Although the dream of becoming a Pokemon Master wasn't as deeply ingrained, Ash had always harbored the desire to make a name for himself.
However, now that he was truly famous, Ash found himself feeling a bit lost.
As soon as he stepped out, he was immediately surrounded by a crowd who bombarded him with questions, and some even tried to snatch his Pikachu. If this was the price of fame, he'd rather not be famous!
"Actually, Ash, this is because you have fame but don't have the corresponding position and strength," Brock explained on the side.
"Look at Mr. Koga, or any other Elite Champions. Even if they don't have bodyguards, the crowds around them wouldn't dare act out of line. People would politely ask for photos and autographs, unlike the chaos you're experiencing now."
"This is the result of their status. The title of Elite Champion makes many admire and revere them, yet they wouldn't dare act recklessly. But Ash, you're different. You... only have fame!"
Hearing this, Ash helplessly rubbed his head. Was this a classic case of having fame not matching status? Had he become an example?
It seemed like he needed to be more low-key when out and about in the future, at least until he secured the championship in the Quartz Conference.
"By the way, Ash, what's the deal with Bulbasaur? And when did Pikachu learn two special ultimate moves? What was that colorful flame from Charizard? Are you keeping secrets from even us?" Misty asked breathlessly, bombarding Ash with questions.
This battle was baffling not only for Koga but also for them!
To know that they had been with Ash for two months, from the very start of his journey, always by his side.
Yet every battle, Ash would pull out moves they were completely unaware of—the partner form in the Cerulean Gym, Surf in the Vermilion Gym, Saffron... well, they knew a bit about Saffron. The evolution of two Pokemon in the Celadon Gym was another story, but the most significant was this battle in the Fuchsia Gym!
All three Pokemon displayed unprecedented moves and power. When had Ash trained his Pokemon to this level!
Feeling awkward, Ash scratched his head and then shared his prepared explanation.
"Charizard's flames are the Sacred Fire, yes, the Sacred Fire of Ho-Oh. Because the Rainbow Wing had been with Charizard for a long time, it inherited these flames. It was previously unable to use them, but under the pressure of an Elite Pokemon, it finally managed to use it. It's only a matter of time before mastering these flames completely."
The colorful flames were Ho-Oh's flames... Although they had guessed that, hearing it from Ash left them incredibly shocked!
That was the Divine Flame, and it was mastered by an Elite-level Pokemon like Charizard!
No wonder it could surpass levels and defeat Elite-level Pokemon.
"As for Pikachu's skills... we actually discovered them not long ago. Floaty Fall allows Pikachu to fly briefly, but for a very short time. It's more like floating rather than flying, so I named it Floaty Fall."
"Pika Papow is a move whose power is determined by the bond between Pikachu and me. In theory, the bond has no limit, so in theory, neither does this move. As of now, its power is at least stronger than Thunder, and when used, the opponent is locked onto by the thunder, making this move unavoidable."
Floaty Fall and Pika Papow, both moves were extraordinary. One allowed Pikachu to fly briefly, which was strategically more significant than just power.
Pika Papow was a sure-hit, limitless skill.
Adding Splishy Splash and Zippy Zap... Could a Pikachu have such a skill set? It was unbelievable. Was this Pikachu really a reincarnation of some Legendary Beast?
Even an average reincarnated Legendary Beast shouldn't be this strong; it would need a Mythical like Mew.
Ash ignored Misty and Brock's shocked expressions and continued, "And the strength boost of Bulbasaur, didn't you hear Mr. Koga just now? That's the power provided by Victini, a mythical beast known as the God of Victory. It grants infinite power to just Trainers seeking victory!"
"But why did Victini choose you? Didn't Mr. Koga say Victini usually appears in the Unova Region?"
"Hey, who knows where mythical beasts will show up? Aren't Legendary and Mythical creatures believed to be free-spirited, soaring wherever they want? Maybe Victini flew to Kanto, saw me giving my all in the last two battles, and decided to grant me power!" Ash fabricated cheerfully.
Of course, Champion Ash provided the Victini excuse. In reality, he didn't even know what Victini was or what Champion Ash meant by Xerneas as a mythical beast.
These were things to learn from the group later. For now, they served as a 'top-tier booster' excuse.
However, after Koga's brief introduction of Victini, Ash understood why Champion Ash used Victini as an excuse. If it was indeed as mystical as legend, its power was akin to an Aura Fusion promax version.
Elevating Bulbasaur to Champion level would seem normal to insiders, better than the 'possession' explanation.
"Wait a minute. If Victini only came to you after the first two wins, what were you planning for the three-on-three match against Mr. Koga?" Misty questioned.
Ash shrugged with a powerless expression, "I didn't plan on defeating all three of Mr. Koga's Pokemon. Maybe with Gengar, I'd have a slim chance, but without it, victory wasn't an option. I just wanted to use Mr. Koga's Pokemon to pressure and improve my partners, and unexpected events moved faster than planned."
Misty rolled her eyes and said, not appreciating his reckless idea, "Only you would think of using Elite-level Pokemon as sharpening stones, not fearing breaking the stone!"
"My partners aren't so fragile. Let's treat Charizard and then move on." Ash said, releasing Charizard and using the Power of Viridian to heal Charizard and Pikachu.
...
This battle was indeed significant for Ash, with Charizard leveling up from Elite Peak to Professional Level!
Charizard had only been at Elite Peak for a couple of days. Ideally, with Ash's methods and Charizard's training intensity, it would take at least over ten days to overcome such a gap.
Yet this match alone allowed Charizard to cross that gap without compromising its ability values, reaching max capability!
However, the battle itself wasn't easy. Winning was all thanks to Charizard's relentless efforts, making the level-up well-deserved.
Pikachu also leveled up from Professional Junior to Professional Middle Level, and the most improved was Bulbasaur. The progress of this battle equaled more than the usual half month, even comparable to a regular Trainer's three or four months.