"Bellossom, thank you for your hard work," Gardenia said softly as she recalled her fallen Pokémon.

She looked calm on the surface, but inside, her heart was uneasy. She had just returned from Eterna Forest—only to suffer such a decisive defeat. Her pride as a Gym Leader stung.

"Go, Roserade!" Gardenia called, throwing her final Poké Ball.

Great!

A fragrant burst of petals filled the arena as Roserade emerged. The elegant Pokémon wore its usual mask‑like visage and poised itself like a performer ready for the spotlight.

[Lv43 Roserade / Quasi‑Elite]

The level of this Roserade was far higher than the two Pokémon Gardenia had sent out before; clearly her ace. Its presence alone radiated Gym‑Leader caliber skill and experience.

Gary studied her carefully. He could tell right away this was no ordinary opponent. If it weren't for this Roserade, he thought, the system's reward might not even reach intermediate class.

Even so, Gary knew Glaceon held every advantage. The snow still drifted through the Eterna Gym's translucent ceiling, and the battlefield shimmered white under her Snow Scene terrain.

Although Gardenia's Roserade was strong, she was still up against the weather—and against Gary's powerhouse Glaceon.

"Blizzard!" Gary commanded sharply.

"Glaaace!" The Snowflake Pokémon's cry echoed through the frosty air as she unleashed a roaring Blizzard. The swirling ice storm filled the entire field, its gusts freezing the petals of Gardenia's plants solid.

"Roserade, use Petal Dance!" Gardenia countered immediately.

Roserade twirled gracefully, releasing an explosion of shining petals—thousands of them spiraling outward, a floral cyclone of red and blue. The gusting petals collided with the incoming Blizzard, forming a glowing Sakura Twister that wrapped around Glaceon and partially nullified the freezing wind.

That's the Return Shield… Gary noted as snow and petals clashed violently in mid‑air.

Ash had used the same defensive spin in a contest once, something he'd originally learned from Bugsy in Johto. Many Gym Trainers had copied the technique since then. But Gary also knew Petal Dance came with a well‑known flaw.

Once Roserade began the dance, she would continue spinning—unable to stop until the attack naturally ended or her focus was broken. At most, it could be used three times before confusion set in.

Gary's voice rang again across the snowy field. "Glaceon — Dig!"

"Glaaace ooon!" Glaceon cried, leaping high before slamming into the ground, burrowing beneath the field in a flash of light.

"What—Dig!?" Gardenia's eyes widened. Never in her life had she seen an Ice‑type Pokémon use Dig; she hadn't even thought it possible.

Knowing Gary would attack from underground, Gardenia had no choice but to hold her position. Roserade's Petal Dance spun faster and faster, but it couldn't stop immediately; forcing it to halt would break Roserade's rhythm and leave her wide open.

Seconds ticked by.

Bang!

A muffled quake rippled through the earth. Roserade gasped as a burst of energy exploded upward. Glaceon shot out from beneath her, blasting icy shards into the air. The strike hit true.

The Sakura Twister shattered like glass petals scattering in the wind. Roserade stumbled backward, then toppled.

Gardenia took a step forward, heart hammering.

"Blizzard—now!" Gary called promptly, taking advantage of the opening.

"Glaaaaace!!!"

The powerful Ice type exhaled a second Blizzard at point‑blank range. The biting wind engulfed Roserade before she could recover, hurling her into the far wall of the Gym. Frost spread instantly over her leaves and mask.

When the snow cleared, Roserade lay motionless, a fragile film of ice glimmering over her body.

"Roserade has lost the ability to fight!" Rina announced. "All three of Gym Leader Gardenia's Pokémon are unable to continue! The winner is the challenger, Gary Oak!"

The crowd of onlookers on the spectator deck erupted in cheers.

Gary exhaled slowly and lowered his hand. "Good work, Glaceon."

"Glaaace," the Pokémon hummed softly, her breath a faint mist of cold air.

After the battle, Gary returned Glaceon to her Poké Ball and exhaled again. To him, this match hadn't even felt like a real challenge. At most, it was a light warm‑up.

It wasn't that Gardenia was weak or inexperienced—the Pokémon Gary had brought were simply too strong.

Still, he made sure to be polite. "Thank you for the battle, Gym Leader Gardenia."

