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he knowes pokemon more than i know _Chapter_357_en
Chapter 357
Chapter 353: The Water Arena, Admiral Krabby! (First Update)
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
"So, Ash, have you decided which Pokémon you're going to use?"
Ash and his group were heading toward the Water Arena.
The first four Preliminary Matches were all three-on-three Pokémon battles. Although you only got one chance, you were given three "lives," which was about the only sensible part of this bizarre tournament system.
The Unova League Conference, where Alder was from, was even more ridiculous. It started with BO1 matches, where the outcome of a single Pokémon battle determined whether you advanced or were eliminated.
Ash nodded and replied, "Yeah, I've decided. For the Water Arena, of course, the first one I'll send out is Wartortle, who's the best at swimming and playing in the water. For the second, I'll have my Pikachu bring up the rear."
He didn't mention a third Pokémon. After all, that guy Gary had already managed a Sweep Three. If Ash needed to use all his Pokémon right from the start, it would be a bit pathetic.
The other two didn't think there was anything wrong with him only mentioning two Pokémon. Given Ash's current strength, this wasn't arrogance, but confidence.
"By the way, don't you also have that Admiral Krabby?"
Misty suddenly asked. Just the other day, Ash had kept trying to trade his Admiral Krabby for her precious Togepi.
Hearing this, Ash stopped in his tracks, his expression instantly turning strange.
"..."
He remembered that Nightmare again. Although the beginning of the Nightmare was wonderful, with him pulling off a Sweep Three with Krabby, the problem was that he was eliminated in the Top 16 afterward, and the battles he'd experienced felt like child's play!
*Ahem, as long as I don't use Krabby, the Script won't play out that way!*
Ash secretly made his decision.
"On a Water Arena, remember you must wear..." As his turn approached, Misty was still rambling on, sharing her experience with water fields. Surprisingly, Ash didn't talk back, but listened intently. Last-minute cramming—it was a tradition.
Maybe something he heard now would become the key to a comeback later.
Ten minutes later, the battle officially began.
"And entering now is Ash from Pallet Town! In his very first year of travel, he's already qualified for the conference! He's a trainer with a very promising future~!"
Amidst the commentator's passionate narration, Ash took a deep breath, slowly walked onto the competition venue, and took his position in the Trainer's box.
The sunlight and countless gazes fell upon his face.
All around him were countless spectators and cheers, an intimidating sight.
Before him was a vast pool of indeterminate depth. A few sturdy floating platforms were adrift on the surface, providing footholds. This was the so-called Water Arena.
"And Ash's opponent is the magician from the Hoenn Region, Guangwu! According to some rumors, he achieved the impressive result of making the Top 32 in a Pokémon Contest Grand Festival!"
The commentator's piece of trivia immediately set the surrounding crowd abuzz with discussion.
"A Pokémon Contest? Never heard of it."
"Is it for dancing?"
In recent years, Pokémon Contests had only been popular in the Hoenn and Sinnoh Regions. People from other regions might not have even heard the name.
"Oh, that's a competition from our hometown. It's a competition that showcases a Pokémon's qualities through performances and battles."
"Uh... Top 32? For the Grand Festival, isn't the Top 32 the lowest rank you can get?"
A few people from that region explained it to the crowd. The title sounded impressive to outsiders, but to local residents, it was nothing special.
Meanwhile, in the battle arena, Ash couldn't care less about any Pokémon Contest. The moment his opponent appeared, he stared at him intently. Guangwu, however, gave his long hair a flamboyant flick and waved to the crowd, completely ignoring Ash's gaze.
On the giant electronic screen in the center of the arena, the avatars of Ash and Guangwu appeared, with images of three Poké Balls lined up below them.
A Referee with an average face was already standing between the two. Seeing that the time was right, he raised his two small flags.
"Each side may use a total of three Pokémon! The battle is over when all three on one side are unable to battle. Now, will both participants please send out your Pokémon!"
Hearing this, Ash's hand was already gripping Wartortle's Poké Ball. Just as he was about to throw it, his body suddenly trembled as he inexplicably recalled that Nightmare again.
*The ending was pretty miserable, but the way Krabby achieved that Sweep Three at the start was actually really cool... Maybe I should...*
"Aaargh, whatever!"
Ash wasn't one to agonize over decisions. He grabbed both Krabby's and Wartortle's Poké Balls in one hand, closed his eyes, and randomly tossed one of them out.
