"What's a No-Holds-Barred Match?"
Ash cradled Pikachu, utterly confused.
"See? Still a rookie!"
Lt. Surge laughed, ruffling Ash's hair before shouting over his shoulder: "Someone explain the rules to this kid!"
"I'll do it." Visquez stepped forward.
"No-Holds-Barred matches simulate Wild Battles," she said flatly. "This was the standard format for Gyms and League Tournaments in the past."
"Both Trainers and Pokémon enter the field together. Pokémon can be switched freely. The first to knock out any one of the opponent's Pokémon wins."
"Pokémon cannot directly attack Trainers."
Visquez's voice turned icy. "But Trainers must endure any collateral damage from moves."
Ash's jaw dropped.
"Kids like you, raised in peacetime, have forgotten this style," Lt. Surge boomed, slinging an arm around Ash's shoulders. "But Red, Blue Oak, even Professor Oak—they all mastered it!"
This was the first Ash had heard of Trainers fighting alongside their Pokémon.
A thought struck him. "So when Senior Red won the Championship… that was under these rules?"
"Yep."
Lt. Surge clicked his tongue. "But the League scrapped it. Pathetic."
His gaze slid to Natsume, who stood deep in thought.
Mentor… don't disappoint me.
Natsume was reviewing the newly unlocked mission:
[Reward: Wacan Berry ×1, Insulated Gloves (Upgraded) ×1]
In the Special Editions, the Insulated Gloves were loot Red had taken from Lt. Surge.
(Pokédex Holder's Golden Spirit™: Ambushing Giovanni, stealing Surge's gear.)
Both Red and Gold had used them to turn the tables.
Practically a legendary artifact, on par with Giovanni's Techniques.
Natsume rubbed his chin.
With these gloves… my safety rating skyrockets.
Ash frowned. "So that's why Trainers keep getting hurt in Vermilion City?"
"We have medics on standby," Visquez said dryly. "If you're scared, go watch the aquarium shows at another Gym."
Natsume coughed. Cerulean City's reputation takes another hit.
Honestly, the League had introduced this format to prepare Trainers for the wild.
But in peacetime, they'd shifted to flashy exhibitions.
Natsume didn't hate the old rules—he just needed to be cautious.
If Pokémon couldn't target Trainers directly… he'd just stay far away.
Worst case, he'd pull another Professor Oak special—
Swap places again?
"Got it." Natsume nodded.
"But if I win, keep the Badge. I'll take something else."
Already planning his victory?
Lt. Surge's eyebrow shot up. Then he grinned.
Cheeky bastard. I like him.
"Watch and learn, baby Ash."
Lt. Surge cracked his knuckles and yanked a lever by the door.
"This is how old-school Trainers battle!"
CLANG—!
Gears groaned as the battlefield rose from the floor.
FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!
Spotlights blazed down. In the white glare, Lt. Surge bared his teeth.
"Mentor… let's dance!"
Puffy-lipped Tony scrambled to the referee's stand. Visquez and Ash stood aside.
Ash whispered, "Senior… how's Lt. Surge's record in this format?"
"The Captain has never lost," Visquez murmured.
Lt. Surge placed three Poké Balls on the centerline, never breaking eye contact with Natsume.
His gaze was a wolf's—adrenaline maxed, ready to pounce.
Natsume mirrored him, setting down Gengar, Sylveon, and Arcanine's balls.
Whoever grabbed a ball first would gain a huge advantage.
"Final rules recap," Tony gulped. "No direct Trainer attacks. First to KO any opposing Pokémon wins—"
He raised a flag. "BEGIN!"
Lt. Surge moved like lightning.
He lunged for the center—then froze.
What the—?!
Natsume wasn't going for the balls. He was sprinting to the far edge of the field!
Still mid-dive, Lt. Surge flicked a knife from his sleeve.
CLINK!
The blade jammed Natsume's Poké Ball switch.
Snatching his own ball, Lt. Surge grinned savagely.
"Nice try. But a locked ball can't release Pokémon!"
He hurled it: "Raichu, Thunderbolt those balls!"
"Can't even send out his team?" Visquez facepalmed. "This is sad—"
"Wait—" Ash's eyes widened.
"Gengar!"
The Gengar materialized on its own, Shadow Ball already charged. It fired point-blank at Raichu.
BOOM—!
Dust cleared. Raichu stood panting, arms raised in defense.
"Tch. Auto-release function?"
Lt. Surge rolled away from the blast, recalling Raichu in one fluid motion.
"Magneton, Flash!" Blinding light erupted.
Sunglasses already on, Lt. Surge charged Natsume for a takedown.
A veteran's smirk played on his lips.
The rules say Pokémon can't attack Trainers…
But Trainers can fight Trainers!
His fist cut through the air—
CRACK!
Lt. Surge's eyes bulged.
How did he block that?!
"Sorry," Natsume said sheepishly, adjusting his own sunglasses. "I was gonna have Sylveon use Dazzling Gleam too."
"Hmph." Lt. Surge feinted left, then unleashed a military-grade jab.
[Close Combat Lv3 Check—84, Critical Success!]
The 200-pound soldier's fist whistled past.
Natsume dodged, countering with a sweeping kick—
"Gengar, handle Magneton!"
WHOOSH!
Lt. Surge backflipped away, heart pounding.
His moves were elite military techniques.
Yet this bookish Mentor had countered them?
Unless… like Red and Giovanni, he's a Wild Battle specialist!
Ash and Visquez stared, stunned.
"Commanding mid-combat?!" Ash breathed.
Visquez's lips pressed into a thin line.
The Captain… is being pushed back?!
"Damn it!" Lt. Surge glanced at his battered Magneton, recalling it.
