Apricorn Balls are Poké Balls crafted from Apricorns; because they possess unique special effects and feature designs distinct from standard Poké Balls, they are highly popular among the public.
However, the manufacturing process is demanding, and cultivating Apricorns to maturity is a complex task; consequently, Apricorn Balls have always been scarce and in high demand.
Yet, the person in question is Kurt—the very creator of Apricorn Balls. As long as the raw materials are available, he can craft as many as needed.
He is a close friend of Professor Oak, and Ash is a promising young trainer whom the professor holds in high regard. Furthermore, since Ash had traveled a long way specifically to deliver the GS Ball, Kurt had promised to craft balls for them regardless of how many Apricorns they gathered.
Naturally, Ash didn't hesitate to take him up on the offer.
They followed Maizie to the hills behind Azalea Town, where Apricorns grew in abundance. Maizie showed the group how to distinguish between ripe and unripe Apricorns, warning them never to pick the unripe ones.
After all, Apricorn trees have strict growing conditions and do not bear fruit indefinitely; wasting even a single Apricorn would be a regrettable loss.
For Ash, however, this was hardly a challenge.
All living things possess life and an Aura; by recognizing the specific Aura signature of a ripe Apricorn, he could pick them with pinpoint accuracy.
That said, even though Mr. Kurt had offered to craft as many as they gathered, it wouldn't be right to bring him an excessive amount—that would be imposing too much on him.
So, Ash and Brock each took one of every type of Apricorn, while Misty and Serena focused on collecting a few extra blue, pink, and red ones.
For the girls, a cute Poké Ball design was the top priority. Misty, in particular, favored Water-type Pokémon, so the blue Apricorns—used to craft balls suited for catching Water-types—were naturally her favorites. The four of them harvested a total of twenty-eight Apricorns, averaging seven per person.
The picking process was remarkably simple; Ash used his Aura to pluck them down with a mere flick of his finger, leaving Maizie absolutely dumbfounded.
Apricorns are usually guarded by swarms of Pokémon—especially Pineco. Like Voltorb and Electrode, Pineco will trigger a massive "Self-Destruct" at the slightest provocation.
Consequently, harvesting Apricorns is typically an arduous task: one must either dodge the guardians or defeat them in battle, all while sorting through the clusters to find the truly ripe fruit. Given these constraints, the yield from a single expedition is usually quite small.
Maizie had expected that a haul of two or three Apricorns would count as a great success for their group of five. Little did she know, their leader possessed extraordinary powers!
Not only could he communicate with Pokémon, but he could also pluck Apricorns from the trees with just a wave of his finger.
It was a literal flick of the finger—he would just crook his finger slightly while standing below, and the Apricorns would fly straight into his arms as if drawn by a magnet. It was simply unbelievable!
Maizie rarely watched television and knew little about Ash; she had heard his name mentioned in passing a few times, but those fleeting mentions had long since faded from her memory.
Thus, Ash's actions came as a massive shock to the young girl.
With the harvesting complete, the group prepared to return to Mr. Kurt's place. However, the Team Rocket trio—whom they hadn't seen in ages—suddenly reappeared, declaring their intention to snatch up every single Apricorn in the area.
Ash, unimpressed, told them to get lost and ordered Pikachu to unleash a Thunderbolt.
To everyone's surprise, the attack ended up charging up the trio's vacuum-like device. Its power surged to the maximum, nearly ripping the Apricorn trees right out of the ground!
Seeing this, Ash hurriedly used his Aura to shield the surrounding trees, marveling at the technological advancements Team Rocket had made. Pikachu is currently at the Intermediate Elite level, yet even his Intermediate Elite-level Thunderbolt couldn't break through their electricity-absorbing device; those three really are specialized counters against Electric-type Pokémon!
However, that only applies to Electric-types. When Ash sent out Lucario to launch an Aura Sphere, the trio—along with their heap of junk—went flying high into the sky!
Accompanied by the familiar cry of "We're blasting off again!", Ash felt like everything was back to normal.
Maizie, experiencing this for the first time, simply stared in a daze as the group put on their "performance"—much like an act at the circus.
