Chapter 298: Charmander Sets Out, Encounters a Shiny Pidgey Right at the Start
"Pokédex: Azumarill, the Aqua Mouse Pokémon. Gentle nature, with the Huge Power ability. It is a legendary dragon slayer, capable of felling a Dragonite with a single slap."
Ash put away his Pokédex, not daring to be careless.
After everything he had experienced, he had more or less figured out the rules of this world.
Those that looked burly and imposing on the outside were mostly all talk, nothing more than paper tigers.
On the other hand, for adorable-looking ones like this, if you tried to rub its head, it might just snap your back in return and then hit you with a Primary Lotus for good measure.
Among them, the most dangerous were the various Mouse Pokémon.
Whether it was an Electric Mouse or this Water Mouse right now.
However, since his Ivysaur wanted to become the king of the Oak Laboratory's backyard, Ash would absolutely support it. Unafraid, he waved a hand decisively.
"Ivysaur, strike first! Use Grassy Glide!"
"Saur!"
Ivysaur's four limbs slid across the grassland, transforming into a green shockwave that shot forward at incredible speed.
Despite the disadvantageous type matchup, the Azumarill showed no fear. It sank onto its hind legs as a current of water began to swirl around its body. Then, with a powerful push off the ground, it transformed into a blue shockwave, launching forward like a rocket.
Aqua Jet!!
This was also a priority move, its speed in no way inferior to Grassy Glide.
"BOOM!!"
Aqua Jet and Grassy Glide collided, sending splashes of water and green light everywhere. Energy dispersed in a rippling halo, and both Ivysaur and Azumarill were knocked back several steps.
Although the power of Aqua Jet was much weaker than Grassy Glide, with the boost from its Huge Power ability, it was an even match.
Ash immediately changed his strategy.
"In that case, use Stun Spore!"
"Saur~!"
Ivysaur shook the bud on its back, instantly releasing a cloud of pale-yellow powder that enveloped Azumarill.
In response, Azumarill quickly countered. It shot a column of water vertically into the air. Gravity quickly pulled the column of water straight back down, washing its face.
This completely rinsed away the Stun Spore, rendering the move useless.
"This Azumarill..."
Ash's brow furrowed. It seemed this Azumarill wasn't wild, but had received professional training, able to handle any crisis with flexibility.
"Ivysaur, use Razor Leaf!!"
Ivysaur's body trembled, and in an instant, it fired countless sharp green leaves. They spun rapidly in mid-air, creating an unnerving sound as they sliced through the air.
"Marill~!"
Azumarill opened its mouth and, with a flick of its head, spat out a pulse of icy-blue energy. It shot forward in a jagged, staircase-like pattern, its path radiating an oppressive chill.
Ice Beam!!
The powerful chill made contact with the Razor Leaf, instantly freezing the leaves into ice shards and even continuing to fly toward the source.
Ivysaur didn't dare be careless and had to quickly leap backward to dodge. The Ice Beam struck the ground in front of it, instantly solidifying into a spike of sheer ice that glittered with a blue light under the sun.
"Saur..."
Ivysaur was secretly alarmed, subconsciously using a vine whip to adjust the sunglasses on its nose.
If that Ice Beam had hit, the damage would have been immense...
"BOOM-BOOM!!"
But before it could catch its breath, the ice spike in front of it shattered like glass, scattering ice fragments everywhere as if something had blown it apart.
Then, a blue-and-white figure shot out from within the ice shards, its eyes flashing with a ruthless red light and its body radiating the powerful aura of a Demon God.
It was Azumarill, having used the ice as cover to close the distance.
A bone-chilling layer of icy energy had already gathered on its right fist. It advanced on Ivysaur step by step, raised its hand, and threw a sweeping left hook.
Huge Power: Ice Punch!
Relying on this Ice Punch, it had beaten countless dragons to death in its youth!
DANGER!!
Ivysaur's eyes widened. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, it threw its body sideways and backward, dodging the Ice Punch at the absolute limit of its range.
However, its cheek was still grazed, and an intense chill instantly pierced its bones, forming a layer of ice over half of its face.
Super effective!
"Hiss..."
Ivysaur and Ash couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath, their hearts pounding with lingering fear.
If that had been a direct hit, even if it didn't mean instant death, it would have left Ivysaur on the verge of fainting.
"What a strong Water Mouse..."
Watching the Azumarill puff up its body like a balloon in triumph, Ash couldn't help but be impressed.
Azumarill had deliberately used the weaker, special-attack-based Ice Beam as a feint. Its true goal was the physical, Huge-Power-boosted Ice Punch. This was clearly a classic combo.
"Does Pallet Town have such powerful trainers?"
Most of the Pokémon here had been left in the lab's care by their trainers. Although there were only four new trainers from Pallet Town this year, including Ash, that didn't mean they were the only four trainers the town had ever produced.
There were even quite a few trainers who had set off on their journeys many years ago and had since vanished without a trace. Naturally, their Pokémon had claimed territory in this backyard and become kings.
They possessed not only the ferocity and valor of wild Pokémon but also the discipline of a trainer's Pokémon—a perfect fusion of both worlds.
"But this is even better..."
Ash tipped his hat, his eyes shining even more brightly, his words carrying a wild confidence.
There was still a month and a half until the Indigo League Conference began, and he had just been worrying about how to give his Ivysaur some special training. Now, he had a method.
He would just have to take down all the 'kings' here!
Ash had often come here to play as a child, so he naturally knew the situation.
Not only was there Azumarill, the king of the stream and water, but also the king of bugs in the jungle behind, and in the deepest part of the Rocky Area, the powerful king of the ground and mountains.
The backyard, including the back mountain, was a vast area, and these kings had each carved out their own territories, ruling their domains.
Of course, there was also a king of the sky and wind—an exceptionally rare Shiny Pidgeot.
It was said to be a Pokémon left behind by a senior trainer from seven or eight years ago, whose name started with 'Xiao'.
However, on the very first day his Aerodactyl arrived in the backyard, the King of the Sky and Wind was dethroned.
Speaking of which, it was strange. The trainers back then were basically all cut from the same mold. On average, they all started their journey with a Charmander, encountered a Shiny Pidgey right at the start, and in their debut year, they were already beating up the Elite Four and the Champion, with beauties on each arm and an alpaca to ride.
Then, by the second year, they would have ascended to godhood and vanished without a trace. It was all very mysterious and fantastical.
"Hmph, the first target is this Aqua Mouse!!"
Ash refocused, waved his hand, and launched another attack.
"Ivysaur, use Leech Seed!!"
"Saur!"
The bud on Ivysaur's back trembled, shooting out a brown seed. It flew in a parabolic arc and landed on the ground in front of Azumarill.
The moment the seed touched the ground, it took root and sprouted, sending countless wooden vines to bind Azumarill.
"Marill~!"
Azumarill immediately leaped into the air, curled its body into a ball, and began to spin furiously, instantly tearing apart all the Leech Seed's vines.
Rollout!
Although it wasn't Rapid Spin, it was still quite effective against moves like Leech Seed.
"Rumble..."
Watching Azumarill charge toward him like a rolling boulder, Ash took a firm step forward, not retreating in the slightest.
"Then we'll meet it head-on! Block it with Vine Whip!!"
Ivysaur nodded and instantly lashed out with two brown whips, which shot forward like agile snakes.
(end of chapter)