Gardenia smiled faintly, though frustration lingered behind her calm eyes. "You're welcome," she said softly. "You battled wonderfully, Gary."

Only a handful of Trainers in Sinnoh could produce such overwhelming strength. Gardenia knew it, and so did her assistant.

Rina clapped her hands. "Congratulations, Challenger Gary! You've officially earned the Forest Badge."

But Gary noticed Gardenia's expression turn distant. She was remembering stories—rumors about monstrous contenders preparing for the upcoming Lily of the Valley Conference. Trainers said one of them had already claimed all eight Badges with perfect victories.

Gardenia thought: If that one joins the conference, he'll destroy nearly everyone… maybe even the Elite Four themselves.

Still, she kept her composure. She walked toward Gary, withdrawing a small case shaped like a blooming flower.

"Congratulations," she said, placing the badge in his hand. "This is proof you've successfully conquered the Eterna Gym. Take the Forest Badge."

Gary accepted it, bowing his head politely. "Thank you, Gardenia."

"Goodbye," she replied gently, though her smile didn't quite hide her frustration.

Gary wasted no time; he placed his new badge into his case and departed the Gym doors as light snow began to fall again.

Outside, Gary opened his space backpack to check the new system reward.

[Item Obtained – Lunar Wing]

Description: Carrying it can prevent nightmares.

"What! A Lunar Wing!?" Gary stared, wide‑eyed. He hadn't expected the system to grant something so rare.

The Lunar Wing was known in legend as a feather from Cresselia, the Lunar Pokémon. The feather shimmered faintly with pink‑blue light, carrying a serene aura that made the air around it gentle and calm.

"This… this can't be," Gary murmured. "Can this thing actually summon Cresselia?"

In the games of the Unova region, the Lunar Wing could indeed summon Cresselia on Marvelous Bridge. Gary had read about it—but holding it felt entirely different. The energy pulsing from it was very real.

The system note blinked faintly at the edge of his vision:

[Lunar Wing – A rare item said to dispel nightmares. Its effect is particularly strong against Darkrai's dream shadows.]

Gary's eyes narrowed slightly. "So… it can counter Darkrai. Interesting."

His thoughts spiraled quickly. He had captured mighty Pokémon before, yet none were true Legendaries. Now the possibility of meeting one wasn't fantasy anymore.

From what he'd learned, not all Legendary Pokémon were of equal strength. Cresselia and Darkrai were considered a pair—both powerful, yet not the most overwhelming among their kind. Some existed in numbers, unlike unique Legendaries such as Arceus or Mewtwo.

"There are at least four or five Darkrai mentioned across different accounts," Gary recalled. "If one is near Canalave City like in Ash's story... maybe I can find it."

He stopped at the edge of the snowy Eterna road, thinking. "Should I go to Newmoon Island to capture Darkrai?"

He remembered how, in Ash's travels, Darkrai had appeared in Canalave City and plunged the townspeople into endless nightmares until Ash and his friends summoned Cresselia to stop it.

"That Darkrai didn't look that strong," Gary mused, "but it can definitely be captured."

He looked down at the Lunar Wing again, turning it between his fingers. The feather shimmered quietly under the afternoon sun.

"First, though," he said to himself, "I'll focus on earning the next Badge. Oreburgh City Gym comes next, then the Gracidea Fields for Shaymin."

Later, sitting at a small café near the Eterna Pokémon Center, Gary reviewed his system rewards.

"Hmm, it also gave me access to Grass‑type skill exchange," he murmured. "What to trade for, though?"

Leaf Storm and Solar Blade appeared as highlighted options—both powerful, but each with drawbacks.

Leaf Storm sharply reduced Special Attack after use; Solar Blade depended on sunny weather for full effect.

"Forget it. I'll take Grassy Terrain instead," Gary decided. "It's support‑oriented, but battlefields matter more."

[Ding! Skill exchange successful.]

Unfortunately, Grassy Terrain was a move only Grass‑type Pokémon could learn—and at the moment, Gary didn't have a single one on his team. He sighed and stored the data for later.

After the exchange, he returned to the Pokémon Center. Once Glaceon had recovered, he grabbed lunch and headed out for the afternoon's training session.

He spent the afternoon training afterward—though in truth, most of the time went to his Gabite, currently the weakest member of his squad. And Gary was determined to raise its level as fast as possible.