On the icy battlefield, Victor and Aaron stood opposite each other, ready for the match.
Dennis and Alice had both insisted that Victor take the first challenge. Smiling, Victor replied that it would be rude to decline their request, as he was eager to start.
Since Aaron ran The Extreme Ice Gym alone, there was no official referee present. However, Roger, who often stayed with Aaron, was accustomed to the role and stepped up to officiate.
Clearing his throat, Roger walked to the side and began to speak formally.
"This Junior Gym Challenge is officially recognized by the Crimson Alliance! I will now explain the battle rules:
1. This is a 2v2 doubles Pokémon battle.
2. The Gym Leader will send out their Pokémon first.
3. The challenger selects their Pokémon second.
4. The winner is determined when both Pokémon on one side are unable to battle.
Gym Leader Aaron, please release your Pokémon!"
After Roger finished reading the rules, Zhao Xuecheng released the Pokémon he had prepared.
"Come out, my partners," he said warmly.
---
Gym Leader's Pokémon:
1. Ninetales (Alolan Form)
Type: Ice/Fairy
Gender: Female
Ability: Snow Warning
Level: 43
Held Item: Icy Rock (extends the duration of hail weather)
Moves: Freeze-Dry, Blizzard, Aurora Veil, Dazzling Gleam, Protect
2. Beartic
Type: Ice
Gender: Male
Ability: Slush Rush
Level: 48
Held Item: Never-Melt Ice (boosts Ice-type moves)
Moves: Ice Fang, Icicle Crash, Aqua Jet, Superpower, Avalanche
This combination formed a classic Hail + Slush Rush doubles team.
Alolan Ninetales, a regional variant of the traditional Fire-type Ninetales, had a majestic appearance. Unlike the sleek, fiery coat of its counterpart, its blue and white fur gave it an ethereal, cloud-like elegance.
Beartic, resembling a massive polar bear with thick legs, was over four meters tall and weighed more than 700 kilograms. Its immense size and powerful muscles made it a fearsome physical attacker.
Victor studied the two Pokémon carefully, recognizing their synergy: Ninetales would set up hail with its Snow Warning ability, while Beartic's Slush Rush would make it incredibly fast under hail. It was a textbook strategy for a snow-based team.
"Alright," Victor muttered with determination, selecting his Poké Balls. "Let's do this!"
---
Victor thought for a moment before deciding on his Pokémon.
"Let's go, Carbink and Incineroar!"
With a flash of red light, Carbink appeared on the field, looking slightly downcast, while Incineroar struck a confident pose.
"Graaar!"
Incineroar roared loudly, flexing its muscles. In stark contrast, Carbink muttered nervously, "Wuu... my head... my head is gone..."
Victor sighed. It seemed the "incident" from two days ago was still bothering Carbink. He silently promised himself to thank Roman, the person who had recommended that episode, for such an "impactful" experience.
Meanwhile, Alice elbowed Dennis, signaling him to watch closely. She was curious whether Victor could defeat Gym Leader Aaron by relying on Incineroar's favorable type matchup.
"Both sides ready? Let the battle begin!" Roger announced, blowing his whistle.
---
The trainers acted simultaneously.
"Ninetales, activate Snow Warning! Beartic, use Ice Shard!" Zhao Xuecheng commanded.
"Kouuu~!"
Ninetales summoned a heavy snowfall, enveloping the battlefield in ice and snow. At the same time, Beartic gathered ice energy on its hand and launched five shards of ice toward Incineroar.
"Carbink, focus! Use Guard Split! Incineroar, Bulk Up!" Victor called out.
Victor had carefully planned his strategy. Since his team couldn't rely on complex synergy or weather effects, he decided to focus on move coordination. Carbink's high defensive stats made it an excellent support Pokémon, and its Guard Split move allowed it to share those defenses with Incineroar.
Earlier, Carbink had expressed its desire to support rather than lead in this battle, which perfectly suited Victor's plan. This setup made Incineroar the core of their strategy.
A strange light flashed, and Incineroar immediately felt a dramatic boost in its defensive power after combining Guard Split with Bulk Up. Its ability to withstand attacks had reached new heights.
As the support moves took effect, the Ice Shards struck Incineroar, who shielded Carbink. Thanks to the buffs, Incineroar shrugged off the attack with ease.
"Smart strategy," Dennis remarked, impressed. "He's using that elite Carbink as a support to bolster his ace, Incineroar. Even without a weather-based team, they're holding their own in this doubles match."
"We underestimated him," Alice admitted. "For someone who's only had Pokémon for three months, Victor's strategies are way beyond what we expected."
---
Thanks to Intimidate, the aura released when Incineroar entered the battlefield, Beartic's attack power was reduced.
"Interesting," Aaron mused. "Ninetales, set up Aurora Veil! Beartic, use Ice Fang on Carbink!"
The Gym Leader's strategy became clear: Ninetales would focus on support while Beartic took the offensive.
As the shimmering Aurora Veil enveloped both Ninetales and Beartic, Beartic suddenly slid forward with surprising speed, aiming straight for Carbink.
But Incineroar was not about to let Beartic strike its teammate so easily. Flames erupted from its flaming belt as it launched a powerful Flamethrower to intercept Beartic's charge. The fire clashed fiercely with the icy energy surrounding Beartic's attack, resulting in a stalemate.
"Ninetales, Blizzard!" Aaron commanded.
The intense snowstorm swept across the field, seemingly indiscriminate in its path. However, Ninetales' mastery over its move was evident—it avoided Beartic entirely while targeting both Carbink and Incineroar.
Victor was ready for this. Through the team channel, he instructed Carbink to erect a Rock Tomb barrier between Incineroar and Beartic. The rock wall effectively blocked Beartic's advance but left Carbink exposed to the Blizzard.
The storm raged fiercely, battering both Carbink and Incineroar. Despite the temporary protection from the stone wall, Incineroar still took the full brunt of the attack.
As the Blizzard subsided, a stark contrast emerged. Incineroar stood tall, completely unharmed, while Carbink was covered in a thick layer of frost.
"Carbink's stamina is no joke," Victor thought. Though its base stats weren't exceptional, the defense boost it shared with Incineroar through Guard Split had made it surprisingly resilient. The Blizzard, which would have devastated most Pokémon, seemed to have barely phased her.
Dennis and Alice, however, misinterpreted Carbink's frosty appearance and somber demeanor.
"Looks like Carbink is nearing its limit," Dennis said, concerned.
Alice nodded. "It's up to Incineroar to turn the tide now."
Victor smirked slightly. He knew the real situation. Carbink was still in excellent shape, and her role as a sturdy support would be key in breaking through the Gym Leader's formidable team.