Chapter 277: Seven-Star Seven-Star Hotel, Double Battle"Oh, it's almost time for lunch!" As a foodie, how could May miss mealtime? "I've already booked the best place! It's the most popular hotel here by Lake Valor!""May really hasn't changed, always thinking about food wherever she goes!" Brock exclaimed. When they traveled together with May, they often explored restaurants. When it comes to food, May is definitely top-notch!Then, led by May, they arrived at a luxurious ancient castle restaurant. It wasn't very large in scale, but it stood out remarkably by Lake Valor!Seven shining stars were arranged around the window directly above the restaurant's main entrance. May smiled and introduced, "The Seven-Star Seven-Star Hotel! It's said to be the most popular hotel in Sinnoh right now!"As soon as she said this, Dawn, being a local of Sinnoh, was immediately shocked. "The most popular hotel? I didn't even know about it!"Ash patted Dawn's shoulder. "May's information on food, you can trust unconditionally!"Pushing open the main door and stepping inside, they saw a waiter waiting by the door, who bowed and said, "Welcome!""I'm May, I have a reservation!""You are Miss May who reserved four seats, right? I've been waiting for a long time. Please come this way!" Led by the waiter, they arrived in front of a large door. Just then, the door suddenly opened, and a young man ran out!The waiter smiled and stepped forward to ask, "Are you leaving now?""I need to train harder and come back again! I must eat the food here!""We sincerely look forward to your return!" The waiter's attitude was very respectful."You guys remember this!" Saying that, the young man ran out of the hotel."Excuse me, what's going on?" Dawn asked in confusion.The waiter explained while pushing the door open, "That guest lost in a battle, so he wasn't invited into the hotel to dine!""Battle?!""Please come in, I'll explain to everyone!" The waiter led Ash and his friends inside. It wasn't the restaurant Ash and his friends had imagined, but rather a standard-sized battle facility.The waiter then introduced to Ash and his friends, "This Seven-Star Seven-Star Hotel, due to the interests of the young master Qian Qiu, who loves Pokemon battles the most, and his fiancée, young lady Qian Xia, has set a rule that anyone who fails to win in a Pokemon battle against the two of them cannot enter the hotel to dine!"Ash and his friends had various expressions upon hearing this. Since May made the reservation, she naturally knew the rules and was quite calm. Dawnwas more surprised, not expecting there to be a hotel that turned guests away. Ash was quite excited, while Brock was worried about failing and having to go straight back!Just then, the large door in front of the battle facility suddenly opened, and a wealthy and distinguished elderly couple walked out. Although they were far away, Ash and his friends could still smell the rich aroma!This immediately solidified everyone's determination to win."Are you the next group of guests?" The owner, Qian Qiu, smiled and introduced himself, "Welcome to the Seven-Star Seven-Star Hotel! I'm Qian Qiu, the owner who is a little picky about the seasoning of the dishes. Please take care of me in the future!""Everyone, are you in good spirits? I'm Qian Xia, his fiancée, who is a little picky about the plating of the dishes!""Then, would two guests please form a team for the battle?" The waiter urged the match to begin beside Ash and his friends."A double battle!" May glanced at Ash, then smiled at Dawn, "Dawn, how about we team up?""Really?" Dawn was pleasantly surprised and immediately agreed, "No problem!"Since the two girls teamed up, Ash and Brocknaturally formed a team, and Ash and Brock were the first to start."Go, Hippopotas!" The Hippopotas Brock sent out was one of the two Pokemon he caught in Sinnoh."I choose you, Gliscor!""Glaiyo~"A large black scorpion appeared before everyone. Not long after successfully catching Piplup, Ashgave the Razor Fang to Gligar, and it successfully evolved into Gliscor in the dark!Gliscor, like Aipom, likes to stand on its tail to support its whole body. And even though Gligarsuccessfully evolved into Gliscor, its habit of sticking out its tongue to act cute hasn't changed![Gliscor][Strength: Superior Late Stage][Moves: Guillotine, Thunder Fang, Fire Fang, Ice Fang, Night Slash, Poison Jab...]Meanwhile, Qian Xia and Qian Qiu on the opposite side sent out the Snorlax and Munchlaxcombination, but unfortunately, their strength wasn't very high!"Ah woo~" Hippopotas sprayed a large amount of Sandstorm from its back, activating its Sand Stream ability.And Gliscor was not only unaffected, but its Sand Veil ability was activated by the Sandstorm, increasing its evasion rate!Snorlax and Munchlax weren't so lucky; the strong wind and sand directly obstructed their vision!"Hippopotas, use Sand Tomb!""Use Guillotine!""Ah woo~" Hippopotas lightly stepped on the ground, and Snorlax and Munchlax immediately fell into a quicksand pit.Gliscor, like a fish in water in the Sandstorm, had its giant pincers flash with white light, simultaneously slashing through Snorlax and Munchlax, successfully securing the victory!"As expected, Ash and Brock won!" Although the battle process was a bit fast, May and Dawn had already anticipated the