"No thanks, I don't want to be the one to ruin the winning streak you've worked so hard to build up." Yozora chuckled.
If it had been an ordinary Trainer—someone like Ash—A.J. would have surely lashed out at such arrogance.
But this time…
A.J. only glanced at the Charmander standing beside Yozora, and instantly knew—this person was no simple rookie.
"Don't get ahead of yourself," A.J. said with confidence. "You look like nothing more than a Rookie Level Trainer. Even if you've got some ability, there's no way you can match me, A.J.!"
"But you see," Yozora smiled, "I don't carry any burdens."
A.J. froze for a moment, then shook his head. "Neither do I. Sure, I want that hundred-win streak more than anything… but if I lose? So what? It just means I wasn't strong enough, and I'll keep training until I am."
Yozora finally nodded with a grin. "In that case, let's have ourselves a battle."
He followed A.J. into the young man's personal Gym, where a towering battle platform stood ready.
Both climbed up, each taking their position on opposite ends of the field.
"The rules are simple: one-on-one. The first Pokémon to go down loses. No objections, right?" A.J. declared as the host of the arena.
Yozora nodded his agreement, and A.J. wasted no time sending out his partner.
A strong, sturdy Sandshrew appeared, eyes gleaming with determination.
Normally, Trainers in a one-on-one match would release their Pokémon simultaneously. But A.J. didn't care about such formalities. He only wanted to fight with his Sandshrew.
It was his very first partner, the Pokémon he had poured all his effort into. His entire win streak had been earned with this Sandshrew alone.
Now that he was so close to his goal, why would he rely on any other Pokémon?
Pokémon: Sandshrew
Type: Ground
Rank: Senior Level, mid-tier
Potential: Senior
Notes: A.J.'s first partner. Through strict but effective training, it has reached considerable strength. However, much of its growth potential has already been consumed.
Glancing over Sandshrew's stats, Yozora couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Back when he'd watched the anime, he'd always had a good impression of A.J.
Not only was A.J. a skilled Trainer, but the Pokémon food he made had even earned Brock's praise—a clear sign of his talent as a Breeder.
Normally, someone like him should have a bright future. Unfortunately, his obsession with discipline and his partner's limited potential held him back.
He was destined to be just a side character.
He didn't have the luck of a protagonist…
Ash could pick up a random Krabby, Muk, or Tauros, toss them into Professor Oak's lab, and completely ignore them until the League came around.
And when that time came, each one fought like a monster. Who could compete with that?
It just showed that Ash's Pokémon were all born exceptional, advancing rapidly even while doing nothing but lazing around Oak's ranch.
That was simply the protagonist's halo at work. There was no arguing with it.
"Go, Psyduck!" Yozora called, releasing his partner in response.
"Oh?"
A.J.'s eyes lit up as soon as Psyduck appeared. "A Shiny Psyduck? That's really rare!"
But his tone shifted with a sly grin. "Don't say I didn't warn you. My Sandshrew isn't like the rest—it's not afraid of water."
Yozora only shook his head and laughed.
In the anime, A.J. had indeed trained his Sandshrew to dive into water, forcing it to overcome its natural fear.
Ground-type Pokémon were supposed to dread Water-type attacks. A.J.'s training had two purposes: first, to break Sandshrew's fear, and second, to toughen its resistance against water.
But in the end, that was just against ordinary water.
"There's no such thing as a Pokémon completely immune to water," Yozora replied. "At best, your Sandshrew has raised its resistance a little. But if the Water-type move is powerful enough, your so-called resistance won't mean a thing."
A.J. nodded slowly, agreeing. "Fair point. But tell me, has your Psyduck really reached that kind of power?"
As a seasoned Trainer and an accomplished Breeder, A.J. could read Psyduck's posture and aura at a glance.
He could tell this Shiny Psyduck was only around the Senior Level's lower tier.
Level-wise, it was still weaker than his Sandshrew.
But of course, against an ordinary Sandshrew, even a slight level gap wouldn't matter much against a Water-type's advantage.
His Sandshrew, however, was different.
And A.J. was confident—two full years of dive training hadn't been for nothing.
"Against a Water-type of equal strength, maybe my Sandshrew would struggle. But against a weaker one? My Sandshrew will crush it!"
"This battle is mine." A.J. tightened his grip on the whip at his side, confidence radiating from him.
"You'll find out soon enough if my Psyduck has that kind of strength."
"Psyduck!"
Yozora smiled, while Psyduck straightened up, unusually serious, its eyes firm and full of fighting spirit.
"Interesting. Then let's begin! Sandshrew, use Rollout!"
The battle finally commenced at A.J.'s command.
Sandshrew curled into a golden ball, spinning rapidly across the battlefield with tremendous force, charging straight at Psyduck.
"Psyduck, Hydro Pump!" Yozora countered instantly.
With a roar, Psyduck unleashed a powerful blast of water that smashed directly into the rolling Sandshrew.
Sandshrew was flung into the air, forced out of its Rollout, before flipping backward and landing neatly on its feet.
Even in retreat, its movements were clean and fluid—a testament to its hard training.
But the damage was real.
That Hydro Pump had cut deep.
Though it landed stylishly, Sandshrew's breathing grew heavy, its stamina drained in an instant.
"Hydro Pump?!"
A.J.'s pupils shrank sharply. He turned to Yozora with admiration. "So your Psyduck is just like my Sandshrew—one of those gifted Pokémon!"
Yozora only smiled faintly, refusing to respond.
To him, Sandshrew's strength came only from its high level.
Psyduck, on the other hand, was truly gifted—able to unleash power beyond its stage.
And while Sandshrew was already nearing its peak—its potential almost spent, likely to max out after evolving into Sandslash—Psyduck was only just beginning.
Its path forward was limitless.
Harsh as it was, it was the truth.
Unless A.J. could somehow find a miraculous treasure that reforged potential itself…
But such wonders were guarded by power far beyond his current reach. For A.J. at this stage, obtaining one was nearly impossible.
(End of Chapter)