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The exclusive recipe given by Brock.
Onix's self-destruction was something none of the three present had expected.
Ash had originally seen Onix use Rock Slide and was wondering if Onix had temporarily or even completely recovered from its confusion. At that moment, he was still thinking about how to dodge the Rock Slide.
Under the Aura Fusion state, Pikachu could not only use Aura Sphere but also gained a significant boost in its stats. So, even if it only noticed the Rock Slide after the smoke had just cleared, Pikachu still had a very high chance of dodging it.
However, what Ash, including Brock and Misty, hadn't expected was that Onix did use Rock Slide, but it hit itself... This Rock Slide directly became the last straw that broke Onix's back. Under the self-inflicted attack of Rock Slide, Onix lost its last bit of stamina and collapsed.
Ash and Pikachu, who had been tense, both started to twitch their faces. This victory came a bit inexplicably.
"This... I guess I won, right?" Ash said, pointing at the fallen Onix.
Brock was silent for a moment, recalled Onix, and then nodded to Ash: "Yes, Onix has lost its ability to battle. This Gym battle is your victory."
"Congratulations, Ash, this is the Pewter Gym's Boulder Badge. Take it." Brock said as he walked over to Ash.
With the end of the battle, the sandstorm on the field had also stopped, so Brock walked directly through the middle of the arena.
After he arrived in front of Ash, he took out a Boulder Badge, which looked like it was made of special metal, from his pocket and handed it to Ash.
Ash took the Badge, a flash of excitement in his eyes: "This is a Gym Badge... I got my first Gym Badge, this is great, Pikachu!!"
"Pika Pikachu~~" Pikachu also congratulated Ash with a beaming smile.
"But I didn't expect that after cracking Sleep Powder, you would still know to use confusion to interfere. For a Rookie Trainer, this kind of tactical application is indeed very strong, but honestly... this set of tactics is still a bit too disgusting." Brock showed a wry smile, while praising Ash, he also showed his dislike for Ash's tactics.
Most people might find such a battle disgusting. Although being able to inflict status conditions is a type of battle tactic, typical battles usually involve a few rounds of direct confrontation before tactics are deployed.
First, they compete in strength, and then they compete in the Trainer's strategy. It can be said that this is the basic operation.
However, Ash... started with Sleep Powder, and after Sleep Powder was countered, it was Supersonic. What kind of disgusting battle strategy is this!
It doesn't look like something a Rookie Trainer would use at all, does it? Don't Rookie Trainers usually just charge head-on?
Understanding type advantages is already quite good. As for using status conditions, buffs, rotations, weather, and other strategies, those are the methods of veteran Trainers. Even most Gym Leaders don't use them well, but in Ash's hands, they are used quite skillfully.
Could it be that there is an expert guiding him?
Brock silently looked at Misty not far away. If he remembered correctly, this girl seemed to be from Cerulean Gym... "I also think this tactic is a bit hateful, haha~ But there's no other way. Who told you, Brock, that most of your Pokémon completely counter mine? If I wanted to defeat you with the few Pokémon I have, this was the only way." Ash scratched his head and laughed, after putting the Boulder Badge into his jacket.
"Anyway, congratulations. You've obtained a Gym Badge in less than ten days since becoming a Trainer. For a Rookie Trainer, this achievement is definitely outstanding, even top-tier. I feel like I'm watching a top Trainer rising." Brock praised.
These words made Ash's nose almost point to the sky. Being praised like this by a Gym Leader was indeed something to be proud of.
At this moment, Misty stood behind Ash, poking him in the back annoyed and said: "Alright, alright, don't get too smug. And you, Brock, don't praise him anymore, or his nose will be pointing to the sky."
"Heh heh, what does it matter? I haven't met a Rookie of this caliber in a long time. The last Rookie I battled, Gary, was indeed strong, but he mostly defeated me by using type advantages. To be honest, in terms of both tactics and Pokémon level, Ash is slightly better than him."
Brock recalled his last battle with a Rookie and once again indirectly praised Ash.
This praise made Ash even more excited and happy than the direct praise he received earlier.
Gary was like a rival to him. Before starting his journey, he was always overshadowed by that guy. Although his travel speed is still a bit slower than Gary's, he seems to have a slight edge in Pokémon training!
Next time they meet, he definitely has to battle Gary and utterly defeat him, to make him understand who is the real Pallet Town NO.1!
"Hey, hey, Ash, don't get too carried away with pride." Misty reminded, seeing Ash's happy expression.
Ash was good in every way, except that he would occasionally get smug. However, his smugness would disappear without a trace after one night. It was unclear if it truly vanished or was just hidden deep in his heart.
"Don't worry, I won't be smug for too long. This is just the starting line. I have to stand on the final stage one step ahead of Gary!" Ash's proud expression slightly subsided, and his words carried a certain longing and aspiration.
If one were to talk about a Trainer's ultimate stage, it would naturally be the Pokémon League's Eight Masters Tournament! That is the stage all Trainers dream of reaching!
Defeating the Pewter Gym now is just the starting point of his journey. Besides, every night when he enters the chat group to learn knowledge, he gets thoroughly beaten down by the experts in the group. What's wrong with being a little proud now?
"The final stage... Is it the Indigo League finals?" Brock asked, a little curious.
"No, it's the Eight Masters Tournament, but I'm still very far from that competition." Ash said with a smile, his hands behind his head.
"The Eight Masters, what a grand ideal. Oh, by the way, take this, Ash." Brock took out a notebook from the inner lining of his jacket and handed it to Ash.
Ash subconsciously took it, opened it, and asked: "What is this... Hmm? Pokémon food recipes? So many recipes!"
Hearing this, Misty also leaned on Ash's shoulder in surprise, her small head peeking over his shoulder at the notebook in Ash's hand.
It indeed contained various Pokémon food recipes, and they didn't seem like the common recipes circulating on the market.
Next to each recipe, the effects of various dishes were also written. Some could increase stats with long-term consumption, some could increase a Pokémon's growth rate, and others could make a Pokémon recover faster after training, and so on.
If these recipes were real, then this small notebook would be worth a fortune!