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After that, Ash didn't catch any more Pokémon. He had gathered all the Pokémon he needed for his journey and to challenge Gyms.
The next step was to train these Pokémon before thinking about catching new ones.
Three more days passed, and a somewhat disheveled Misty and Ash finally stood at the exit of Viridian Forest.
Seven days, a full seven days in the forest—they were almost turning into wild people!
If Ash hadn't occasionally carried Misty, given her stamina, they would have likely been delayed by another two or three days.
During these seven days, Misty had only bathed twice, and even then, it was just a quick wipe-down with a towel by a small pond. The pond water was too cold; even in the scorching sun, cold water was not good for a girl.
So, Misty's first thought upon arriving in Pewter City was to find a place to shower immediately!
Otherwise, she would go crazy.
Ash wanted to challenge the Gym right away. He was eager to test the results of his special training during this period.
However, at Misty's suggestion, Ash first went to the Pokemon Center to drop off Pikachu and the others for recovery, while he himself took a hot shower to relieve the fatigue of the past few days. Challenging the Gym afterward would be better.
Even if Ash didn't feel tired, his Pokémon would.
While in Viridian Forest, Misty was constantly amazed by Ash's physical and mental endurance. Even Pokémon couldn't compare to a monster like Ash among humans.
It was afternoon, and Ash and Misty were already standing at the main entrance of Pewter Gym.
Ash rubbed his hands together and pushed open the door of Pewter Gym, muttering, "Watch this, June 17th will be the day I get my first badge!"
Misty rolled her eyes behind him. If he failed later, she would definitely say to Ash—June 17th is the day you first failed a Gym challenge.
Whether this day would become Misty's teasing catchphrase or the beginning of Ash's rise depended on this battle against the Pewter Gym Leader.
As the two entered Pewter Gym, the lights of the Pewter Gym lit up one after another. Finally, the Gym lights focused on the battle stage.
On the battleground, a dark-skinned young man with spiky black hair stood in the position of the Gym Trainer.
"That's the Gym Leader of Pewter Gym, Brock," Misty softly explained to Ash who the dark-skinned young man, illuminated by the lights, was.
"Brock, huh... he looks like a very serious person," Ash also murmured softly.
At this moment, Brock stood on the field, arms crossed, looking at Ash and Misty with a serious expression: "Are you the challengers this time?"
"To be precise, it's me! I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and I've come to challenge Pewter Gym!" Ash stepped forward, pointing his thumb at himself, and Pikachu on his shoulder echoed his words.
"From Pallet Town? A Rookie Trainer?"
"Hmm, counting today, I've just been traveling for nine days."
"Nine days, huh... then you are indeed a genuine newcomer. If it were other newcomers who had only traveled for nine days, I would definitely advise them not to challenge the Gym but to train for a while longer outside, as a Gym challenge is no child's play. But coming from Pallet Town, that's different."
Brock's words made Ash's expression freeze: "Why is it different if I'm from Pallet Town?"
"Before you, another young man from Pallet Town came to challenge me. He beautifully won the lowest difficulty Gym challenge. His skilled Pokémon command and their strength didn't seem like a newcomer's. As someone else from Pallet Town, I'm sure you're not ordinary either."
Ash's eyes narrowed slightly. The person Brock mentioned was, without a doubt, Gary, who was always a step ahead of him in his sports car.
Although he didn't know how that guy drove a sports car through Viridian Forest, there was no doubt that he was once again a step ahead of him. What an annoying guy.
"I'm not like that guy. I'll defeat you even more cleanly and efficiently!"
"Is that so? I'll be looking forward to it... By the way, the person behind you looks a bit familiar..." Brock turned his gaze to Ash's back.
Misty was tilting her head at this moment, only watching Ash and Brock out of the corner of her eye.
The moment Brock said this, Misty quickly said, "No! Absolutely not! You must be mistaken! A world-class beauty like me is unique in the world. I've never met you, so how could you have met me?"
"Is that so?" No emotion could be seen in Brock's squinted eyes, and his words were ambiguous.
But to Misty's relief, Brock didn't press the issue further.
As fellow Gym Leaders, even if Brock hadn't met her, he must have seen her picture somewhere, just as she had seen his picture.
That's why Misty was so nervous, but it seemed now that whether Brock recognized her or not, he probably wouldn't expose her identity.
"Then the rules of the challenge are two-on-two. The side whose all Pokémon lose their ability to battle first is the loser. Given that you've been out for less than ten days and don't have a single badge, this Gym challenge will be at the lowest difficulty. Is there anything you don't understand?"
Ash shook his head, indicating that he understood everything.
"Alright, the battle is about to begin," Brock said, taking out a remote control and pressing a button. The walls on both sides suddenly opened, and then a section of rock moved out from the walls, eventually closing in the middle.
The originally flat field now became a rock field—this was the true challenge arena of Pewter Gym.
"That's amazing, it changed the terrain in an instant..." Ash exclaimed, his eyes full of excitement and interest.
"As the Gym Leader, I'll send out my Pokémon first, and I cannot switch Pokémon during the battle. So, my first Pokémon is... Go, Geodude!" Brock finished supplementing the remaining rules, then threw out his Poké Ball.
With a flash of light, a Pokémon made entirely of rock, without a lower body and with massive fists, appeared on the field.
[Geodude, Rock Pokémon. Has very high physical defense and excellent resistance to physical attacks.]
Ash took out his Pokédex, and after understanding Geodude's information with his Insight Eye, he took a Poké Ball from his waist.
"You're up for the first battle! Go, Butterfree!"
"bilibili~~" (I checked the Japanese version, Butterfree really makes this sound)
Flapping a pair of patterned butterfly wings, Butterfree appeared and floated in mid-air.