"It's so powerful…"
Seeing the battle end in an instant, Emiya Shirō stood frozen in shock.
"Pikachu defeated Rhydon with a single blow. Master's Pikachu is unbelievably strong."
Shirō felt that no words could properly describe what he had just witnessed.
And the most terrifying part?
That Pikachu was only a mid-tier member of Ash Ketchum's main team.
Just thinking about it made Shirō feel overwhelmed.
At that moment, he was completely convinced of Ash's strength.
In his eyes, only Ash could truly be called a Champion-level trainer.
Even Champions from other regions probably couldn't have their Pokémon defeat a King-tier opponent so effortlessly.
Even among Champions, there were differences in strength.
Reaching the Champion level was only the beginning.
To truly stand above other Champions required overwhelming power.
This was something Ash often told Shirō.
After lunch and a short rest, Ash and the others continued their journey.
Originally, Ash planned to challenge the Olivine Gym in Olivine City.
However, according to information they gathered earlier at the Pokémon Center, the Gym Leader had temporarily suspended Gym battles due to personal matters.
The Gym would not reopen for at least a week.
Because of that, Ash still decided to visit Olivine City first.
If the Gym truly wasn't accepting challengers, then he would head to Cianwood City to challenge the Cianwood Gym instead.
At around four in the afternoon, the group finally arrived in Olivine City.
Unlike many inland cities, Olivine City was located along the northern coastline of the Johto region.
Beyond the city stretched the vast, endless ocean.
"Master, should we go to the hotel first?"
Shirō asked while looking around the city center.
"Or should we head out again tomorrow?"
Ash shook his head.
"Let's go to the Gym first and confirm the situation."
"If battles are allowed, I'll challenge the Gym tomorrow."
"If the information was correct, we'll head to Cianwood City tomorrow instead."
Finding the Gym was easy.
In most major cities, the Pokémon Gym was one of the most famous landmarks.
After asking a few locals, they quickly found the location.
Near the northern coastline of Olivine City stood a massive steel building.
The structure dominated a wide open area.
This was the Olivine Gym.
Compared to the Goldenrod City Gym led by Whitney, the scale of this Gym was on a completely different level.
The economic resources of its Gym Leader were clearly enormous.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Ash knocked firmly on the door.
"Is anyone there?"
"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. I've come to challenge the Gym."
A moment later, a surveillance camera above the door activated.
Its red light flickered on.
Then a voice came from the speaker.
"Welcome. Please come in."
The voice sounded like it belonged to a young girl.
As soon as she finished speaking, the heavy metal doors opened automatically.
After entering, Ash immediately noticed something unusual about the Gym.
The walls, pillars, and structural supports were almost entirely made of reinforced steel.
Even the internal design strongly hinted at the Gym Leader's Pokémon type specialization.
Shirō walked over and touched one of the steel pillars.
"The Pokémon used here must be very strong."
"The hardness of this steel is incredible."
Ash nodded.
"Most trainers in this Gym specialize in Steel-type, Ground-type, and Rock-type Pokémon."
"The badge here is known as the Mineral Badge."
However, something felt slightly off.
The voice they heard earlier clearly belonged to a little girl.
But according to the official Gym records, the Gym Leader of Olivine City was an adult woman.
Ash quietly noted the inconsistency.
Following the path deeper into the Gym, the group eventually reached a large battle arena.
As they entered, the overhead lights suddenly switched on.
From the opposite side of the battlefield, a small girl walked out.
She had short hair and wore a simple dress.
Then she struck a dramatic pose.
"I am the Gym Leader of Olivine City!"
"My name is Jasmine!"
"A beautiful and powerful female warrior!"
For a moment, the arena fell silent.
Then—
"Pfft!"
Shirō couldn't hold it in.
"Hahahahaha!"
Seeing the little girl's exaggerated pose, Sabrina couldn't help but laugh.
Even Emiya Shirō, who was standing behind Ash Ketchum, failed to hold back his smile.
The two of them burst into laughter.
The girl who had introduced herself as Jasmine puffed out her cheeks angrily.
"Are you really a Gym Trainer?"
Shirō laughed so hard he had to hold his stomach.
"Hahaha! Stop joking. A little girl like you can be a Gym Leader?"
In Ash's eyes, the scene was rather ridiculous.
Something similar had happened before when he challenged the Azalea Gym. At that time, a boy named Bugsy appeared.
Even though Bugsy was young, he at least possessed peak high-tier strength. With a bit more growth, becoming a Gym Leader was completely reasonable.
But the girl in front of them looked only eight or nine years old.
Although she had already reached the mid-stage of the advanced tier, which showed impressive talent, she was still far from being qualified to run a Pokémon Gym.
Whether in terms of age or strength, the gap was obvious.
"What are you laughing at?!"
The girl stomped her foot angrily.
"I am a Gym Trainer! If you keep laughing, I won't give you any badges!"
Ash shook his head slightly.
"Let's go."
"It seems the information was correct. The Gym Leader of the Olivine Gym really isn't here."
"When we entered earlier, most of the corridor lights weren't even on. This trip was pointless."
Ash turned and began walking toward the exit.
Sabrina and Shirō quickly followed.
Before leaving, Shirō glanced back at the little girl and chuckled.
"Kid, pretending to be a Gym Leader is a bit too much."
"Not to mention my master—even I'm not interested in battling you."
Shirō wasn't exaggerating.
Ash was already a Champion-level trainer.
Battling a girl who had only reached the advanced mid-tier would be meaningless.
Even Ash's Pokémon probably wouldn't treat it as a serious battle.
(End of Chapter)
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