"Thanks for the compliment," Ash replied with a smile.
But his mind was racing.
Although this Golbat might be the same level as the wild Golbat he often encountered, its battle experience and technique were on a completely different level.
Even his well-trained Charmeleon couldn't match it in that regard for the moment.
Most likely, Golbat had been training with Koga's Gym-level Pokémon since the day it was caught. Being constantly sparred against stronger partners naturally sharpened its skills. Even watching those battles would have given it valuable experience.
The fierce battle between Golbat and Charmeleon continued.
Although Golbat had taken some damage, it still seemed to have the overall advantage.
"Fire Spin!"
"Air Slash!"
Charmeleon roared and unleashed a blazing vortex of flames from its mouth.
Golbat didn't retreat. It flapped its wings rapidly like a cutting machine, creating an incredibly sharp wind blade.
The Air Slash crashed into the Fire Spin.
The fiery vortex shattered instantly, scattering sparks through the air.
Charmeleon suddenly leapt forward and used Slash, but Golbat blocked it with quick defensive wing movements.
Close-range and long-range attacks collided repeatedly.
Both Pokémon were beginning to tire.
Among all the Gym battles Ash had fought so far, this was the most difficult one yet.
His match against Sabrina had been extremely easy thanks to Gastly's help.
But Koga was a Gym Leader with Elite Four-level potential.
Even a Golbat that could normally be found in any random cave had been trained to this level.
"Charmeleon, Smokescreen."
Ash suddenly thought of a combo they had practiced before—Golbat happened to be a perfect opponent to use it against.
Within the thick smoke, Charmeleon cleverly concealed its position.
"Golbat, use Gust," Koga ordered calmly.
He didn't believe this challenger would be defeated so easily.
The smoke dispersed slightly.
Suddenly—
A violent burst of flames erupted from the ground.
The flames formed a massive vortex that tightly wrapped around Charmeleon's body.
"Now charge straight at Golbat!"
Like a Fire-type version of Aqua Jet, the blazing vortex shot toward Golbat.
The surrounding flames formed an iron wall, sealing off Golbat's escape routes.
A direct clash?
Koga's eyelid twitched slightly.
A trace of surprise flashed across his eyes.
"Golbat, Air Slash!"
Golbat's wind blades formed an invisible wall, pushing back wave after wave of flames.
Then—
A figure suddenly burst out from the flames.
Charmeleon leapt forward, eyes blazing.
"Flamethrower!"
A powerful stream of fire erupted from Charmeleon's mouth.
This Flamethrower was even stronger than before, completely engulfing Golbat.
"No way… that Charmeleon is this strong?" Aya muttered, eyes wide with disbelief.
"So? What do you think?" Brock asked, looking toward his Zubat.
Zubat: "That was awesome. I want to evolve too!"
"Is Charmeleon okay?" Misty asked worriedly.
Charmeleon was swaying slightly, clearly exhausted.
As the smoke cleared—
Golbat's body drifted down like a falling leaf.
Its eyes were closed.
Its wings flapped weakly once or twice before dropping limp to the ground.
But at the same time—
Two sounds echoed across the battlefield.
Charmeleon collapsed.
It had also lost the ability to battle.
"Good work. Get some rest, Charmeleon," Ash said softly as he recalled it.
Aya frowned but reluctantly announced the result.
"Both of the Gym Leader's Pokémon have lost the ability to battle."
"The winner is Ash from Pallet Town."
"Ash, I'm glad we had this battle," Koga said.
He took out a pink, heart-shaped badge—the Soul Badge.
He handed it to Ash.
From the battle earlier, Koga could see that Ash remained calm and adaptable, adjusting his strategy depending on the opponent's Pokémon.
If not for the difference in raw strength between the Pokémon, Charmeleon might even have defeated both opponents alone.
This Golbat had been carefully trained and possessed excellent potential.
Very few Trainers had ever managed to defeat it.
Yet Ash's Charmeleon likely had even greater potential—it simply lacked some battle experience and technical polish.
The reason the battle ended in a tie was mainly because Golbat's experience gave it an edge.
Watching Ash and Charmeleon fight had genuinely surprised Koga.
"Mr. Koga, I learned a lot from battling you," Ash said.
He accepted the Soul Badge and also received 30,000 Poké Dollars as the Gym challenge reward.
"Actually, I originally came here hoping to battle you," Ash continued.
He paused awkwardly.
"But I accidentally triggered a lot of traps…"
Before he could finish, Koga interrupted him.
"It's alright," Koga said with a gentle shake of his head.
"These traps are meant to test a Trainer's reaction speed and observation skills."
He gestured toward the carefully arranged traps around the Gym.
"Each trap is unique. Some are hidden in tall grass, others disguised as ordinary stones."
"The purpose is to train challengers to observe battle situations and identify their opponent's weaknesses. That way, they have a better chance of winning."
Aya snorted softly, still annoyed about being shocked by Pikachu earlier.
"Sorry about that," Ash said apologetically.
"It was an accident. Pikachu thought you were another trap."
Aya eventually accepted the apology.
After all, they hadn't known the Gym's rules—and she herself had been planning a prank too.
Ding! Task Complete!
Rewards obtained:
Potential Enhancement Candy
(Raises a Pokémon's potential by one stage if it is below Champion-tier potential.)
Medium Rare Candy ×5
(Raises a Pokémon's level by one if it is below Champion-tier level.)
Ash had completed the mission for defeating Fuchsia Gym, and the reward was extremely generous.
The five Medium Rare Candies would be perfect for Pikachu.
Pikachu's level would increase from Lv. 43 → Lv. 48.
It was already close to Gym Leader-level strength—strong enough to rival weaker Gym Leaders.
"Ash, I wish you success in the Indigo Plateau Conference," Koga said.
He was actually looking forward to battling this Trainer again someday.
"And if you're interested in Poison-type Pokémon, feel free to contact me."
"If you ever have questions or encounter difficulties while raising them, I can help."
"I have a bit of experience when it comes to training Poison-types," Koga added.
"Thanks! I actually have a few Poison-type Pokémon myself," Ash replied.
"They're just not with me right now—otherwise I would've asked for advice right here."
Ash and Koga exchanged contact information.
After all, being able to discuss Pokémon training with someone who would soon become a member of the Elite Four was something many Trainers could only dream of.
PS: I've been releasing chapters daily . Honestly, it hurts seeing almost no support on Patreon after all that work.If you're enjoying the fic, even a little, supporting me would mean a lot. It helps a student stay independent .
complete fic (all chapters ) are already up on Patreon → patreon.com/Chakraflow789
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