Chapter 134: A Female Machop with a Promising Future
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
Through some maneuvering, Ash had also obtained quite a bit of information.
For example, the Masked Man had indeed challenged the Indigo League in his early years and won the title of Conference Champion, even earlier than the P1 Grand Prix from two years ago.
However, the Pokémon League Conference here and the Champion League are actually two different concepts.
The Pokémon League Conference is where regular Trainers, who have collected eight Badges, compete in an elimination tournament against other such Trainers to decide the Conference Champion.
The Champion League, on the other hand, is a completely different kind of competition—or rather, it's not so much a competition as a series of one-on-one challenges.
The Conference Champion challenges an Elite Four member.
An Elite Four member challenges the League Champion.
The winner takes their place!
In other words, within the Champion League, even the weakest individual is a former Conference Champion.
And once a Trainer becomes the Conference Champion, it is up to them to decide whether to continue challenging upwards. After all, the only opponents they can choose are the four reigning Elite Four members, each of whom possesses such extreme strength that it's enough to make one's scalp tingle.
They are by no means comparable to those half-baked core executives from Team Rocket.
Of course, even for Elite Four members as formidable as them, the thought of challenging the next level up—the League Champion—is equally daunting.
It is precisely because of this mechanism of universal contention and competition that the caliber of Trainers continues to rise.
This was also what the Masked Man desired.
Back then, like a dark horse from abroad, he single-handedly challenged the long-established Kanto League, seizing that year's Conference Champion title with an incredibly aggressive style.
In the subsequent Champion League, he went on to directly challenge Lance, who at the time was the most prominent and powerful member of the Elite Four.
Of course, the outcome was a crushing defeat.
It's worth mentioning that although Lance wasn't the Champion at the time, after accepting the Masked Man's challenge, he turned around and challenged the reigning Champion. With his incomparably formidable Pokémon that looked like a dragon but wasn't, he directly knocked the Champion off their throne, declaring that the title of Kanto's strongest for the next decade would be his to rule.
"So that's the Champion League..."
Ash took a deep breath. This meant that only by becoming the champion of the Pokémon League Conference could he possibly advance to the Champion League and challenge this Masked Man.
"I will win!"
Ash clenched his fists, swearing a silent oath.
But for now, the main event was this P1 Grand Prix.
He would start his ascent by taking this championship!
The competition quickly got underway with fiery intensity. Many of the participants were muscular hunks, making Ash, a short youth who looked thin in his clothes, seem a bit out of place.
He even saw quite a few people wearing the same style of mask as The Royal Mask. Paired with their muscular physiques and the black leather straps binding them, it created an aesthetic reminiscent of a professional wrestling club.
"It's my turn."
After the first round of competition against countless small fry, Ash's debut battle had arrived.
The tournament used a 1v1 single-elimination format. Starting with over a hundred people, the number of participants was continually halved, with losers being eliminated immediately and winners advancing to the next round.
"Next up is Neiichi from the Maikawa martial arts family here in our Kanto Region! He's 10 years old and this is his first time challenging the P1 Grand Prix! He's a hot favorite to make it to the top three this year!"
Following the announcer's introduction, a boy with an arrogant look walked to the edge of the Arena. He was dressed in a white martial arts uniform, looking every bit the professional fighter.
"And his opponent is Ash from Pallet Town, also 10 years old this year!!"
Ash clenched his fists and also walked to the front of the Arena.
Neiichi looked at his opponent's country bumpkin appearance and couldn't help but let out a derisive laugh as he threw his Poké Ball.
It was a grayish-blue, humanoid Pokémon, about the size of a human child, but its muscles were incredibly solid. It spread its arms and legs, striking a pose similar to Taekwondo.
"Beep. Machop, the Superpower Pokémon. Though small in stature, its entire body is filled with muscle, allowing it to exert power several times its own body weight. Visually identified as female, with a promising future."
The Pokédex announced automatically.
Ash nodded slightly, not underestimating his opponent in the slightest due to its size, and slowly tossed out his own Pokémon.
"Awooo!!"
Primeape appeared, its round body immediately raising two large fists, pumping its arms to welcome the cheers of the crowd as if it were already the champion.