Raichu returned to the field. "Thunder Wave!"
"Dodge it!"
Natsume's mind was crystal clear.
Just treat this like a normal match. Stay safe.
As Gengar weaved past the attack—
Lt. Surge's grin turned vicious.
"Mentor… collateral damage's your problem!"
The missed Thunder Wave arced toward Natsume.
"Gengar! Σ(っ°Д°;)っ"
"Ignore me." Natsume's eyes narrowed.
But if Trainers just stood back, why call it "No-Holds-Barred"?
Lt. Surge sneered.
Even a weak static shock would paralyze Natsume, ending the match.
Then—
His smirk died.
The Thunder Wave hit…
And Natsume casually bit into a Cheri Berry. "Gengar, Shadow Ball."
Lt. Surge's eye twitched.
Who carries Cheri Berries like snacks?!
A chill ran down his spine.
Unless… he predicted this from the start?
"I'm…"
Lt. Surge's teeth ground together. Then he grinned like a madman.
"Loving every second of this!"
Pushing his body to the limit, he barked new orders.
Natsume swapped to Sylveon. Its Quick Attack nearly felled Raichu—
Until Lt. Surge sent out his third Pokémon: Electivire.
"Thunder!"
CRACKLE—!
A pillar of lightning split the sky.
Sylveon leapt aside, but the bolt cratered the ground—and kept going.
Natsume recalled Sylveon, staring up at the storm.
"That's… the Captain's ultimate technique!" Visquez trembled.
Ash swallowed hard. "Stronger than Pikachu's Thunderbolt…"
Regret flickered through Natsume.
This Thunder… could kill me ten times over.
But there was no turning back. He took a deep breath.
"Stay calm. Command like normal!"
BOOM—!
The thunderbolt struck—
Lt. Surge crossed his arms, coldly triumphant.
Neither Gengar nor Sylveon can survive that.
Then—
"ROOOAR—!"
Lt. Surge's eyes widened.
Natsume's third Pokémon.
Arcanine, wreathed in lightning, tanked the Thunder with Wild Charge—
Then smashed into Electivire with Extreme Speed!
"Tch!" Lt. Surge spat.
Does Arcanine have a super-effective move against Electivire?
It does. Natsume raised a hand.
Giovanni's Techniques flashed through his mind. For once, he embraced the cringe.
"As long as I stand upon this earth…"
"I will not fall."
With that declaration, Natsume swung his arm down.
"Arcanine, Bulldoze!"
"Arcanine~!!"
Arcanine reared up and slammed its paws into the downed Electivire. A shockwave of earth-toned energy rippled outward!
BOOM—!
Silence.
Natsume exhaled slowly.
"Winner..." Tony's voice cracked as he lowered the flag. "Natsume!"
"Impossible..." Visquez's pupils shrank.
This guy's strength as a Trainer... surpasses even the Captain's?
"That was SO COOL, Natsume-sensei!" Ash cheered, bouncing. "SO COOL!"
Lt. Surge stared blankly at his defeated Electivire.
Then at his own trembling hands.
His face twisted in disbelief.
I... felt fear just now?
For a moment—
In the Mentor—
He'd glimpsed that man's shadow...
Lt. Surge took a deep breath.
Arrogant and self-assured, Lt. Surge had only ever acknowledged two Trainers: Red and Giovanni.
Now...
He studied the unfazed man before him.
"Mentor, huh..."
Lt. Surge closed his eyes and chuckled wryly.
Maybe... as Sabrina said...
He really would lead Team Rocket into a new era...
Natsume: "..."
Natsume clutched his chest, heart still racing.
What was I thinking, agreeing to no-holds-barred?!
Almost got vaporized by Thunder!
Now he understood how Sirfetch'd must've felt.
Everything happened too fast to even panic!
At least the mission was complete. Small comfort.
[Ding! Mission Complete!]
[Insulated Gloves (Upgraded): Special polymer weave. Fireproof, corrosion-resistant, cold-insulated, shock-absorbent... (Red Collaboration Edition, now on sale!)]
Natsume's eyebrow twitched.
So now I can pull a Red—
Have Gengar charge a Sludge Bomb inside its ball, then unleash it on impact?
"Nice... gotta stash these." He pocketed them.
The Wacan Berry was now unlocked in the System Shop too.
With this, even a surprise Thunderbolt from Pikachu wouldn't faze him.
"Natsume-sensei!" Ash rushed over, starry-eyed. "No-holds-barred battles are AWESOME!"
Natsume grinned. "Honestly? You'd probably suit the format better than me."
Ash blinked. "Really?"
Natsume glanced at Lt. Surge—now scratching his head and grinning like an idiot.
"Lt. Surge!" he called.
"Sir! Orders?" Lt. Surge snapped to attention, saluting sharply.
Natsume stared.
Did winning one match really change him this much?
He didn't know.
To Lt. Surge, only two Trainers had ever beaten him in no-holds-barred: Giovanni and Red.
Now... there might be a third.
Natsume pointed at Ash. "Kid's curious about the format. Mind giving him a match?"
"A no-holds-barred with this rookie?"
Lt. Surge scoffed.
But since the Mentor asked, he trudged back to the field.
Five minutes later—
"Don't underestimate me!" Ash tanked Raichu's Thunderbolt and tackled Lt. Surge flat.
Tony and Visquez's jaws hit the floor.
Two losses in one day?!
"Trainers from Pallet Town... are monsters," Visquez whispered.
"Winner... Ash of Pallet Town..." Tony croaked.
Lt. Surge lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, questioning his life choices.
Losing to the Mentor? Fine.
But this rookie?!
He propped himself up, eyeing Ash's exhilarated face with mixed feelings.
"This kid... is a freak of nature," he muttered.
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