Ash, with his invincible physical body, wants to become a Pokémon Master.

Chapter 21 Battle against the Vermilion City Gym

"Lucario, use Aura Missile!"

The blue wave missile struck the opposing Doduri with lightning speed.

Duduli, barely managing to stay upright, used the Pecking Drill for a final counterattack.

Unfortunately, the speed of the beak spin wasn't fast enough. With the help of the waveguide, Lucario grabbed Dodrio's attacking beak and slammed it to the ground with an over-the-shoulder motion.

Duduli lost its ability to fight.

[Ding! Lucario: Affection +2; Intimacy +2]

[Ding! Side quest completed: The Hero of the Aura: Maximize Lucario's affection and intimacy levels.]

[Rewards: 500 League Coins; 1 Lucario Mega Evolution Stone (Trainer); 1 Legendary Aura Warrior Training Manual]

"Good job, Lucario!" Ash happily rushed over and picked it up after finally completing the target.

As the game progresses, Lucario's affection and intimacy levels become increasingly difficult to increase, requiring battles against powerful opponents.

So it took Xiaozhi quite a bit of effort.

This Dodrio was quite strong, so Ash took out a Poké Ball and caught it.

Then I devoured the training manual, which contained many insights into waveguide training, experiences of brave individuals, and various applications of waveguides.

These are all things that Xiao Zhi needs right now.

They trained so hard with Lucario that they forgot to eat and sleep, and Misty finally dragged them away when it was time to eat.

The harvest over the next few days was enormous.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, your ability to upgrade Aura Power from LV2 to LV3!]

Ash can now freely manipulate the aura within his body and can even fire aura missiles from his palm, though they are not as powerful as Lucario's.

Moreover, the speed at which the wave missiles converge is very slow, and at this stage, Ash still feels that his own fists are more effective.

"Only Pikachu, Clefairy, and Lucario have maxed out both Senses... that's too few!"

Aside from those three, Beedrill is closest to the maximum value of dual senses.

Ash has reached 90 in both affection and friendship with Beedrill, and he plans to put Beedrill back into his team once they reach the next city.

Then go all out on farming and practice relentlessly!

——————Side chest expansion——————

After getting lost again and again, we finally arrived in Konoha City!

When Ash and Misty appeared, covered in dust and dirt, under the sign at the city entrance, they embraced each other and wept with joy.

"Great, great...we've finally arrived!"

Hurry up and head to the Pokémon Center for rest and recuperation.

Xiaoxia went to take a shower, while Xiaozhi dialed Professor Oak's number.

"Long time no see, Professor Oak. How are my Pokémon?"

Unexpectedly, the person on the other end of the video call had a bloodshot and extremely haggard face.

"Professor Oak, what are you doing...?"

"Ash, take your Clefairy with you! It's already wiped out all the Pokémon in the hills behind the lab!"

Professor Oak suddenly yelled at Ash.

"I just finished healing a batch of Pokémon, and Clefairy has injured another batch. I can't take it anymore, I'm taking it with me!"

Ash spent so much time on the road that he completely forgot about Clefairy.

"Calm down, Professor. Send Clefairy and Beedrill over here. I'll send Bulbasaur and Rhyperior over as well."

After comforting Professor Oak, Ash sent Bulbasaur to Professor Oak's lab as compensation.

Ask Bulbasaur to help look after the Pokémon in the back mountain of the research institute.

Bulbasaur is an expert at taking care of Pokémon!

After Clefairy's Poké Ball was transferred to him, Ash immediately gave it a stern lecture.

"We can't cause Professor Oak any more trouble! Professor Oak's lab is our free breeding ground. What if he blacklists us?!"

Professor Oak not only helps trainers in Pallet Town take care of their Pokémon and optimize their physical condition, but also provides excellent training grounds for them.

Wild trainers in other places don't get this kind of treatment; they usually have to pay to have their Pokémon fostered at a breeding center.

Moreover, the price of the breeding house is very expensive. Last time I saw the flyer that the fostering fee for a Pidgey was 1 League Coins per month, Ash's affection for Professor Oak increased by 20 points, and it kept increasing by 20 points.

(It would be my greatest honor to be born in the same place as Professor Oak! .jpg)

"So you understand now, Piccolo?"

Pixie, lying on the ground with a bruised and swollen face, responded to Ash with a cheerful expression.

"Picoshi, Piccolo..." (Understood, Master)

——————Rearward Latissimus Dorsi Muscles——————

The journey to Vermilion City was the longest Ash had ever taken, because he kept getting lost.

However, the gains were also substantial.

For example, Ash has now successfully collected all three starter Pokémon from the Kanto region.

Ash smiled as he looked at his new companions at the Pokémon Center, among whom Squirtle was the latest to be caught.

