Bayleef had evolved.
Ash and his friends bid farewell to Maisy and continued their journey at a leisurely pace.
Misty was keeping a very tight leash on Ash since his recent collapse. She wouldn't let him run, jump, eat too much, or eat too little. Most importantly, she strictly forbade him from using his Aura Power again.
"Hmm?"
However, as they were passing through a forest, Ash's brow suddenly furrowed. He pointed in a specific direction and barked an order, "Pikachu, use Quick Attack followed by Iron Tail!"
In an instant, Pikachu vanished from Ash's shoulder.
"Hey, Ash! Didn't I tell you not to use your Aura Power anymore?" Misty hadn't even realized what was happening until Pikachu bolted. She grabbed Ash's arm, her voice full of reproach.
Ash offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Misty. With all this practice, my Aura Power is getting stronger. A little use like this won't hurt!"
Watching the speed at which Pikachu moved, Brock couldn't help but marvel, "Ash, Pikachu is getting faster and faster!"
"Of course he is. That's my Pikachu!"
Clang!
As soon as Ash spoke, the sharp sound of metal striking metal echoed from the depths of the forest.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
Though Pikachu was out of sight, Ash shouted the command at the top of his lungs. A moment later, the forest depths erupted with surging lightning!
A scorched red figure plummeted from the canopy. It quickly adjusted its posture, landed steadily, and then lunged back up into the trees!
"Metal Claw?" Ash recognized the move from the glint on the figure's claws.
Another ear-piercing metallic crash rang out.
Ash's expression darkened. Pikachu was sent flying back, crashing into a tree!
"Pikachu, don't give up! Quick Attack!"
Misty and Brock stood by, completely bewildered. They couldn't see the battle at all and had no idea what was happening. But judging by Ash's commands, it sounded like Pikachu was actually being pushed back!
What kind of Pokémon could appear so suddenly and be this strong?
At that moment, an even more violent surge of electricity flared, and the red figure crashed down once more. Pikachu returned to Ash's side, panting heavily.
"Come out!" Ash said coldly, staring at the Scizor.
A second later, the Scizor's trainer stepped forward. He was a middle-aged man dressed like a samurai clearly a veteran trainer. No wonder that Scizor was so formidable.
If Ash hadn't used his Aura Power to monitor the battlefield and guide Pikachu, they might not have won.
This time, it was Misty who lunged forward. She stood before the man and pointed a finger at his nose. "Hey, mister! A surprise attack like that is dangerous!"
Even the seasoned man was taken aback by Misty's ferocity. He bowed quickly in apology. "I am truly sorry. I only wanted to test your strength. Please, forgive me!"
"Test our strength?" Misty wasn't about to let it go. "That was a sneak attack! Because of you, Ash went and overdid it again! This makes me so mad!"
Ash had to step in and pull Misty back. "Mister, your Scizor is very strong. If you don't mind, I'd like to have a formal battle!"
The man looked embarrassed. "I apologize again. My name is Muramasa, and this is my Masamune."
Ash looked at the Scizor with admiration. These Pokémon were not only cool but their battle style resonated perfectly with his own. If he could catch a Scizor, it would give him another trump card for Bond Evolution!
"I'm Ash, from Pallet Town!"
Muramasa looked at Ash and Pikachu with genuine delight. "To be honest, Ash, I've been looking for a trainer like you. Your power far exceeds my imagination!"
As it turned out, Muramasa was indeed a veteran trainer. After reaching a certain level of strength and developing his own philosophy on Pokémon battling, he had opened a dojo in this forest. It was a place for young people to train themselves and their Pokémon.
When they arrived at Muramasa's dojo, Ash saw many trainers his age working hard with their partners.
"If it's okay, can I battle all of them?" Ash asked, his eyes shining with excitement.
His System awarded Exchange Points based on battle performance. Most of the points he had earned so far had been spent feeding Snorlax, and after purchasing Aura Power, he was practically broke. He wasn't about to pass up a chance to battle so many trainers in one place.
"And I want a rematch with you and Masamune, too!" Ash looked at Muramasa. That sneak attack earlier hadn't been enough to satisfy him.
"Of course, I would be honored," Muramasa replied. "But before that, I would like you to battle someone else."
"Someone else?" Misty asked, puzzled.
Muramasa nodded. "My son, Shingo."
Just then, a purple-haired boy about Ash's age walked out. He glanced at Ash and immediately opened a laptop, his fingers flying across the keys.
After a quick search, Ash's data appeared on the screen, including information on his recently evolved Bayleef.
"The data for every trainer who has achieved excellence over the past five years is in this computer. I know every Pokémon they use and every tactic they employ."
Shingo spoke with cold confidence, sparing a glance for Ash. "Ash, according to my data, you are a C-Type a typical aggressive trainer who relies on raw power to overwhelm everything."
He wasn't wrong.
Ash let out a cold laugh. "So, because you have my data and my tactics, you think you can beat me easily?"
"No, I know I will win," Shingo said with absolute certainty. "I have researched the deepest meaning of Pokémon battling. No one's strength can exceed the data."
He had the track record to back up his arrogance; everyone in the dojo had lost to him. But to Ash, he was nothing more than a frog in a well.
Pop!
Ash casually tossed a Poké Ball.
The powerful, heroic Heracross appeared in the center of the dojo. "Shingo, right? Try beating my Heracross with your data! If you can't, then everything you just said is nothing but nonsense!"
Pikachu: 210/255
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/kleinmoretti to access 100+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).