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he knowes pokemon more than i know _Chapter_411_en
Chapter 411
Chapter 407: A One in Ten Thousand Win Rate
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
"So that guy Gary has already left."
Sitting inside the Pokémon Center, a rare look of emotion crossed Ash's face, and he couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.
The defeat and departure of his friend and rival revealed the cruelty of the competition, and he couldn't help but empathize.
Blue: "?"
Sitting beside him, Blue couldn't help but point at herself, her beautiful eyes wide.
Hey! I was defeated and eliminated too! How come I didn't see you getting all emotional back then? I even caught you trying to hold back a laugh!
Ash just patted Blue's head.
"You were defeated too quickly. It was completely uninteresting."
Hearing this, Blue tilted her head, a metaphorical question mark forming above it as she fought the urge to punch Ash in the face.
"Beep-beep. Announcing the matchups for tomorrow's Indigo League Conference Quarterfinals. Participants, please check for details."
Just after they saw Gary off, and Red had once again slipped away after possessing his body, the Pokédex Ash was holding suddenly beeped. This drew Blue, Brock, and the others closer. They turned on the public television in the lobby, and sure enough, the screen was broadcasting tomorrow's match schedule.
Unlike the Top 16 round, where only that day's opponents were revealed, this time they showed the entire elimination tournament flowchart, all the way to the Champion, including all eight participants who had advanced to the Top 8.
Their quarterfinal opponents, their potential semifinal opponents, and even their prospective finals matchups were all clearly marked.
"I knew it. The match order for the Top 16 wasn't random," Brock couldn't help but say, his expression turning somewhat grave.
In the Top 16, Ash had the first match, and Gary had the second. This meant that if both had won and advanced, they would have been opponents in the quarterfinals.
But now that Gary had been defeated, it meant that Ash's opponent in tomorrow's quarterfinals was the person who had sniped Gary out of the tournament.
"..."
Seeing the Masked Man's avatar next to his own, Ash's expression instantly turned grim.
The overall skill level of the Indigo League Conference participants wasn't particularly high. The Masked Man was arguably the most dangerous of them all; running into him was a stroke of bad luck for anyone.
"Mm-hmm, and Brother Red's Top 16 match was the third one the day before yesterday. This means that after you battle the Masked Man, the winner will face Brother Red in the semifinals..."
Brock was still talking, but he saw Ash sitting beside him with an incredibly solemn expression, lost in a momentary daze.
"Pat."
Three hands landed on Ash's shoulder, presumably to comfort him.
"It's okay, Ash. Making it to the top eight on your debut is already a great achievement."
"Just aim for next year's League Conference."
"We from Pallet Town all fell at his hands, so it's no disgrace."
Friends were friends, but the three of them didn't think the current Ash could defeat the Masked Man.
Hearing this, Ash just brushed their hands away and stood up, intending to go outside for some fresh air. The dozing Pikachu at his side twitched its ears at the movement and leaped onto his shoulder.
It was still early morning, and the streets of the Indigo Plateau venue weren't too crowded yet; the hustle and bustle hadn't begun. As Ash and Pikachu walked down the street, they looked somewhat lonely.
"Sigh..."
After walking for nearly half an hour, Ash suddenly stopped and couldn't help but sigh.
Although he had known all along that if he kept winning, he would eventually have to face that powerful Masked Man, and he had even made a bold declaration of war in front of him, now that it was actually happening, his mindset was completely different.
"Can I really beat him?"
"Even that guy Gary was completely powerless... Does that mean I'm going to lose tomorrow?"
"Damn it, if I hadn't run into him, I might have been able to go even further..."
These were the thoughts tangling in Ash's mind. The more he brooded, the worse his expression became, faintly showing signs of spiraling.
"Pika..."
Pikachu, perched on his shoulder, didn't understand, and could only pat its trainer's head helplessly.
"Rehn, use Thunder Wave!"
A familiar voice suddenly called out from not far ahead, interrupting Ash's thoughts. He subconsciously looked toward the source of the sound and was surprised to see Ritchie and his Pikachu on a street-side training ground, seemingly in a battle with someone.
