Chapter 58
Upon hearing that Ash was there to challenge the Gym, Erika looked a bit troubled, "A Gym challenge? I'm really sorry, but the Gym is past its challenge hours now, Ash. How about we put your Gym battle off until tomorrow?"
"No problem, Miss Erika." Ash nodded.
It was indeed getting late, and they had been traveling all day, so they really needed a good rest.
After leaving the perfume shop, Ash and the others first went to the Pokémon Center to reserve rooms. After dinner, at Brock's suggestion, Ash and his friends went to Celadon City's largest arcade.
Besides being famous for perfume, Celadon City was also famous for video games. Well, after all, it was a money-making project cooked up by Team Rockets.
Inside the arcade, Ash also sensed, through his Aura, the Team Rocket HQ hidden within. But to avoid angering Giovanni, Ash had no intention of making a move against Team Rockets. After trying out most of the games, his conclusion was that they were bland and uninteresting. These games were worlds apart from the ones he played in his previous life.
Inside the Team Rocket HQ.
A Team Rockets member sitting and monitoring the screens, upon seeing Ash in the arcade, immediately reported to his superior: "Director, we've found traces of the Ash we were told to monitor."
"Keep a close eye on him. Also, have the internal personnel in the venue withdraw. Don't let him discover anything!" The director gave the order to retreat without a second thought.
They couldn't be blamed, after all, the intelligence they received was that Ash had a Zapdos. Their Team Rockets' top-secret experiment was at its most critical stage, and ensuring stable funding was the most important thing.
One of Team Rockets' important economic sources, the amusement park destroyed by the Team Rocket Trio in Lampur City, had been cut off not long ago. Now, the most profitable arcade could not afford any mishaps.
Inside the arcade, after Ash walked around, he saw Misty and Brock still happily playing. He didn't want to spoil their fun, so he went to the battle area set up in the arcade.
A few minutes later, led by an arcade staff member, Ash opened a private battleground for bounty battles.
"Charmander, Ember!"
Ash commanded Charmander to battle a passerby's Wartortle.
Charmander received the command and immediately Spit Up scorching flames.
"You're kidding, right? How can a Charmander's Ember be as strong as a Flamethrower?" Ash's opponent was utterly bewildered at this moment.
Indeed, normally, a Charmander's Ember would only be a few scattered sparks, causing very limited damage. But Ash's Charmander, having consumed many top-grade Fire Stones, had an incredibly dense Fire-type energy within, greatly enhancing its Fire-type moves.
Just one Ember skill was enough to make the Water-type Wartortle unbearable.
"Next one!"
Ash expressionlessly instructed the arcade staff member beside him.
Charmander was on the verge of evolution. He put up the paid battle sign precisely to help Charmander find an opportunity for evolution.
Soon, under the announcement of the staff, another challenger entered the arena.
And this challenger was none other than Gary.
"Ash, why is it you?!" Gary asked in surprise.
"I'm wondering why it's you! You didn't just arrive in Celadon City today, did you?" Ash was also very curious.
Logically, Gary's progress shouldn't be this slow. He had left Lampur City two days earlier.
"No, I already got the Celadon gym badge two days ago. I just heard there was an event at the arcade here..." Gary explained why he was staying in Celadon City.
His Nidorina and Nidorino were both on the verge of evolution, but good Moon Stones were hard to collect. He came to experience the arcade and happened to see an event where he could redeem one, so he decided to stay for a few days to get that Moon Stone.
"Moon Stone, huh? Gary, battle me once. As long as you help my Charmander evolve, I can sell you a top-grade Moon Stone." Ash suggested.
He did have Moon Stones saved up, but they weren't top-grade, and he currently didn't have any Pokémon that needed a Moon Stone.
Gary was surprised: "Your Charmander hasn't evolved yet?"
"It's accumulated a lot of energy and is on the verge of evolution. One word, are you fighting or not?" Ash asked, full of fighting spirit.
He wanted to get back at him for last time.
"Fight then, but let's agree beforehand, we stop when Charmander evolves, and I want to pay for the Moon Stone in installments." Gary was very cunning.
Ash chuckled: "No problem!"
"Come out, my sweetheart!"
Gary threw a Poké Ball.
"Wartortle~"
A large, ear-standing water turtle appeared opposite Charmander.
"Charmander, Ember!" Ash took the first move, quite unfairly.
"Wartortle, Water Gun attack!" Gary chose a head-on clash.
Wartortle was not only higher level than Charmander but also had a more advanced life form than Charmander. He didn't think Wartortle couldn't out-Spit Up Charmander under type disadvantage.
The two skills clashed, immediately erupting in a large amount of steam.
The evenly matched result surprised Gary: "How is that possible?"
"Charmander, now, use Dragon Claw!"
Charmander, using the cover of the steam, quickly approached Wartortle. Its two short hands gathered Dragon-type energy to form claws about ten centimeters long.
"Wartortle, quickly retreat into your shell!"
Gary reacted and quickly commanded.
Just as Charmander's claws were about to hit Wartortle's head, Wartortle retracted its head, narrowly dodging the fatal headshot.
Not hitting Wartortle made Charmander very angry. It waved its claws and scratched Wartortle's shell wildly.
The claws scraped against the shell, making a piercing sound. The originally smooth shell was left with scratches. Wartortle, hiding inside its shell, heard its home being scratched and was also very angry, as several streams of water gushed out from inside its shell.
"Is that... Hydro Pump?" Gary was stunned, then inwardly ecstatic. He said to Ash triumphantly: "Ash, it looks like your idea of helping Charmander evolve is going to fall through this time!"
"That's not necessarily true." Ash's mouth curved slightly upward.
He hadn't expected Wartortle to learn Hydro Pump, but as long as Charmander hadn't fallen, there was still a chance.
In the arena, Charmander, who had taken a Hydro Pump attack from Wartortle, not only didn't lose its battle capability but became even more spirited.
"How tenacious!" Gary gritted his teeth.
Charmander let out an angry Roar, and the next second, a white light emanated from its body. Evolution light. Charmander's body rapidly grew larger. As the white light dissipated, a Charmeleon about 1.5 meters tall appeared before them.
"Charmeleon, Flamethrower!"
Ash, before Gary could react, immediately ordered a preemptive strike.
It was unclear if it was because Ash's display of force when catching Mankey had subdued Charmeleon, or for some other reason, but Charmeleon showed no rebellious behavior. Instead, it seriously carried out Ash's commands.
"Damn it, Ash, you're not playing fair! Wartortle, use Hydro Pump!"
Gary was full of regret. Why hadn't he recalled Wartortle just now? Instead, he waited until Charmeleon had finished evolving.
Because it was a newly learned Hydro Pump skill, Wartortle couldn't use it proficiently. However, Charmeleon's Flamethrower was already proficiently used before its evolution. The final result was that Wartortle's shell was scorched black, and its eyes spun in circles, ending the battle.
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