Chapter 158 — Elder Pryce: As long as nothing unexpected happens

No wonder Luna was so shocked.

Just standing there facing each other, it looked like Pangoro could crush the Seel with one hand.

The size difference was like a lab mouse standing in front of a Siberian hamster.

"Has Elder Pryce gone senile?" Luna muttered under her breath.

If he was facing a novice trainer with this kind of Pokémon, she could understand.

After all, Gym Leaders hold back against over 80% of trainers based on their skill level.

But hadn't Sun already brought out his Pangoro?

How, how dare you?

However, Luna didn't understand Pryce's training style at all.

Compared to Ash's foolish method of not letting Pokémon evolve, Pryce's unevolved Pokémon were truly the most formidable.

The League officials thought Pryce's aces were Dewgong, Piloswine, and Lapras.

But that was a complete misunderstanding of his strength.

His real ace was that unassuming little Swinub in his arms that could temporarily freeze even Dialga and Palkia.

And the Delibird that could fight on par with Ho-Oh and Lugia!

True to the saying - the cuter they look, the harder they fight.

And this Seel before them was likely one of Pryce's main fighters too.

"Looks like this is definitely the manga version," Sun thought to himself.

After all, the anime version of Pryce doesn't use a wheelchair.

"Young man, make your move," Pryce said softly, still wearing that gentle smile.

"Then I won't hold back, old man."

Sun smiled faintly and solemnly told Pangoro:

"Don't underestimate them just because they look small, Pangoro."

"Wushi!"

Pangoro stomped its front foot heavily on the ground, its entire bearing suddenly changing as its fur stood on end.

First Gate: Gate of Opening, Open!

Sensing the change in Pangoro's aura, Pryce's expression shifted slightly in his wheelchair as he looked up to carefully observe this Pangoro.

Almost at the same moment Pryce looked up, Pangoro had already rushed in front of Seel.

Its right foot swept up, intending to kick the opponent flying.

"Starting with Lotus already?!"

Luna was startled again.

Was this level of attack necessary against just a Seel?

Crack!

However, when Pangoro's kick connected, Seel's body shattered like glass into countless ice shards that dissipated in mid-air.

"What?!"

Luna's pupils suddenly contracted.

"An ice clone... ordinary people can't even tell when he used this move," Sun muttered to himself.

Looking carefully at the field, one could see that frost and snow had covered the entire gym at some point, limiting visibility.

At this moment, numerous shadows emerged crawling from the flying snow.

There were dozens of Seels, densely packed!

"Are these... all clones?!" 

Luna was completely dumbfounded.

She had heard that Lorelei of the Elite Four was known for her ice clone technique.

But Luna, who had witnessed Lorelei battle in Viridian City before, could guarantee that Lorelei could never create so many lifelike clones at once.

Tap tap~

Pryce didn't give a verbal command, but tapped his cane on the ground twice.

Ice Shard!

Countless adorable Seels looked up to gather ice, forming endless triangular spikes in mid-air that filled the entire gym space in a way that made one's scalp tingle.

These weren't clones - they were all real.

All created by that single Seel's power!

Luna no longer dared doubt Pryce's strength.

It was too incredible - that old man's mastery of ice far surpassed Lorelei!

Was that really a Seel?

Even Articuno probably wasn't this fierce!

In the next instant, the countless ice spikes shot forth like the golden treasures from the King's Treasury.

The beautiful blue-white color radiated extreme cold in the sunlight, attacking Pangoro from all 360 degrees with no blind spots.

Third Gate: Gate of Life, Open!!

Green energy surged through Pangoro's body as silent flowing water gathered in its limbs, and in the next moment it faced all directions throwing rapid punches.

Water Flow Barrage!!

Pangoro continuously shattered the incoming ice spikes, turning them into ice fragments and wind pressure that swept outward.

The scarf at Pryce's neck danced wildly in the wind pressure, but strangely his wheelchair didn't move even an inch.

"Strength even beyond Sakura and the others?" Pryce pondered internally.

"The second one at three o'clock is the real one," Sun suddenly said, causing Pryce's expression to shift again.

Hearing this, Pangoro immediately charged toward the Seel Sun had indicated.

This boy saw through Seel's true form?!

How... even with Sakura's eyesight, she couldn't see through the ice clones.

Could he possess some kind of sensory power like aura?

Tap~

However, even though surprise arose in his heart, it only lasted for an instant.

