Electroweb wasn't just a control move—it also carried a base damage power of 55.
"Chi—!!"
Crobat, still clinging to the last thread of consciousness, was instantly ensnared by Pikachu's electric net. Violent currents surged through its already weakened body.
There was no need for Pikachu to follow up with Thunderbolt.
With a sharp, piercing cry, Crobat's eyes rolled back—and it lost all ability to battle.
Thud—!
"Crobat…!!"
Keizawa shouted anxiously as Crobat's charred body slammed onto the ground like a lump of blackened coal. But there was no response.
The battle was over.
"Crobat is unable to battle! Both Pokémon from the Red Side, 'Shimoya Brothers,' have lost their ability to fight! Therefore, the winner of this match is the Blue Side, 'Ash & Clarissa'!"
The referee's voice rang clearly across the arena, announcing the final result.
For a brief moment—
Silence.
Then—
"Ash…!!"
"Ash!!!"
"ASH!!!"
The entire spectator stand erupted like a tidal wave, cheers crashing one after another in overwhelming enthusiasm.
Victory belonged to the strong. The defeated faded into the dust.
But Ash wasn't paying attention to the roaring crowd.
To him, the system notifications echoing in his mind were far more satisfying.
[Ding! Host defeated LV.38 Onix. EXP +670]
[Ding! Host defeated LV.37 Crobat. EXP +620]
[Pikachu meets the level-up requirement… Level increased! Current Level: LV.41]
"Nice work, Pikachu. You did great—come back and rest."
After giving Pikachu a warm compliment, Ash recalled it into its Poké Ball.
"Crobat, you did your best. Good job—rest now."
On the other side, Keizawa also recalled his fallen partner after offering quiet words of comfort.
He looked at Ash, his expression complicated.
"Ash… I lost. Your Pikachu is incredibly well-trained. Learning moves like Surf and Wish is already impressive—but I never expected it to also know Electroweb."
"Both you and your Pikachu are strong. I accept this defeat wholeheartedly."
Though Ash was young and had only been a trainer for a short time, strength spoke louder than anything else in competitive battling.
Keizawa had no choice but to admit it.
"Your Crobat was trained really well too. I'm looking forward to battling you again someday."
Ash didn't show the slightest arrogance despite his victory. Instead, he responded with humility and respect.
"ASH!!!"
"Ash!!"
The crowd continued chanting his name.
"Thank you! Thank you, everyone—we'll see you again soon!"
After exchanging a few final words with Keizawa, Ash waved to the audience. Since both sides had Pokémon that urgently needed treatment, he didn't linger. Together with Clarissa Joy, he quickly left the battlefield.
Today's visit to the City Arena wasn't for just a single match.
Greninja, Pidgeot, and Fearow were all eager to battle as well—there were still more matches ahead.
For now, the priority was clear: heal the Pokémon.
Pikachu hadn't taken much damage, but Clarissa Joy's Chansey was in much worse condition—and it had been badly poisoned.
Still, both trainers had gained a lot from this match.
Pikachu had leveled up.
And Clarissa Joy's Happiny had successfully evolved into Chansey.
After completing treatment for Chansey and restoring Pikachu's condition, Ash returned to the registration counter and signed up for two more battles.
The first was a "1 vs 2" double battle—one trainer commanding two Pokémon.
Ash sent out Pidgeot and Fearow, the aerial brothers, and easily overwhelmed their opponent.
The second match was a "2 vs 1" double battle.
Now that Chansey had recovered, this time Ash sent out Greninja, while Clarissa Joy deployed Chansey.
Greninja's strength was no less than Pikachu's. With its Protean Ability allowing it to adapt to any opponent's typing, and with Chansey acting as a reliable healer, the match was once again an effortless victory.
By the end of the matches, all four of Ash's primary frontline Pokémon had leveled up.
Pikachu — LV.41
Greninja — LV.40
Pidgeot — LV.40
Fearow — LV.36
Among Ash's top-tier core team, three Pokémon had now successfully broken into the Elite Tier.
Only Fearow lagged slightly behind.
However, Ash wasn't worried.
From the Joy family, he had already obtained two powerful held items: the Quick Claw and Sharp Beak. As for the remaining four items, he planned to exchange for them at the City Arena's Battle Shop shortly.
Pokémon items contained immense energy.
Once Fearow fused with these items, its level would undoubtedly skyrocket.
Catching up to—or even surpassing—the other three Pokémon would be effortless.
After finishing all the battles and completing treatment, Ash regrouped with Gary Oak and Green.
Together, they headed toward the City Arena's Battle Shop.
The last time Ash had come here, he had taken advantage of the newcomer's first-time discount, spent two months grinding prize money, and exchanged it for a Light Ball. He had also accompanied Gary to exchange for a Mystic Water.
"Hello, Mr. Ash. How can I assist you today?"
Upon seeing him, the shop staff greeted him warmly.
"Hello. I'd like to exchange for several items—specifically Leftovers, Choice Band, and a few others."
"Also, the League should have granted me special exchange privileges. Could you check that for me?"
As he spoke, Ash handed over his Trainer Crystal ID Card.
"Special exchange privileges…? Of course, let me check."
The staff member paused briefly, clearly surprised. Taking the card respectfully with both hands, they entered Ash's ID into the system.
Though they hadn't received prior notice from higher authorities, the system confirmed it immediately.
"Confirmed, Mr. Ash. The League has indeed granted you special exchange privileges."
"From now on, at the City Arena's Battle Shop, you no longer need to accumulate prize money through battles. You may directly use your own funds to purchase and exchange items available in the shop."
This privilege…
Marked a new level of recognition—and a whole new stage in Ash's journey.
....
PokePals's Note:
From the latest comments, I understand that many readers feel the pacing of this fanfic has been somewhat slow. Thank you all for your patience and support. I'll do my best to begin Ash's journey as soon as possible and pick up the pace moving forward.
In the meantime, feel free to check out my latest Pokémon fanfic release and read it alongside this story!
✦ Pokémon: Endless Genesis of the Chosen One ✦
It's published under my secondary Webnovel account: MPHFics.
Feel free to read both stories in parallel, and I hope you enjoy it.