result!After the Sandstorm ended, it was time for May and Dawn's double battle. "Altaria, take the stage!""Buneary, make a charming entrance!""May's Swablu has also evolved into Altaria!" Ashlaughed upon seeing this. The ability of May's Altaria is different from his; it's just the normal ability Natural Cure."Wow, it's the evolution of Swablu!""Your Buneary is great too!" May looked at Buneary, who was winking at Pikachu, and immediately showed an expression of someone watching a drama, "And towards Pikachu..."This time, Qian Xia and Qian Qiu sent out a tricky Psychic and Ghost type combination, Girafarig and Drifloon!Although they were quite tricky, they still lost to the girls' combination move, which was the Ice Dragon Attack that Ash had used before: Altaria's Dragon Pulse stacked with Buneary's Psybeam.A giant ice-blue dragon swam with bared fangs and claws, instantly piercing through Girafarig and Drifloon, winning this battle.The group then happily enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Seven-Star Hotel.
Chapter 278: Wallace Cup Opens!The Pokémon Center by Lake Valor was a relatively luxurious sea view room. At this moment, Ash and May were standing on the balcony looking at Lake Valor and chatting, as they hadn't seen each other for a long time.As she spoke, May suddenly took out half a ribbon badge from the yellow cloth bag on her waist. It was the Azalea Town badge they had split in half when they parted. "Ash, you must have this with you too, right! This is a good luck charm for me, you know. Having it makes me feel like you're by my side!""That's for sure!" Ash nodded, took out the other half of the Azalea Town badge from his body, and combined it with May's piece, forming the real Azalea Town badge."What's this?"At this moment, Brock and Dawn walked over. Seeing this scene, Brock's face was full of memories, while Dawn was a little jealous. She steadied herself and continued to ask, "Did you get this from participating in the Contests together?"May turned to look at Dawn, placed the ribbon badge on her chest, and recalled, "That's right, it was during the festival in Azalea Town! It's the bond between the two of us! Looking at it always reminds me of the happy times we traveled together!"Brock also spoke at this moment, "May was truly a beginner starting from scratch back then! Now she can stand on her own!"Dawn also took out a worn-out ribbon badge, "This is the ribbon badge my mom gave me. I've always kept it as a good luck charm, because a ribbon badge holds many experiences and memories from the journey, so it always gives me strength!""That's right, that's right! In Johto, this ribbon badgealso kept Helping Hand me! Through today's battle, I've become even more excited for Dawn and her Pokemon's performance!"As they chatted, the two girls got engrossed in their conversation, leaving Ash aside.——————————The next day, since May had already successfully registered, Ash and Dawn hurried to the registration area to sign up.After completing the registration, Ash planned to accompany May to explore the venue properly. After all, even without the Wallace Cup, this place, being the Lake Valor resort area, was very lively, not to mention now. There were all sorts of stalls, drinks, snacks, and everything you could imagine!And Dawn directly followed them. Now, the original world of two became three, making Ash unsure what to do. He could only take the two girls shopping together!As for Brock, it was naturally crowded here, and there was no shortage of Princess. Just like last time, he was knocked down by Croagunk and Spindaonce, but there were too many Princess, so Brock's resistance to poison greatly increased. In less than two seconds, he stood up again to hit on them. Croagunk immediately got anxious and sent Brockinto Nurse Joy's embrace with a full-power Poison Sting."I want this... and that..."Ash and Lucario, carrying large and small bags, had blank eyes. At this moment, Lucario looked at Ashwith eyes full of resentment!And the culprits were the two lively and cute girls in front. At this moment, the two girls accompanied each other among the stalls, pointing out what they wanted. Each held a large stuffed toy, which Ashhad just won from a game stall. May's was Torchic, and Dawn's was Piplup.As for Pikachu and Eevee, those two guys said halfway through shopping that they were going to see how Brock was doing and directly slipped away. The main reason was that May and Dawn kept putting little clothes on them. It was novel at first, but later they became numb and couldn't stand it!They bought very few other things, but May couldn't walk when she saw food. She bought all sorts of snacks once, and for those that were delicious and could be stored, May naturally packed several extra portions!At this moment, Dawn and May each held a senbei that was bigger than their faces and ate with relish, while the nearby Piplup and Munchlax also ate happily.And Ash finally had time to put the things into his spatial backpack. He wasn't tired physically from carrying them all the way, but he was mentally exhausted! Then he recalled Lucario.Not far away, May and Dawn were whispering. Maysuddenly leaned into Dawn's ear and said, "You like Ash, right!""Ah?!" Dawn was startled by the words. Her face turned red, and she lowered her