Pokemon: With Title System

Chapter 100: Ash: Am I Really That Weak?

[This should be it.]

Asahi made his decision.

Swampert had lost a significant amount of stamina from fighting Onix.

But now, its Torrent ability had activated, amplifying its Water-type attacks.

Onix's tail came sweeping toward Swampert again!

Swampert leaped to evade.

Seeing an opening, Asahi commanded:

"Now, Swampert—use Water Pulse!"

Instead of Surf, Asahi opted for the quicker Water Pulse.

Onix reacted immediately.

It had already learned how to counter Swampert's Water Pulse after seeing it multiple times.

Onix swung its tail, sending two large rocks hurtling toward Swampert to block the attack.

But this time, something was different—Swampert's attack was far stronger than before.

"Oh no… it's Torrent! Onix, get out of there!" Brock shouted.

Onix tried to retreat underground…

But a Pokémon as large as Onix couldn't escape Swampert's sudden surge of power in time.

The boosted Water Pulse shattered the incoming rocks instantly and continued its trajectory, slamming into Onix's massive body.

At that moment, Onix had only managed to burrow halfway underground.

Struck by the surging water, the half-buried Onix let out a pained roar, shaking the entire battlefield.

"Onix!" Brock called out in concern, his face tense.

If Onix lost, the gym assessment would be over!

On the sidelines, Ash was utterly lost. Even though he was still holding the book "The Complete Beginner's Guide to Type Matchups and Weather Effects—Learn in Three Days, Even if You're an Idiot!", he couldn't help but ask Gary, "What's Torrent? Is it a move?"

"You idiot." Gary sighed, covering his face.

He rummaged through his bag again and pulled out another book, tossing it to Ash.

Ash looked at the title:

"50 Common Pokémon Abilities Explained—How Not to Be a Clueless Battler!"

Staring at the two books in his hands, Ash suddenly lost the will to argue with Gary.

Left hand: Beginner's Guide to Battles.

Right hand: Clueless Trainer's Handbook.

Ash's confidence took a serious hit.

Wait… am I actually weak?

He turned to Pikachu with hope in his eyes. "Pikachu, I'm not weak, right?"

Pikachu thought about it seriously—then nodded firmly. "Pika Pika!"

…

Onix, unsurprisingly, was knocked out.

It had already taken damage throughout the battle, and after getting stuck mid-burrow, the boosted Water Pulse left it completely vulnerable.

Swampert followed up with Surf, sealing Onix's defeat.

Though Brock's Onix was high-leveled, its endurance was naturally poor. Taking two super-effective Water attacks was enough to bring it down, which still proved Brock had trained it well.

Brock recalled his fallen Onix, his expression heavy.

He had given it everything he had—yet he still couldn't defeat Asahi's Swampert.

[The gym is going to lose its League status…]

Brock was pessimistic.

The Pokémon League was taking these assessments seriously, and he had just suffered three consecutive losses. There was no way he could pass.

Without the gym, how would he support his younger siblings?

That thought alone made him break into a cold sweat.

But just then, Asahi spoke.

"Congratulations, Brock! You've passed the assessment!"

"…I passed?"

Brock was stunned, his eyes wide in disbelief.

He had lost three battles in a row—how could he have passed?

From what Misty had told him, her sisters were immediately disqualified after three straight losses. Could it be that Asahi was bending the rules for him?

"…I appreciate it, but I can't accept that."

Even though Brock desperately wanted to keep the gym, a loss was a loss. He didn't want to put Asahi in a difficult position.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Asahi was momentarily confused.

Then, he realized what Brock was thinking and sighed.

"You seriously think I rigged the results for you?"

"…Didn't you?" Brock hesitated.

"Of course not."

Asahi crossed his arms. "What kind of person do you take me for? I'm known as the League's moral compass."

Brock: "…"

"Then why was Cerulean Gym—"

"Cerulean Gym was a disaster. Back then, my Swampert was still a Marshtomp, and even against three Water-types, it won easily. Compared to them, you put up a great fight despite the type disadvantage."

At the mention of Cerulean Gym, Asahi's expression turned unreadable.

If the Cerulean Sisters had even half of Brock's dedication, he wouldn't have needed to issue a complete overhaul order.

"This assessment isn't just about individual battles—it's about changing the culture of Kanto's Gym Leaders."

"Pewter Gym might not be the strongest in Kanto, but it's one of the most dedicated and responsible."

"Besides, even if today's battle didn't prove that, the fact that you helped Officer Jenny arrest so many Team Rocket members at Mt. Moon means I wouldn't fail you."

Asahi patted Brock's shoulder.

In all of Kanto, no Gym Leader was more hardworking than Brock. If he didn't pass, Asahi couldn't think of anyone who deserved to.

Hearing Asahi's explanation, Brock's emotions went through a rollercoaster ride.

"So… I actually passed?"

"Of course!"

Finally, his gym status was safe.

Brock let out a deep breath and then, with a serious expression, said, "Thank you, Asahi."

"No need. Everything I do is for the League." Asahi smiled.

Green, who had just finished packing up the recording equipment, twitched at his words.

Even though Asahi often told her privately that he wasn't some kind of righteous hero, at this moment, anyone watching would absolutely believe he was.

***

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