Pryce tapped his cane lightly on the floor again.

That Seel immediately looked up, gathering a brilliant blue energy ball that instantly crystallized into zigzagging ice light.

It fired when Pangoro was just half a meter away.

Ice Beam!

When the ice hit, accompanied by a teeth-clenching "crack", the right arm Pangoro had swung out started to freeze.

Fourth Gate: Gate of Pain, Open!

Pangoro's surface began to flush red with blood as burning flames melted the frost from its arm.

The boiling Fire Punch struck hard against Seel's seemingly fragile body.

Seel was instantly sent flying.

But because Seel was actually a Water-type, and not Water/Ice like its evolved form Dewgong, this move...

The type damage Seel took wasn't as severe as the physical damage.

Pryce's narrowed eyes flashed with surprise again - it had been many years.

Who was the last trainer to hurt one of his Pokémon when he wasn't deliberately holding back?

He couldn't remember anymore.

"Still not down?!"

Luna felt like her whole world was turned upside down.

Although Seel's typing gave it resistance to Fire moves, shouldn't Pangoro's powerful punch have been enough to knock out something so small from the impact alone?

"Tap!"

The cane struck the ground again, slightly harder than the previous two times.

A bitter Blizzard surged from Seel's slightly opened mouth, carrying cold intense enough to freeze the world, momentarily preventing Pangoro from taking another step forward.

Its entire body began to freeze.

This wasn't something a mere Fire Punch could thaw.

"No choice then, use that," Sun said.

At these words, Pangoro's face instantly became as fierce as a demon god.

Steam began rising faintly from its surface, resisting the ice's invasion.

Sixth Gate: Gate of View, Open!!!

Two muscular arms shattered the ice fragments, and as they swung, the violent force created friction with the air - one could faintly see rising flames.

"Fire Punch?" Pryce guessed internally.

However, in less than a second, Pryce dismissed this thought.

Pangoro's two palms swung faster and faster, the erupting flames growing more and more fierce, completely pushing back the Blizzard.

Morning Peacock!!!

As the flames continued to erode the Blizzard and were about to engulf Seel as well...

Pryce hesitated for a second, then struck his cane on the ground with a "thunk."

Besides himself, no one knew what made these tapping sounds different.

A small, nimble shadow burst forth, spitting an Ice Beam that instantly raised a massive ice wall ten meters high and three meters thick between Pangoro and Seel.

Separating the two completely.

"Is that... a Delibird?" Luna's eyes widened.

It... it created such a huge ice wall in an instant?!

Sun narrowed his eyes too - was this the Delibird that could fight evenly with Ho-Oh?

"Chirp~"

Delibird reached into its plumage and pulled out an icy blue badge numbered 790, offering it to Sun.

"Old man, this is?"

Sun glanced over.

"This old man admits defeat," Pryce smiled gently.

"There's no need to continue. Take this Glacier Badge as a memento."

Was it because he didn't want to reveal too much of his true strength?

Or because he didn't want his Pokémon to get hurt?

Or perhaps both?

Whatever the case, Sun was certain that the Pryce before him was the master-level trainer from the original manga who could defeat anyone in his path.

And he was equally certain that Pryce was unwilling to fight him at full strength.

"That was quite an interesting battle."

Sun accepted the Glacier Badge, noticed it looked quite pretty like a hair clip, and turned to pin it in Luna's beautiful hair before turning back to Pryce with a smile:

"I wonder under what circumstances we'll meet next time."

"Perhaps... there won't be a chance to meet again," Pryce said calmly with half-closed eyes.

His plan had entered its final stage, and if nothing unexpected happened, he could fulfill his years-long wish.

That's right, as long as there weren't any accidents like ten years ago...

...

...

After leaving the Mahogany Gym, Luna couldn't help saying:

"That old man seems very mysterious, like he has some secret."

"More than just a secret..." Sun couldn't help but smile.

Just as he finished speaking, Sun's phone rang.

It was Archer calling.

"Hello~"

"Mr. Sun, I apologize, but could you help handle a small problem?"

Archer's somewhat troubled voice came from the other end of the line.

"What? Having second thoughts?"

Sun raised an eyebrow as he asked.

"Of course not," 

Archer hurriedly denied:

"It's just that the idiot subordinate Lord Giovanni assigned to me for this operation has betrayed us, and he has Suicune and Celebi captured in Dark Balls."

Sun blinked.

Now this was getting interesting.