"Pika!"
The Pikachu named Rehn started running, its speed considerable. In a flash, it rushed in front of a small blue-and-white snake, and its cheeks crackled with dense electricity that spread outwards.
The next second, an electric arc flashed across the Dratini's body, a sign of paralysis.
However, the Dratini's body simply trembled on the spot, as if shedding a thin layer of skin, and the electric arc dissipated along with it.
Ability: Shed Skin.
"Dratini, use Aqua Tail."
Seeing the blue stream of water swirling around the Dratini's tail, poised to strike, Ritchie's expression changed, and he had no choice but to call out:
"Rehn, let's use Slam then!"
"Pika!"
Rehn could only charge forward to meet the attack. As it neared its target, it turned its body sideways, whipping its tail out like a long whip.
"Smack!"
A loud crack echoed at the point where the two tails met. They were deadlocked for a few seconds, but the force of the Aqua Tail was ultimately greater. It sent Rehn flying, and the water energy followed, inflicting minor damage.
"After using Thunder Wave, remember to press the attack immediately. Don't give the enemy time to counter..."
"Iron Tail is a must-learn move for Pikachu. Slam just won't cut it."
Hearing this, Ritchie nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining with gratitude.
"I understand, senior! Rehn and I will definitely learn Iron Tail as soon as possible."
This teacher-student dynamic made Ash pause for a moment. The one offering advice was none other than Brother Red, who had just taken the Beast Ball. He was still wearing his hat.
"Huh, Ash, what are you doing here?"
At that moment, Ritchie noticed him, temporarily pausing the battle to greet him.
Red saw him too and slowly walked over, raising an eyebrow at Ash without a change in expression.
"Participant Red... er, what are you and Ritchie doing?"
"I hit it off with Participant Ritchie, so we decided to have a casual battle," Red said nonchalantly.
He had been looking for a secluded training ground to let out his Ultra Beast for some proper conditioning, but he happened to see Ritchie here, conducting special training with his Pikachu.
Even though it was early in the morning with almost no one around, he was still training diligently on his own.
This was a trainer similar to Ash, just one whose growth speed was much slower. So, Red couldn't help but step in and offer some guidance.
"Haha, Participant Gorilla is incredible. I'm completely outmatched."
Ritchie just scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. He wasn't a fool; it was less of a battle and more of his opponent intentionally guiding him.
But getting stronger was something he craved, and although he didn't fully understand, Ritchie didn't refuse the kind offer.
"You're still moving forward, Ash, so I, who lost to you, can't stop either! I will definitely become stronger, and I'll beat you the next time we meet!"
Ritchie extended a fist towards Ash, his voice full of fighting spirit. The fiery determination made Ash pause for a moment.
Then, all the negative emotions that had been swirling in his mind vanished in an instant, and his downcast face once again bloomed with fighting spirit.
That's right! He had no time to run or worry about facing the Masked Man!
In the dictionary of Ash from Pallet Town, the words "flee" and "surrender" did not exist.
The Masked Man? Big deal! I'll just have to fight him!
"..."
Seeing the change in Ash's expression, even the usually calm Red revealed a smile. He already knew about tomorrow's quarterfinals matchup.
It seemed that two similar people could indeed influence each other.
Just then, Ash suddenly turned his head to look at him and asked:
"Participant Red Gorilla, what do you think my chances are of winning against the Masked Man tomorrow?"
Without a second thought, Red gave his answer.
"Less than one in ten thousand."
The difference in their strength was at least 100 Abins. Winning tomorrow's battle was, to put it mildly, extremely unlikely.
"One in ten thousand... That means there's a chance I can beat the Masked Man. That's enough for me!"
Ash clenched his fists, the battle intent in his eyes not wavering in the slightest.
"Pika!"
Even the Pikachu on his shoulder could feel Ash's battle intent. Its own blood boiled with excitement. It couldn't help but leap high into the air, unleashing a burst of electric current—a Thunderbolt that struck a wild Pidgeotto passing by in mid-air, the powerful electricity knocking it out cold.
