Facing Ma Zhishi's mockery, Ash spoke with a hint of anger, "First, I'm already fifteen years old, and second, how can you look down on my Pikachu!"
"Pika Pika!" The Pikachu, feeling looked down upon, cursed back furiously. They hadn't even started fighting yet, and he was already being disrespected by the opponent. He couldn't tolerate it at all!
"Heh heh, a Pokémon that hasn't even evolved, what else could it be but a child's? Oh, besides Pikachu, you also have a baby Pokémon. A Gym challenge is no child's play. I've already crippled countless Trainers like you. If you don't want to get hurt, then leave quickly, understand?" The big man's words also revealed his identity.
He was the Gym Leader of Vermilion City Gym, Ma Zhishi!
It must be said that although Ma Zhishi was ruthless, he would still explain things clearly to challengers before a battle.
If the challenger insisted on challenging him, then he couldn't be blamed for not holding back.
Even so, Ash could not accept such behavior.
The Gyms he had challenged, whether it was Xiao Xia or Brock, gave him the impression of what a true Gym Leader would do. On the other hand, the person in front of him did not act like a Gym Leader but rather like a frustrated fighter.
All he wanted was a battle that could satisfy him.
"Whether a Pokémon evolves or not is not the standard for judging strength. I am Ash, a Trainer from Pallet Town, and I hereby challenge Ma Zhishi, the Trainer of Vermilion City Gym!" Ash took a step forward and shouted with an imposing aura.
Regardless of whether he could win, his momentum could not be weak before the battle. The opponent kept calling him a child, and the most effective counterattack Ash made was to stand as a challenger and declare war on Ma Zhishi!
Seeing Ash shout these words, Ma Zhishi's eyes also changed slightly. He clenched his large fist and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "How interesting. You seem a bit different from the previous guys. Come in first."
Ma Zhishi said as he walked deeper into the Gym.
Xiao Xia huddled behind Ash and followed him in. Ma Zhishi's actions just now had caused her young heart considerable damage. The thought of being hugged by such a big man made her whole body get goosebumps. Fortunately, Ash stood in front of her.
As they entered the Gym, the dim interior lit up with lights, instantly making the entire Gym bright.
The Gym battlefield was a normal one, but there were still various scorched marks on the ground. These were likely recent battle marks that wouldn't disappear anytime soon.
Ma Zhishi stood on the Gym battlefield, looking down at Ash and saying, "Little boy, how long have you been traveling, and how many badges have you obtained?"
"One month, two."
"Only two in a month? Heh, they must be badges from some third-rate Gym. I really don't know what kind of Gym would allow someone like you, who has been on a journey for less than a month, to successfully challenge it. Gyms nowadays really have no shame just to meet their badge distribution quotas." Ma Zhishi said with a hint of sarcasm.
If Ash had only been on a journey for a month, it meant that he had obtained those two badges in even less than a month. To get two badges under such circumstances, what else could those Gyms be if not third-rate?
"Ash, get him!" Brock's already dark face now became even uglier. No one would be in a good mood if their Gym was spoken of like that, and this was even in front of the Gym Leader himself!
Xiao Xia, who was following behind Ash, also twitched the corner of her mouth, almost bursting out in curses, but Ash anticipated Xiao Xia's move and directly pulled her back: "Don't be impulsive, Xiao Xia. Let him talk for a while longer. He'll know who the third-rate Gym is later!"
After Ash finished speaking, he walked onto the battlefield and said coldly, "Enough with the nonsense. What level of difficulty challenge are you going to give me?"
"First, show me proof that you've been on a journey for a month and your two badges."
Upon hearing this, Ash took out his Pokédex and, after opening his personal information, placed it in front of Ma Zhishi. The Pokédex contained the Trainer's personal journey start date. If a Trainer didn't have a Pokédex, they would also receive a journey certificate along with their first Pokémon when they began their journey.
This was also to help Gym Leaders better determine what difficulty to use for the trial. There were not a few opportunistic people in the world who would deliberately misrepresent the length of their journey to challenge lower-difficulty Gyms.
If caught, they would be blacklisted by all Gyms, and any challenge would be immediately set at the highest difficulty!
Therefore, with proof, very few people would fabricate their journey start time.
After Ma Zhishi confirmed that Ash's stated journey time was not fake and saw Ash's two Gym badges, a hesitant expression appeared on his face. After a moment, he said, "Although you've only been on a journey for a month, you do have two badges, so I'll arrange a medium difficulty for you."
"If you can't even pass this difficulty, then you might as well not take the badge—"
"Highest difficulty."
"What?"