When Ash encountered the Squirtle army, who were causing trouble and bullying people in the town, he was deeply moved. They were all like that because they had been abandoned by their owners.

If only they had met a qualified Pokémon Trainer back then.

Fortunately, Ash eventually captured the leader of the Squirtle army, and the remaining Squirtles joined the fire brigade with the help of Officer Jenny, thus reforming themselves into good children.

Ash also achieved an accomplishment.

[The Three Starter Families of Kanto! : Rewards: All Attributes +1, Alliance Coins +800]

While Ash was feeding Pikachu and the others, a Chansey rushed towards the emergency room pushing a charred Rattata.

And it seems like it wasn't just this one; one after another, new Pokémon were rushed into the emergency room, each one as charred black as the previous Rattata.

"Could it be that the high-voltage power lines there have broken?" Ash thought to himself, pointing at the Pokémon and asking the receptionist.

"Miss Nurse Joy, what's going on with those Pokémon?"

"This is the 15th one this month. These are all trainers and Pokémon that failed to challenge Vermilion City Gym Leader Machi." Nurse Joy said with a helpless expression.

The gym leader, Mr. Machi, showed no mercy to newcomers, placing a huge burden on the Pokémon Center.

Joey tried to persuade them several times, but each time March would brush it off by saying that this was a trial they had to go through.

But the trainers around him were all like masochists, constantly challenging him, and they couldn't be stopped.

Ash was speechless as he looked at the row of Rattata, Pidgey, and Oddish on the hospital beds in front of him.

What's wrong with the trainers in this city? How dare they challenge the gym with such strength?

"But it looks like this opponent will be a formidable foe." Ash got excited and quickly went out to pull Misty up.

"Let's hurry up and challenge the gym!"

In the afternoon, Ash and his friends finally arrived at the gym. Pushing open the seemingly heavy door, they found the inside as dark as the Pewter Gym.

[Ding! New main quest triggered: Orange Badge!: Defeat Vermilion City Gym Leader March]

[Rewards: Alliance Coins +500; Special Attack +2, Free Attributes +3;]

Emerging from the darkness were a tall, red-haired, mature woman in a red vest and military-style trousers, and a muscular man with a buzz cut dressed in a dark style.

The two of them have incredibly powerful auras; could they be gym leaders?

"I'm Ash from Pallet Town, here to challenge the Gym Leader."

"Master, we have another victim here," the man with the buzz cut called out as he turned around.

Unexpectedly, the real gym leader was sitting in the chair directly behind the two of them; it was too dark for Ash to notice.

Do these gym trainers like to suddenly appear from the darkness because it makes them look cool?

"Hehe, let me see."

A tall figure stepped out. He was a burly man with dark skin, wearing a military uniform with his shirt open, revealing his strong muscles, and with short, blond hair standing on end.

If it weren't for his Asian face, Xiao Zhi would have seriously suspected that he was an American soldier from the Celestial Empire who had traveled over from another world.

"Welcome to Konoha City."

Standing at two meters tall, March opens his arms in welcome. His imposing stature in this pose is quite intimidating.

But Ash showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, he looked up and met Ash's gaze directly, his eyes filled with high fighting spirit.

"This little snack showed quite the courage."

Looking at Ash, Machi revealed a hearty smile, then glanced at Pikachu beside Ash.

"But a baby is still a baby, and so are the Pokémon." After saying that, March burst into laughter again.

"What little baby?" Ash couldn't help but get a little angry when he heard the other party mocking his Pokémon like that.

I'll reveal my true muscular physique, it'll scare you to death.

"Everyone who loses to me, I call them Little Baby." He took a Poké Ball out of his pocket and released the Pokémon inside.

"Then I'll show you!"

It is a very tall Raichu, its height alone is as tall as two of Ash's Pikachu standing upright.

"My Raichu is proficient in all Electric-type moves; only a Pokémon like that can be considered powerful."

Raichu stood with his hands on his hips, staring proudly at Pikachu.

"You're so small, you're practically a pet."

"Don't underestimate my Pikachu."

"What can a little baby like that do? A true trainer should evolve their Pokémon on the very first day they catch it!"

March burst into laughter again.

"Okay, the rules are 1v1. Your Pikachu battles my Raichu. If you win, I'll give you a badge."

The temple was brightly lit, revealing the dueling arena in the central hall. Machi and Ash stood on opposite sides with practiced ease, and the referee's voice came from the loudspeakers on the wall.

"The official gym battle begins now. Both sides will engage in one-on-one Pokémon battles. Gym Leader Machi will use Raichu, and Challenger Ash will use Pikachu. There is no time limit. The battle has begun!"

"The match begins!"