Chapter 45: Instructor Hitmonlee
At the Saffron City Fighting Dojo, Ash and Verity had come to challenge the doji in hopes of earning one of the renowned fighting-type specialists: Hitmonchan or Hitmonlee.
The dojo master, Kiyo — a compact old man barely one meter thirty-five tall, yet possessing a concentrated essence of martial arts — enthusiastically accepted their challenge.
Though… he still charged a fee.
Watching the elderly master, clutching his aching back yet stubbornly standing tall just to eke out a bit of income, Ash couldn't help feeling a surge of respect.
This is what it means to be a real man.
Verity's Piplup faced Kiyo's elderly Machoke. Ash had assumed this would be a straightforward, one-sided battle. He was quickly proven wrong.
"Piplup! Bubble Beam!"
The moment the match began, Piplup launched a fierce assault.
"Machoke, Protect!"
Kiyo executed defensive technique with ease.
Ash nodded in genuine appreciation.
Not bad at all, old man.
He had eaten far too many losses to Protect to underestimate it now.
"Tch… fine! Then go in for Peck!"
Verity carelessly ordered a direct charge.
"Pip-ka!"
Piplup's beak stretched forward with a flash of white light, aiming straight at Machoke's face.
"Hehe, still too young, girl."
Kiyo smirked.
"Machoke, Seismic Toss!"
Before Piplup could even make contact, Machoke snatched the penguin up in a firm grappling hold.
Ash's eyes lit up.
"A grappler, huh. The old man really can fight."
"Machoke!"
With a sharp bend of its waist, Machoke hoisted Piplup and began rolling with it across the ground, one full revolution after another.
Thud! Thud!
Each turn, Piplup's head bounced off the ground and a fresh bump appeared.
Piplup was in danger.
"Verity, the TM—"
Ash whispered desperately.
"Oh! Right!"
Verity finally remembered. She had borrowed one of Ash's TMs, the same one Brock used with his Pokémon.
"Piplup! Bide!"
"Pip-ka!"
Piplup tucked its head tightly, a milky white aura rising around it.
Kiyo immediately stopped escalating force. Endure was dangerous — if he couldn't knock the opponent out, Machoke risked eating the entire recoil.
"Machoke, throw it!"
Following his command, Machoke lifted Piplup high overhead and—
"Pip—?!"
Piplup was launched skyward with a scream.
"Piplup! Release Bide!"
Verity was forced to fire back instantly.
"Pip-kaaa!"
Piplup blasted downward.
Boom!
A beam of white light shot straight toward Machoke.
Completely unhurried, Kiyo called out,
"Machoke, Bulk Up."
Machoke posed, flexing its biceps as the white beam smashed directly into its chest.
"Machoo—"
Its cheeks flushed as if savoring the impact.
"What?! Still not enough damage?"
Verity puffed her cheeks.
"Fine! Piplup, Bubble Beam again!"
"Pip-ka!"
Landing on the ground, Piplup immediately fired another stream of bubbles.
"Machoke! Let's end this."
Kiyo spread his arms wide like a crane, excitement building.
"Cross Chop!"
He posed like a budget Ultraman, arms crossed, and Machoke mimicked him faithfully.
Crack…
Crack…
Two crisp pops echoed through the courtyard.
Both Kiyo and Machoke's expressions froze.
"My back… it's gone…"
"Macho…ke…"
Trainer and Pokémon collapsed at the same time.
Ash could only stare in disbelief.
"Master!"
Urshuckly screamed as he rushed forward.
Verity and Piplup exchanged looks.
(?_?)
Um… does this count as our win?
"Master, can you still continue?"
Urshuckly gently lifted the trembling old man.
"I… ow… no… declare the result…"
Kiyo whimpered.
"I declare! Master Kiyo is unable to battle! The challengers win!"
Urshuckly announced with a long sigh.
Ash felt black lines forming on his forehead.
Unable to battle made it sound like Verity had beaten up an old man.
"Uh… should I come back another day?"
Ash asked carefully.
"That's… also fine…"
Kiyo agreed absentmindedly.
"Then could you refund the challenge fee—?"
Ash extended his hand.
"No need! I would never send challengers away empty-handed!"
Kiyo said boldly, looking at his disciple.
"Urshuckly… I believe it's time for you to inherit the dojo's legacy.
You will take this match in my place!"
"Eh?! Master, I can't— I'm not even fully trained yet!"
Urshuckly panicked.
"Do you want beef bowl for dinner?"
Kiyo asked gravely.
"…Yes."
Urshuckly nodded with childlike sincerity.
"Then get out there!"
Kiyo barked, pointing at Ash.
"For beef bowl! I'll do it!"
Urshuckly eyes began to burn with determination.
Ash sighed.
