"Ash!" Misty exclaimed in alarm, subconsciously wanting to rush over.
Brock grabbed her, saying in a deep voice, "Don't panic, Misty."
Brock looked toward Pikachu.
He saw that Pikachu had also grabbed hold of Misdreavus.
"Muma!" Misdreavus cried out anxiously.
"Pika!" Pikachu shook its head, still holding onto Misdreavus. Misdreavus was simply chaotic with concern.
Pikachu, however, could feel that Ash was very happy. Previously, everyone hadn't reacted in time; they only saw a burst of... blue light erupt from Ash's body? Anyway, it was hard to describe. Then, Shandou was sent flying.
Ash entered a state of exhaustion.
Shandou strode in front of Ash and extended his broad, thick palm.
Ash raised his head. Through his sweat-blurred vision, he saw Shandou's undisguised smile of appreciation.
"Uncle Shandou... you're still the tough one."
He also tried hard to pull a tired but cheerful smile, reaching out his hand to grip Shandou's firmly, borrowing the force to stand up. Making friends through fists! Exchanging hearts through punches!
This is the way martial artists get along!
Shandou laughed loudly: "Hahahahaha! Good! That was satisfying!"
"I didn't expect that I, Shandou, would almost capsize in the gutter at the hands of a kid like you today!"
He looked around at the Pokémon who were still in shock, his booming voice resonating through the dojo:
"Did you all see that?!"
"This is 'Fighting Spirit'!"
"Never giving up until the very last moment, and even exploding with power beyond one's limits in a desperate situation!"
Shandou didn't have the slightest arrogance of a victor; instead, his eyes shone, and his face was filled with the ecstasy and excitement of discovering a rare gem.
"Kid!" He looked at Ash again, his gaze burning. "No, Ash!" Shandou's voice trembled slightly with excitement.
"You really are a genius! No, a monster!"
"I, Shandou, have practiced martial arts for thirty years and taught no fewer than eight hundred if not a thousand students, but I have never seen anyone like you!"
He reached out his rough, large hand and patted Ash's shoulder vigorously, causing Ash to grimace in pain again.
"You are born to practice fighting!"
Shandou got more excited as he spoke, grabbing Ash's shoulders with both hands and issuing an incomparably sincere invitation:
"Stay and join our Fighting Spirit Dojo!"
"Don't be some ordinary Trainer anymore, that would be a waste of your talent!"
"Follow me, we will train hard together. Next year, no, the year after!"
"We will definitely be able to fight our way to the highest stage of the P1 Grand Prix and bring back the championship trophy!"
"The Karate King!"
"The Elite Four's Bruno!"
"They will all be trampled under our feet!"
"When that time comes, your name will surely resound throughout the entire fighting world!"
The Champion of the P1 Grand Prix, defeating the Fighting-type Elite Four member... this was a path to the peak that any martial artist would dream of.
And Shandou's status in this circle was actually quite high. He was the primary candidate for the P1 Grand Prix. It was just a pity. Ash's ambition did not lie there.
He practiced fighting only for self-defense. He couldn't let the Trainer become a burden in Pokémon battles.
Ash gasped for breath a few times, raised his head, and looked into Shandou's eyes, which were full of expectation and sincerity.
...Emm, too... how should I put it? It felt hard to say it out loud?
...Forget it, some things must be made clear; I hate those 8 PM primetime soap operas the most.
...If a misunderstanding leads to some melodramatic plot... Gua! ...You might as well just kill me!
Ash wiped the sweat from his forehead and the dust that might have stuck to the corner of his mouth, then shook his head:
"Thank you, Uncle Shandou."
"I am really happy to be valued so highly by you."
He paused, his gaze passing through the window of the dojo, as if looking toward a distant future:
"However, my goal is to take my Pokémon partners, stand on the Indigo League's championship podium together, then fight my way up the Champion's Road, and become a Pokémon Master."
"Fighting is a way for my partners and me to become stronger, but it is not the entirety of my journey."
Ash knew very well that he couldn't lack fighting ability. But fighting would not be his everything.
"Ah?!" The light in Shandou's eyes dimmed for an instant, his face written with the heartbreak of seeing a precious gift wasted.
He opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him further. But seeing Ash's clear and determined eyes, he knew this young man had made up his mind.
But thinking about it carefully, the Fighting-type Elite Four member Bruno was also one of the Elite Four. It didn't seem to make much difference?
Shandou sighed heavily: "A pity! What a pity! The Indigo League... sigh, never mind, everyone has their own aspirations."
But immediately, his tone shifted, and that appreciation for talent gained the upper hand again:
"However, even if you don't intend to specialize in fighting, this talent of yours cannot be wasted in vain."
"Progress is too slow if you just figure it out blindly by yourself!"
"How about this? Aren't you guys going to Gringey City?"
"There's no rush for a day or two!"
"Stay here, and let me teach you properly for a few days!"
"I'll straighten out the basics for you—force generation, force mitigation, footwork, breathing techniques... all of it!"
"At least so that when you fight with people or Pokémon in the future, you'll suffer fewer losses! How about it?"
The overall atmosphere of the Pokémon world was very good. Very few people would be jealous and play dirty tricks.
It was precisely because the vast majority of people were friendly that situations where children went out to travel at such a young age could exist. More than ninety percent of people helped each other.
Traveling Trainers could receive guidance from local experts all over the world, thereby growing rapidly.
Hearing this, Ash immediately beamed with joy! To think such a good thing would happen! Nice!
Even the pain in his body seemed to vanish into thin air. To have a professional like Shandou willing to teach him everything he knew, it was simply fantastic!
"Really? That's great!"
"Thank you, Uncle Shandou! Please be sure to teach me in the harshest way possible!" Ash knew he was still in the early stages of his journey, and the outside world was full of dangers.
So, the faster the speed of growth, the better.
A little pain? I'll endure it!
"Haha! Good! That's the spirit!" Shandou laughed heartily, extremely satisfied with Ash's attitude.
A martial artist must not fear pain, must not fear hardship, and must be courageous enough to challenge all kinds of dangers!
And so, Ash and his group temporarily stayed at the Fighting Spirit Dojo.
Brock and Misty had no objections to this; after all, with the continuous travel and events, having a safe and comfortable place to rest for a few days was not bad.
Brock even released his own Geodude, letting it feel the atmosphere alongside the Fighting-type Pokémon in the dojo and learn some close-quarters grappling techniques. After all, Geodude's Rock attribute could also be effective in close-range confrontations.
Fighting techniques are a very universal thing. Anyone who can perform physical attacks through body and limb changes can learn a bit.
Night completely shrouded the small town, yet the lights inside the dojo remained bright.
Most of the other students and Pokémon had already finished training and gone back to rest.
Inside the vast main dojo, only two spots were still shedding sweat.
One spot was the center of the field, where the figures of Ash and Shandou continued to intersect rapidly.
Bang!
Smack!
Thud!
Ash was thrown, beaten back, and kicked down by Shandou using various exquisite moves time and time again.
Shandou obviously didn't go easy on Ash just because he agreed to stay; instead, he was even stricter. Every strike pointed directly at the weak links and flaws in Ash's movements, using the most "painful" way to make him remember his mistakes.
This was also Ash's own request. To achieve quick success in a short time, pain is the best teacher. Because pain will definitely make it unforgettable for you.
And as a professional martial artist, Shandou naturally knew exactly where to hit to cause the most pain while inflicting the least damage.
"Breathe! Watch your breathing rhythm!"
"Power originates from the feet, generates from the waist and abdomen, and transmits to the limbs!"
"Don't just use your arms to exert force!"
"Center of gravity! Sink your center of gravity!"
"You're floating so high, you'll fall with a single push!"
"Once you sense the flow of my power, you must respond in advance, don't wait until it hits you to react!"
"The most important thing in battle is speed!"
"As long as you are faster than others, you can interrupt them just as they are starting their move!"
"This is striking after the enemy has moved but arriving first! Anticipating the enemy's opportunity!"
Shandou's roars echoed in the dojo, accompanied by the muffled sounds of Ash's body hitting the mats.
By the sidelines.
Pikachu sat cross-legged, hovering twenty centimeters off the ground, surrounded by faint golden electric arcs, maintaining [Magnet Rise].
