome felt like a foregone conclusion.

The referee raised a green flag.

"The qualifier match between Gary and Yamaguchi will now begin! This is a one-on-one battle. Both Trainers, please send out your Pokémon!"

The command rang out. Both Trainers moved at the same time.

Poké Balls flew. Light burst onto the field.

"Roserade!"

Yamaguchi's Pokémon materialized first. An elegant Grass/Poison-type, its body partially concealed beneath a cloak-like cape, its arms adorned with blooming flowers that radiated a faint, toxic sheen.

[Pokémon: Roserade ♂]

[Level: 47]

[Potential: Gym-tier]

Gary's gaze flickered.

Level 47… This isn't even close.

Was he supposed to be preparing for Tobias with this standard of opposition? If so, it was meaningless.

Gary didn't hesitate.

"Togekiss."

A flash of brilliant light.

"Gekiss—!"

Togekiss appeared, its broad white wings spreading gracefully as it hovered above the ground. The moment it materialized, the atmosphere on the field shifted. An invisible, suffocating pressure radiated outward from it like a rising tide.

[Pokémon: Togekiss ♂]

[Level: 70]

[Potential: Pseudo-Legendary-tier]

The difference in power was overwhelming.

Yamaguchi, however, didn't seem to notice the crushing aura. Instead, his eyes lit up.

"Yes! A Fairy-type! We have the type advantage!" Yamaguchi clenched his fist victoriously.

Gary said nothing.

He doesn't even understand the gap. Type advantage meant nothing in the face of a twenty-three-level disparity.

The referee's arm slashed downward.

"The battle begins!"

Yamaguchi acted immediately. "Roserade, use Sludge Bomb!"

"Rose—!"

Roserade swung its floral arms forward. Purple sludge condensed rapidly, forming multiple heavy globes of toxic energy. The air around them distorted faintly, a sickly, acidic scent spreading outward.

Then, they launched. The projectiles tore through the air, spinning rapidly as they streaked straight toward Togekiss.

Gary didn't even blink.

"Psychic."

"Gekiss!"

Togekiss's eyes flashed a brilliant blue. An invisible psychic force surged outward instantly.

The incoming Sludge Bombs froze dead in midair.

Then—

BOOM!

They were crushed. Detonated. Dispersed into harmless, sizzling fragments before they could even cross the midpoint of the battlefield.

The psychic force didn't stop there. It extended outward, wrapping violently around Roserade.

"Rose—?!"

Its body was forcibly hoisted off the ground, suspended helplessly in the air.

Yamaguchi's confident expression shattered instantly. "Roserade!?"

Shock. Disbelief.

Telekinesis…? That level of raw control…?

Togekiss flapped its wings once. Calmly. Deliberately.

And Roserade was slammed into the ground.

BANG!

The heavy impact echoed across the arena. Dust burst outward.

Then again—

BANG!

And again—

BANG!

Each slam was heavier, more violent than the last. The solid ground cracked, forming a shallow crater as Roserade's body was repeatedly and mercilessly smashed against it.

Its limbs flailed. It couldn't resist. Couldn't escape the telekinetic grip.

"T-That's enough—!" Yamaguchi's voice trembled in panic.

But Gary didn't speak, and Togekiss continued.

Another slam.

BANG!

Another—

BANG!!

The battlefield was already deformed, a crater permanently stamped into the dirt beneath the repeated impacts.

The referee sprinted forward, waving his flags frantically. "That's enough! Stop the attack!"

"Gekiss."

Togekiss halted immediately. The invisible psychic vise vanished.

Roserade dropped like a stone. It didn't twitch. Its eyes were spinning in spirals, completely unconscious.

The referee raised the red flag. "Roserade is unable to battle! The winner is Gary!"

The result was absolute. Decisive.

Gary recalled Togekiss without ceremony. As the Poké Ball clicked shut, he sighed softly, rubbing his temple.

"You really went overboard…" his voice carried a trace of helpless exasperation. "Even if it's a Poison-type… it didn't actually provoke you."

Inside the ball, Togekiss let out a faint, deeply satisfied trill.

Gary shook his head. This personality… it wasn't something that could be easily corrected. Even during training, Togekiss had begun to show overwhelming dominance.

It was aggressive. Not reckless, but utterly relentless.

It's already become the undisputed leader among my Sinnoh team.

Even Garchomp respected it. That alone spoke volumes about the Fairy-type's terrifying nature.

Gary stepped off the battlefield. There was no need to visit the Pokémon Center; Togekiss hadn't taken a single point of damage. His next match was scheduled for the afternoon, which left him with plenty of free time.

And he still had a goal.

Find Tobias.

—

Gary moved between the different arenas.

Arena B. No sign.

Arena C. Still nothing.

Arena D. Nothing.

He kept walking. Each arena hosted its own matches, with Trainers battling at varying levels of intensity. Some were genuinely skilled. Others were not worth a second glance. Gary's attention bypassed them all, remaining entirely focused.

Where are you…

At one arena, he spotted Barry shouting commands. At another, he saw Paul watching a match with crossed arms. He didn't approach either of them. Didn't even offer a greeting. His focus remained singular.

Until, finally—

Arena H.

Gary stopped. His eyes narrowed.

"There you are."

Tobias.

He stood just outside the battlefield, slightly apart from the other waiting contestants. His presence was quiet, almost entirely withdrawn, yet simultaneously impossible to ignore.

Dark clothing. A calm, statuesque posture. He possessed an aura that refused to blend into the crowd—it stood starkly out.

Gary watched him from afar. That's him.

Tobias didn't interact with anyone. He didn't speak. He didn't even glance around the facility. He simply watched the current match in silence.

Gary hesitated for a fraction of a second. Should I approach him?

Before he could make a decision, Tobias turned his head.

Their eyes met across the corridor.

For a brief moment, there was absolute silence between them. Gary offered a faint, polite smile—a simple greeting between competitors.

Tobias's expression didn't shift. He didn't nod. He didn't react. He simply turned away again, returning his gaze to the field.

As if Gary didn't exist.

Gary didn't let his smile drop. He simply looked forward.

Interesting.

He shifted his attention to the battlefield and waited. One match ended. Then another. Three matches passed in total.

Then—

The referee's voice rang out through the speakers.

"Contestant Tobias and Contestant Ueno, please enter the field!"

Gary's eyes sharpened instantly.

Finally.

Tobias stepped forward. Calm. Entirely unhurried. His opponent, Ueno, followed onto the opposite side of the field, looking visibly tense.

They took their positions.

"The match between Tobias and Ueno will now begin! Both Trainers, please send out your Pokémon!"

Ueno moved first, shouting to hype himself up. "Go—Tropius!"

A massive Grass/Flying-type Pokémon materialized, its wide, leaf-like wings spreading as it let out a deep, resonant cry.

"Trop—!"

Then, Tobias moved.

Silently, without a single word, he threw his Poké Ball forward.

Light burst across the arena.

And—