(end of chapter)
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
"So that guy Gary has already left."
Sitting inside the Pokémon Center, a rare look of emotion crossed Ash's face, and he couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.
The defeat and departure of his friend and rival revealed the cruelty of the competition, and he couldn't help but empathize.
Blue: "?"
Sitting beside him, Blue couldn't help but point at herself, her beautiful eyes wide.
Hey! I was defeated and eliminated too! How come I didn't see you getting all emotional back then? I even caught you trying to hold back a laugh!
Ash just patted Blue's head.
"You were defeated too quickly. It was completely uninteresting."
Hearing this, Blue tilted her head, a metaphorical question mark forming above it as she fought the urge to punch Ash in the face.
"Beep-beep. Announcing the matchups for tomorrow's Indigo League Conference Quarterfinals. Participants, please check for details."
Just after they saw Gary off, and Red had once again slipped away after possessing his body, the Pokédex Ash was holding suddenly beeped. This drew Blue, Brock, and the others closer. They turned on the public television in the lobby, and sure enough, the screen was broadcasting tomorrow's match schedule.
Unlike the Top 16 round, where only that day's opponents were revealed, this time they showed the entire elimination tournament flowchart, all the way to the Champion, including all eight participants who had advanced to the Top 8.
Their quarterfinal opponents, their potential semifinal opponents, and even their prospective finals matchups were all clearly marked.
"I knew it. The match order for the Top 16 wasn't random," Brock couldn't help but say, his expression turning somewhat grave.
In the Top 16, Ash had the first match, and Gary had the second. This meant that if both had won and advanced, they would have been opponents in the quarterfinals.
But now that Gary had been defeated, it meant that Ash's opponent in tomorrow's quarterfinals was the person who had sniped Gary out of the tournament.
"..."
Seeing the Masked Man's avatar next to his own, Ash's expression instantly turned grim.
The overall skill level of the Indigo League Conference participants wasn't particularly high. The Masked Man was arguably the most dangerous of them all; running into him was a stroke of bad luck for anyone.
"Mm-hmm, and Brother Red's Top 16 match was the third one the day before yesterday. This means that after you battle the Masked Man, the winner will face Brother Red in the semifinals..."
Brock was still talking, but he saw Ash sitting beside him with an incredibly solemn expression, lost in a momentary daze.
"Pat."
Three hands landed on Ash's shoulder, presumably to comfort him.
"It's okay, Ash. Making it to the top eight on your debut is already a great achievement."
"Just aim for next year's League Conference."
"We from Pallet Town all fell at his hands, so it's no disgrace."
Friends were friends, but the three of them didn't think the current Ash could defeat the Masked Man.
Hearing this, Ash just brushed their hands away and stood up, intending to go outside for some fresh air. The dozing Pikachu at his side twitched its ears at the movement and leaped onto his shoulder.
It was still early morning, and the streets of the Indigo Plateau venue weren't too crowded yet; the hustle and bustle hadn't begun. As Ash and Pikachu walked down the street, they looked somewhat lonely.
"Sigh..."
After walking for nearly half an hour, Ash suddenly stopped and couldn't help but sigh.
Although he had known all along that if he kept winning, he would eventually have to face that powerful Masked Man, and he had even made a bold declaration of war in front of him, now that it was actually happening, his mindset was completely different.
"Can I really beat him?"
"Even that guy Gary was completely powerless... Does that mean I'm going to lose tomorrow?"
"Damn it, if I hadn't run into him, I might have been able to go even further..."
These were the thoughts tangling in Ash's mind. The more he brooded, the worse his expression became, faintly showing signs of spiraling.
"Pika..."
Pikachu, perched on his shoulder, didn't understand, and could only pat its trainer's head helplessly.
"Rehn, use Thunder Wave!"
A familiar voice suddenly called out from not far ahead, interrupting Ash's thoughts. He subconsciously looked toward the source of the sound and was surprised to see Ritchie and his Pikachu on a street-side training ground, seemingly in a battle with someone.
