The wheels rolled over the final stretch of paved road in the western suburbs of Celadon City, leaving the hustle and bustle of the metropolis and the fragrance of flowers far behind.
Ash and his party officially set foot on Route 16, leading towards Gringey City.
Compared to the broad main road leading to Saffron City earlier, the scenery here appeared much more primitive and wild.
Dense forests lined both sides of the road, and sunlight filtered through the layers of leaves, casting mottled, swaying shadows on the ground. The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and vegetation, occasionally punctuated by the cries of unknown birds. It was full of the breath of nature.
...Well, that was the nice way to put it.
The not-so-nice way to put it was that they had entered the forest, far away from human habitation. Except for the main roads that were frequently maintained, the other paths weren't very good. This was especially true since most people preferred maritime transport.
Ash rode on his bicycle, one hand on the handlebars and the other holding his Pokédex, his brows furrowed slightly. The screen displayed a message from a special contact; the sender's avatar was a grinning cat.
[Meowth: Heard that... branch... going to... Gringey City... be careful... Meow...]
"Team Rocket... Gringey City..." Ash muttered in a low voice.
Meowth's warning was still very useful to him. It was just that this message lacked context, and he didn't know what exactly would happen in Gringey City.
If it was just ordinary Team Rocket grunts... well, Brock had brought two main-force Pokémon with him this time. Three Gym Leader-level main forces were enough for Brock to beat Vicious into a [complete fool].
Of course, the premise was that they had to be outside the city. If the battle broke out inside the city, they would still have to run.
There was no helping it; a gentleman can be deceived by his own code. Unless he was about to die, it was impossible for Brock to unleash his full power inside a city.
Moreover... Gringey City.
—That was a city famous for industry... but now it was said that the environment was very poor, undertaking more than eighty percent of the Kanto League's waste disposal work.
—What was Team Rocket going there for?
Ash really felt there was nothing in Gringey City that Team Rocket would have their eyes on. Would a terrorist organization really attack a garbage recycling station? Could it be that Team Rocket had developed some new waste resource processing and recovery technology?
Then they could just apply directly to the League. It couldn't be that they were after Gringey City's resources, right? ...That would be too ridiculous.
So the only possibility was... Vicious?
After all, he was the only enemy they didn't get along with.
"Ash, what's wrong?" Misty, riding alongside him, noticed his strange behavior and turned her head to ask.
"It's a message from Meowth," Ash turned the Pokédex screen towards her and Brock, who was slightly behind. "It's warning us that Team Rocket members are heading towards Gringey City."
Brock thought for a moment and began to analyze calmly, "Gringey City used to be a famous industrial city... but now it's a city-scale waste processing station, plus resource recycling and remanufacturing."
"Using new technology—supercritical fluids—to directly corrode and decompose matter... the cost of waste recycling is very low, so it's very profitable."
"But..."
Brock thought about his impression of Team Rocket. Team Rocket engaging in the waste recycling industry or something was just too abstract. If they were earning money so honestly, then why bother running Team Rocket? They could just start a new resource recycling company.
It was hard to understand.
Misty curled her lips. "How much can we trust that Meowth's words? Could it be a trap?"
"It won't be." Ash put away the Pokédex, his gaze looking towards the dense shade of the trees ahead on the road. "He wouldn't lie to me... Anyway, let's just be extra careful."
The Pikachu on his shoulder also let out a "Pika," cheeks flashing with electricity, expressing agreement.
Pikachu: I'm much stronger now~
Pikachu: Come and fight if you have the guts!
The Misdreavus lying on top of Ash's head looked around curiously, full of interest in everything in the forest.
The three continued forward for a while, the forest becoming deeper and deeper. Suddenly, a chaotic noise came from the fork in the road ahead, breaking the tranquility of the woods.
The sound was a mixture of angry Pokémon roars, anxious human shouts, and the explosive sounds of moves colliding.
"Situation ahead!" Ash's eyes sharpened, and he immediately pedaled faster.
Misty and Brock quickly followed.
Turning past a patch of dense bushes, the scene before them made the three pause. In a clearing in the woods, a young male and female Trainer were standing back to back, looking nervous.
They were completely surrounded by a large group of Mankey with ferocious eyes. On the periphery, several Primeape, larger in size and even angrier, were eyeing them covetously, constantly letting out threatening roars.
