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A Technical Machine, also known as a TM, is a truly miraculous item in the Pokémon World.
Normally, to learn a skill, one needs to observe it, then slowly ponder it, first grasping its form, then its momentum, eventually figuring out the skill's rudimentary shape, and then progressively mastering it.
But with a Technical Machine, it's different. Just place this disc-like item on a Pokémon's head, and the Pokémon's body will automatically activate the skill recorded within the Technical Machine.
As long as the Pokémon itself can learn the skill, it can immediately use a rudimentary form of it after using the Technical Machine.
This bypasses an unknown amount of training time.
A Pokémon's improvement requires enhancement in four areas: skills, stats, level, and form. Learning skills is the most time-consuming, as you need to learn, then practice, and finally master them.
Moreover, they might not always be useful in battle. You need someone of the corresponding type, or someone who can be hit by that specific skill, unless it's a versatile skill like Quick Attack.
Therefore, many people don't let their Pokémon waste time learning skills. They usually learn a few skills that can counter 'Pokémon of their own type' and then refocus their time on level, form, and stats.
These three are the hard facts of power improvement, useful against any opponent.
So, if they can afford Technical Machines, they usually choose to buy them. For them, where time is money, if money can buy time, then the small cost is not worth mentioning at all.
But for ordinary people, Technical Machines are actually out of reach, because their price is simply too exorbitant!
Take a Protect Technical Machine, for example. Such a versatile Technical Machine is worth at least 500,000, and it can only be used once!
That's right, a Technical Machine can only be used once. Unless manufactured with special craftsmanship, after a Technical Machine is used, the energy contained within it dissipates, rendering the machine useless.
Even if energy is re-infused, the energy circulation circuit within the machine needs to be re-recorded, which is essentially no different from manufacturing a Technical Machine from scratch.
Therefore, such an expensive item is truly beyond the means of ordinary people. For a struggling group like Ash's, it's definitely the kind of thing that would make them explode just by looking at it.
Who would spend money on this!
Brock and Misty don't have intensity anxiety. For them, slowly getting stronger step by step is fine. Skills can be learned gradually. Anyway, their Pokémon's levels are steadily increasing, so why spend that money to teach their Pokémon so many skills?
As for Ash... he is a human-shaped skill learning machine!
As long as one Pokémon learns a skill, he can use Aura Fusion to understand how the skill's energy operates and forms, and then use Aura Fusion to teach it to another Pokémon.
Isn't this better than a Technical Machine?
However, this has some requirements for the Pokémon's bond, but for Ash, these requirements are nothing. All his Pokémon can now perform Aura Fusion. As long as you treat a Pokémon with sincerity, the Pokémon will naturally open its heart to you.
Therefore, Technical Machines are a waste of money for Ash.
However, the Technical Machine Erika brought is different, because none of his Pokémon have learned Grassy Glide yet, and he has only seen Grassy Glide used a few times. It would take an unknown amount of time to figure it out himself.
Erika's gift is undeniably generous.
"Thanks, Erika! I'll never forget your great kindness, even without teeth!" Ash said with a grin, putting the TM into his backpack and thanking Erika.
However, his way of thanking was quite amusing. Erika couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, "It's 'never forgotten,' not 'without teeth.' Don't use idioms you don't understand, okay?"
"Oh, it's close enough! Anyway, it means 'without teeth,' right?"
"Never forgotten means for a lifetime, meaning you'll never forget the kindness for your entire life. Where did you learn such a half-baked idiom?"
Hearing this, the smile on Ash's face froze.
So that's what it meant? He had seen this idiom once in the group chat before, but couldn't quite remember it, only recalling the general idea. He didn't expect to make such a fool of himself here.
"Ahem, I'll remember it! I'll definitely use it correctly next time!"
"Hehe, you're quite interesting. If you become a Champion in the future, don't forget your big sister's investment in you. When that time comes, give my Gym a little special treatment and allocate more resources."