head, not daring to look at May, feeling very sheepish. "This..."Seeing this, May smiled and looked into the distance, "Actually, you don't need to be embarrassed. You are pretty much like I was back then. Ash is excellent and treats everyone sincerely. It's easy for girls to be unconsciously attracted by his charm!"Then she turned her head and winked at Dawn, "But his emotional intelligence isn't high, you know. I don't know how much courage he mustered when he confessed to me and Misty, so you have to work hard!""May..." Dawn looked up and met May's gaze, then nodded firmly, "Okay, thank you, May!"This was the first time Dawn had honestly faced the fact that she liked Ash."Hello, Dawn, long time no see!" Just then, Zoey also walked over. She and May got to know each other, and with Dawn as the intermediary, the two girls also became familiar.And Ash sat not far away, quietly watching the three girls chat. He just wanted to rest properly now!——————————"The Pokemon Contests hosted by Contests Master Master Mikuri—the Wallace Cup, this time chosen to be held here, at this Lake Valor!"As soon as Miss Bai'an appeared, the entire audience immediately erupted. The scale of this Wallace Cup was almost comparable to the Grand Festival. This time, Coordinators from various regions across the five lakes and four seas gathered together, and most of them were Master Mikuri's fans!
Chapter 279: Regain Confidence! Dawn Returns to Her True SelfInside the lounge, everyone had changed into formal wear. May's outfit was somewhat Indian-inspired. Just as May and Zoey were about to leave the changing room, they found Dawn still struggling with her hair. 'There's a big problem!'May and Zoey had no choice but to step forward and help Dawn comb her hair. Zoey said helplessly, 'You, here we go again!''Are you still worried?' May could clearly sense Dawn's unease.Dawn lowered her head and hummed in response.'Piplup~ Piplup~' Piplup immediately started cheering for Dawn.'See? Piplup is acting more reliable than you are!' Zoey couldn't help but laugh at the sight.'Alright, now allow me to introduce to everyone, sometimes he's a Gym Leader, sometimes he's a Champion Master, and sometimes he's a top Coordinator, however, his true identity is...'Miss Bai'an paused. From the water stage, a water column shot out, and Master Mikuri's ace Miloticwas surrounded by water droplets, forming three Aqua Rings!Then, light flashed in Milotic's eyes, controlling the water flow on the water stage, eventually forming a water tornado. As the water tornado dissipated, Master Mikuri's figure appeared on the field.'The Super Genius Contests Master, Master Mikuri!'Immediately, the entire venue erupted in thunderous applause!Master Mikuri raised his hands and shouted, 'Everyone in Sinnoh, Good morning! I am the Contests Master, Master Mikuri. Here at Lake Valor, Stand up!'Following this, several water columns sprayed from the stage, and Milotic landed behind Master Mikuri amidst the scattered water droplets.'So, who will be the one to perform the most gorgeous show in the Sinnoh Region? Now, please show me!' At Master Mikuri's call, the Wallace Cupofficially opened. Master Mikuri also watched the performances of all contestants in this competition as a special judge.Nurse Joy, sitting next to Master Mikuri, blushed shyly on the spot.'I, Bai'an, will be the host for this event. I welcome comments and suggestions from the audience.' Miss Bai'an introduced herself, then showed everyone the ribbon badge for this competition. 'Alright, the winner of this Wallace Cup will receive this water column ribbon badge!''This ribbon badge is not only valid in the SinnohRegion, but also in Kanto, Hoenn, Johto, and other places. It is a high-quality badge that can be counted in all Contestss nationwide. In other words, this is a badge that those who dream of participating in the Grand Festival must obtain!'At this moment, Ash and the three girls, including May, also saw this ribbon badge through the screen in the lounge. At the same time, their friends, family, and rivals from all over the world were also paying attention to this competition. One must know that the influence of the Wallace Cup is no less than that of the Grand Festival."——————————"'Alright, let's begin now! The performance stage where a single Pokemon performs its moves. The first contestant, please come up!' Amidst the audience's enthusiastic cheers, Miss Bai'an announced the start of the competition.The first one to take the stage was May, and May's partner was the crybaby from before, who has now evolved into the very reliable Wartortle!Surrounded by many pink Bubbles, it appeared from its shell, did two somersaults in the air, and then landed steadily with its wave-like tail.'Now, the very lovable Wartortle has appeared! Its charming performance immediately captured everyone's attention. Challenging with a Water-type Pokemon, as expected, can only be seen at the Wallace Cup. Come on, show your charm!'As soon as Miss Bai'an finished speaking, May had Wartortle use Rapid Spin, spinning on the water stage like skipping stones, weaving beautiful splashes!Then, Wartortle leaped high in the center of the stage using Rapid Spin. Its wave-like tail was revealed, emitting a light blue glow, and it used Aqua Tail to sweep across the entire