Ash, Brock, and Misty followed Shandou into the Fighting Spirit Dojo.
The interior of the Fighting Spirit Dojo was much more spacious than it appeared from the outside. The solid wooden floor was polished to a mirror-like sheen. The air was filled with the scent of sweat, medicinal liniments, and an indescribable aura of raw power. Calligraphy scrolls bearing words like "Fighting Spirit," "Guts," and "Certain Victory" hung on the surrounding walls. Sandbags, wooden dummies, and other training equipment were piled in the corners.
Ash's gaze swept quickly across the room.
Several Mankey and Primeape were practicing throws in a corner. Although their eyes still held their innate irritability, their movements clearly followed a set of rules, completely different from those encountered in the wild. A robust Poliwrath was doing stretches by a pool, the spiral pattern on its belly rising and falling slightly with its breathing. Groups of Tyrogue were lined up, doing squats with "heave-ho" chants under the supervision of a Machoke.
There were also Machop, Machoke, and even massive, muscle-bound Machamp sweating profusely as they struck heavy sandbags, each impact producing a dull, heavy thud. A Hitmonlee was practicing high kicks with amazing flexibility, while a Heracross with a gleaming shell was engaged in a friendly sparring match with a Hitmonchan. The collision of Bug and Fighting power created loud "bang" sounds, making for a heated atmosphere.
Just as Uncle Shandou had said, the dojo was bustling with many Fighting-type Pokémon. The Fighting Spirit Dojo was a pure training ground for Fighting-types, focusing entirely on one thing—combat.
...One couldn't say the environmental conditions were luxurious. ...But it certainly fit the stereotypical image normal people had of martial artists. ...Martial artists should be like this!
"How is it, kid? The atmosphere is nice, right?" Uncle Shandou noticed Ash's curious gaze and patted his chest proudly. "Although we aren't a formal Gym certified by the League and can't give out Badges, our Fighting Spirit Dojo is recognized by the city and receives funding support!"
The funding couldn't be called abundant—it certainly didn't allow for the lavish spending of those major Gyms—but it was definitely enough. At the very least, it guaranteed daily living expenses and was sufficient for these Trainers to pursue their ideals.
Strictly speaking, managing this world was very difficult. Pokémon were too strong. And it wasn't just Pokémon; powerful Trainers themselves were also off the charts. So how could these people be stabilized? After guaranteeing a normal livelihood, just letting them pursue their ideals was the best way!
Therefore, the League was happy to see all kinds of healthy competition among Trainers. Rather than letting these Trainers figure out ways to make money themselves, it was better for the League to just give them money directly. As long as they weren't short of money, apart from a small minority who liked to court death, most people preferred to enjoy life.
Taking money from someone makes you soft... If they had nothing to do, they might as well pursue their ideals. Trainers with normal values wouldn't think of causing destruction or trouble; instead, they would spontaneously maintain the city's construction. This directly cut off the source of soldiers for evil organizations at the root.
Everyone was living a good life, so there was no reason to follow Team Rocket and rebel against the League, right? Pushing powerful Trainers onto a crooked path benefited no one.
That was why powerful Trainers under Giovanni were still in short supply. Aside from those won over by his personal charisma, there were only greedy, incompetent trash—for example: Cross, Vicious, and the like. Oh, besides them, there were also some mentally ill psychopaths.
For truly capable and powerful Trainers... why would they leave the perfectly good League to go to Team Rocket? For real talents, the League's treatment was definitely better than Team Rocket's. That was why it was impossible for Team Rocket to wage war openly against the League; the gap in overall strength was too great.
This was also the reason Giovanni could tolerate Vicious. He really didn't have many people he could use under his command. Even if he looked down on them, he could only make do for now.
Ash nodded in understanding; he had thought of these things as well. The Pokémon League's approach of maintaining an elite threshold while also taking care of the grassroots ecology was indeed very wise.
"So, young man," Shandou walked to the center of the field, rotating his wrists and ankles with crisp cracking sounds. "Let's spar a bit first to test each other's depths before we get serious, how about it? Don't worry, I, Shandou, definitely won't bully a rookie."
For the fighting spirit of a martial artist, high-difficulty tempering was what was useful. Noob stomping? Meaningless! In fact, if you stomp noobs in the low-level pond too much, you might easily turn into a fish yourself. Only by fighting experts could one maintain their level or even improve further.
"Just what I wanted, Uncle Shandou!" Ash agreed without hesitation, turning to the Charmeleon beside him, whose eyes were burning with intensity. "Charmeleon, you watch carefully from the side for now. Observe closely. Fighting is not just a collision of strength, but a contest of technique and will."
Charmeleon's current training direction could only be described as close-quarters combat. Although it was pure Fire-type, its body structure was indeed very suitable.
"Char!" Charmeleon growled low and nodded vigorously, the flame on its tail burning even more prosperously. It obediently retreated to the edge of the field, its gaze locking tightly onto the two people in the center.