"Definitely! If I become the Kanto Champion, you, Erika, will have one-third of the credit!" Ash repeated this classic line, making Erika burst into laughter.
"Alright, no more jokes. The Grassy Glide Technical Machine you have isn't one-time use. It can be used ten times, but I've already used it seven times, so there are three uses left. After that, the skill circuit inside will wear out and need to be re-recorded. You need to carefully consider who to use it on."
After the joke, Erika earnestly instructed him with a serious expression.
The craftsmanship of this Technical Machine is of the special, multi-use type. Such machines are actually very rare, otherwise Erika wouldn't have said it couldn't be bought with money.
In addition to the rarity of the skill itself, the rarity of this machine is also extremely high. With both combined, it's not something that can be bought with money.
Ash, hearing this, calmly waved his hand, "Don't worry, the Pokémon I have are exceptionally talented. As long as one learns it, the others can learn it by observing."
Erika's expression was slightly stunned, but she didn't question Ash, because Ash's Pokémon... are truly very talented!
What he said was not impossible.
In a small battle, Erika had already seen too many impossible things. Based on her understanding of Ash, he wouldn't make such a joke.
It seems Ash might indeed be as he said, possessing the potential of a Champion.
No, not a Champion, but a Master, a Pokémon Master... After chatting for a while, the group bid each other farewell and left.
The goal of this Gym battle was also successfully achieved. Besides the Celadon City Badge, the improvement of his own Pokémon made Ash even more satisfied.
After all, the main goal of challenging a Gym is not to get the so-called badge, but to make oneself stronger!
If one only has badges but not the corresponding strength, even with eight badges, going to the Indigo League would just be cannon fodder.
If Ash wanted to get enough Gym badges, he could just challenge those minor Gyms. Even for more powerful Gyms, he could use his own qualifications to have them lower the difficulty.
But he didn't want to do that, because only by facing opponents with sufficient pressure could he and his Pokémon become stronger.
And it was true. In this battle, his two Pokémon evolved into their final forms, and their strength reached Elite Level intermediate, becoming the second and third Pokémon in his team to advance to Elite Level.
Big Pikachu was already close to Professional Level.
Combining this combat power, Ash felt he could even challenge the authority of a Professional Level Gym Leader.
Provided the opponent wasn't too strong of a Professional Level. If it was a Professional Level high-tier or peak, then forget about it.
At this rate, he might even reach Gym Leader level before entering the Indigo League!
Gym Leader level in half a year, even Ash himself thought it was incredibly outlandish!
"Hey, Ash, what are you grinning foolishly about? Are you still thinking about Miss Erika?" Misty rubbed Ash's waist, saying with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"What?! Ash, you're also interested in Miss Erika? Let's duel! I won't give Miss Erika to you!" Brock shouted excitedly.
This shout completely pulled Ash out of his fantasy. He glanced at Brock helplessly, saying, "Don't lump me in with you, okay? My goal is to be a Pokémon Master! I don't have time to think about those things. I was just thinking that maybe I could raise my Pokémon's levels to Gym Leader level before the Indigo League."
When Misty heard the first part, a hint of disappointment flashed in her beautiful eyes. After hearing the second half, her pretty face showed shock: "You're not even at Professional Level yet and you're already thinking about Gym Leader level?!"
"What does it matter? I've only been out for two months, and I already have three Superior Level Pokémon! There are still over four months left, so it's not impossible to reach Gym Leader level, right?" Ash said casually, with his hands behind his head.
What do you take Gym Leader level for— Although Misty really wanted to say that, if the person doing it was Ash, it might not be impossible.
Elite Level to Professional Level is a dividing line, and the gap between Professional Level and Gym Leader level is even greater.
Training three Superior Level Pokémon in two months after debuting is indeed incredible, but the road ahead won't be that easy.
It just depends on whether Ash can continue to create miracles like before.
