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he knowes pokemon more than i know _Chapter_1118_en
Chapter 229
Chapter 1108: Fortree Gym, vs. Winona!
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
Fortree City.
This was a city surrounded by a jungle wilderness.
However, judging by the extent of its urbanization, it was more accurately categorized as a "town."
Many of the houses were even built in the trees, giving it a rather pristine and natural feel.
High wooden platforms were built in the treetops, connected by wooden staircases.
"They say Fortree City is also the most long-standing town in the Hoenn Region," Sawyer, who had just joined the group, explained.
If the Johto Region's most defining feature was its ancient, traditional architecture, then the Hoenn Region's, aside from its ubiquitous beaches and oceans, was its incredibly high vegetation coverage.
"Because it rains so often here, the trees and plants in this town grow exceptionally lush."
Ash and the others looked around. The trees here were indeed about half again as tall as those in other places.
Seeing that it was still early, the group made a quick stop at the Pokémon Center to recover before heading straight for the Fortree Gym.
"The Fortree Gym is a Flying-type Gym, so Ash, are you going to use this Pikachu for the battle?" Sawyer asked expectantly as they walked.
This out-of-region electric mouse on Ash's shoulder surely wasn't just for decoration, was it?
"No, Pikachu is my ace in reserve. He won't enter the fray so easily," Ash said, waving his hand.
"Pika, pika~!"
Pikachu jumped onto Sawyer's head, nodding with the air of a seasoned veteran.
It was just a Gym battle; no need for him to step in!
However, this reminded Ash of something. If it was a Flying-type Gym, he could let *that* guy give it a try.
Soon, the group arrived at the Fortree Gym.
This Gym was quite different from the ones Ash had seen before, and it looked particularly out of place amidst the surrounding trees and jungle.
It was a magnificent, square pyramid-like structure about a hundred meters tall, its surface walls made of a silvery-white stone.
In the center, besides a large gate leading inside, a slanted stone staircase was built into the external wall, allowing one to go directly from the outside to the rooftop.
On either side stood statues of Flying-type Pokémon like Skarmory and Altaria.
"How magnificent..."
"So extravagant."
The group gasped, stunned by the grand architecture of the Fortree Gym.
Even Sawyer, a local, was seeing it for the first time, his eyes fixed on the highest point.
It seemed the stage for the battle would be the open-air rooftop... which was fitting for a Flying-type Gym.
Without further hesitation, the group began to climb the staircase, heading for the top.
*Whoosh!*
By the time they neared the top of the staircase, the high-altitude air currents were already blowing fiercely.
"Ugh, I'd better not look back..."
It was so high up that Sawyer didn't even dare to look back at the steps behind him.
Upon fully ascending to the building's high platform, they saw that the top was a spacious training battleground, with no walls whatsoever to block the view.
The platforms where the Trainers stood rose another twenty-odd meters from the rooftop's flat surface.
It was as if the builders felt the building wasn't tall enough and decided to add even more height.
"I can't be careless," Ash's expression grew serious as he surveyed his surroundings.
Even among aerial battles, there were differences.
An aerial battle below 100 meters was a completely different concept from one above 100 meters.
This altitude could make Pokémon that were usually skilled fliers feel unaccustomed to flying, and the strong high-altitude air currents could sometimes be even more dangerous than an opponent's attack!
"Are you the challengers?"
At that moment, a woman's voice suddenly came from one side of the rooftop.
Everyone looked over to see a tall, slender woman.
She wore a light-blue, long-sleeved shirt and white form-fitting trousers that perfectly showcased her slim figure.
Her long, light-purple hair was tied into a ponytail that fell naturally behind her head.
She wore a soft cap shaped like wings or feathers over her gentle and beautiful face, giving her an ethereal and refined beauty.
"I am the Gym Leader of the Fortree Gym, Winona!"
"I am Brock of Pewter City~!"
However, Brock had already pushed Ash aside and rushed forward in a single bound to shower her with flattery.
Sawyer: "?"
He shot a bewildered look at Ash and Blue.
Why was this dark-skinned older guy acting in such a frivolous, flirtatious manner?
"Heh heh..."
"Don't mind him."
Ash and Blue both gave an awkward laugh.
