The Viridian City Battle Arena had a total of ten battlefields. The higher the field number, the lower the overall strength of the participating Pokémon; conversely, the lower the number, the stronger the competitors assigned there.
This allocation wasn't random—it was based entirely on the data submitted during registration.
Whenever trainers entered the arena, not only their own profiles but also their Pokémon's data were recorded. Their levels, battle records, and overall performance determined which battlefield they would be assigned to.
Gary and Green were both strong trainers, but today they had registered newly captured Pokémon. These Pokémon had low levels and no battle records, so they were assigned to Battlefield No. 10.
Ash, on the other hand, registered his strongest partner—Pikachu. With a level of LV.40, elite-tier strength, and a near-perfect win rate, he was naturally placed much higher.
Combined with Clarissa Joy's recent team performances—her Happiny had also built an impressive record despite its lower level—the two of them were assigned to Battlefield No. 6.
As they stepped into the waiting hall for competitors, several familiar trainers immediately greeted them.
These days, perhaps trainers from other regions might not all recognize Ash—but within the Kanto trainer circle, his name was practically known to everyone.
Ash responded to each greeting with a polite nod and a relaxed smile before leading Clarissa to a seat.
Since their match was likely coming up soon, Clarissa wasted no time releasing Happiny.
"Happiny, you'll be battling alongside Pikachu in a moment. Make sure you cooperate well—don't hold us back, okay?" she said gently, patting its round little body.
"Ha-pi pi-ni" Happiny nodded obediently, looking as sweet and well-behaved as ever.
Ash couldn't resist reaching out to pinch its soft cheeks—only to feel a wave of jealousy radiating from Pikachu beside him.
"Pika Pika (-_-)"
"Hehe, Pikachu, you're the cutest, alright?" Ash quickly soothed it, ruffling its head and promising treats—candied apples and sugar-glazed cherry tomatoes—after the match.
Only then did Pikachu's jealousy subside.
Taking the opportunity, Ash used the system to scan Happiny's data:
[Pokémon: Happiny]
Level: LV.23
Type: Normal
Nature: Gentle, Cheerful
Ability: Serene Grace, Friend Guard
Potential: Blue (Perfect)
Moves (Copyable):
Proficient: Minimize, Pound, Copycat
Skilled: Defense Curl, Sweet Kiss, Disarming Voice, Heal Pulse
Novice: Covet, Charm
Over the past few days, Clarissa had followed Ash's advice. Outside of her studies and duties, she regularly trained Happiny at the city park and sparred with beginner trainers at the Pokémon Center.
On top of that, she had been teaming up with Ash in double battles at the arena.
As a result, Happiny's level had risen quickly—without them even noticing, it had already caught up to Gary's Umbreon.
Of course, the main reason was simple: Clarissa only had one Pokémon.
Gary, in contrast, already had a full lineup—Wartortle, Umbreon, Magikarp, and Fletchling.
With his time and effort spread across multiple Pokémon, it was only natural that their individual growth rates were slower.
"However," Ash added thoughtfully, "Happiny's evolution into Chansey doesn't depend on level or friendship. It just needs to hold an Oval Stone and level up during the day."
"Right now, Happiny is already LV.23—both physically and mentally mature. It's probably not far from evolving."
He paused, then continued:
"Clarissa, you should also consider catching another Pokémon."
"Another Pokémon…?" she blinked, clearly having never thought about it before.
"Do you have any suggestions, Ash?" she asked directly.
Ash didn't hesitate. Since she was his girlfriend, there was no way he'd hold back.
"Your main profession is a Pokémon medical specialist. You're also studying rehabilitation, nursing, nutrition, and breeding. On top of that, as the future head of the Joy family, you'll eventually have to manage the entire clan and its operations."
"Strictly speaking, what you need to improve most is yourself—not your Pokémon count."
"But… you won't take over the family anytime soon. And even when you do, you won't need to handle everything personally."
"So your main focus is still being a Pokémon doctor."
"You don't need as many Pokémon as a full-time trainer—but you also can't have too few."
He leaned slightly forward, his tone more serious now.
"Pokémon possess abilities that humans simply can't replicate. Take my Aura healing, for example—it's completely unreasonable compared to normal medicine."
"No matter how much you study, the results might still fall short of what a single move like Heal Pulse can achieve."
"So compared to other Pokémon doctors, I suggest this—prioritize developing healing Pokémon first, and self-improvement second. At worst, keep it balanced at 50–50."
Clarissa listened carefully, absorbing every word.
"Then… what kind of Pokémon should I catch?" she asked softly.
Ash smiled slightly.
"That part's simple."
"First, the standard partner Pokémon used by the Joy family in different regions—those are a must."
"Like Audino, Wigglytuff, Comfey, Indeedee…"
"And beyond that, any Pokémon with healing abilities."
"For example, in Kanto—"
"Oddish can learn Aromatherapy. Its evolution, Gloom, produces nectar that can cure paralysis. And if it evolves into Bellossom using a Sun Stone, it gains the 'Healer' ability. That's an excellent support Pokémon."
"And then there's Jigglypuff—its evolution, Wigglytuff, is a standard partner for Kalos-region Joys. It has powerful sleep-inducing songs and can also learn Heal Pulse."
"In other words… it's another strong candidate for a healing-focused team."
As Ash spoke, his thoughts were methodical, his tone calm—but the path he laid out was clear.
For Clarissa, this wasn't just advice.
It was the blueprint for her future.
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