*Poof!*
A flash of red light, and a red-shelled crab appeared on a floating platform. The top half of its head and its large pincers were a fiery red, as if cooked, while the lower half of its body was an earthen yellow. It was startled to see countless spectators looking at it, but after a moment, it brandished its two large pincers in greeting.
"Kooki-kooki..."
It also blew a stream of bubbles from its mouth.
It was none other than the Admiral Krabby that Ash had casually caught on the roadside.
"Ah... so it really is Krabby."
Seeing this, Ash sighed before pulling himself together and throwing a punch through the air toward Krabby.
*Hmph, even if I really do get a Sweep Three today, I, Ash, will absolutely not follow that Script!*
At Professor Oak's Laboratory, a group of folks from Pallet Town were gathered around the television, shouting and holding cheering banners.
Since Professor Oak's house had the only television screen and living room large enough in the whole town, everyone had squeezed into one place to watch the show. The three trainers from Pallet Town participating in the Conference—Ash included—were the pride of the entire town.
"Look, look! My Ash is on~!"
Seeing Ash's face, Delia happily swung an inflatable hammer through the air with a wide grin.
"Oh? Is that the malnourished Krabby? To think it's Ash's first Pokémon for the battle."
Upon seeing it, a glint of curiosity appeared in Professor Oak's eyes. After Ash had caught this Krabby, it had been staying in the backyard. It was severely malnourished, weighing very little, but after a month of training, it seemed to have gained some weight. Now, its physique was merely on the smaller side of normal.
Indigo League, Water Arena.
"Oh, a country bumpkin, as expected. Sending out a Water-type Pokémon on a Water Arena, just as I predicted."
Guangwu sneered as he looked at the Krabby blowing bubbles at him. Its size made it look like a complete small fry. He then gently tossed out his Poké Ball.
*Poof!*
A flash of red light, and a short, stout coconut tree Pokémon appeared on the floating platform in front of him. It had a thick, brown trunk, topped with lush coconut tree leaves. Where the leaves met the trunk, three coconuts with faces hung like three heads.
"Nassy~"
Exeggutor!
"Oh, there it is! Guangwu sends out an Exeggutor! Grass-type has a type advantage over Water-type, so you could say Ash is in a very dangerous position right from the start!"
The commentator was still narrating passionately, but Ash just rolled his eyes at him from across the arena.
Type advantage?
Overcoming a type disadvantage was his specialty!
(end of chapter)
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
"So, Ash, have you decided which Pokémon you're going to use?"
Ash and his group were heading toward the Water Arena.
The first four Preliminary Matches were all three-on-three Pokémon battles. Although you only got one chance, you were given three "lives," which was about the only sensible part of this bizarre tournament system.
The Unova League Conference, where Alder was from, was even more ridiculous. It started with BO1 matches, where the outcome of a single Pokémon battle determined whether you advanced or were eliminated.
Ash nodded and replied, "Yeah, I've decided. For the Water Arena, of course, the first one I'll send out is Wartortle, who's the best at swimming and playing in the water. For the second, I'll have my Pikachu bring up the rear."
He didn't mention a third Pokémon. After all, that guy Gary had already managed a Sweep Three. If Ash needed to use all his Pokémon right from the start, it would be a bit pathetic.
The other two didn't think there was anything wrong with him only mentioning two Pokémon. Given Ash's current strength, this wasn't arrogance, but confidence.
"By the way, don't you also have that Admiral Krabby?"
Misty suddenly asked. Just the other day, Ash had kept trying to trade his Admiral Krabby for her precious Togepi.
Hearing this, Ash stopped in his tracks, his expression instantly turning strange.
"..."
He remembered that Nightmare again. Although the beginning of the Nightmare was wonderful, with him pulling off a Sweep Three with Krabby, the problem was that he was eliminated in the Top 16 afterward, and the battles he'd experienced felt like child's play!
*Ahem, as long as I don't use Krabby, the Script won't play out that way!*
Ash secretly made his decision.
"On a Water Arena, remember you must wear..." As his turn approached, Misty was still rambling on, sharing her experience with water fields. Surprisingly, Ash didn't talk back, but listened intently. Last-minute cramming—it was a tradition.
Maybe something he heard now would become the key to a comeback later.
Ten minutes later, the battle officially began.
"And entering now is Ash from Pallet Town! In his very first year of travel, he's already qualified for the conference! He's a trainer with a very promising future~!"
Amidst the commentator's passionate narration, Ash took a deep breath, slowly walked onto the competition venue, and took his position in the Trainer's box.
The sunlight and countless gazes fell upon his face.