Brock's image as a respectable senior had crumbled to dust in the blink of an eye.
Ash quickly pulled Brock back and faced the gentle woman before them.
"I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and I'm here to challenge the Fortree Gym!"
"Then I accept your challenge."
Winona agreed on the spot, surprisingly direct and straightforward.
She then turned and slowly ascended the platform on one side of the training ground.
The high-altitude air currents swept past, blowing through Winona's purple hair, which nearly made Brock, watching from below, howl like a wolf.
"I won't lose either!"
Seeing this, Ash naturally hurried to ascend the platform on the other side, standing opposite Winona.
A moment later, another woman with long hair walked out and stood on the central battlefield below them.
"The Gym Challenge Match for the Feather Badge will now begin!"
These words sent a jolt through Sawyer, who was observing from the side. He immediately focused his eyes on the arena, determined not to miss a single detail. His paper and pen were already poised for action.
"That's right!"
Remembering something, Sawyer suddenly tossed out his three Poké Balls. This was every Pokémon he had captured so far.
*Poof!*
The next moment, the Treecko appeared again, casually holding a twig in its mouth as it crossed its arms coolly.
It admitted Ash's Grovyle had a cool pose... but now that pose was its own.
As for the other two...
One was a small, light-blue, bipedal beast with a rather irritable expression and a hard, white shell on its head.
The other was a brown, sloth-like monkey, lazing about on the ground.
Bagon and Slakoth.
Right now, Ash's mind was completely focused on Winona opposite him, but Brock and Blue, who were closest, were utterly speechless.
"Ugh, this is ridiculous."
"Is this the standard setup for newcomers these days?"
A starter, a pseudo-legendary cub, and a monster cub...
This was just too much. Other people's first three are usually a starter, a Zigzagoon, a Taillow, a Wurmple, or something like that!
"Everyone, focus on watching Ash's battle!"
Sawyer, however, brought his three Pokémon to a corner at the edge and entered a state of covert observation.
"The rules for the Fortree Gym challenge are 4v4."
The Referee below announced the rules, which made Ash blink.
It was a rare 4v4. It seemed the Gyms in the eastern half of the region were really starting to ramp up the difficulty.
(end of chapter)
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
Fortree City.
This was a city surrounded by a jungle wilderness.
However, judging by the extent of its urbanization, it was more accurately categorized as a "town."
Many of the houses were even built in the trees, giving it a rather pristine and natural feel.
High wooden platforms were built in the treetops, connected by wooden staircases.
"They say Fortree City is also the most long-standing town in the Hoenn Region," Sawyer, who had just joined the group, explained.
If the Johto Region's most defining feature was its ancient, traditional architecture, then the Hoenn Region's, aside from its ubiquitous beaches and oceans, was its incredibly high vegetation coverage.
"Because it rains so often here, the trees and plants in this town grow exceptionally lush."
Ash and the others looked around. The trees here were indeed about half again as tall as those in other places.
Seeing that it was still early, the group made a quick stop at the Pokémon Center to recover before heading straight for the Fortree Gym.
"The Fortree Gym is a Flying-type Gym, so Ash, are you going to use this Pikachu for the battle?" Sawyer asked expectantly as they walked.
This out-of-region electric mouse on Ash's shoulder surely wasn't just for decoration, was it?
"No, Pikachu is my ace in reserve. He won't enter the fray so easily," Ash said, waving his hand.
"Pika, pika~!"
Pikachu jumped onto Sawyer's head, nodding with the air of a seasoned veteran.
It was just a Gym battle; no need for him to step in!
However, this reminded Ash of something. If it was a Flying-type Gym, he could let *that* guy give it a try.
Soon, the group arrived at the Fortree Gym.
This Gym was quite different from the ones Ash had seen before, and it looked particularly out of place amidst the surrounding trees and jungle.
It was a magnificent, square pyramid-like structure about a hundred meters tall, its surface walls made of a silvery-white stone.
In the center, besides a large gate leading inside, a slanted stone staircase was built into the external wall, allowing one to go directly from the outside to the rooftop.
On either side stood statues of Flying-type Pokémon like Skarmory and Altaria.
"How magnificent..."
"So extravagant."
The group gasped, stunned by the grand architecture of the Fortree Gym.