Whatever. It was too late to back out anyway.
"Alright, let's do this…"
He and Urshuckly helped the old master to a tatami mat in the hall, then returned to the yard.
"Ha! Fighting Dojo disciple Urshuckly! Please instruct me!"
Urshuckly bowed deeply in a judo stance.
"Uh… Ash from Pallet Town. Please go easy on me."
Ash returned the courtesy.
Why did every martial artist treat pokemon battles like real hand-to-hand combat…?
"Hitmontop! I choose you!"
Urshuckly threw his Poké Ball.
"Topo!"
A Hitmontop appeared, balancing lightly on its pointed head.
Ash waved calmly.
"Pidgeotto. You're up."
Ushuckly froze, mouth hanging open.
"Pid… Pidgeotto…"
"Oh no…"
Kiyo collapsed again.
Verity cheerfully volunteered as referee.
"Match, begin!"
"Hitmontop, Triple Kick!"
Urshuckly struck a flying-kick pose and launched an attack with all his courage.
Ash nodded with genuine admiration.
The kid was really trying.
"Pidgeotto — Aerial Ace."
"Pidgeotto!"
Wind spiraled around its wings as Pidgeotto vanished in a blur.
A heartbeat later—
Boom!
Pidgeotto slammed directly into Hitmontop's chest with devastating precision.
The fighting Pokémon was blasted off its headstand stance, sent flying backward, and—
Crash!
Embedded itself in the courtyard wall.
Instant knockout.
"…So I won?"
Ash scratched his head.
Urshuckly withdrew Hitmontop and bowed, ashamed.
"I lost. Master, I have failed your teachings."
"Don't say that…"
Kiyo sighed.
"Ever since losing to that little girl Sabrina, I knew my era was coming to an end.
Slacking, cutting corners, deceiving customers… I have been a terrible example."
"Master!"
Urshuckly shouted emotionally.
"Urshuckly!"
The old man answered with equal passion.
Ash and Verity stood aside quietly, munching metaphorical popcorn.
"Ash… isn't the old man a little pitiful?"
Verity sniffled.
Ash nodded thoughtfully.
"He is. I do feel bad for him. But he still owes us Pokémon. Not even one less."
"…Ah."
Kiyo's lips twitched.
So much for his touching dramatic moment.
He could only bow his head and sigh.
"Follow me. The dojo's trained Pokémon are in the backyard."
Verity whispered in shock,
"He was pretending?!"
Ash shrugged.
"What did you expect?"
In the back garden, multiple Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan were practicing with sandbags. A couple of Hitmontop were also training intensely with bags strapped to them.
Kiyo gestured.
"Everything is here. Choose whichever one you like."
Verity immediately pointed at a smaller Hitmontop.
"I want that one!"
To her, the most important thing was intuition and affinity, that is they must catch her eyes. That Hitmontop's gentle face felt just right.
Ash, however, hesitated.
Hitmonlee, master of kicks, and Hitmonchan, master of punches — both excellent choices.
With a certain temperamental little cutie waiting for him in the future, he wasn't sure which would suit his team best.
"Lee… lee-lee-lee…"
A Hitmonlee in the corner suddenly caught Ash's attention.
Unlike the others, it wasn't sweating away at sandbags or kicking wooden stakes.
Instead, it had its hands clasped behind its back, strolling around the training yard, occasionally correcting another Pokémon's technique — identifying flaws in posture, pointing out force angles, adjusting timing.
Every Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan it coached immediately improved.
Ash's eyes gleamed.
Oh? An instructor Hitmonlee? Now that's good.
Whether for Primeape or future teammates, having a second coach wasn't a bad idea.
"Alright. I'll take him."
Ash pointed decisively at the supervising Hitmonlee.
Kiyo visibly brightened.
Out of all the Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan in the dojo, that one ate the most and trained the least. Worse, it constantly acted like a lonely master whose brilliance mere mortals could not comprehend — none of the other Pokémon dared beat him up for slacking.
[TL: Have eyes but can't see Mt. Tai.]
It drove Kiyo's blood pressure through the roof.
But now Ash wanted it.
Perfect. He could uphold his promise and get rid of this bottomless stomach.
"A double blessing! It's settled!"
Kiyo quickly recalled the chosen Pokémon into empty Poké Balls, shoved them into Ash and Verity's hands, and pushed them out the door.
"No refunds or exchanges! Take care! Goodbye!"
Ash and Verity looked at one another, confused.
Why did the old man act like they were the ones taking advantage?
"Whatever. Mission accomplished. Let's go train."
Ash pocketed Hitmonlee's Poké Ball and planned to get it officially registered under his trainer ID before heading to the Saffron Gym to record his formal challenge.
They had already stayed in Saffron City for two days.
It was time to move on.
To be continued…