Chapter 23: One-Word Slash, a Must-Learn Skill for the Three Great Families

The three of them were secretly shocked and quickly retreated to the side to whisper among themselves.

"Ash, have you really done something like this before?" Brock asked seriously.

"Haven't I been with you guys this whole time?" Ash retorted.

"Then the misunderstanding is cleared; you're still loyal."

Ash: "..."

Wait a minute, I don't think I even said my name just now, did I?

Beside them, Misty timidly interjected, "By the way, should we run? It's obvious someone is using Ash's name to do bad things..."

"It must be that guy Gary! He's always running around being hyperactive. This time, I'm truly angry!" Ash's expression was somewhat indignant. Teasing that silly girl Blue was one thing, but to dare frame him like this was simply going too far!

"But actually, there's another possibility."

At that moment, Brock suddenly opened his eyes. A light flashed in his pupils, nearly blinding Ash and the other.

"He is Professor Oak's grandson; his insights and ideas are bound to be different from ordinary people. Perhaps he really is researching an 'anti-attribute' combat method? Especially you, Ash—I can already vaguely see the conceptual model of this tactical set within you."

Ash frowned and countered, "Then what about him sniping other people's promotion matches?"

"Think about it. There is no real difference between a 100-win streak and a 99-win streak. This boy clearly has enough strength to travel the world, yet he is locked here because of a single, unnecessary obsession. Perhaps Gary's goal is to force him to completely break the shackles of that obsession. Once his mental state breaks through, he might even reach a higher level."

"Gary... as expected of Professor Oak's grandson. Every action he takes has profound meaning..." Brock couldn't help but stroke his chin, letting out a long sigh.

The two: "..."

Back at Mt. Moon, you seemed to say the exact same thing.

Is Gary on the "fifth level" of thinking again?

Speaking of which, that guy... doesn't he have an older sister...?

After a moment of thought, Ash turned his gaze toward Takeshi, who was still huddled with his Sandshrew.

"In that case, I'll snipe him one more time to completely break those shackles!"

The two: "?"

What level is this now?

***

Viridian City.

In a high-end cafe, a spiky-haired boy was leisurely enjoying freshly ground coffee.

"Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"

Outside the door, an energetic girl wearing a red skirt and a white sun hat was sweating profusely while clearing the weeds around the cafe.

"Garlic, use Leaf Blade!"

*Snap!*

With a whip-like strike from Bulbasaur, a large patch of ground was cleared instantly. Blue's Bulbasaur had successfully evolved; the bulb on its back had grown a flower bud, but the nickname remained unchanged.

As for them now... they were working part-time.

Eight days later, the top-tier luxury cruise ship, the *Saint Anno*, was set to depart from the Viridian City pier. As a country girl, Blue naturally wanted to board the ship to experience the feeling of being part of the elite. However, upon hearing the price of the ticket, she instantly felt a wave of disgust toward this world filled with money and interests.

"Such a dark ship..."

Just as she was sitting in the Pokémon Center feeling dejected, *that* man appeared.

Gary, who was already seven days ahead of them, arrived in front of Blue with his characteristic flippant smile. He was also in this city, waiting to board the *Saint Anno* to live the high life.

"Die!"

Without a second thought, Blue unleashed a flurry of "Pallet Town punches" toward Gary's face. Gary merely smiled faintly, tilting his head to easily dodge the strike.

The people of Pallet Town were truly superhuman.

"You actually dare to show your face in front of me..." Blue's voice trembled, and her large, lively eyes were on the verge of distorting. Her emotions were so intense that dark tomoe patterns almost appeared in her pupils.

Blue's resentment had clearly reached a breaking point. She was about to command Bulbasaur to wrap the man up entirely and throw him into the harbor to feed the Sharpedo.

"Ahem..."

At that moment, Gary suddenly held up an envelope. The whistling Vine Whip stopped abruptly less than half an inch from his face.

An important item: a ticket for the *Saint Anno*.

"How do you have that!?" Blue's expression changed instantly. Her face brightened into a lovely smile, becoming sweet and charming. She feigned a move to snatch the ticket, but he easily dodged.

"Hey, hey, Gary-kun~ If you just hand over that scrap of paper in your hand~ our grudge will be wiped clean!"

Then, Gary pulled out another envelope. He lifted his chin slightly, looking at her with a smiling gaze that carried the air of a superior.

"This is the ticket I bought with the wages I earned working here for seven days. There are two tickets in total. It wouldn't be impossible to give you one, but I still have some finishing work to do. For example, the weeds by the roadside..."

"Leave it to me! I'm a professional weeding expert!" Blue patted her chest. At some point, she had changed into a professional weeding outfit, holding a sickle in one hand and a hoe in the other, brimming with energy.

Gary was not stingy and agreed immediately. "In that case, clear all the weeds in Viridian City, and I will give you one of the tickets."

Blue then rushed out of the Pokémon Center in a frenzy. Whenever she found weeds, she would charge over and pull them out by the roots.

"Oh, and I'll give you a gift. This is a TM for the supreme secret technique 'Leaf Blade.' It's internationally recognized as a must-learn skill for starter Pokémon. Not only can it clear weeds, but it's also a powerful combat skill~"

Before they parted, Gary tossed her a disc, offering a kind reminder.

Blue didn't suspect a thing and quickly had her Bulbasaur master "Leaf Blade." Her weeding speed indeed skyrocketed.