Even Sawyer, a local, was seeing it for the first time, his eyes fixed on the highest point.
It seemed the stage for the battle would be the open-air rooftop... which was fitting for a Flying-type Gym.
Without further hesitation, the group began to climb the staircase, heading for the top.
*Whoosh!*
By the time they neared the top of the staircase, the high-altitude air currents were already blowing fiercely.
"Ugh, I'd better not look back..."
It was so high up that Sawyer didn't even dare to look back at the steps behind him.
Upon fully ascending to the building's high platform, they saw that the top was a spacious training battleground, with no walls whatsoever to block the view.
The platforms where the Trainers stood rose another twenty-odd meters from the rooftop's flat surface.
It was as if the builders felt the building wasn't tall enough and decided to add even more height.
"I can't be careless," Ash's expression grew serious as he surveyed his surroundings.
Even among aerial battles, there were differences.
An aerial battle below 100 meters was a completely different concept from one above 100 meters.
This altitude could make Pokémon that were usually skilled fliers feel unaccustomed to flying, and the strong high-altitude air currents could sometimes be even more dangerous than an opponent's attack!
"Are you the challengers?"
At that moment, a woman's voice suddenly came from one side of the rooftop.
Everyone looked over to see a tall, slender woman.
She wore a light-blue, long-sleeved shirt and white form-fitting trousers that perfectly showcased her slim figure.
Her long, light-purple hair was tied into a ponytail that fell naturally behind her head.
She wore a soft cap shaped like wings or feathers over her gentle and beautiful face, giving her an ethereal and refined beauty.
"I am the Gym Leader of the Fortree Gym, Winona!"
"I am Brock of Pewter City~!"
However, Brock had already pushed Ash aside and rushed forward in a single bound to shower her with flattery.
Sawyer: "?"
He shot a bewildered look at Ash and Blue.
Why was this dark-skinned older guy acting in such a frivolous, flirtatious manner?
"Heh heh..."
"Don't mind him."
Ash and Blue both gave an awkward laugh.
Brock's image as a respectable senior had crumbled to dust in the blink of an eye.
Ash quickly pulled Brock back and faced the gentle woman before them.
"I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and I'm here to challenge the Fortree Gym!"
"Then I accept your challenge."
Winona agreed on the spot, surprisingly direct and straightforward.
She then turned and slowly ascended the platform on one side of the training ground.
The high-altitude air currents swept past, blowing through Winona's purple hair, which nearly made Brock, watching from below, howl like a wolf.
"I won't lose either!"
Seeing this, Ash naturally hurried to ascend the platform on the other side, standing opposite Winona.
A moment later, another woman with long hair walked out and stood on the central battlefield below them.
"The Gym Challenge Match for the Feather Badge will now begin!"
These words sent a jolt through Sawyer, who was observing from the side. He immediately focused his eyes on the arena, determined not to miss a single detail. His paper and pen were already poised for action.
"That's right!"
Remembering something, Sawyer suddenly tossed out his three Poké Balls. This was every Pokémon he had captured so far.
*Poof!*
The next moment, the Treecko appeared again, casually holding a twig in its mouth as it crossed its arms coolly.
It admitted Ash's Grovyle had a cool pose... but now that pose was its own.
As for the other two...
One was a small, light-blue, bipedal beast with a rather irritable expression and a hard, white shell on its head.
The other was a brown, sloth-like monkey, lazing about on the ground.
Bagon and Slakoth.
Right now, Ash's mind was completely focused on Winona opposite him, but Brock and Blue, who were closest, were utterly speechless.
"Ugh, this is ridiculous."
"Is this the standard setup for newcomers these days?"
A starter, a pseudo-legendary cub, and a monster cub...
This was just too much. Other people's first three are usually a starter, a Zigzagoon, a Taillow, a Wurmple, or something like that!
"Everyone, focus on watching Ash's battle!"
Sawyer, however, brought his three Pokémon to a corner at the edge and entered a state of covert observation.
"The rules for the Fortree Gym challenge are 4v4."
The Referee below announced the rules, which made Ash blink.
It was a rare 4v4. It seemed the Gyms in the eastern half of the region were really starting to ramp up the difficulty.
(end of chapter)