The girl had brown hair, wore a blue top and white shorts, and carried a green backpack. It was worth noting that, despite her young age, she was actually wearing black tights!
Standing beside her was a haughty Pokémon that looked like a penguin—Prinplup. The Prinplup constantly waved the tips of its wings, firing sharp Water Pulses to force back the Mankey attempting to approach. But evidently, the consumption was huge, and it was panting ceaselessly.
Even more striking was the Pokémon beside the boy. It had blue fur, looked like an upright wolf-dog warrior, and had sharp eyes... it was the rare Aura Pokémon—Lucario.
Lucario moved as swift as the wind; every attack precisely knocked back the Mankey pouncing on them. Its fighting technique could be described as abnormally tough.
However, the situation was extremely unfavorable for them. Although Lucario was powerful, it had to divide its attention to protect the Trainer behind it, restricting its movements greatly. And those Mankey and Primeape were not only numerous, but their advances and retreats actually hinted at a methodical system!
Unbelievable!
They knew how to coordinate!
One wave feigned an attack to attract Lucario's attention, while another wave raided the Trainer's main body from the flank, forcing Lucario to return to defend, running it ragged. Several Primeape relied on their powerful strength and durability to tough out the Water Pulses and Aura attacks, constantly compressing the two Trainers' space for movement.
"These wild Pokémon..." Brock observed the battle situation carefully, his thick eyebrows furrowing. "Their attack patterns and cooperative combat capabilities don't look like completely wild behavior. It looks more like... there are traces of being formally trained?"
Brock pondered who would do such a thing. Anyway, normal villainous organizations and normal Trainers wouldn't do this.
Considering these Primeape...
Wait?
A while ago, there seemed to have been a P1 Grand Prix!
It was those brain-damaged martial artists?!
That's right, it should be them! Brock thought about it carefully and felt he had found the answer. Those martial artists with sick brains really did like to add difficulty for themselves. And if a group of brain-sick martial artists got together... having nothing better to do than train Mankey and Primeape was also very normal.
"Now isn't the time to talk about this!" Misty shouted anxiously. "They can't hold on much longer!"
"Right, let's help them break the siege first!" Ash leaped off his bike without hesitation, leaning it against the side of the road.
Fighting was fine.
Breaking the bike was not. Even if Miss Erika gave it for free... this bike was very expensive, okay!
"Pikachu, Misdreavus, prepare for battle!"
"Charmeleon, I choose you!"
A red light flashed, and Charmeleon, with fierce eyes and a tail burning with a raging flame, appeared beside Ash, letting out a low growl filled with fighting spirit.
However, Ash's next action almost made Misty drop her jaw. He didn't stay in the safe rear to command, but took a deep breath and actually charged straight towards the chaotic battle circle along with Charmeleon.
Ash!!
Ash just A-moved right in!
Contestant Ash personally entered the field to launch an attack!
"Hey! Ash! Are you crazy! Why are you going up there yourself?!" Misty couldn't help but shout anxiously.
A Trainer personally entering the fray to brawl? This was not standard operation!
Although Brock on the side also showed surprise, he soon revealed a look of understanding. He stopped Misty, who wanted to rush up and pull Ash back, explaining, "Misty, calm down."
"Ash he... probably wants to use this opportunity to train himself as well."
"Don't forget his special training in Saffron City, and he has never been the kind of Trainer who only hides behind his Pokémon."
That being said, Brock felt that Ash's mindset might be a bit impatient. Was it because of Team Rocket? But this moment was indeed a good time to let Ash vent. After all, they were just Mankey and Primeape.
From their usual interactions, Brock felt that Ash's fighting level was quite good... completely unlike a rookie Trainer who hadn't been on the road for long. Becoming like this in less than a year from being a rookie?
The future is promising! Boundless prospects!
"Pika!" Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder, golden electric arcs winding around his body as he landed. He gave a cry of agreement, then followed closely by Ash's side like a golden bolt of lightning on all fours, clearing away the scattered Mankey approaching him.
"Mai mai!" Misdreavus was in high spirits. She thought Ash rushing up looked very fun.
Misdreavus turned into a black shadow and floated above Ash, her small eyes darting around to prevent any Mankey from sneak-attacking. Seeing that Ash was so interested, Misdreavus didn't intend to meddle too much.