"Pika!"
The Pikachu named Rehn started running, its speed considerable. In a flash, it rushed in front of a small blue-and-white snake, and its cheeks crackled with dense electricity that spread outwards.
The next second, an electric arc flashed across the Dratini's body, a sign of paralysis.
However, the Dratini's body simply trembled on the spot, as if shedding a thin layer of skin, and the electric arc dissipated along with it.
Ability: Shed Skin.
"Dratini, use Aqua Tail."
Seeing the blue stream of water swirling around the Dratini's tail, poised to strike, Ritchie's expression changed, and he had no choice but to call out:
"Rehn, let's use Slam then!"
"Pika!"
Rehn could only charge forward to meet the attack. As it neared its target, it turned its body sideways, whipping its tail out like a long whip.
"Smack!"
A loud crack echoed at the point where the two tails met. They were deadlocked for a few seconds, but the force of the Aqua Tail was ultimately greater. It sent Rehn flying, and the water energy followed, inflicting minor damage.
"After using Thunder Wave, remember to press the attack immediately. Don't give the enemy time to counter..."
"Iron Tail is a must-learn move for Pikachu. Slam just won't cut it."
Hearing this, Ritchie nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining with gratitude.
"I understand, senior! Rehn and I will definitely learn Iron Tail as soon as possible."
This teacher-student dynamic made Ash pause for a moment. The one offering advice was none other than Brother Red, who had just taken the Beast Ball. He was still wearing his hat.
"Huh, Ash, what are you doing here?"
At that moment, Ritchie noticed him, temporarily pausing the battle to greet him.
Red saw him too and slowly walked over, raising an eyebrow at Ash without a change in expression.
"Participant Red... er, what are you and Ritchie doing?"
"I hit it off with Participant Ritchie, so we decided to have a casual battle," Red said nonchalantly.
He had been looking for a secluded training ground to let out his Ultra Beast for some proper conditioning, but he happened to see Ritchie here, conducting special training with his Pikachu.
Even though it was early in the morning with almost no one around, he was still training diligently on his own.
This was a trainer similar to Ash, just one whose growth speed was much slower. So, Red couldn't help but step in and offer some guidance.
"Haha, Participant Gorilla is incredible. I'm completely outmatched."
Ritchie just scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. He wasn't a fool; it was less of a battle and more of his opponent intentionally guiding him.
But getting stronger was something he craved, and although he didn't fully understand, Ritchie didn't refuse the kind offer.
"You're still moving forward, Ash, so I, who lost to you, can't stop either! I will definitely become stronger, and I'll beat you the next time we meet!"
Ritchie extended a fist towards Ash, his voice full of fighting spirit. The fiery determination made Ash pause for a moment.
Then, all the negative emotions that had been swirling in his mind vanished in an instant, and his downcast face once again bloomed with fighting spirit.
That's right! He had no time to run or worry about facing the Masked Man!
In the dictionary of Ash from Pallet Town, the words "flee" and "surrender" did not exist.
The Masked Man? Big deal! I'll just have to fight him!
"..."
Seeing the change in Ash's expression, even the usually calm Red revealed a smile. He already knew about tomorrow's quarterfinals matchup.
It seemed that two similar people could indeed influence each other.
Just then, Ash suddenly turned his head to look at him and asked:
"Participant Red Gorilla, what do you think my chances are of winning against the Masked Man tomorrow?"
Without a second thought, Red gave his answer.
"Less than one in ten thousand."
The difference in their strength was at least 100 Abins. Winning tomorrow's battle was, to put it mildly, extremely unlikely.
"One in ten thousand... That means there's a chance I can beat the Masked Man. That's enough for me!"
Ash clenched his fists, the battle intent in his eyes not wavering in the slightest.
"Pika!"
Even the Pikachu on his shoulder could feel Ash's battle intent. Its own blood boiled with excitement. It couldn't help but leap high into the air, unleashing a burst of electric current—a Thunderbolt that struck a wild Pidgeotto passing by in mid-air, the powerful electricity knocking it out cold.
(end of chapter)