"I said I want to challenge the highest difficulty! Isn't your strongest Pokémon Raichu? Do you dare to have your Raichu and my Pikachu battle one-on-one!!" Ash stated the challenge he had prepared from the beginning.
Gym challenges are usually two-on-two or more, because the rotation and diversity of Pokémon can better test a Trainer's command skills and application of Pokémon.
For example, the one-on-three challenge Xiao Xia chose earlier was a judgment made by the Gym Leader himself. That was when he felt that his Pokémon and the opponent's Pokémon were unbalanced, so he would choose a method to balance it for the challenger.
Ash's current challenge to Ma Zhishi for the highest difficulty was not the true highest difficulty. The highest difficulty would require facing at least two or more of Ma Zhishi's strongest Pokémon. Ash currently only had his full-power Pikachu that could battle the Gym Leader's main force.
If he faced two, even Pikachu might not win, which is why Ash used words to provoke, stating that he wanted to challenge the highest difficulty while limiting the opponent's usable Pokémon to one, allowing for a one-on-one battle!
However, upon hearing this, Ma Zhishi's face was full of a strange expression, and his gaze towards Ash was even more like looking at an idiot: "Little boy, do you know what grade my Raichu is?"
"Professional Grade, right?"
"You know that and you still dare to challenge my Raichu one-on-one? And you're using Pikachu. Little boy, there's a limit to looking down on people!" Ma Zhishi was amused by Ash. There had to be a limit to overestimating oneself, right? If Ash had used another Pokémon, he might have suspected that Ash was holding something back, but Ash said he was going to send out Pikachu?
As a Gym Leader, Ma Zhishi saw through Pikachu's level at a glance: Advanced Grade!
Although he wasn't entirely sure which stage of Advanced Grade, he could confirm that the opponent had not reached Superior Grade.
He hadn't even reached Superior Grade, yet he dared to challenge a Professional Grade Raichu? How was this any different from seeking death?
"Just tell me if you'll fight or not. If you don't dare to go one-on-one, then a medium difficulty challenge, as you said, is also fine."
"Little boy, you've successfully piqued my interest. I hope you can be as arrogant as you are now when your Pikachu is being ground into the dirt later." Ma Zhishi's mouth curled into a ferocious grin. He seemed to already see Pikachu being beaten into the ground by Raichu, and Ash crying bitterly on the sidelines.
To the side, Ma Zhishi's two subordinates, who were also two Gym staff members, chatted and laughed about their Gym Leader and Ash's situation. Over this period, countless Trainers had been thoroughly defeated by Ma Zhishi, but not once had a Trainer made Ma Zhishi use Raichu!
This challenger had truly walked right into the lion's den this time.
Under the slightly sarcastic gazes of the two staff members, Ash and Ma Zhishi stood on opposite sides of the battlefield.
"Go, Raichu."
Ma Zhishi was the first to release his Pokémon. The Poké Ball opened on the field, and with a flash of light, a large, earthy yellow mouse appeared on the field.
Compared to Pikachu, Raichu was more than a size larger, and its overall color and appearance were not as appealing as Pikachu's.
If one pursued appearance, then the Pikachu stage was better.
But if one pursued strength, then Raichu was undoubtedly more than a level stronger than Pikachu.
Ash glanced at the opponent's Raichu's information.
Strength: Professional Grade (Beginner), Ability: Electrostatic, Six-dimensional abilities: Speed E, all others D!
When Ash saw Raichu's six-dimensional abilities, he was shocked. What kind of training method could raise a Pokémon so poorly?
That's right, it was trash!
This was the first impression this Raichu gave Ash.
Pokémon training is not just about level advancement; the improvement of ability values is also very important.
Why is it said that behind every successful Trainer there is a Breeder? Because only a Breeder can develop a Pokémon's current abilities, and then when advancing to the next level, the Pokémon's potential will be higher.
If one only focuses on increasing levels, then even if a Pokémon reaches Champion Grade, its raw strength might not be able to defeat some exceptionally well-trained Elites.
However, generally, Pokémon at Champion Grade are not poorly trained. But a Raichu like the one in front of him, at Professional Grade with all D-ranked six-dimensional abilities and even an E, was something Ash had never seen before.
This was the first time he had seen a Professional Grade Pokémon, but it didn't stop him from thinking this Pokémon was poorly trained.
"How about it, scared by my Raichu, aren't you? Having just started your journey for a month, let alone battling a Professional Grade, you probably haven't even seen one, have you? Look at the aura emanating from Raichu; your Pikachu is already trembling."
