Heat waves shimmered off the dirt road leading to Pewter City under the scorching sun, while the sparse shrubs by the roadside drooped listlessly.
Misty wiped the sweat from her forehead; her orange side ponytail was practically matted, and her eyes held a deep exhaustion mixed with a trace of numbness born of habit.
"Ash..." she spoke feebly, "are you sure you still want to let it out for some air?"
"Why not?" Ash took out a Poké Ball.
The words had barely fallen.
"ROAR—!!!"
A thunderclap on a clear day!
The Golden Gyarados, just released, saw its crimson draconic eyes ignite once more with violent flames without warning.
Its massive head whipped toward a flock of Pidgey startled into flight by the roadside, as if it had received some grave provocation.
A berserk aura expanded like a tangible sledgehammer, causing the very air to stagnate.
It's the Intimidate ability!
Again?!
Misty closed her eyes in resignation.
Well, she actually knew very well that the early training of a Pokémon like Gyarados was extremely difficult.
Overly drastic changes in body tissue made it hard for Gyarados to control itself.
"Pika!" However, the Pikachu on Ash's shoulder instantly entered combat mode, its small body tensing as golden electricity coursed beneath its fur.
Even without Ash's command, it had already transformed into a golden lightning bolt ready to strike.
Ash sighed, his face showing no surprise, only a hint of helplessness and a response protocol long since carved into his marrow.
He couldn't help it.
Gyarados was prone to falling into a frenzy, so its controllability had to be increased.
Keeping Gyarados locked up forever wouldn't increase control; he could only let it out to constantly get used to the berserk state.
However, Gyarados had indeed gained growth during the training.
And Pikachu's level had also improved significantly.
With Pikachu's leveling speed, it was already Level 15.
This was all the result of boldly beating on the big meat shield that was Gyarados.
Pikachu could attack without worry; it wouldn't die anyway.
Unlike when fighting Beedrill, Raticate, and the like, where one had to worry about accidentally electrocuting them to death.
The results weren't too bad, actually.
Ash pulled down the brim of his hat, hiding the sharp glint that flashed in his eyes, yet his voice was unusually steady:
"Sky Eye, pull up! Stay outside the alert range!"
"Partner, same as always! Disrupt with Quick Attack, suppress with Thunder Shock!"
"Watch out! Its target this time might be that flock of Pidgey; don't let it hurt the Pidgey!"
Ash's orders were clear.
"Pika—chu!!!"
Pikachu's figure vanished instantly!
Leaving behind only a ring of distorted air and a faint smell of scorching.
Through constant cultivation, Pikachu was also adapting to using lightning to strengthen its body.
At the very least, when activating its lightning power, its movement speed would be faster.
The power of Pokémon wasn't so rigid; it couldn't be completely measured by numerical values.
The more powerful the Pokémon, the more unpredictability they had in this regard.
For example—some Pokémon might have poor defense, but could use their abilities to block or dodge other attacks.
In the next instant.
Pikachu had appeared eerily in the blind spot of Gyarados's turning head—right above the side of its neck covered in heavy golden scales.
The movement speed had exceeded Gyarados's perception; in Gyarados's eyes, it was as if it had performed a spatial jump directly.
Zzzzt—!!!
Several golden electric snakes, as thick as rice bowls and carrying a terrifying tearing sensation, lashed out like lightning shackles appearing out of thin air, striking hard at the relatively weak connections of the scales on the side of Gyarados's neck!
"ROAAA—!!!"
Gyarados cried out in pain, its berserk roar laced with anger and a trace of indescribable grievance.
Being beaten while in a berserk state all the time, it would learn its lesson too.
But it couldn't control itself.
Gyarados was suffering too.
Its massive head thrashed wildly, trying to shake off that annoying electric mouse, while its thick tail instinctively swept out with force enough to split mountains and crack rocks!
"BOOM!!!"
A waist-high rock by the roadside was smashed to smithereens like tofu, sending gravel shooting out like cannonballs.
"Quick Attack!" Ash's command came as if predicting the future.
At the moment the tail approached, Pikachu's golden figure blurred again, skimming dangerously close to that destructive golden tail-hammer, the wind it generated making its fur stand on end.
Without pausing, its four paws tapped lightly on the flying dust and gravel to borrow leverage, instantly circling to the back of the other side of Gyarados's neck, exposed by its head thrashing!
"Thunder Shock! Maximum power!"
"Pika—!!!"
Thicker, more violent electric snakes bit down hard once again.
Bombarding precisely on the charred wounds caused by the previous shock.
Attacking the same spot could increase damage.
This was also a difference from the game... perhaps in the game it could be compared to a critical hit?
"ROAR!!!" Gyarados's massive body convulsed violently, wisps of green smoke rising from the gaps in its golden scales.
The violence in its crimson draconic eyes was washed away by the intense pain like a receding tide, replaced by immense confusion and... grievance?
—I was looking at that flock of Pidgey, I'm so hungry!!
—Why am I getting beaten again?!
Its huge body, losing balance from the paralysis and agony of the shock, crashed onto the scorching dirt ground like a golden mountain with its spine removed, shaking the earth.
The kicked-up dust instantly swallowed a small part of its body.
"Pika..." Pikachu landed back at Ash's feet, panting slightly, the tiny golden sparks on its body not yet fully subsided, staring vigilantly at the massive silhouette within the dust.
Ash walked forward, passing through the gradually dissipating dust.
The Golden Gyarados lay paralyzed in the shallow crater it had smashed open, two new large patches of charred scorch marks on the side of its neck, scales curled up, blood mixed with soil slowly oozing out.
Its massive head rested weakly on the ground, crimson eyes half-open; where was there any desire for destruction left in them?
Only a thick, dissolving exhaustion and pain remained, along with a sense of... massive grievance at being misunderstood by the whole world.
This baby is hurting inside.
"Roar..." It made a low, almost whimpering sound.
Gyarados carefully, even with a bit of fawning, rubbed its whiskers gently against Ash's dust-covered trouser leg.
That action was so clumsy it was heartbreaking, as if saying: Boss, I really didn't mean to... I don't know how I just...
Ash looked at those huge draconic eyes full of "Baby is aggrieved but Baby won't say it," and the corner of his mouth twitched.
He sighed resignedly and fished out the last two special Pokéblocks from his backpack.
Feeding this stuff to Gyarados now was about the same as throwing a pebble into the ocean, but at least it was a gesture.
"Open up." His voice held no ripple of emotion.
Gyarados immediately opened its giant mouth obediently, and those two Pokéblocks—like sesame seeds to it—were tossed precisely inside.
It chewed symbolically, a satisfied, low rumbling sound coming from its throat, and the tip of its massive tail even wagged gently in ingratiation, kicking up a small patch of dust.
Gyarados simply wanted Ash's concern.
As for being beaten up...
Don't underestimate its physique.
Misty stood a few steps away, witnessing the entire lightning-fast "suppression" and the subsequent "pacification."
She looked at that golden beast paralyzed in the pit, aggrieved like a big dog wrongly accused by its owner.
Then looked at Ash, who skillfully pulled out Pokéblocks with a "life is hard" expression on his face.
Finally, her gaze landed on Pikachu, who was panting slightly but whose eyes remained as sharp as ever.
Misty raised her hand, rubbing her throbbing temples in exhaustion, and sighed a long, deep sigh, her voice filled with resigned helplessness:
"I say... you guys..."
"Are we... actually going to make it to Pewter City for dinner today?"
_____
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