The group arrived at the Pokémon Center while talking. Ash handed his Pokémon to Joy for recovery.
Even if he had Viridian Power, wasn't it easier and more convenient to bring them to the Pokémon Center?
And Brock, upon seeing Joy, started acting up again. Recently, Brock's frequency of acting up was increasing day by day, and it was unclear what was wrong with him.
Misty directly pulled Brock's ear, making him sober up.
Then Ash called home, reported his safety to Delia, and shared his battle results.
"Mom, I've already gotten my fifth badge! It's been less than two months, I'm amazing, right?"
"That's great, Ash, your progress is very fast... But have you been listening to Mom? Have you brushed your teeth morning and night? Is your food nutritious? Don't skip meals, you need meat with every meal, and eat more vegetables to supplement vitamins. You're growing now, don't be picky..."
Listening to his mother's incessant chatter, Ash felt his head spinning.
He came to share good news, why was he being subjected to this sonic attack?
But hanging up directly wouldn't be good, as Delia was worried about him. So Ash endured listening to his mother's nagging, responded to each point, and then quickly hung up the phone, letting out a sigh of relief.
"It's unbearable, not even fighting Professional Level Pokémon is this tiring. Don't you agree, Pikachu?"
"Pika Pika~" Pikachu, standing by the phone, spread his paws, making a helpless gesture.
What could he do? After all, that was his mom!
Next, Ash called Professor Oak, delivering the same good news. While congratulating Ash, Professor Oak also updated Ash on Gary's situation.
Gary had also already obtained five Gym badges, one of which was the Saffron City badge, which surprised Ash greatly.
"That Gary, he beat Sabrina?"
He himself only won by relying on his Elite Four level Gengar plus his own Aura Power. How did Gary do it?
"Heh, he's certainly not as abnormal as you, but the Saffron Gym Leader has changed."
"Changed?"
"Yes, Sabrina's father has taken over as the Saffron Gym Leader again. Now, although the Saffron Gym is stronger than an ordinary Gym, it's not so abnormal as to have Elite Four level Pokémon."
"Then where did Sabrina go?" Ash asked, frowning slightly.
Sabrina was fine when he left, wasn't she? There couldn't be another problem, could there? They had agreed to battle again in the future!
"Sabrina went on a journey."
"Went on a journey!?" *3 This statement shocked all three of them. That Sabrina would actually go on a journey, it truly overturned their understanding.
Although Sabrina's condition had improved by the time they left, she wouldn't suddenly go on a journey, would she?
Professor Oak looked at Ash meaningfully, but ultimately did not tell Ash the contents of his conversation with Sabrina's father.
This kid, though young, is quite good at attracting attention. Although his grandson is not far behind, his grandson at most only seeks out ordinary people. Ash, on the other hand, directly poached the Gym Leader of the Saffron Gym.
But Ash probably doesn't know about this yet. When Sabrina eventually appears before Ash, this guy will probably have a headache.
"Where did Sabrina go on her journey? Is she still in Kanto?" Ash asked curiously.
"It seems she went to Johto."
"Johto, huh? Then I probably won't see her on my journey." Ash said with some regret. He was really curious what Sabrina was like now.
Misty, however, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It's good that they won't meet.
Whether it was the pressure Sabrina gave her back then, or Sabrina's barely concealed feelings for Ash, Misty didn't want to see Sabrina.
It's best if they never meet again! Misty thought fiercely.
"By the way, what difficulty Saffron Gym did Gary defeat?" Ash shifted the topic back to Gary. He had wanted to ask about this earlier, but was shocked by Sabrina going on a journey, so he got sidetracked.
"He can already defeat the second difficulty, which is Superior Level Pokémon. But I'm not sure which specific Superior Level it is." Professor Oak thought for a moment before replying.
'Superior Level, huh... Gary isn't making slow progress either. It seems his Wartortle must have already evolved into Blastoise. I need to speed up too!'