"Then I'll serve as the referee for this match."
Professor Oak said as he stepped to the center of the battlefield, taking the initiative to act as referee.
Brock, who had originally wanted to take on the role, tactfully stepped back upon seeing Professor Oak step forward, joining Misty as a spectator.
"Now, Red from Pallet Town will face Gary, Ash, and Leaf, who are also from Pallet Town. Each side may use three Pokémon. The match begins!"
Professor Oak waved the flag in his hand, announcing the start of the battle.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash immediately ordered, hoping to seize the advantage first.
A high-voltage current burst from Pikachu's body, instantly forming a lightning serpent that rushed toward Kabutops. However, Kabutops showed no sign of panic, as it already knew the effect of Zapdos's Ability.
"It worked!"
Seeing Kabutops make no attempt to dodge, Ash mistakenly believed the speed of the attack had been too fast for it to react.
"How is that possible?!"
Suddenly, something unexpected happened. The Thunderbolt that had been heading toward Kabutops abruptly changed direction and was effortlessly absorbed by Zapdos in the sky. In an instant, it was converted into Zapdos's own power, boosting its Special Attack.
"It's the Lightning Rod Ability. Just as I thought—Red's team arrangement isn't as flawed as it looks!" Gary said cautiously, revealing an "as expected" expression.
Leaf had also guessed Red's strategy, so she wasn't as surprised as Ash.
"Huh? What's Lightning Rod?"
Ash looked around in confusion, hoping someone would explain.
"Lightning Rod absorbs Electric-type moves. That means as long as Zapdos is on the field, Pikachu is basically useless in this battle…"
Leaf explained, while Ash's expression gradually darkened.
"How could this happen…"
Ash and Pikachu both lowered their heads in dejection.
But the others ignored Ash's gloom and immediately launched their attacks.
"Nidoking, use Stone Edge!"
"Venusaur, use Vine Whip!"
Sharp stone blades floated around Nidoking before shooting toward Kabutops.
Venusaur extended its eight thick vines, rapidly closing in on Omastar.
"Kabutops, use Razor Shell."
"Omastar, use Pin Missile."
"Zapdos, use Steel Wing."
Kabutops calmly assumed a drawing stance, water energy coating its scythes with a blue glow. As the Stone Edge approached, it swung forward in a horizontal slash, instantly shattering the incoming blades.
"What a sharp strike!" Gary exclaimed.
Omastar's many tentacles fired countless sharp spikes, striking the incoming vines like missiles. However, due to the vines' thickness, it was still restrained by Venusaur.
After all, Venusaur was Leaf's starter Pokémon—its strength was undeniable.
Seeing this, Zapdos in the sky changed its target from Pikachu to Venusaur. Its Steel Wing struck heavily, knocking Venusaur backward.
Seizing the opportunity, Omastar immediately used Rollout to break free from the vines.
"Ash, at least do something!" Gary complained helplessly. Ash had sent out his starter Pokémon, yet it was contributing nothing—completely ridiculous.
"I don't want this either! Unless your Nidoking can quickly take down Zapdos!" Ash snapped back, the two instantly slipping into their usual bickering.
"You two, honestly…" Leaf muttered, covering her face.
"Kabutops, use Aqua Jet!"
Red ignored their argument and immediately launched an attack on Nidoking.
Wrapped in water, Kabutops moved at blinding speed and slammed heavily into Nidoking.
"Roar—!"
Hit by a Water-type move that dealt double damage, Nidoking couldn't help but show pain.
"Focus fire on Kabutops first! Venusaur, use Seed Machine Gun!"
Leaf decisively commanded, reminding the two still arguing to get serious.
In her view, Zapdos was the strongest and had to be dealt with through teamwork. Meanwhile, Omastar in the back was less likely to engage in close combat due to its mobility issues.
Only Kabutops, with its speed and scythes, would actively close in for melee—making it the best target to eliminate first.
"You've grown a lot…" Red murmured.
Venusaur rapidly fired countless seeds from its mouth. Though not as massive as Red's Venusaur's shot-put-like seeds, they were still impressive—each about the size of a tennis ball.
"Nidoking, use Earth Power!"
"Pikachu, charge in and use Iron Tail!"
After hearing Leaf's reminder, the bickering duo immediately resumed attacking, casting admiring glances at Leaf. They hadn't expected her to remain so calm and composed, making them feel embarrassed about their childish behavior.
'Trying to harm my companions right in front of me—how arrogant!'
Zapdos, dominating the sky, let out a piercing cry that echoed through the courtyard. Its body was engulfed in a blue aura as it dove downward, executing Brave Bird.
Omastar in the rear didn't stay idle either. Following Red's command, it unleashed Rock Blast, firing countless solid rocks forward.
The ground beneath Kabutops suddenly trembled, disrupting its footing as dust struck its body.
But the assault didn't end there. Kabutops was immediately hit by Pikachu's Iron Tail, cracking its shell and triggering its Weak Armor Ability.
With its speed increased, Kabutops retaliated with X-Scissor, knocking Pikachu back. It then calmly used Slash to block the incoming Seed Machine Gun, though it showed signs of strain.
Nidoking was about to press forward when, prompted by Gary's urgent warning, it turned and used Horn Drill to charge at the incoming Zapdos. However, Zapdos, using Brave Bird, slammed Nidoking back and knocked over the nearby Venusaur.
At the same time, Omastar's rocks struck Pikachu, dealing significant damage.
In an instant, the advantage Ash's team had gained vanished, as Red's lineup completely suppressed them.
"Your coordination is still too slow. But that's normal—you're following different trainers' commands, so I have a slight advantage here," Red said modestly. Instead of discouraging them, he encouraged their teamwork, urging them to try and defeat him together.
"Red… perhaps Pallet Town will truly flourish again in your generation, restoring its former reputation as the 'Land of Champions'…" Professor Oak murmured, looking at the spirited Red as memories of the past surfaced.
That was once Pallet Town's glory—but it belonged only to the past.
Yet now, Professor Oak saw hope in Red. This generation was one of the rare times when all trainees were present, unlike previous years when most newcomers lacked the strength to even reach the Pokémon League Admissions Exam.
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