venue.Ash was very satisfied with May's performance. The timing was excellent, and May was constantly improving.Zoey also watched May very seriously, thinking that none of those around Ash were simple. And when Dawn saw May's wonderful performance, she couldn't help but nervously hug Piplup tightly.In mid-air, Wartortle came before May with a backflip, landing on its tail, and sprayed Water Gun, forming a rainbow bridge above it and May!Master Mikuri stood up and gave May a high evaluation, 'Using water to highlight Wartortle's unique charm is truly dreamlike!'Next was Jesse's turn. It seemed Team Rocketshadn't bothered Ash and his friends these past few days; they must have gone to get a ribbon badge. What she used was surprisingly Wobbuffet, making Wobbuffet bounce itself high into the air, and then... that was it.This left the judges and Coordinators like Ashspeechless.Next was Zoey's turn. She used a recently caught Pokemon, Finneon, known as the Beautifly of the sea!'Use Silver Wind!'Finneon leaped out of the water, rapidly fanning its tail fin, sending out a silver-white whirlwind that swept across the water surface!Then Finneon dove back into the water and used Safeguard, emitting a green shining glow all over its body, successfully highlighting Finneon's cute and elegant characteristics!The final part of the performance was interesting: Fish Leaping Over the Dragon Gate!Finneon's eyes glowed blue, and a water column shot up into the sky. Finneon swam upstream, climbing upwards!Finally, Finneon successfully climbed to the top of the water column. Crystal clear splashes scattered, and the magnificent Fish Leaping Over the Dragon Gate was perfectly successful!Dawn couldn't help but hug Piplup tightly again, exclaiming,'So amazing!''Dawn!' Ash suddenly patted Dawn, startling her. 'Huh?!''Piplup!'Dawn quickly looked down and found that Piplupwas almost being strangled by her. Startled, she quickly let go.'Piplup~' Piplup immediately greedily inhaled the air.'I'm sorry, I'm sorry!' Dawn repeatedly apologized.Ash grabbed Dawn's shoulders, turned her to face him, and the two looked at each other affectionately. 'Dawn, don't be nervous! It's okay, believe in yourself!'Dawn looked at Ash's eyes somewhat blankly, then took a deep breath and nodded firmly.Ash smiled and said, 'Next is you. Enjoy the competition!''Yes!'This time, Ash was the final performer. Ash felt that Master Mikuri must have been pulling some strings!"——————————"Dawn walked onto the stage with determined steps. 'Leafeon, charming entrance!'On the water stage, Dawn did not choose the Water-type Piplup, but instead chose the Grass-type Leafeon!Leafeon made a sparkling entrance accompanied by pink petals.'Use Swords Dance!'Swords instantly rose around Leafeon. As it started spinning, the pink petals were directly shredded, turning into scattered pink glowing dots!'Leafeon, use Leaf Storm!'A fierce wind picked up, scattering leaves everywhere, driving the surrounding water flow. Crystal clear water droplets danced together with the flying leaves!Their quantity was not large, not only did they not obscure Leafeon, who was the star, but they perfectly highlighted Leafeon instead.'Very good, let's go! Use Grass Whistle!'Leafeon began to dance gracefully among the flying leaves and water droplets, while simultaneously releasing comfortable flute sounds, letting everyone recognize a lively and cute Forest Pokémon!Ash and Zoey nodded in satisfaction at the sight. Dawn had successfully regained her form and showcased Leafeon's charm to everyone!Next was the finale. Dawn, now full of confidence, shouted, 'Go, Leafeon! Sunny Day plus Solar Beam!'Leafeon released a light bullet, the sun shone brightly, then it condensed a scorching beam of light, shattering the Leaf Storm!At the same time, the water droplets that had lost the wind's control began to scatter. Under the effect of Sunny Day, they turned into colorful droplets and green radiance, covering the entire stage, highlighting Dawn and Leafeon!Dawn's performance ended perfectly. Next was Ash's final performance!
Chapter 280: All Advance, AzelfInside the competitor's tunnel, Dawn and Ash met. They exchanged smiles, then high-fived tacitly. "Dawn, your performance this time was great, so there's no problem!""Yeah, thanks, Ash!" Dawn nodded excitedly.——————————Ash came onto the stage, took out a Poké Ball and threw it out. "It's decided, Vespiquen!"That's right, Combee has successfully evolved into Vespiquen, so Ash chose this Gorgeous Competition's first review as her debut match!Vespiquen made a brilliant entrance under star effects. Then, with a flap of her wings, several wind blades flew out, and the stars instantly turned into dazzling starlight scattering across the entire stage![Vespiquen][Ability: Pressure][Strength: Elite Mid-Stage][Moves: Fell Stinger, Air Slash, Slash, Confuse Ray...]"The wind is picking up! Vespiquen, spin and use Hurricane!"Vespiquen began to spin in the center of the water stage while unleashing Hurricane. The strong airflow began to force the water to rotate and rise, eventually enveloping Vespiquen to form a spiral water sphere."Sweet Scent plus Pin Missile and Poison Needle!"In her spinning form, Vespiquen added Sweet Scentto the green Pin Missile and purple Poison Needle, letting them enter the