Scared? Indeed, he had never seen such a poorly trained Pokémon in his month of journeying.
Ash glanced at the Pikachu at his feet. Pikachu was indeed trembling, but was it trembling in fear? He was itching to rush out and flatten your Raichu.
"I haven't seen a Professional Grade, but I've seen a Divine Realm Grade, and your Raichu is far from that."
Ma Zhishi: ???
What nonsense are you spouting? Divine Realm Grade! I could say I've seen the Creator God!
You think you can't win, so you're resorting to psychological attacks, huh?
"I choose you, Pikachu! Let the opponent see your power. So what if they evolve? We have ways to get stronger without evolving." Ash said, squatting down and placing his hat on Pikachu's head.
Xiao Xia and Brock, behind Ash, saw this scene and their expressions changed. Has it come? The hat-wearing Pikachu!
Earlier, during the battle against Xiao Xia, Pikachu's performance after putting on the hat was practically two different levels from his original state!
Although Ash didn't say it, they knew that hat definitely had a special buff for Pikachu. As long as he wore that hat, Pikachu's power would undergo a qualitative change!
Now, Ash had Pikachu wear the hat right at the start, meaning he was going all out from the very beginning!
"Hahaha, little boy, is your Pokémon still a baby that hasn't been weaned? You need to wear accessories for battle? You don't actually think wearing a hat will Protect you from my Raichu's lightning, do you?"
"Pika Pika!!" Enough, I'm getting angry!!
Pikachu dashed onto the field. The surging power within him made him unable to resist charging at the opponent!
"Who's strong and who's weak isn't decided by words, Pikachu! We'll go first, use Electric Acceleration!" Ash waved his hand, directly telling Pikachu to use Electric Acceleration.
"Pikachu Pikachu Pikachu!!" Pikachu landed on all fours, then pushed off hard, his body instantly vanishing from the field.
Before Raichu could react, he felt a heavy blow to his stomach!
Golden lightning flashed in front of Raichu. Pikachu had already appeared in front of Raichu and had already collided with Raichu's body!
"Bang!"
With a dull thud, Raichu was sent flying over ten meters, tumbling and rolling!
The speed of this move was a level faster than Quick Attack. With Pikachu's current speed ability value and the one-level increase after wearing the hat, it was enough for Raichu to not even see his shadow!
"What kind of move was that? Why couldn't I see anything?!" Raichu's tumbling on the field instantly made Ma Zhishi's smile disappear.
No, is this the speed an Advanced Grade Pikachu can achieve? It's a bit too exaggerated!
On the field, only a flash of lightning could be seen, and then Pikachu was seen colliding with Raichu's front. What kind of monstrous speed is this?
No, wait—
Ma Zhishi rubbed his eyes, thinking he had seen wrong. He had just seen Pikachu as Advanced Grade, but now, how did he feel like the opponent seemed to have reached Superior Grade?
What exactly happened in these short dozen seconds?
"Excellent, Pikachu! Press the advantage, use Surf!" Seeing Raichu sent flying and not yet getting up,
Ash commanded, pressing his advantage.
Electric Acceleration is very fast, but for Raichu, the damage could be said to be minimal. Not only are they both Electric-type, but Electric Acceleration itself doesn't have high power.
But Surf is different!
Pikachu took a deep breath, then stomped his foot hard on the ground, and a stream of water rose from under Pikachu's feet, quickly forming a huge wave!
Ma Zhishi: !!!
Gym Staff: !!!
Brock & Xiao Xia: !!!
No, what is this?! Is this a move Pikachu can use?!
Is this move Surf? Can Pikachu learn Surf? Is your Pikachu legal?!
Ma Zhishi's face, in particular, showed an expression as if he had seen a ghost. First, there was that invisible electric attack, and now he was using an attack like Surf. What kind of Pokémon is this? This is absolutely not a Pikachu. If it is, he'll eat a pound!
On the field, Pikachu rode the wave, his internal electricity injecting into the wave. Golden lightning flashed within the deep blue, surging wave.
Surf is not a normal Surf move. Although it is Water-type, it contains Electric-type power. If it hits the opponent, there's a chance to paralyze them!
Pikachu rode the surging golden-blue wave, slamming it hard onto Raichu, who had just stood up, his eyes filled with terror!
"Raichu, use Protect!!"
"Rai!!"
Raichu quickly used Protect upon hearing the command, but Ma Zhishi's command was still a bit too late. Before Protect appeared, the huge wave had already crashed down heavily on Raichu!
The giant waves rolled, surging and roaring, shaking the heavens and earth!
"Splash!!"
Raichu's figure was submerged in the wave!