...Emm...
Erika, educated in the Young Lady Mode, evidently taught Misdreavus that—a little woman only needs to support him from behind, and that is enough. Anyway, Misdreavus had been led a bit astray.
"You two... Sigh!" Misty face-palmed, but knowing the situation was urgent, she immediately released her own Pokémon. "Staryu, Goldeen, support them with Water Pulse!"
"Target: disperse the Mankey. Careful not to hurt those two people!" Misty ordered.
As for whether Ash would get hurt? ...Misty wasn't worried about that. She had been watching Ash's performance during this time; his growth speed could be said to be rapid.
Brock also moved quickly. "Vulpix, use Ember for long-range harassment!"
Brock still had several different powerful Pokémon on him, but there was no need to release them at this time. Vulpix was enough for this scene.
Instantly—the tide of battle changed abruptly with the addition of Ash's trio.
Ash and Charmeleon were like sharp arrowheads, thrusting straight into the center of the Mankey horde. Charmeleon roared, spewing scorching flames to force back the enemies in front.
Ash relied on the reaction speed and physical stamina improved during his special training to nimbly dodge the scratches of the Mankey. He even saw an opportunity and delivered a precise kick, knocking away a Mankey attempting to sneak attack Charmeleon's flank.
"Ora ora ora—"
"Charmeleon Charmeleon Charmeleon—"
There seemed to be an invisible bond between Ash and Charmeleon; their movements were tacitly coordinated, covering each other. In a sense, this Charmeleon and Ash got along very well.
Ash punched a Mankey flying. Just as another Mankey prepared to attack Ash, Charmeleon cut in from the side and kicked the Mankey away.
"Partner—" Ash called out while giving a Mankey an over-the-shoulder throw.
Although he didn't say it out loud, Pikachu already understood his meaning.
—Use electricity on that group to the front left!
—Control the power, just disperse them!
"Pika—chu!"
Golden electricity shot out like a spirit snake, precisely hitting several Mankey huddled together, shocking them into paralysis and causing them to retreat while squeaking wildly.
—Misdreavus, use Confuse Ray on that commanding Primeape!
It was a pity that Ash ultimately couldn't fight four hands with two fists; if he really got surrounded by the Mankey horde, he would still need to call Pikachu and Misdreavus for help.
"Mai!"
A cunning light flashed in Misdreavus's eyes, and a twisted, shifting ray shot towards a Primeape that looked like a leader. The Primeape was hit by the ray; its eyes immediately became glazed, and it began to dizzily attack the companions around it, triggering small-scale chaos.
The Water Pulses jointly unleashed by Misty's Staryu and Goldeen pushed away the Mankey attempting to encircle them like a tidal wave.
Brock's Vulpix spat Embers, constantly dotting the bodies of those individuals trying to break through the defense line. Although not fatal, it effectively interrupted their attack rhythm.
Although Pokémon like Mankey and Primeape weren't afraid of pain, they could still feel it. Under such efficient and tacit joint strikes, the formation of the Mankey and Primeape collapsed rapidly.
Although they were fierce, they also knew how to judge the situation. Especially Ash's performance.
These fighting-type Pokémon were very simple when it came to fighting. Since Ash could defeat them with individual martial force...
Mankey: Gua... lost the fight!
The weaker Mankey were already considering retreating, only those few powerful Primeape were still fighting to the death.
"Ga oh!!" The Primeape affected by Confuse Ray was the first to regain a shred of clarity. It roared unwillingly, looked at its companions who had fallen or were cowering around it, then cast a fearful glance at the electric-flashing Pikachu beside Ash. Finally, it issued the command to retreat.
Primeape: Another martial artist?
The remaining Mankey and Primeape felt as if they had been granted amnesty; they let out cries one after another, fleeing into the depths of the dense forest in a sorry state, quickly disappearing from sight.
A while ago, the Mankey and Primeape here had been beaten miserably by the martial artists gathering in droves.
The forest clearing finally returned to calm, leaving only a bit of mess and the smell of scorching lingering in the air.
Ash sighed in relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and patted Charmeleon on the shoulder. "Good job, everyone."
