Chapter Thirty-Eight: When I Set Out Once More

“When I set out once again after that great event concluded, continuing on my journey, I was no longer the newcomer renowned in the world of research yet unknown among trainers. Everyone regarded me with a different kind of awe, which led to a rather ‘difficult’ period for me and my Pokémon at first.”
——Sinnoh League Champion and Director of the Institute of Legends, Chen Ou

Chen Ou gazed at the building before him, austere and gray, its simple appearance exuding an ancient weight like eternal bedrock. He took a deep breath.

This was the Pewter Gym, the first gym he intended to challenge. As for why he didn’t start with the Viridian Gym...

That gym simply wasn’t for ordinary challengers...

Green had left a few of his Pokémon from each tier there. What you had to face were Pokémon fighting at high intensity, guided only by their own battle instincts and experience, without any trainer’s commands. The difficulty was supposed to be much lower, right?

So why did the Viridian Gym still have the fewest badges awarded of any league gym?

Have you ever seen a gym where the minimum standard for the resident Pokémon is only slightly below other gym leaders’ ace Pokémon?!

Green is truly something else. And Chen Ou was certain that if he dared challenge the Viridian Gym, Green would personally lead a team against him in battle.

Don’t ask why—if you do, the answer is love...

Chen Ou would never admit that the reason for being singled out like this was because...

He once stripped Green while swimming together in the river and hid his clothes...

Swapped Green’s toothpaste for wasabi...

Tied Green’s shoelaces together in a tight knot while he was making plans...

...

Suddenly, he felt that this guy was hardly worthy of pity...

But none of that mattered! Chen Ou believed that the friendship between him and Green (****) could never be harmed by such trivial pranks! Even if Green had Blastoise blast him with Hydro Pump, had Rhyperior use Rock Wrecker on him, or Lapras freeze him with Ice Beam... These were surely normal, friendly ways to communicate between good friends!

But Chen Ou was well aware of his own current abilities. Even if he could cheat, weren’t Red and Green both ‘cheat kings’ themselves?

And those two started cheating two or three years before him... They reached championship level in just a year; now, two or three years later, the gap in raw strength couldn’t be easily bridged. Otherwise, Chen Ou wouldn’t just be cheating—he’d be running his own private server...

So Chen Ou decided to take it one step at a time: challenge the gyms, earn the badges, qualify for the Indigo Plateau Conference, and then... head to challenge the Lily of the Valley Conference, topple the Elite Four, and force Cynthia to retire and raise children!

Hehehe ๑乛◡乛๑.

Brock watched the guy smiling with such ‘bliss’ in front of his gym, his small eyes filled with great confusion.

Why? Why did Brock see a reflection of himself in this guy’s expression?!

It had to be an illusion. Speaking of which... maybe he should go check on Nurse Joy at the Pokémon Center again? The recent ‘great event’ had left both Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny overwhelmed, and as the Pewter Gym Leader, he “certainly” “ought to” go offer his support to these hard-working people!

Hehehe ԅ(¯་།¯ԅ).

Heaven help us... how did these two end up together?

After a moment...

“Hello, Leader Brock! I’m a new trainer here to challenge the gym, Chen Ou from Pallet Town! Please take care of me!”

Chen Ou reached out his hand, speaking with the utmost seriousness.

“Hello, Mr. Chen Ou, I’ve long heard of your reputation! Your deeds during the ‘great event’ are well known to all. They say you took down the super-mythical Hoopa! Captured Entei! And foiled the mastermind’s plans! You must be a legendary trainer.”

Brock shook his hand just as earnestly and replied.

Hearing Brock’s words, Chen Ou gave a modest smile. “Oh, not at all, it was only a small, insignificant contribution. I heard you made great efforts in the recent evacuation as well, Leader Brock. The citizens of Pewter City are truly fortunate to have such an upright and strong Gym Leader!”

“Not at all, I was only doing what I should.” Brock replied with a bashful expression.

But in truth, deep down, both men thought...

[Good man, if you know how to talk, say more!] ×2

“All right! Enough talking! I’ll call you Chen Ou. Let’s get started—the battle will be for the Boulder Badge!”

“Agreed, Brock! Let’s begin!”

Both wore expressions as if facing a formidable enemy. After exchanging a glance, each walked to their side of the field.

“The format is 3-on-3. I will fulfill my duty as a gym leader, so I won’t be giving up easily! Chen Ou!” Brock shouted with vigor.

“Understood! I’ll give it my all as well! Please take care of me, Leader Brock!” Chen Ou, though slightly puzzled by Brock’s “I won’t be giving up easily,” knew that a battle between trainers began the moment their eyes met!

Even if he could barely see Brock’s eyes—he grumbled quietly.

At the edge of the field, the referee saw both trainers brimming with fighting spirit and waved his flags, calling, “Battle, begin!”

“Go! Charmander!”

“Go, Graveler!”

Excellent, the opponent sent out Graveler (Charmander)!

...

What in the world is Graveler (Charmander)?!

Both Chen Ou and Brock wore matching “What are you doing?!” expressions.

For a moment, their minds couldn’t catch up, and they fell into a strange impasse.

But the two Pokémon on the field were not so confused. Charmander, seeing the Graveler—far stronger than any Nidoking in the forest—wore a serious look.

Winning together with its trainer was a Pokémon’s goal, and Charmander would not shrink from a strong opponent. Even without hearing Chen Ou’s instructions, it figured he probably wanted it to probe the opponent first—this was one of their usual training approaches, after all.

The opponent was strong! But to lose without fighting was the shame of a warrior!

So Charmander summoned flames to form fiery gauntlets on its arms, and slashed at Graveler.

Graveler, meanwhile, reasoned that if its trainer had sent it to face this Charmander, then the little fire-type must be formidable and it had to be careful!

Thus, Graveler used Dig, seeking to avoid the attack.

As Charmander’s flaming claw was about to strike, Graveler quickly burrowed underground, waiting for its chance.

Having missed its mark and lost sight of its target, Charmander could only remain wary, scanning its surroundings and planning its next move.

Meanwhile, both trainers were still completely bewildered.