Its small paws held a tea cup that was slightly too large for it, filled with a special drink Shandou had prepared specifically for it to replenish electricity.
It took small sips while watching the battle in the field intently.
The electric sacs on Pikachu's cheeks would occasionally flash with worry as Ash was knocked down, but there was more recognition of its Trainer's persistence.
After all, when Pikachu cultivated on its own, it also suffered quite a bit.
Among the Pokémon currently in Ash's possession, only Misdreavus hadn't suffered much hardship. Next was Pidgeotto. After all, Pidgeotto's role was that of a bomber; it didn't need much close combat training.
However, the one who was most tired and suffered the most wasn't actually Pikachu. The one who suffered the most was Gyarados. For a Pokémon like Gyarados, overcoming its nature was truly too difficult.
And the bond between Pokémon and Trainer is accumulated bit by bit in this kind of daily life.
Working hard together.
Struggling together.
Growing together.
Moving forward together.
This isn't something spoken with the mouth, but done through actual actions.
If the Trainer is lazy and doesn't work hard, can they really expect the Pokémon to train themselves to death? Indeed, some Pokémon might naturally like to train hard. But would such hard-working Pokémon really acknowledge a Trainer who is lazy as hell?
Beside Pikachu, Misdreavus presented a different scene.
It floated there.
Closing its eyes from time to time, but unable to resist opening them to peek.
Seeing Ash being heavily smashed onto the mat by Shandou with another shoulder throw, it cried out "Muma!"
Misdreavus's big eyes instantly filled with tears, looking ready to weep. It was so heartbroken it wanted to rush up immediately and use illusions to interfere with Shandou.
Then it was stopped by a warning spark of weak electricity from Pikachu—this was the path Ash had chosen for himself.
The other place bustling with activity was in the corner of the dojo.
Charmeleon was "surrounded" by a group of Fighting-type Pokémon.
Primeape was irritably demonstrating how to use anger outbursts to instantly increase punching speed.
Hitmonlee was displaying how to perfectly conduct the power of the waist and legs into a kick.
Heracross used its single horn to demonstrate precise horn thrusts and how to withstand the force of counterattacks.
Even that massive Machamp was using two of its four arms to patiently correct the coordination of Charmeleon's shoulders and hips when punching.
And this kind of teaching, of course, was also taught using fists.
Charmeleon was beaten miserably.
But the more it was beaten, the more excited it got.
Charmeleon: That's it!
Charmeleon: I feel my growth!
Charmeleon cast a sideways glance at Ash.
Charmeleon: No matter what, I am a Pokémon; how can I be worse than my Trainer?!
Charmeleon: Not being able to beat my own Trainer or something, I don't want that kind of thing to happen!
So Charmeleon learned with extreme focus.
It imitated, it attempted, and then inevitably, it was also "sparred" with by these "seniors" in the same way.
Knocked down.
Crawled back up.
Knocked down again.
Crawled back up again.
Its body gained quite a few new scrapes and bruises, but the flame on its tail burned more vigorously than ever before, and the fighting intent and satisfaction in its eyes almost overflowed.
It could clearly feel that with every fall and rise, its body's application of power became more skilled, and its understanding of battle became a layer deeper.
This kind of visible growth made it enjoy the hardship like sweet candy.
—Fight!
Time flew by amidst sweat and collisions.
When Ash felt like his limbs were filled with lead, lifting his arms was unusually difficult, and every breath brought a burning stinging sensation.
When Charmeleon was so tired it almost had to rely on its tail for support to stand steady, yet still refused to fall.
Shandou finally called a halt to tonight's special training.
Although martial artists must use their will to transcend limits, the body ultimately has limits. Daily training should still prioritize maintenance. If the body breaks down from training, how can one use will to transcend limits? Smile.
The fighting industry is actually thirty percent training and seventy percent eating; the rest is all maintenance.
"Alright! That's it for tonight! Going too far is as bad as falling short!" Shandou looked at the nearly exhausted human and dragon before him and nodded with satisfaction.
He personally brought over two large bowls of steaming thick soup rich with the aroma of medicine, as well as special Pokéblocks mixed with various Berries and minerals prepared specifically for Charmeleon.
"Eat! This is the dojo's secret dietary supplement. It can quickly restore physical strength, relieve muscle soreness, and strengthen tendons and bones!"