Ash was right. In his team—Pikachu had short arms and legs, relying on Electric-type moves and speed. Pidgeotto had wings and talons, specializing in aerial strikes. Gyarados and Misdreavus had neither hands nor feet, making them completely unrelated to close-quarters combat. Only Charmeleon, with its robust limbs and sharp claws, was a natural-born fighter. And it was full of interest in this flesh-against-flesh fighting style.
Seeing Charmeleon's eager yet restrained appearance, Shandou laughed heartily: "Good! Pokémon that love fighting are all good kinds! Welcome, Charmeleon! I hope today's observation will be helpful to you!"
Their dialogue and actions attracted the attention of the other Pokémon in the dojo. The Mankey, Primeape, Poliwrath, Machop, Machoke, Machamp, Hitmonlee, Heracross, and those Tyrogue who had been training on their own all stopped their movements and gathered around curiously.
They formed a loose circle around the edge of the field. For these Fighting-type Pokémon with bellicose blood flowing in their bones, a Trainer personally entering the arena for a flesh-against-flesh battle was the scene that could best ignite their passion and delight.
To capture a Fighting-type Pokémon, one often needed to engage in a physical brawl with them. Only then could one exchange hearts through fists. The pain brought by battle, in their view, was not torture to be avoided, but sweet rain that proved their existence and tempered their will.
Fighting feels awesome! Fighting! Awesome!
Brock and Misty also stood by the sidelines. Misty looked at the surrounding "brothers" with burning eyes and bulging muscles, and couldn't help whispering to Brock, "Although I know it's a spar, this atmosphere... is really terrifyingly intense."
Brock crossed his arms and nodded, but his eyes held appreciation. "This is the culture of Fighting-type Pokémon. They worship strength and courage, seeking breakthroughs in confrontation. The fact that Mr. Shandou can gather so many Fighting-type Pokémon from different groups to train in an orderly manner shows his ability and personal charisma."
If it weren't because he felt it was inappropriate, Brock also wanted to go down and exchange a few moves. But thinking about it carefully, his own physical constitution... getting beaten up for nothing was better left alone. After all, no matter how he thought about it, it was impossible to win against a professional like Shandou.
In the center of the field.
Shandou and Ash stood facing each other.
"Kid, here I come! Watch out!" Shandou shouted low, saying no more. He took a step, his body rushing toward Ash like an arrow leaving the string. A simple and direct straight punch aimed right for Ash's face, the wind of the fist whistling, demonstrating a solid foundation.
"!!!" Ash's eyes narrowed as he focused his mind.
[Agility—First Gate—Open!]
He did not choose to take it head-on. At the instant the fist was about to make contact, his body seemed to lose its weight, sliding sideways and backward in a posture that was almost like drifting away. The movement was fluid and swift, dodging this fierce strike just right.
"Oh?" Shandou missed his punch but was not alarmed; instead, he was delighted, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes. "Excellent speed! That's not pure physical ability, that's Agility, right? You kid, you really are amazing!"
Although humans using Pokémon moves was rare, there were quite a few people who could do it. Powerful Trainers generally knew a move or two. But Shandou could clearly see that Ash was very young. Considering Ash's age, this was very impressive.
"Yes, Uncle Shandou!" Ash steadied his figure while moving, admitting it frankly. "I underwent some special training in Saffron City and mastered a little trick."
This was precisely the result of what he had learned from Alakazam and transformed through his own hard work, combining the basic application of Psychic power with physical movement to drastically improve his own agility and reaction. If I can't be a mage, can't I be a warrior?!!
It just so happened that he had also learned Aura under Lucario's tutelage. He would delve into it later. Maybe he could even develop an Aura Style!
"Interesting... then let me see to what extent you can do it!" Shandou's fighting spirit grew even stronger, and his offensive unfolded accordingly. His fists and feet were like a violent storm—combination punches, low sweeps, high kicks—the transitions between moves were smooth, filled with the oppressive feeling of real combat.
Ash utilized Agility to the extreme. He shuttled through the gaps in Shandou's attacks, sometimes turning sideways to dodge a heavy punch, sometimes ducking to avoid a sweep, sometimes using sliding steps to open up distance.
Although Psychic cultivation hadn't made Ash intuitively powerful, it had made his body coordination much stronger, and his perception sharper. Ash wasn't in a hurry to counterattack; instead, he focused entirely on observing Shandou's attack rhythm, force exertion methods, and habitual movements.
Although the preliminary perception of Aura couldn't yet be used for prediction, it gave him a clearer grasp of the "flow" of the surrounding environment, making his dodging even more seamless.
[Psychic] + [Aura]
The two could be used simultaneously. Although they couldn't be stacked yet, there was no conflict between them.
The Fighting-type Pokémon on the sidelines watched with relish.