water. Suddenly, the ordinary water gained green and purple radiance!At this moment, Vespiquen stopped, her back wings flapping, and airflow emerged, maintaining the rotation of the water sphere."Next, use Bug Resistance!"Centered around Vespiquen, rings of green light spread out. The spiral water sphere instantly shattered, and countless water droplets scattered across the stage along with the light rings. Moreover, these water droplets contained a sweet fragrance, making everyone linger!And Vespiquen herself was now emitting a jade-colored aura, looking down upon everyone, as if everything was a gift from the queen to her people!"Let's finish, use Aerial Ace!"Vespiquen swooped down, rapidly gliding across the entire water stage, splashing up a large amount of water. She finally arrived in front of Ash, while countless water splashes, illuminated by the sun, turned into iridescent water droplets falling!With this, the first review ended. Next was the announcement of the advancing list!In this Gorgeous Competition, sixteen people advanced to the second review. This means they needed to win four matches to become the winner, and they could use different Pokémon in each match!In the lounge, everyone gathered, waiting for the list of qualifiers from the first review. May saw that Dawn was still relatively nervous, so she stepped forward and asked, "What's wrong? Still worried?"Dawn sighed helplessly. "I feel like I performed well, but I'm also afraid of seeing the results!"May placed her hands on Dawn's shoulders. "Dawn, you need to be more confident! There's definitely no problem!""Okay!""Sorry for the long wait, everyone. Now, we will announce the highly anticipated results! After a strict and fair review, the 16 competitors who have advanced to the Gorgeous Competition battle starting tomorrow for the second review are the ones shown above!"As soon as Miss Bai'an finished speaking, the portraits of the 16 Coordinators appeared on the large screen. Ash, Dawn, May, and Zoey all successfully advanced, only Jesse was eliminated!"I actually passed!" Dawn shouted joyfully upon seeing the result. After being eliminated in the first review twice in a row, Dawn had developed a psychological shadow!This is why, even though her performance was very successful, Dawn was still very worried. Now that she had passed the first review, Dawn was radiating confidence.Everyone also stepped forward to congratulate her, as this was considered Dawn successfully overcoming her inner demons. "Great! Since I have the chance, I still want to win. Let's go, Piplup!""Piplup!""You've become greedy!"Since the second review was the next day, the group returned to the Pokémon Center. They booked two rooms in total, one for the three girls, and one for Ash and Brock.——————————In the evening, the three girls, wearing pajamas, chatted animatedly in the room, especially about Ash's past experiences. Dawn was very curious and pestered May to tell them!Meanwhile, Ash, unable to sleep, took Pikachu and Eevee for a walk by Lake Valor.At this moment, the night was deep and quiet. A cool breeze blew from Lake Valor, making Ash, Pikachu, and Eevee feel very comfortable. Their minds were empty, and all worries drifted away with the wind.Just then, ripples spread across the calm surface of Lake Valor. Then, a nearly transparent soul rose from the lake and swayed continuously in the air!Pikachu and Eevee were very surprised by this sight. They had seen a similar scene at Lake Acuity before!"Is it Azelf, the being of willpower?" Ash murmured, then couldn't help but chuckle. "Has it acknowledged my willpower!"The next day, the Gorgeous Competition continued as usual!"Pokémon Contest - Wallace Cup, today will hold the second review, which is the Gorgeous Competition battle. Master Mikuri, please say a few words to the Coordinators here!"Wallace said elegantly, "To all the beautiful Coordinators, spread great emotion and excitement to the entire world!"Miss Bai'an then introduced, "In the Gorgeous Competition battle, within a five-minute time limit, you must successfully showcase beautiful moves to reduce your opponent's score!"May looked at Dawn beside her and smiled, "Dawn, you don't seem nervous anymore!"Dawn, holding Piplup, nodded spiritedly. "Yes, in the second review, I won't be confused! I will believe in my Pokémon and move forward bravely!""Now, the battle opponents for the second review's Gorgeous Competition battle will be decided by random shuffling and drawing! The results are out, here are the battle groupings everyone can see!"The grouping results were out. The four of them did not meet each other, their opponents were all ordinary competitors, and Dawn was in the first match!
