"Is this the haunted house those people were talking about? It's just run-down and much bigger. It doesn't look any different from the houses outside."
Xiao Zhi stood at the gate, looking at the mansion, originally intending to enter. On second thought, he decided to come back later; the most important thing right now was to challenge the Gym.
Anyway, they would pass by it, so it wouldn't be too late to come back after challenging the Gym.
Xiao Gang looked at the surroundings and said, "I feel like it's a bit eerie."
"Yeah, even though the weather is so hot, I feel chilly winds. There must be something dirty here." Xiao Xia shivered. After the three of them unanimously agreed, they finally chose to go to Kuye City Gym first.
Anyway, they knew the way now, so it wouldn't be too late to come back after challenging the Gym.
And so, they arrived at Kuye City Gym. Looking at the vast and magnificent Electric-type Gym before him, Xiao Zhi also felt a surge of excitement: "I must take down the third badge in one go!"
The other two, seeing Xiao Zhi's current state, also cheered him on.
Pushing open the large door, Xiao Zhi and his companions saw two people standing at the entrance, looking down at the three of them.
"Oh? What are you here for? To challenge the Gym?" asked one of them, a muscular woman with hair like a charging plug.
This person was Bisukisu, the vice-captain of Kuye City Gym.
Xiao Zhi nodded and said, "That's right, I'm here to challenge the Gym!"
Bisukisu nodded and shouted behind her, "Boss, someone else is here to challenge the Gym!"
"Bo... Boss?" * 3
The three of them took a step back, instinctively thinking this was a villainous organization. Even the title 'Boss' had been brought out, which was truly frightening.
"Hello, and welcome to Kuye City. Which one of you little ones is the challenger?" A rather cheerful voice came, and he walked with heavy steps to stand in front of the three, greeting each one.
'He appeared! Unova's soldier, Lt. Surge!' Li Qingfeng saw Lt. Surge's face and remembered his identity.
After Lt. Surge learned that Xiao Zhi was the challenger, he bent down and looked at Pikachu.
Unlike in the original work, he didn't mock it. Instead, he reached out and stroked Pikachu's chin, and Pikachu let out a comfortable sound.
Lt. Surge nodded and said, "Your Pikachu is quite well-trained, but it's a bit chubby. It would definitely be better if it evolved. As a Gym Leader, I must guide challengers."
He clapped his hands, and Bisukisu stepped forward. She took out a Thunder Stone and handed it to Xiao Zhi.
Xiao Zhi was a bit confused by the current situation and quickly asked, 'Li Dage, what's going on? Should Pikachu evolve?'
'Is there a possibility that your Pikachu can't evolve because it's a Dynamax Pikachu?' Li Qingfeng yawned.
Xiao Zhi's Pikachu had long since been patched in later iterations; whether it was Hat Pikachu, Partner Pikachu, or Dynamax Pikachu, none could evolve.
In other words, even if you gave Pikachu a hundred Thunder Stones, it still wouldn't be able to evolve.
'Eh? Is that so?' Xiao Zhi was still a bit confused.
What is Dynamax anyway?
Despite his confusion, Xiao Zhi explained that his Pikachu couldn't evolve, which made everyone in the Gym look at each other in bewilderment.
Are you kidding? Our Gym Leader's Raichu evolved from a Pikachu, so how could this kid's Pikachu not be able to evolve?
Lt. Surge smiled and patted Xiao Zhi's head, saying, "Little one, if you don't want to evolve it, just say so. Why bother saying your Pikachu can't evolve?"
Seeing that Xiao Zhi refused to evolve Pikachu, Lt. Surge led him to the battle arena: "In that case, let me show you the power gained after evolution."
Lt. Surge threw out a poké ball, and a Pokémon with dark orange fur and a white belly appeared on the field, hands on its hips.
Seeing this, Xiao Zhi took out his pokémon index: "Raichu, the Mouse Pokémon, Pikachu's evolved form."
Bisukisu stood at the referee's position and shouted, "One Pokémon may be used. If one side's Pokémon loses its ability to battle, that side loses. The battle begins now!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Zhi quickly made the first move: "Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"
Pikachu was enveloped in white light and darted towards Raichu like lightning. Raichu didn't dodge, instead puffing out its chest and blocking Pikachu's attack. For it, being hit by Quick Attack only caused a slight prickling sensation.
"Thunder Punch." Lt. Surge's command was delivered, and Raichu's fist slowly began to gather lightning.
Xiao Zhi quickly gave commands, not wanting Pikachu to take heavy damage: "Pikachu, quick evade!"
Pikachu reacted instantly, dodging the Thunder Punch with lightning speed. Raichu swung a punch into the air, feeling slightly disappointed.
However, it wasn't going to give up easily. It stared at Pikachu, its body flickering with electricity, ready to attack again.
Lt. Surge crossed his arms and, seeing Pikachu darting around, said to Xiao Zhi, "Hahaha, my Raichu evolved as soon as I caught it. How about that? Isn't evolution amazing?"
Xiao Zhi recalled what Li Qingfeng had told him earlier:
'Raichu has low physical defense, and although its speed is faster than a Pikachu that hasn't used Quick Attack, its large body makes its movements less agile than Pikachu's.'
'And your Pikachu knows Quick Attack and Shadow Clone, which you can use to break through.'
"I got it! Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Xiao Zhi had a sudden idea. Since the current Raichu wasn't that agile, he could use Pikachu's agility advantage to fight a guerrilla war.
Pikachu immediately displayed its agile posture, darting across the field at astonishing speed. It moved like a streak of lightning, rapidly flashing around Raichu, making it almost impossible to pinpoint.
Raichu, due to its heavy build, couldn't keep up with Pikachu's Quick Attack. It looked left and right, trying to find Pikachu's position, but Pikachu had already swiftly appeared behind Raichu.
"Now! Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Xiao Zhi shouted excitedly.
Pikachu leaped up, swinging its proud tail. Its golden-yellow tail instantly turned silver, transforming into an iron lightning bolt that slammed heavily into Raichu.
Raichu was unprepared and was hit by Iron Tail, its body tilting slightly forward. It seemed to have been hit in a vital spot!
Seeing this, Xiao Zhi shouted, "Pikachu, press the advantage, continue using Iron Tail!"
Lt. Surge countered, "Raichu, use Thunder Punch."
Raichu's body flickered with electricity, concentrating a destructive Thunder Punch.
Pikachu advanced instead of retreating, unhesitatingly swinging its Iron Tail again. The silver light instantly condensed into a sharp blade, striking fiercely at Raichu.
Raichu sensed the danger and quickly launched Thunder Punch. Electricity burst from its fist, blasting towards Pikachu.