"Prime!" A Primeape beat its chest excitedly, seemingly cheering for Shandou's power.
"Poli!" The Poliwrath focused on Ash's nimble footwork, looking thoughtful.
The Machoke and Machamp let out low roars, showing immense interest in this confrontation of power and speed. Hitmonlee and Heracross focused more on the technical details of both sides.
Charmeleon watched with unblinking eyes. Ash's figure calmly dodging amidst the storm-like attacks, and every one of Shandou's strikes containing explosive power, were deeply imprinted into its mind. Its small claws unconsciously mimicked the force exertion movements, and the flame on its tail flickered with the fluctuations of the battle.
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Charmeleon's fighting spirit boiled! This kind of Pokémon, bellicose yet capable of maintaining reason, was the most suitable Pokémon for a Trainer.
Brock looked at Ash, who was weaving through the attacks like a butterfly through flowers, and couldn't help but sigh: "In such a short time, Ash's growth is truly astonishing."
Regarding the matter of traveling with Ash, Brock now felt it was absolutely the right decision. Misty also relaxed from her initial nervousness, even wearing a hint of a smile: "Although he looks a bit sorry, always dodging here and there, being able to last this long under that uncle's hands is already very impressive, isn't it?"
Both Misty and Brock could tell that Shandou was feeding him moves. But Shandou was a professional martial artist! For Shandou to feed moves so diligently, it was obvious he thought very highly of Ash's performance. One had to know that martial artists were a bunch with short tempers. If you couldn't satisfy them, being swept out the door was the most common outcome. Gentle? Non-existent!
The offense and defense on the field continued for several minutes. Although Shandou's offensive was fierce, Ash, relying on Agility and increasingly skilled dodging techniques, never let the heavy attacks truly land on him. [Aura] stacked with [Psychic], when actively used, made his senses extremely sensitive. The few blocks he couldn't avoid were instinctively mitigated by using his arms to deflect force, reducing the impact to a minimum. This was instinct, not some clear deflection technique. Just like subconsciously using one's hands to brace against the ground when falling.
Finally, when a heavy downward axe kick from Shandou missed, and his old force was spent while new force had not yet generated, Ash keenly seized this fleeting opportunity.
"Now!"
The moment he had been waiting for. In battle, the Aura boiled within his body. The more he fought, the more intense the fluctuations within became.
Fight!
His body, which had been passively dodging like a spring compressed to the limit, suddenly released. The kinetic energy from Agility instantly converted into forward-charging power. He didn't use a fist, but threw his body into the opening Shandou had exposed due to his attack.
"Ugh!"
Shandou let out a muffled grunt. Ash's sudden burst had indeed exceeded his expectations. Clearly, during the previous exchange, he felt he had already gauged Ash's strength clearly. He didn't expect the young boy before him to have another burst in reserve.
This! This! This! This was simply too fantastic!
Shandou's massive body actually lost its balance under Ash's collision, which condensed speed and timing. He staggered backward several steps before relying on a solid horse stance to stand firm again.
The sidelines went instantly quiet.
"Prime?"
"Poli?"
"Machoke?"
The Pokémon let out surprised sounds, seemingly not expecting this boy who had been dodging the whole time to actually be able to shake the Dojo Master.
"Char!" Charmeleon shouted excitedly, eyes filled with adoration for its Trainer.
Brock and Misty also widened their eyes—even if the opponent had been going easy, no one expected you to actually be able to do it!
Shandou stood firm, showing not the slightest anger. Instead, he reached out to rub the chest that had been hit, a smile of even greater excitement and appreciation appearing on his face. "Good kid! You've really got something! Not only are you fast, but your ability to seize opportunities is top-notch! I admit, I underestimated you just now!"
The slight negligence in his eyes had completely disappeared: "Warm-up ends here! Next, I'm going to get serious! Let me show you the true 'Fighting Spirit' of the Fighting Spirit Dojo!"
The aura around Shandou suddenly changed, becoming more condensed and dangerous. He slowly assumed a more aggressive opening stance.
Ash also took a deep breath, suppressing the slightly rapid breathing caused by his successful counterattack just now, his eyes becoming sharper. He knew the real battle was only just beginning. And this kind of flesh-against-flesh combat gave Ash a tingling, painful sensation all over his body. While it was numbing and painful, it made his state even more excited.
Damn!
Fighting feels awesome!
Compared to Psychic power, which required various precise calculations and maintaining calmness at all times, Ash felt that Aura suited him better. Psychic power was fine as long as it was enough to use. However, Ash didn't intend to completely give up on Psychic power. The Psychic-type Agility was still very practical in this kind of close-quarters combat. Furthermore, Psychic power was an important manifestation of mental strength, and powerful mental strength could make his five senses sharper and more suitable for battle.
"I wouldn't have it any other way, Uncle Shandou!"
Ash assumed his stance, the muscles all over his body tightening again, waiting for the impending, even more violent storm.
____
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