Chapter 7 Victory

The referee, after confirming Geodude's incapacitation, raised his flag again. "Geodude is unable to battle! The challenger's Poliwag wins!"

Brock, ever stoic, merely nodded. His face held a grim determination now, the hint of a challenge in his usually serene eyes.

A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Let's see how far cleverness goes against raw power," he muttered under his breath, eyes sharpening.

"Very impressive, Professor Touma. Your Poliwag is stronger than it looks, and your tactics are... unexpected." He returned Geodude's Poké Ball. "But now, you face my ace! Go, Onix!"

With a mighty roar, a gigantic, serpentine Pokémon burst from its Poké Ball, its rock-hard segments towering over the arena. Onix slammed onto the rocky terrain, its immense size making the very ground tremble. Its beady eyes fixed on the comparatively tiny Poliwag. The temperature in the gym seemed to drop a few degrees.

Ash gasped, "Whoa! It's an Onix! It's huge!"

Misty crossed her arms, a worried frown on her face. "This is going to be tough for Poliwag. Onix is incredibly powerful!"

Touma's gaze met Onix, assessing its sheer power. This wasn't going to be a simple brawl. "Poliwag, brace yourself!"

"Onix, Smack Down!" Brock commanded immediately, not wasting a moment. He was clearly guarding against Touma's previous tactic of closing the distance. Onix slammed its massive tail onto the ground, sending a shockwave that kicked up loose rocks towards Poliwag, intending to ground the slippery Pokémon.

Touma, however, was already a step ahead, having anticipated Brock's defensive play. "Poliwag, Hypnosis!"

Poliwag's eyes swirled with a mesmerizing pattern. A soft, almost shimmering wave of energy flowed from it, directly towards the colossal Onix. Despite its immense size, the rock snake's movements began to slow, its head drooping. A moment later, its gigantic body sagged, and with a soft, rumbling thud, Onix's head hit the ground, a collective gasp rippling through the small crowd watching. It was temporarily asleep!

"What?!" Ash shouted, completely flabbergasted. "He put Onix to sleep! That's amazing!"

Misty's jaw dropped. "Hypnosis? On an Onix? That's insane! How did he know that would work?!"

Brock's eyes widened in genuine shock. "Hypnosis?! Already?!" He quickly recovered, shouting, "Onix, wake up! Snap out of it!"

Onix stirred, its mighty form twitching, and with a grunt that vibrated the floor, it slowly began to rouse itself. But that momentary lapse was all Touma needed. "Poliwag, close the distance, now!"

Poliwag, having used the precious seconds of Onix's slumber, darted forward, its little legs a blur, quickly placing itself right at Onix's massive head.

"He's right up close!" Ash yelled, bouncing on his toes.

"Now, Poliwag, Mud Shot at its eyes!" Touma ordered, his voice crisp.

Poliwag squirted a gloppy burst of mud directly at Onix's still-groggy eyes. The mud, while doing no actual damage to the rock-hard Pokémon, splattered across its vision, temporarily blinding it and making its movements sluggish. Onix shook its head violently, trying to clear its eyes, a low growl rumbling in its chest.

"He got mud in its eyes!" Ash giggled, clapping his hands.

"That'll lower its accuracy and speed!" Misty added, a newfound glint of admiration in her eyes. "He's not just hitting hard, he's thinking!"

Brock gritted his teeth. "He can't see! Onix, Tackle! Poliwag is at point-blank range, you can't miss!"

Onix, still dazed and blinded, lunged forward with a clumsy, powerful tackle, aiming to crush the tiny Poliwag.

"Poliwag, Water Gun! Aim down to elevate yourself!" Touma's voice cut through the air, sharp and precise.

Poliwag, with incredible agility, braced itself. As Onix charged, Poliwag fired a focused stream of water downwards, creating a powerful jet propulsion that lifted its small body directly into the air, narrowly dodging Onix's clumsy lunge. It floated above the massive rock snake, its body glowing faintly from the lingering Rain Dance mist.

"Wow! It flew!" Ash exclaimed, eyes wide.

"He used Water Gun to jump! That's so smart!" Misty gasped, genuinely amazed.

Brock, seeing his chance slip away, roared, "Onix! With your giant body, quickly stretch and catch up!" Onix responded, its segmented body elongating and rising, trying to reach Poliwag even in its partially blinded state. The ground rumbled as it ascended.

"It's over, Brock!" Touma's voice boomed with conviction. "Poliwag, Water Gun! Full power, at the ascending Onix!"

Poliwag, suspended in the air, unleashed a truly phenomenal Water Gun. It wasn't just a stream; it was a concentrated, cascading force of water, super-charged by its Modest Nature and the dampening mist. The powerful torrent descended on Onix like a miniature waterfall, striking every segment of its ascending body. The sheer volume and pressure of the water slammed into the Rock/Ground-type Pokémon, overwhelming its defenses.

With a deafening crash, Onix's immense form fell back to the gym floor, splashing mud and water everywhere. It lay motionless, its body shuddering faintly.

"He's falling!" Ash screamed, jumping up and down.

Misty's eyes were glued to the scene. "No way... Onix is going down!"

"Now, Poliwag, Double Slap to finish it off!" Touma commanded, leaving no room for recovery.

Poliwag, still elevated, dropped swiftly, and its two small hands became a blur, delivering a rapid-fire series of slaps against Onix's head. The final slap echoed through the gym. Onix let out a weak groan, and then, completely exhausted, it sank into unconsciousness.

The referee's flag shot up. "Onix is unable to battle! The challenger's Poliwag is the winner! The victory goes to Touma of Pallet Town!"

"He did it! Touma won!" Ash yelled, absolutely beside himself with excitement, running towards the arena.

Misty followed, a broad smile replacing her earlier skepticism. "I can't believe it! That was incredible!"

A collective murmur of awe rippled through the small crowd. Touma's Poliwag, a mere tadpole, had defeated Brock's formidable Onix with a combination of clever strategy, unexpected moves, and pure power. Touma walked over to Poliwag, scooping it up with a proud grin. "You were incredible, Poliwag! Absolutely incredible!" Poliwag chirped happily, nuzzling into his trainer's cheek.

Brock, though defeated, approached Touma with a look of genuine admiration. "Professor Touma... that was an outstanding battle. Your strategies are truly on another level, and your Poliwag is exceptionally well-trained. You deserve this." He reached into his pocket and retrieved a gleaming, gray badge, shaped like a rock. "This is the official Pewter City Boulder Badge. It's yours."

Touma accepted the Boulder Badge, its cool, smooth surface feeling incredibly satisfying in his palm. "Thank you, Brock. It was an honor to battle you." He extended a hand, which Brock firmly clasped.

"The road ahead is long, Professor," Brock said, a hint of his usual, warmer self returning. "But with skills like yours, I have no doubt you'll go far. Good luck."

Touma tucked the Stone Badge carefully into his badge case. His first Gym victory, achieved with intellect and the growing bond with his Pokémon. The journey was truly just beginning.