"It's up to you, Third Brother!"
"Roar!"
Ash and Primeape bumped fists, their minds instantly connected.
The only thing that confused it was, wasn't it Second Brother yesterday? Why had it become Third Brother today?
Primeape and Machop stepped onto the Arena, while the Trainers could only issue commands from outside the ropes.
*DONG!!*
As the announcer struck the ceremonial gong, Primeape, unable to restrain its volatile nature, immediately charged forward like a runaway wild Rapidash, throwing a straight punch.
"Heh."
The petite Machop, instead of panicking, gave a smirk. It took a slight step back, then tilted its head, allowing Primeape's sandbag-sized fist to brush past its head.
"A perfect chance! Machop, use Seismic Toss!" Neiichi instructed, unable to hold back a smile.
One look at this Primeape's movements and you could tell it was an untrained novice; nothing to be afraid of.
A clever glint appeared in Machop's eyes. It proactively closed the distance, pressing its body against Primeape's. Then, it grabbed Primeape's wrist with one hand and pulled down on its furry body with the other. With a sudden burst of strength, it heaved Primeape onto its back.
"Hah!"
With a low shout, Machop used this momentum to fling Primeape away with immense power.
Primeape's round form flew backward, only bouncing off the arena ropes before landing on the ground. It rubbed its head, a little dazed.
"Third Brother, calm down! We have a Bond!"
Ash quickly ran to the other side of the Arena to shout encouragement.
"Roar..."
Having been hit by Seismic Toss once, Primeape quickly calmed down. It got to its feet, its sharp gaze scanning the movements of the little runt before it, trying to find an opening.
But Neiichi didn't give it a chance to think. This time, he went on the offensive:
"Machop, use Low Kick!"
Machop rushed forward, dropped its rear to the ground, and executed a slide tackle right into Primeape's toes. The pain caused Primeape to grab its foot and cry out, hopping around on one leg.
"Now's your chance, use Seismic Toss again!"
This Machop was clearly well-trained. Its Speed was not low, and it took advantage of Primeape's panic to close in again, pressing its small back against Primeape's round body.
Then, repeating the same move, it once again exerted its strength and threw Primeape.
"So strong..."
Ash was secretly alarmed. Truly worthy of someone from a so-called martial arts family.
Fortunately, Primeape was tough and hardy, and it still maintained its Combat Power after taking two Moves.
Seeing the opponent's second slide tackle about to hit, Ash's eyes suddenly lit up as he thought of a counter-plan.
He was a Trainer, not a martial artist. Naturally, he had to handle things with a Trainer's mindset.
"Primeape, jump up, quick!"
"PRIME!"
Hearing the command, Primeape pushed off with its powerful thighs and leaped straight up. Its incredible jumping power even startled the Machop as it slid past underneath.
But Primeape, having jumped up, didn't land back on the ground. Instead, it planted one foot on top of a black post at the edge of the Arena, raised its two fists, and let out a triumphant roar.
"This move is..."
Neiichi was somewhat stunned and suspicious. He felt like he had seen this move somewhere before.
Ash, however, just tipped his hat down, a flame igniting in his eyes, and then roared:
"Take this! Primeape, use Cross Chop!!"
Primeape leaped high from the black post once more, its hands crossed in front of its chest, its arms emitting an astonishing white light. Then, it tipped its body forward and dove towards Machop!
Combined with the white lights hanging all around, its powerful imposing might cast a shadow that actually caused Machop to just stand there foolishly, watching the attack rapidly approach.
*CLANG!!*
Primeape's Cross Chop landed heavily, striking Machop directly on the neck. The immense force instantly sent it flying out of the Arena.
Machop was taken out in a One-Hit KO!
"There it is! It's The Royal Mask's signature Secret Technique, Malicious Moonsault!!"
The announcer recognized it instantly. Both the movements and the momentum of this move were incredibly similar to Incineroar's Secret Technique.
Or rather, it was something Ash and Primeape had copied outright.
It just had a little less power, and none of the flashy black flames surrounding it.
"Ash advances to the next round!!"
(end of chapter)