Among Ash's Pokémon, the only one who could spar with him in fighting techniques was Charmeleon. A while ago at the Celadon Gym, both sides had also engaged in flesh-to-flesh combat training.
"Pika~" Pikachu nimbly jumped back onto his shoulder.
"Mai mai~" Misdreavus also floated back with a grin, circling around him.
Misty and Brock also recalled their Pokémon and walked over.
The two besieged Trainers finally relaxed completely, their faces wearing the relief of surviving a disaster and heartfelt gratitude.
The brown-haired girl let out a long sigh of relief, patted her chest, and stepped forward first, revealing a bright smile. "Saved, we're saved!"
"Thank you so much! If you hadn't arrived in time, we would have been in big trouble!"
"I'm Verity from Twinleaf Town, and this is my partner, Prinplup!"
The big penguin, Prinplup, beside her also held its head high and chest out, letting out a reserved cry as a greeting.
The black-haired boy also walked over. His temperament was more steady and introverted. He nodded solemnly to Ash's trio. "Thank you all for your assistance. I am Sorrel from Veilstone City."
The Lucario beside him swept its gaze over Ash and the Pikachu on his shoulder, nodding slightly to express gratitude and recognition.
"I'm Ash from Pallet Town." Ash responded with a smile, pointing to the Pikachu on his shoulder and the Misdreavus on his head. "This is Pikachu, that is Misdreavus. The one who fought just now was Charmeleon."
"I'm Misty from Cerulean City."
"I'm Brock from Pewter City."
With introductions complete, the atmosphere immediately became harmonious.
Verity had a lively personality, looking in the direction the Mankey disappeared with lingering fear. "Scared me to death. Why are the Mankey here so formidable? And there were so many of them!"
Sorrel muttered, "Indeed unusual... Their attacks were very organized, unlike ordinary wild Pokémon."
As for abandoned Pokémon... it was impossible to abandon such a large pile of the same kind.
And at times like this, one had to look to the most knowledgeable Brock: "It was the P1 Grand Prix... I came late, it was already over."
"It was martial artists? Those guys really are unreliable..." Misty recalled the fighting Trainers who had once challenged the Cerulean Gym. How to put it... each one's personality was too... boisterous? Misty didn't know how to describe it.
However, speaking like this attracted Lucario's attention. Although Lucario is the Aura Pokémon, it is a Fighting-type, so it counts as a martial artist.
"Oh... sorry, I didn't mean you," Misty immediately apologized directly.
"Lu..." Lucario nodded.
Although it didn't want to admit it, most martial artists were indeed not very reliable. It wasn't to say there was a problem with their good or evil. Rather, their worldview was different from ordinary people.
Martial artists liked to manufacture difficulties, face difficulties head-on, and temper themselves... for most people, this was obviously not something they liked.
"By the way, you're a Lucario, right?" Ash looked at the big blue dog.
"Can you teach me Aura training?" Ash raised his arm and flexed his biceps.
"Lu?" Lucario had a look of shock.
Everyone actually saw shock on a dog's face.
"Can you help him? Lucario," Sorrel said. No matter what, the two of them had been saved by Ash; since that was the case, why couldn't they help with this small favor?
"Lu?" After nodding, Lucario looked at Ash, and a voice rang out in everyone's hearts: [But I cannot guarantee you will be able to learn it.]
As an Aura Pokémon, Lucario indeed had the ability of telepathic communication.
"Lucario can use Aura because it is born knowing how; it will be very difficult for humans to want to learn it... Ash," Brock also reminded him at this moment.
"...Humans who know Aura... I remember their numbers are even fewer than Psychics, right?" Misty recalled the information in her mind.
"Yes, even Elite Four Bruno has only trained a powerful body and has not learned Aura." When Sorrel got Lucario back then, he also wanted to learn Aura. The result was that he couldn't learn it no matter how he tried; he couldn't even sense it.
And Bruno of the Elite Four could already be said to be the world's strongest martial artist. It could only be said that Aura was not something that could be learned just by working hard.
"Lucario are rarely seen; it's rare to see one, so I have to try~" Ash didn't expect to learn it immediately either, but wouldn't it be good to try his luck?
If someone led him in laying the foundation, it might be possible to learn it in the future.
Karate King Kiyo can tear! Steel! Plates! With! Bare! Hands!
____
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