All around him were countless spectators and cheers, an intimidating sight.
Before him was a vast pool of indeterminate depth. A few sturdy floating platforms were adrift on the surface, providing footholds. This was the so-called Water Arena.
"And Ash's opponent is the magician from the Hoenn Region, Guangwu! According to some rumors, he achieved the impressive result of making the Top 32 in a Pokémon Contest Grand Festival!"
The commentator's piece of trivia immediately set the surrounding crowd abuzz with discussion.
"A Pokémon Contest? Never heard of it."
"Is it for dancing?"
In recent years, Pokémon Contests had only been popular in the Hoenn and Sinnoh Regions. People from other regions might not have even heard the name.
"Oh, that's a competition from our hometown. It's a competition that showcases a Pokémon's qualities through performances and battles."
"Uh... Top 32? For the Grand Festival, isn't the Top 32 the lowest rank you can get?"
A few people from that region explained it to the crowd. The title sounded impressive to outsiders, but to local residents, it was nothing special.
Meanwhile, in the battle arena, Ash couldn't care less about any Pokémon Contest. The moment his opponent appeared, he stared at him intently. Guangwu, however, gave his long hair a flamboyant flick and waved to the crowd, completely ignoring Ash's gaze.
On the giant electronic screen in the center of the arena, the avatars of Ash and Guangwu appeared, with images of three Poké Balls lined up below them.
A Referee with an average face was already standing between the two. Seeing that the time was right, he raised his two small flags.
"Each side may use a total of three Pokémon! The battle is over when all three on one side are unable to battle. Now, will both participants please send out your Pokémon!"
Hearing this, Ash's hand was already gripping Wartortle's Poké Ball. Just as he was about to throw it, his body suddenly trembled as he inexplicably recalled that Nightmare again.
*The ending was pretty miserable, but the way Krabby achieved that Sweep Three at the start was actually really cool... Maybe I should...*
"Aaargh, whatever!"
Ash wasn't one to agonize over decisions. He grabbed both Krabby's and Wartortle's Poké Balls in one hand, closed his eyes, and randomly tossed one of them out.
*Poof!*
A flash of red light, and a red-shelled crab appeared on a floating platform. The top half of its head and its large pincers were a fiery red, as if cooked, while the lower half of its body was an earthen yellow. It was startled to see countless spectators looking at it, but after a moment, it brandished its two large pincers in greeting.
"Kooki-kooki..."
It also blew a stream of bubbles from its mouth.
It was none other than the Admiral Krabby that Ash had casually caught on the roadside.
"Ah... so it really is Krabby."
Seeing this, Ash sighed before pulling himself together and throwing a punch through the air toward Krabby.
*Hmph, even if I really do get a Sweep Three today, I, Ash, will absolutely not follow that Script!*
At Professor Oak's Laboratory, a group of folks from Pallet Town were gathered around the television, shouting and holding cheering banners.
Since Professor Oak's house had the only television screen and living room large enough in the whole town, everyone had squeezed into one place to watch the show. The three trainers from Pallet Town participating in the Conference—Ash included—were the pride of the entire town.
"Look, look! My Ash is on~!"
Seeing Ash's face, Delia happily swung an inflatable hammer through the air with a wide grin.
"Oh? Is that the malnourished Krabby? To think it's Ash's first Pokémon for the battle."
Upon seeing it, a glint of curiosity appeared in Professor Oak's eyes. After Ash had caught this Krabby, it had been staying in the backyard. It was severely malnourished, weighing very little, but after a month of training, it seemed to have gained some weight. Now, its physique was merely on the smaller side of normal.
Indigo League, Water Arena.
"Oh, a country bumpkin, as expected. Sending out a Water-type Pokémon on a Water Arena, just as I predicted."
Guangwu sneered as he looked at the Krabby blowing bubbles at him. Its size made it look like a complete small fry. He then gently tossed out his Poké Ball.
*Poof!*
A flash of red light, and a short, stout coconut tree Pokémon appeared on the floating platform in front of him. It had a thick, brown trunk, topped with lush coconut tree leaves. Where the leaves met the trunk, three coconuts with faces hung like three heads.
"Nassy~"
Exeggutor!
"Oh, there it is! Guangwu sends out an Exeggutor! Grass-type has a type advantage over Water-type, so you could say Ash is in a very dangerous position right from the start!"
The commentator was still narrating passionately, but Ash just rolled his eyes at him from across the arena.
Type advantage?
Overcoming a type disadvantage was his specialty!
(end of chapter)
