"Electivire, hang in there!" Lt. Surge shouted in concern. He'd seen the force behind Pikachu's attack—it was no ordinary move. The shock alone had rattled his strongest partner.
"It's not over yet. Pikachu—Lightning Armor!"
While Electivire was paralyzed, Ash seized the opening. Electric arcs burst around Pikachu's frame. His fur flared upward as golden lightning danced across his body. In that instant, he looked nothing short of fierce.
"Pika… CHUUU!!"
BOOM!!!
The moment Pikachu activated Lightning Armor, he became a yellow blur. His speed was beyond normal limits—so much so that even Ash's Three-Tomoe Sharingan struggled to keep up. Without evolving it into the Mangekyō, he couldn't clearly track his own Pokémon.
Lightning Armor—inspired by the Third Raikage—wasn't just speed. It activated the body's cells and dramatically enhanced physical stats, giving Pikachu a nearly unstoppable forcefield of energy.
"Incredible… That speed and power—damn it! Is this really a Pikachu? Even my Dragonite wouldn't hold up against that!" Lt. Surge muttered in disbelief.
"Can he really be just a rookie trainer?" Cynthia murmured, narrowing her eyes as she watched Ash closely. "He's developed so many original techniques… Even the best schools can't teach that."
As a Champion, Cynthia had always been viewed as a genius. But watching Ash now—seeing those unfamiliar, self-invented techniques—she felt a pressure she hadn't felt in years.
She could already envision the chaos Ash would cause at the Indigo League Conference. His originality alone would make him a phenomenon.
"I forfeit," Lt. Surge said suddenly. He looked at Electivire, who was still on his feet, but clearly hurting. The last strike had caused more internal damage than he wanted to admit. Forcing another clash would be reckless.
"The Gym Leader has forfeited! Ash from Pallet Town wins the Vermilion Gym Challenge!" declared March, the referee. She raised her flag before taking Electivire's Poké Ball and hurrying to the Pokémon Center.
"You really are the pride of the Oak family," Lt. Surge said as he handed Ash a radiant gem-styled badge. "I accept my loss. This is the Vermilion Gym's Gem Badge."
"It's nothing, really. Pikachu hasn't had a serious battle in a while," Ash replied modestly. "Aside from that match with Garan, we haven't had many chances to let loose."
With the badge added to his collection, Ash and the group left Vermilion City. That made three Gem Badges. With two more, Ash would be eligible to challenge the Elite Four and the Champion.
"Before we head to the next Gym, let's stop at Lamport City," Brock suggested, scanning the map. "We're low on supplies."
"Sure. I'm not familiar with this route anyway. I'll leave it to you," Ash said. "After the next Gym battle, I'll still have a month or two to rest up."
Ash had to admit—Brock was incredibly reliable. From routes to rest stops to rations, Brock had everything planned. Traveling with him had been a great decision.
"But Ash," Cynthia said, frowning slightly, "with your level, you don't even need to collect badges. You could enter the League directly. Why go through all this?"
"Because it's fun," Ash said with a grin. "You've been through it too, right? Just because I'm Champion-level doesn't mean I can't enjoy the Gym circuit. I want to win the League in every region. That's how I'll prove both my strength and my Pokémon's."
"But don't you think it's unfair to the other trainers?" Cynthia pressed. "You're already beyond their league. It leaves them no chance."
Ash shrugged. "Unfair? There's no such thing as fairness. Some are born with a silver spoon, some with nothing. Some people get bullied every day of their lives."
"I'm a rookie by age. That's the only rule that matters. Why should I slow down just because I've already hit the top?"
"If I really wanted to rely on my family, I'd be walking around with rare Pokémon I never earned."
After hearing Ash's words, Cynthia fell silent.
When she thought about it, Ash hadn't had an easy childhood. Back then, even as a baby, he endured a harsh life. Delia, his mother, often went without food just to keep him fed. She aged prematurely under the strain—it wasn't until much later, when things finally settled down, that she was able to recover her health and youthful spirit.
"Ring, ring!"
Just then, Ash's phone rang. Not many people had his number, so getting a call was rare.
"Hello?" he answered casually.
"Ash, it's Mom! Where are you traveling now?" Delia's gentle voice came through the speaker, warm and familiar. Ash didn't even realize how much he missed it until he heard it—his eyes softened, and a small smile tugged at his lips.
Ash replied, "Brock and I are heading to Lamport City to stock up on supplies. What made you call out of the blue?"
"Oh, is it such a crime to call my own son when I have time?" Delia chuckled. "Anyway, your grandfather said something interesting—apparently, our Ash already has a fiancée!"
Her voice wasn't particularly quiet, so Cynthia, who was sitting nearby, overheard the entire thing. Her face immediately flushed with embarrassment. This kind of topic was… way too awkward for a girl to hear so suddenly.
"Mom, please don't start with that! I'm still a kid, come on," Ash groaned, clearly uncomfortable. "Why don't you talk to Grandpa about this instead? I really don't want to be engaged!"
Cynthia watched from the side, trying to keep a straight face, but her expression cracked slightly at Ash's reaction.
Delia replied teasingly, "Oh come on, you're not that young. I've seen her picture, and she's quite cute. Honestly, I think she'd be a perfect match for my Ash."
Ash sighed. "Let's not talk about this right now. One day at a time, okay?"
...
TN:
Lamport City is either an og city or a mistranslation which i can't fix. I don't know which city to fit here so we'll keep it as an og city.
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