Chapter 281: Consecutive Promotions! Semifinals VS Dawn"First round, first match, time limit is five minutes, please begin the match!"Dawn sent out Buneary first using its cute charm, while her opponent sent out Wailmer!Although Wailmer had the field advantage, Bunearyplayed with Wailmer in the palm of its hand with its gorgeous footwork!Then Buneary dodged the towering waves released by Wailmer with a spinning jump, and finally Wailmer was hit out of the water by Buneary's Dizzy Punch, then released Psybeam to freeze Wailmer. At this moment, time just ended, and Dawn's score won the match with an absolute advantage!Brock saw this and exclaimed, "Dawn chose Buneary, which was the correct decision. Its light footwork and the atmosphere of the arena made Dawn herself feel uplifted!"Zoey also nodded with relief, "Yeah! I can feel that Dawn is enjoying this Contests!""So we can't lose to her either!" May said with a smile, standing beside Ash."Everyone, enjoy the match just like Dawn!" Ashcouldn't help but laugh.Then it was their turn to compete. May's Glaceon, Zoey's Shellos, and Ash's Ambipom easily defeated their opponents and advanced to the second round!Soon the second round began. Dawn was still the first to appear, using the Electric-type Pachirisu!Her opponent sent out the Flying and Water-type Pelipper. Dawn had a complete type advantage, and easily won the match with a four-times effectiveness.The second match was Ash's match. Ash had already arrived on the water stage, and the opponent was also a boy!"Now, the second round, second match, on one side is Ash, and on the other side is Haidou. Time limit is five minutes, please begin the match!"As soon as the words fell, Ash and Haidousimultaneously threw out their Poké Balls, "It's decided, Mismagius!""Let's go, Lanturn!"Haidou sent out Lanturn, a Water and Electric-type Pokémon, which was very advantageous on the water stage, but Mismagius also had the Levitate ability, so the impact was not significant!"Lanturn, use Charge!"As soon as the words fell, Lanturn, swimming in the water, shone with dazzling golden light, which was very gorgeous in the water. Ash's score immediately began to drop!"Mismagius, use Confusion to grab it!"Mismagius released powerful psychic energy from its eyes, grabbing Lanturn from the water and pulling it in front of Mismagius.Haidou saw this and immediately became anxious, quickly commanding, "Lanturn, use Thunderbolt!""Hypnotic Light!"Hypnotic Light is a combination move of Confuse Ray and Hypnosis. Not only is its range greatly increased, but it can also control the opponent's dreams!Mismagius used this move on Ash and his friendsback then, and even the Elite-level Pikachu was trapped in it and couldn't escape. However, because this move, although a combination of Ghost and Psychic types, was primarily based on Confuse Ray, and Ghost energy is ineffective against Eevee, Eeveewas able to escape!Ash has now renamed this move Hypnotic Light. A dazzling, eerie, and gorgeous purple light emanated from Mismagius. The light flashed in front of Lanturn, causing Lanturn to fall into a sleep state before it could release Thunderbolt!Ash didn't plan to give him a chance either, he waved his hand and shouted, "Dream Eater!"Lanturn immediately fainted, Haidou's score was cleared, and Ash successfully won the second match!Although Mismagius completely overpowered its opponent, the eerie Hypnotic Light alone was enough to amaze the entire audience!Then Zoey used Misdreavus, the pre-evolution of Mismagius, to win and advance to the semifinals. The last match was May's. May used the Bulbasaurthat originally had a heart pattern, which had now successfully evolved into Venusaur, and also secured the last spot!With that, today's matches concluded. Tomorrow, the final day, the semifinals and finals will be held consecutively, and tomorrow will also be the internal battle among Ash's four!Ash VS Dawn, May VS Zoey!Then two of the four will reach the final stage for the ultimate showdown!Although Ash and his friends will have an internal battle tomorrow, they are still chatting happily on the balcony, full of anticipation for tomorrow's matches!——————————"Alright, the Wallace Cup is finally entering its final stage, reaching the last day!" Miss Bai'an started the show by hyping up the atmosphere.Wallace also stood up and shouted, "Today, we will go straight from the semifinals all the way to the end of the final stage. The Coordinator who will dance the most gorgeous posture in Sinnoh will be decided here!""Now the first match of the semifinals begins. On one side is Dawn, and on the other side is Ash. Time limit is five minutes, please begin the match!" With Miss Bai'an's announcement, the first match of the semifinals officially began.Dawn looked at Ash on the opposite side, took a deep breath, held her Poké Ball, and murmured, "Piplup, it's finally your turn to appear. Let everyone see our teamwork!""Piplup, charming entrance!""Piplup!" Piplup appeared from the bubble effect.Ash also smiled and threw out his Poké Ball, "It's decided, Swablu!""Chirp chirp~"White feathers flew, and Swablu made a sparkling entrance.May looked at Ash's Swablu and couldn't help but laugh, "Is this Ash's Swablu!""Dawn, let's give it our all!" Seeing the excited Dawnat this moment, Ash shouted with a smile.Upon hearing this, Dawn's fighting spirit ignited, "Of course! Piplup, let's go! Use Bubble Beam!"Piplup spun around and released Bubble Beamtowards Swablu. The spiraling Bubble Beam was very gorgeous, and Ash's score began to drop!Ash, however, smiled nonchalantly, "Dawn, this move is useless against us! Cotton Guard!"Swablu's wings were fluffy like cotton, crossing in front of it to defend against Bubble Beam, and under the shower of Bubble Beam, its wings sparkled with light! Dawn's score instantly dropped by a quarter!But Dawn smiled and shouted charmingly, "We won't make the mistake Kenny made