Then Shandou took out professional medicinal oil and began to massage Ash to relax him with skilled techniques.
With every press and knead of those calloused large hands, Ash felt his sore and stiff muscles melting away little by little.
"Woo—"
How should one put it?
It was very satisfying, but also very sore.
This feeling was harder to endure than pain.
"Lu lu~" Charmeleon narrowed its eyes, a purring sound of enjoyment coming from its throat.
The one massaging Charmeleon was Machamp.
And in terms of physical tolerance, Charmeleon was also stronger than Ash. After all, Charmeleon was a Pokémon. And the kind of Pokémon with good physical constitution at that.
Under the dual effects of the dietary supplement and massage, extreme exhaustion surged like a tide.
Ash and Charmeleon almost supported each other as they stumbled back to the guest room arranged by the dojo.
Brock and Misty had already gone to sleep.
Ash barely managed to wash up and threw himself onto the tatami mats. Almost the instant he touched the bedding, his consciousness sank into darkness.
Charmeleon also curled up beside him, the flame on its tail retracting into a steady small flame, and emitted uniform snoring sounds.
"Muma!" Misdreavus leaned close to Ash's face, its big eyes looking at Ash's tired face.
"Pika~ Pika~" Pikachu shook its head helplessly and turned off the light on its own.
Pikachu: Why do I feel like I'm a nanny?
Watching the moonlight filter through the window lattice, gently sprinkling over everyone.
The corners of Pikachu's mouth carried an imperceptible, upward arc.
It's truly nice.
And on the other side, Shandou also logged onto their small online group.
After all, the communication between martial artists was still very close.
Fighting is about growing through this kind of mutual exchange.
[Network Group — The Fighting Party]
Fighting Spirit Dojo · Shandou: Everyone! I met a fighting genius over here.
Fighting Spirit Dojo · Shandou: Abba abba abba... that's roughly the situation.
[Fighting Spirit Dojo · Shandou uploaded a photo of Ash]
Fighting Spirit Dojo · Shandou: His name is Ash, from Pallet Town.
Fighting Spirit Dojo · Shandou: He's been traveling for less than a year, but it's unbelievable that he learned Aura from a Lucario in just a few days!
Fighting Spirit Dojo · Shandou: If you guys meet him in the future, please give him some pointers.
Cianwood Gym · Chuck: Oh oh oh!
Cianwood Gym · Chuck: He learned Aura in just a few days?
Cianwood Gym · Chuck: That is simply too full of fighting spirit!
Cianwood Gym · Chuck: Oh oh oh!
Dewford Gym · Brawly: Master Chuck!
Dewford Gym · Brawly: Calm down! Calm down!
Dewford Gym · Brawly: Watch your image!
Cianwood Gym · Chuck: Brawly! You, who have found so many girlfriends, are not worthy of speaking!
Cianwood Gym · Chuck: If I find out you've turned into a soft-legged shrimp, I'll beat you to death!
Cianwood Gym · Chuck: But Shandou, when will you, the number one candidate for the P1 Grand Prix, get the championship?
Fighting Spirit Dojo · Shandou: ...That is very depressing.
Karate King · Kiyo: What a lively day!
Karate King · Kiyo: Good! I must also work harder!
Karate King · Kiyo: Then I will fight my way back to Saffron City fair and square!
Elite Four · Bruno: I think you are courting death.
Cianwood Gym · Chuck: I also think, Senior Brother, that it's better if you don't go to challenge that witch. It's not like you can't survive in a different territory.
Elite Four · Bruno: However, regarding the name Ash, I seem to have heard it somewhere before.
Elite Four · Bruno: ...Hiss... whom did I hear it from?
Stow-on-Side Gym · Bea: Lurking =_=
Dewford Gym · Brawly: It's Little Bea!
Dewford Gym · Brawly: It's the cute Little Bea!
Dewford Gym · Brawly: It's rare for Little Bea to come online!
Cianwood Gym · Chuck: You disgraceful fellow! Shut up!
(Dewford Gym · Brawly has been muted by Cianwood Gym · Chuck for one hour)
Stow-on-Side Gym · Bea: Boring fellow.
____
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