The very first battle had only just begun, yet Misty had already foreseen the result.
And sure enough, the scene that followed matched her prediction exactly—
Butterfree was sent out, only to be blasted away in an instant by Charmander's Flamethrower.
"Ah! Butterfree!" Ash cried out in shock. He never imagined that he would lose his first battle so quickly.
"What a terrifying Flamethrower…"
Misty's pupils narrowed as she fixed her gaze on Charmander.
Since childhood, Yozora had always been able to sense the aura of Pokémon—through their aura, he could judge their strength and determine their level.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't just aura, but rather a kind of energy fluctuation.
Yozora had never thought it unusual. He simply assumed everyone could do the same.
But now, it was clear that Ash and Misty lacked this ability.
Still—
As the daughter of the Cerulean Gym, Misty had her own strength. She could judge a Pokémon's level through the sheer power of its moves.
And with enough experience, this method was highly accurate.
"Elite-level…"
"I never would've guessed that Charmander has already reached Elite-level!" Misty couldn't help but glance at Yozora, utterly stunned.
After all, Yozora was just a Rookie Trainer who had only started out a month ago!In such a short span of time, he had managed to raise a rookie Pokémon to Elite-level?
His nurturing ability… was far too terrifying.
Yes.
Nurturing ability.
Throughout history, those who achieved greatness as Trainers all shared one thing in common—extraordinary skill in raising Pokémon.
Some even possessed special abilities.
For instance, the renowned Blackthorn Clan in Kanto.
It was said that the clan's prodigies inherited the legendary "Dragon Force." With Dragon Force, they could subtly strengthen their Dragon-type Pokémon, increasing not only their strength but even their potential.
"Could it be… does Yozora also possess some kind of special power, similar to the legendary Dragon Force?"
"If that's true, then without a doubt, Yozora is Heaven's chosen— a once-in-a-century prodigy!"
Misty's heart wavered, and her gaze on Yozora gradually softened…
She had already found him handsome before. But now—for some reason—he seemed even taller, stronger, and more dazzling in her eyes.
"It's your turn, Pidgeotto!"
After hastily recalling his scorched Butterfree, Ash sent out his second Pokémon.
"Pidgeotto, use Hurricane!"
This time, Ash seemed to have learned his lesson. Instead of risking close combat, he opted for a ranged attack.
But before Pidgeotto could unleash the move, Yozora recalled Charmander.
"If the opponent is Pidgeotto, then it's your turn—Pidgeotto!" Yozora also sent out his second Pokémon.
"What?!" Ash's eyes widened in disbelief.
"So big!" Misty gasped in shock.
Both sides had a Pidgeotto.
But Yozora's Pidgeotto was massive, towering more than a head above Ash's.
"Hmph, size doesn't necessarily mean strength!"
"Go, Pidgeotto! Show him your speed—Quick Attack!" Ash barked the order.
On the battlefield—
Obeying its Trainer, Ash's Pidgeotto folded its wings, turning into a streak of lightning as it lunged toward Yozora's.
But just as it closed in, Yozora's Pidgeotto tilted its body with elegance, effortlessly dodging the strike.
"Again! Don't give in, Pidgeotto! Keep using Quick Attack!" Ash shouted, unwilling to admit defeat.
"Dodge its attacks," Yozora replied calmly, in stark contrast to Ash's desperation.
On the field—
Ash's Pidgeotto darted around in rapid bursts, striking from all angles with relentless Quick Attacks.
But Yozora's Pidgeotto evaded every attempt with ease, graceful and unhurried.
Half a minute passed, and Yozora's Pidgeotto had barely broken a sweat…
While Ash's Pidgeotto, after expending so much energy in vain, was left panting heavily, stamina nearly depleted.
"Pidgeotto, hang in there!" Ash cried out desperately.
But it was useless.
Exhausted stamina couldn't be restored in an instant.
"Finish it, Pidgeotto."
"Show them what true speed looks like—Quick Attack!" Yozora's voice rang with vigor.
Whoosh!
His Pidgeotto shot forth like an arrow from a bow, a streak of lightning that struck Ash's Pidgeotto in a single instant.
And it wasn't just speed—Yozora's Pidgeotto carried terrifying power as well.
"Pidgeee…!"
Ash's Pidgeotto let out a cry of pain, then tumbled like a kite with a broken string before crashing heavily to the ground. Its eyes closed, body limp—knocked out cold.
"No way…"
"Another Elite-level Pokémon?"
"Is Yozora really just a Rookie Trainer who started only a month ago?"
As expected of the daughter of the Cerulean Gym, Misty's eye for detail was sharp. With just a single move, she had judged Yozora's Pidgeotto's level—and the revelation left her reeling.
His talent in nurturing Pokémon was simply too overwhelming, almost frightening.
Until now, Misty had been just like Ash—prideful, headstrong, unwilling to bow to anyone.
But before Yozora's terrifying ability, her pride had crumbled…
"Damn it!"
Ash's face turned grim.
Butterfree and Pidgeotto had both fallen in crushing defeat. The message was loud and clear.
"It's not just Charmander… even Yozora's Pidgeotto is unbelievably strong!" Ash admitted to himself.
At last, he fully recognized the vast gap between himself and Yozora.
The difference was not small. But even so—
"I'll never give up! Let's go, Pikachu!"
"Pika-pika!"
Ever since the battle against the flock of Spearow, Ash and Pikachu had shared life and death together. Their bond was now unbreakable.
Sensing Ash's unwillingness to lose and his burning fighting spirit, Pikachu's eyes gleamed with determination. Its body radiated fighting intent, brimming with energy.
"So this is Pikachu—the so-called 'Pika God,' the legend that can topple legendaries in one battle and lose pitifully to rookies in the next…"
Yozora chuckled, opening his system interface to inspect Pikachu's status panel.
[Pokémon]: Pikachu
[Type]: Electric
[Level]: Advanced
[Potential]: Tier 2 Legendary
[Description]: Ash's partner, bound to his fate. An extreme existence with terrifying potential. Not naturally battle-hungry, but for Ash's sake, it can occasionally unleash power far beyond its level.
…
…
(End of Chapter)