Chapter eight: Route 9 and Circhester Bay, where the Rotom Bike learns to ride on water, then Spikemuth, a town without Dynamax energy, and the Gym of Piers, the Dark-type Gym Leader.
Route 9
Route 9 links Circhester to Spikemuth. It has three parts: the northern section, Circhester Bay, frozen and largely aquatic, and the approaches to Spikemuth. This is where your Rotom Bike gets the upgrade that lets it ride on water: you can now go back for the items and Pokémon that were out of reach, such as on the lake on Route 2.
On the route you meet Pelipper, Mareanie (mostly Sword) or Jellicent (mostly Shield), Gastrodon, Octillery and Kingler. In the bay: Clobbopus, Toxapex, Barbaracle, Bergmite and, very rarely, Dhelmise. On the water and while fishing: Wailmer, Wailord, Mantyke, Mantine and, extremely rarely, Lapras in a single body of water, near the swimmer Abdel.
Items: TM64 in a water area to the left of the bridge at the exit from Circhester, TM22 on a beach in the southwest, three Dive Balls on a beach far to the west, and a Zoom Lens to the left of the north entrance.
Marnie at the gates of Spikemuth
A metal shutter blocks the entrance to Spikemuth. Marnie shows you another way in, as long as you beat her.
| Opponent | Pokémon | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Marnie | Liepard Lv. 42, Toxicroak Lv. 43, Scrafty Lv. 43, Morpeko Lv. 44 | 5,280 Poké Dollars |
The Spikemuth Gym
Spikemuth was deserted for lack of an energy source: it is the only stop on the Challenge without a stadium, and Dynamax is impossible there. It is also the birthplace of Team Yell.
The mission
There is no standard mission: you have to head up the main street to Piers’s stage. Team Yell grunts bar your way and turn out to be the Gym’s Trainers. A Mr. Mime also blocks the way with Light Screen: beat the neighboring grunt so it steps aside.
The battle against Piers
| Pokémon | Level | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| Scrafty | 44 | Fake Out, Sand Attack, Brick Break, Payback |
| Malamar | 45 | Night Slash, Foul Play, Psycho Cut, Payback |
| Skuntank | 45 | Sucker Punch, Screech, Toxic, Snarl |
| Obstagoon | 46 | Obstruct, Throat Chop, Counter, Shadow Claw |
No Dynamax here, for you or for him. Fighting, Bug and Fairy types are effective; Malamar, a Dark/Psychic type, is four times weak to Bug. Beware of Foul Play, which uses your own Pokémon’s Attack.
Rewards: the Dark Badge, 7,360 Poké Dollars and TM85 (Snarl), handed over by the grunt at the entrance. Choice Specs are waiting next to the stage. After the battle, Piers asks his sister Marnie to succeed him; she refuses, because she wants to become Champion.
In town, a grunt behind the counter to the east trades a Mr. Mime for an Obstagoon.
The red light
As you leave Spikemuth, a tremor shakes the ground. On Route 9, you run into Leon, who is rushing to Route 7 through the tunnel. The tunnel is packed with onlookers: a red light has appeared and a wild Pokémon has Dynamaxed outside a stadium. By the time you reach Route 7, the incident is over: Hop tells you how Leon calmed a giant Perrserker.