After dealing with Team Rocket, Brock casually caught a Pineco that had been sucked down by Team Rocket's powerful vacuum.
The Pokémon had nearly been snatched away by Team Rocket, but Brock managed to hit it with a Poké Ball just in time to capture it.
Catching a Pokémon with a single ball without even engaging in battle is an incredibly rare occurrence.
Afterwards, the group returned to Kurt's home and handed over the Apricorns they had gathered.
"How did you manage this? You picked so many Apricorns in such a short time?" Kurt was completely dumbfounded as he gazed at the mound of Apricorns, which looked like a small hill.
Good grief—there had to be at least twenty of them, right? Factoring in the travel time, that meant they had gathered all those Apricorns in just over ten minutes.
"Grandpa! Grandpa! Ash has psychic powers! With just a flick of his finger, he can pull Apricorns right off the trees, and he can even talk to Pokémon that usually can't communicate with us—it's absolutely amazing!" Maizie excitedly shared the incredible sights she had just witnessed with her grandfather. Upon hearing this, Kurt was momentarily taken aback, then patted Maizie's head with a smile. "Haha, really? That must have been quite an eye-opener for our little Maizie! Leave the Apricorns here; you can pick them up tomorrow. As for the research on the GS Ball, I'll get to the bottom of that by tomorrow as well."
Ash nodded. "Understood, Mr. Kurt. We'll look forward to the good news."
Crafting twenty-eight Apricorn Poké Balls in a single day—while also investigating the secrets of the GS Ball—was a feat only someone like Kurt could pull off.
With nothing left for them to do there, Ash and his friends took their leave of Kurt and found a spot to make a video call to Professor Oak.
The main purpose was to let the Professor know that the GS Ball had been handed over and to inform him of their next destination.
"...Hmm, the city closest to Azalea Town? That would be Goldenrod City. It's a major metropolis in the western part of the Johto region—the largest city there, boasting the greatest economic and technological strength. Its status rivals that of Saffron City in the Kanto region."
Goldenrod City—the name certainly shares a similar vibe with Saffron City.
It seems the names of these major cities often allude to gold. Since this city, like Saffron City, serves as a strategic hub for the region, there ought to be a very powerful Gym Leader stationed there.
"The Gym Leader of Goldenrod City is Whitney. She's a renowned Trainer in Johto; her Miltank has left many challengers speechless." Professor Oak flipped through his handbook, looking up details about the city.
"Miltank... that's a Pokémon I haven't battled against yet. Do you know its level?" Ash asked curiously.
"The power level is roughly at the peak of the Gym Leader tier; in fact, some challengers claim that even Elite Four-level Pokémon aren't as troublesome to deal with. Furthermore, the Goldenrod Gym only offers battles at the Intermediate and Advanced levels—there are no Beginner-level matches available. This means that even the weakest Pokémon in the Goldenrod Gym are at the Elite level, and the matches require a minimum of a three-on-three format."
Upon hearing this, a thoughtful look crossed Ash's face.
If even the weakest Pokémon were at the Elite level and the format required three-on-three battles, it clearly wasn't a suitable challenge for Serena.
It seemed Serena's progress in collecting Gym badges would have to be put on hold for a while.
"Aside from the Goldenrod Gym itself, there is another incredibly powerful facility in Goldenrod City... well, calling it an 'outpost gym' isn't quite right; it's actually the Battle Pyramid, part of the Battle Frontier."
"The Battle Frontier?" Ash looked puzzled.
He had heard of Gyms countless times, but this was the first time he'd ever heard of facilities like the Battle Frontier or the Battle Pyramid.
"You can think of it as a battle facility similar to a Gym, though it operates under a different set of rules," Professor Oak explained seriously.
"The Battle Frontier is located in the Kanto region. If you can defeat all seven Frontier Brains, you conquer the Battle Frontier. However, you can only discover the location of the seventh facility—the Battle Pyramid—after defeating the first six."
"Strictly speaking, the Battle Pyramid represents the ultimate challenge within the Battle Frontier. Its leader is known as Brandon—often called 'The Pharaoh'—and he possesses Legendary Pokémon; his strength rivals that of a Champion-level Trainer."