again! Now! Whirlpool activate!"At this moment, Piplup, which had been accumulating power for a long time, instantly released a huge Whirlpool, directly trapping Swabluin it!Ash immediately understood, and chuckled, "I underestimated you. It seems you planned everything, using Bubble Beam as a cover, and then accumulating power to release Whirlpool to control my Pokémon!""That's right!" Dawn proudly raised her head, and then shouted charmingly, "Piplup, use Drill Peck!"Under the power of the Whirlpool, Swablu began to descend. Piplup's beak extended into a sharp long spear, and it charged up!Ash, however, shouted at this moment, "Swablu, break through your limits!""Chirp~~" Swablu, trapped in the center of the Whirlpool, chirped, and its whole body emitted blue and white evolution light. Its size increased, its neck elongated, and its whole body was wrapped in white cotton, successfully evolving into Altaria!Altaria flapped its wings and directly broke through the control of the Whirlpool, and countless water splashes fell on Altaria!Dawn's score dropped sharply, after all, the gorgeousness of evolution is absolutely the most beautiful, coupled with the beauty of the bird emerging from the water, leaving Dawn with only a quarter of her score!"Use Dragon Pulse!"Altaria released Dragon Pulse, knocking away the attacking Piplup. Dawn's score decreased again, already close to zero!"Piplup, use your full power Whirlpool!" Dawncould only make a desperate struggle!"Piplup!" Piplup's whole body flowed with glazed light, condensing a huge Whirlpool!"Dragon Rush!"Altaria transformed into a dragon shape and collided with the Whirlpool that Piplup had just released. The powerful current simultaneously pushed back both Piplup and Altaria. The scores of Dawn and Ash both dropped, but Dawn's score was already zero!In other words, Ash successfully won this match and advanced to the finals!
Chapter 282: Battle against May! Mega ShowdownAltariaAttribute: Dragon, FlyingStrength: Elite PeakMoves: Dragon Pulse, Moonblast...Ash and Dawn walked off the stage. Although Dawn lost the match, she was still in good spirits. She happened to run into May and Zoey, who were about to go on stage for their match. Dawn smiled and said, "Zoey, May, you two go for it!"Ash also smiled and said, "I look forward to your wonderful match!"On the stage that was about to begin, both sides were already in position. Zoey dared not be careless against May, a Coordinator known as the "Hoenn Dance Princess"!Zoey sent out her old partner Glameow, while Maysent out her ace Delcatty, which was on par with Blaziken in the Hoenn Region!On this water stage, a showdown between two cats representing different regions began!"Delcatty, use Fake Out!" May ordered first.Delcatty leaped towards Glameow gracefully and agilely, its small purple tail flashing with white light, quickly swiping towards Glameow!"Glameow, jump!""Meow~"Relying on its spring-like tail, it bounced up, dodging Delcatty's attack, showcasing Glameow's charm in this manner. May's score dropped first!"In that case, Delcatty, use Sing!""Meow~ Meow Meow Meow~ Meow Meow~"A peaceful and comfortable song came from Delcatty's mouth, making Glameow, who had just landed on a floating board, feel sleepy! Therefore, May successfully made a comeback!Zoey looked at Glameow, who was about to fall asleep, and quickly shouted, "Glameow, hold on!"Glameow heard Zoey's call and immediately gritted its teeth, enduring the sleepiness to look at Delcatty. May waved her small hand and shouted sweetly, "Use Blizzard to wake it up!""Meow!"Delcatty leaped high, and a Blizzard suddenly attacked. But Zoey shouted at this moment, "Use Shadow Claw!"Shadow Claw, as a Ghost-type move, was naturally useless against Delcatty, but Zoey had another purpose. Glameow's front claws extended dark purple Ghost claws and slammed them onto the water surface. A huge water screen appeared in front of Glameow, blocking the Blizzard and becoming a huge ice wall!Glameow's action directly caused May to lose a lot of points!Zoey smiled and said, "It's our turn to counterattack! Use Iron Tail!"May also shouted sweetly, not to be outdone, "It's too early! We'll also use Iron Tail!"After several rounds of clashes, the scores of the two girls were very close, and there were only thirty seconds left!"Let's decide the winner with one blow, May! Glameow, use the combination move Electromagnetic Tail!" Zoey waved her hand and shouted loudly. Ever since seeing Ash's powerful and gorgeous combination moves, she had been practicing!This move was a combination of Thunderbolt and Iron Tail, which greatly increased the power by adding electric current to the Iron Tail, and it was very gorgeous with golden electric currents flowing on the flashing tail!Ash's eyes lit up when he saw this. Pikachu could also use this move completely. With Pikachu's electricity combined with Iron Tail, it would definitely be explosive damage!May said solemnly at this moment, "No problem! Let you see our combination move too. Delcatty, use that move!""Meow~"Delcatty opened its mouth, and water-type energy and ice-type energy flowed and intertwined simultaneously, forming a water ball. Delcattyimmediately released it!Although it was a water ball, it contained an extremely cold aura. The moment it collided with Glameow, water splashed everywhere, and Glameow, who was enveloped, was immediately frozen!It formed a crystal clear ice flower, blooming on the water stage!"What a beautiful ice flower! It's really great, Delcatty! We finally completed it, let's call it Ice Flower!" May cheered happily. She and Delcatty had been training this move in Johto, and now it was finally completed!This move was to integrate Psybeam into Water Pulse, but it was too difficult to succeed!At this moment, time ran out, and May won the match with Ice Flower!"As expected of the Hoenn Dance Princess, the final combination move was too strong and too gorgeous!" Zoey said with emotion, while comforting the disappointed Glameow in her arms, "You worked hard!"