*Maybe Gary is a good person at heart?*

*But why does the power of this 'Leaf Blade' look so weak...?*

*Whatever, my Garlic must have gotten stronger!*

Watching Blue working hard outside the window, Gary took a sip of coffee, revealing a self-satisfied smile as if he controlled everything.

Working part-time? Never in a lifetime.

The ticket was, of course, bought with his family's wealth. Being the grandson of the most famous Pokémon Professor in the Kanto region, his pockets were very full.

"There's no way someone would actually make their starter learn 'Leaf Blade,' right? Ahahaha!!" He laughed loudly, crossing his legs triumphantly.

Deep within his soul, Green: "..."

In just two short weeks, this boy had caused more trouble than he had in his entire previous life...

It shouldn't be too late to switch hosts, right? Hmm, how do I switch?

***

On the other side, the battle between Ash and Takeshi had begun.

"So, are you the final stepping stone for my 100-win streak?" Takeshi whipped his whip against the ground, unable to resist starting the pre-match trash talk.

Trash-talking before a match was a tradition. Not only did it annoy the opponent, but if they had a weak mentality, it could even cause them to lose their composure. It was the mark of an excellent trainer.

"No, I'm here to snipe... I'm here to help you break your shackles!" Ash wasn't angry; instead, his blood was pumping with excitement. Since Gary could defeat this 99-win powerhouse, he could too!

Glancing at the Sandshrew before him—a Ground-type, huh?—he threw out a Poké Ball without hesitation.

"Pika!"

A crisp voice rang out. It was that experienced, mysterious, round-faced Pikachu making another appearance. Electricity crackled in its cheeks, and a terrifying pressure instantly radiated from its body, enveloping the entire field. It was as if a prehistoric beast had been released.

However, in an instant, the round-faced Pikachu ceased its momentum. It stood upright, pointed a small paw at the Sandshrew, and then turned to look at Ash with a bewildered expression.

"Pika?"

*That's it? You have the nerve to call me out for an opponent like this? Not Ho-Oh or Mewtwo, but a common field mouse? Don't underestimate my Pikachu.*

Ash, however, acted as if he hadn't noticed. He waved his hand and commanded, "I'm counting on you, old Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" He wanted to witness the power of this round-faced Pikachu.

"Pika..."

However, the round-faced Pikachu merely twitched its ears and then lifted its hind leg to rub its cheek.

The round-faced Pikachu used *Harden* (or rather, *Laxity/Laziness*).

"Beep beep. When a Pokémon's level is higher than the trainer's level, it will often disobey," the Pokédex explained thoughtfully. Otherwise, if a Champion gave their ace Pokémon to a rookie trainer, wouldn't the latter instantly become unstoppable?

"A Pikachu with the Pressure ability... how rare," Takeshi, on the other side, felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead. That pressure just now was indeed absurdly intense. Moreover, a trainer raising two Pikachus—this boy was clearly a fellow Pikachu fanatic just like him.

*But it seems it won't follow orders. This is my chance!*

"Sandshrew, use Sand Attack!" Takeshi seized the opportunity.

Sandshrew performed a rapid spin, and combined with the rocky terrain, it unleashed a massive cloud of dust and sand toward Pikachu. However, the latter's strength was truly ridiculous. Though it looked lazy, it had somehow vanished from its spot. It had moved to a new position and continued to kick its legs lazily.

The sand cloud hit nothing but air.

"Such incredible speed... I couldn't even see its movement trajectory..." Takeshi's heart sank. He had a bad feeling. His 100-win promotion match wasn't being sniped again, was it?

"Then try this! Use Swift!" Takeshi was confident; this was a move that never missed! *Don't panic, I can still win!*

Sandshrew flicked its tail, and dozens of yellow stars shot toward Pikachu. Pikachu didn't dodge, taking all the Swift attacks head-on.

*Clatter, clatter, clatter!*

The Swift stars collided with Pikachu and exploded into countless fragments.

HP-0, HP-0, HP-0.

After the combo, the round-faced Pikachu let out a comfortable yawn.

The crowd: "..."

Even though they knew this Pikachu was high-level, this level seemed to far exceed their imagination.

"Sandshrew, use our strongest move!!" On the other side, Takeshi's heart nearly stopped. He roared almost hysterically: "Sandshrew, use Earth Power/Earthquake (maximum power)!!!"

Earthquake—a rule-breaking, one-hit KO move!

To master such an ultimate move before even evolving proved that this Sandshrew's strength was extraordinary; its 99-win streak was definitely not due to luck.

*I can still turn this around!!!*

Sandshrew leaped high into the air, flipped, and spun frantically before slamming its sturdy fist directly into the ground.

*CRACK! BOOM!*

The ground within dozens of meters instantly shattered. Fissures and cracks spread layer upon layer, splitting the battlefield into two deep trenches several meters wide. The scale was massive. A massive cloud of dust and debris enveloped everything.

"What a powerful move..." This was the first time Ash had seen a one-hit KO move. But what made him more curious was whether the round-faced Pikachu could take such a hit.

Soon, the dust cleared.

The round-faced Pikachu was still crouching by the edge of a trench, lazily kicking its legs. The exaggerated destruction around it seemed to have nothing to do with it; there wasn't a single scratch on its body.

Seeing this, the "Beast Master" Takeshi felt a chill in his heart. His knees buckled, and he fell to one knee.

"I lost again..."

The first time he was about to hit 100 wins, he was one-shotted by a Water Gun. The second time he was about to hit 100 wins, he was completely ignored by an electric mouse.

His mental state had completely collapsed!