Thanks to Professor Oak's explanation, Ash began to grasp the general concept of the Battle Frontier.
Simply put, one could view the Battle Frontier as a region in itself, with the seven battle facilities acting like seven Gyms.
The difference is that while there is no major tournament to enter after collecting the symbols from these seven facilities, the challenger earns the title of 'Battle Frontier Conqueror'—a title that serves as a symbol of prestige and immense skill.
Countless people challenge the Battle Frontier in pursuit of this title, yet very few ever succeed. The first six Battle Frontier facilities are manageable enough, but the final one—the Battle Pyramid—is not only hidden away but also incredibly formidable.
Even if you obtain the Battle Pyramid's location, the search can take a considerable amount of time; unlike the other facilities, the Battle Pyramid is mobile!
Although conquering the first six facilities grants you a locator for the Battle Pyramid, following the signal doesn't guarantee a quick find—it could take ages.
Once found, you only get a few chances to challenge it. If the Battle Pyramid flies off again, you have to conquer the other six facilities all over again just to get its location back.
The only exception is if you can track down its next landing spot after it takes flight.
There is no set order for the seven Battle Frontier facilities; aside from the Battle Pyramid—which is notoriously difficult and hard to locate—you are free to choose which of the other six to start with or save for last.
Even with the Battle Pyramid, if you manage to find it, you can challenge it right away—using it as your starting point for the Battle Frontier—without needing any prior Frontier symbols.
In the past, the Battle Pyramid was elusive; without the locator provided after conquering the other six facilities, finding it was virtually impossible.
Now, however, the Battle Pyramid is stationed in Goldenrod City, and its location is common knowledge.
Naturally, the demand from challengers is immense; the entrance is constantly packed.
Some people start queuing overnight, yet even that doesn't guarantee a chance to challenge the next day, as others might have already been waiting for two or even three days!
After all, Brandon—the Pyramid King—announced he would only stay in Goldenrod City for a month. A week has already passed, so challengers are racing against the clock.
What if they win? Then conquering the remaining six facilities would be a piece of cake.
The title of "Battle Frontier Champion" is every bit as prestigious as that of an Elite Four member!
Even without holding any real administrative power, the reputation involved is immense—and that kind of reputation can be leveraged into all sorts of things.
Consequently, Goldenrod City—already a bustling metropolis—has recently become absolutely packed to the brim!
It is said that in just one week, the city generated as much economic output as it usually would in two months—or perhaps even more.
After hearing Professor Oak's full explanation, even Ash's jaw dropped in astonishment.
The Battle Pyramid is just on another level, isn't it? People wait in line for three days without even getting a turn—just how insanely popular is this place?
Then again, the Trainer in charge—Brandon—possesses Champion-level strength and commands Legendary Pokémon; it's no wonder he attracts so many challengers.
Even if you get knocked out in a single hit, it's still something to brag about: "I actually battled a Champion-level Trainer and a Legendary Pokémon!"
Few people actually go there expecting to defeat Brandon; most are driven by the mindset mentioned above.
That is exactly why the Battle Pyramid is such a massive hit.
"I'm going to challenge the Battle Pyramid, too!" Ash declared without hesitation.
"I knew you'd say that. At your pace, you should be able to get there in about two weeks. But be careful, Ash—Brandon has the three Legendary Titans in his arsenal. Going up against them with your current strength might be a real struggle."
The three Legendary Titans refer to Regice (the Ice Titan), Regirock (the Rock Titan), and Registeel (the Steel Titan).
These three Titans are on par with the Legendary Birds and the Legendary Beasts—essentially "Tier 2" Legendary Pokémon. The fact that Brandon managed to capture all three of them single-handedly implies that, even without relying on those Legendaries, his own personal strength is incredibly formidable.
"I understand. So, that's the plan: I'll head to the Goldenrod Gym for a badge and look to Mr. Brandon for training and improvement. I really hope I can have an amazing battle with him!" Ash's voice was filled with eager anticipation.
*******************************
Enjoyed the action? Drop a review, fire off a comment, and send those Power Stones rolling! Your support keeps the updates coming fast—let's keep the momentum going! 🔥