——————————"At the Lake Valor, for three consecutive days, we have been broadcasting the Pokemon Contest - Wallace Cup. The current schedule has finally reached the final stage.""Now, please welcome the two contestants for the final stage. On one side is Ash, who has won the Grand Festival for two consecutive terms, and on the other side is May, who is challenging the JohtoPokemon Contest and is known as the Hoenn Dance Princess!"Wallace also stood up and smiled, "All supporters of the Pokemon Contest, please give the two powerful Coordinators and their gorgeous Pokémon the most enthusiastic and exciting atmosphere. Please bring us the best stage!""The final stage of the Wallace Cup, the time limit is five minutes. Please start the match!" With Miss Bai'an's announcement, the final officially began.At this moment, Dawn and Zoey had also changed back into casual clothes to cheer for Ash and May!May and Ash threw their Poké Balls at the same time, and in unison shouted, "Blaziken, take the stage!""It's decided, Milotic!"May sent out her absolute ace Blaziken, while Ashused his main force Milotic from the Kanto Pokemon Contest. Milotic has now reached the Gym Peak level!May extended her right wrist and lightly pressed the glass bead on her bracelet, "Blaziken, let Ash see our growth!"Ash couldn't help but curl up the corner of his mouth when he saw this, activating the key stone on his universal ring, "Then let's go together!""That is..." Dawn and Zoey looked at this scene in surprise, the two of them directly used their trump cards!And Wallace also looked forward to Ash's Milotic!"Mega Evolution! Go, Mega Blaziken!""Show our bond, Mega Milotic!"Orange Mega Evolution light burst from Blazikenand Milotic. Two ribbons of flame floated from Blaziken's arms, and a winged mask formed on its head!And Milotic grew two large creamy white fins, large colorful ribbons floated on its head, and its scales and tail glowed with colorful light!"Mega Evolution appeared! Ash and May both performed Mega Evolution at the same time!" Miss Bai'an introduced excitedly, "And so far, Ash's Mega Milotic is the only Mega Milotic in the world!"Wallace also nodded and confirmed, "Yes, ever since Ash's Mega Milotic was born, I have been looking for Milotic's Mega Evolution Stone, but unfortunately I haven't found it!"Wallace had been longing for Mega Milotic for a long time!Wow—Upon receiving Master Wallace's confirmation, the whole audience immediately boiled over, after all, they were seeing the only Milotic in the world!"Mega Milotic is amazing!" Dawn cheered, "Mega Blaziken is not bad either! Ah~ I really want Mega Evolution too!"Zoey just smiled without saying anything, but from her eyes, it could be seen that she also longed for it!And at this moment, Ash and May's battle has already begun!
Chapter 283: Victory over Xiaoyao! The Mikoli Cup endsChapter 283: Defeating May! Wallace Cup Ends"Disarming Voice!"Mega Milotic surfaced, singing an alluring song. Mayquickly commanded, "Blaziken, use Bulk Up!"Since Disarming Voice couldn't be dodged, Maychose to have Blaziken strengthen itself."Xia Mo!" Mega Blaziken used Bulk Up while enduring the Disarming Voice attack. Immediately after, its Speed Boost ability activated, enhancing its speed, power, and defense! However, May's score dropped a bit because of this!Then May commanded, "Blaziken, use Thunder Punch on the water surface!""Xia Mo!" As soon as the words fell, Mega Blaziken's eyes narrowed, electricity flashed around its fists, and it directly smashed them onto the water surface, sending a current shooting towards Mega Milotic."Jump up and use Twister!""Woo~" Mega Milotic leaped up, its fan-like tail gently flapping, instantly stirring up a fierce wind. At the same time, it swept up the water flow and the electricity within it, forming a water Twister that also contained the electricity released by Mega Blaziken!Mega Milotic flapped again, and the water Twisterinstantly surged towards Mega Blaziken."Blaziken, Flame Vortex and Swords Dance!"Upon hearing this, Mega Blaziken immediately spewed a spiral flame skyward. The flame descended from the sky, enveloping Blaziken. Simultaneously, several sharp swords spun rapidly within the flame, making the flame even more intense!The water Twister crashed into the flame, and a large amount of steam evaporated, forming a large amount of Mist. Mega Blaziken's attack increased by two stages, and it suffered little damage! Ash and May's scores both dropped slightly!"Blaziken, Flame Charge!"Mega Blaziken ignited its body with flames, moving at an incredibly fast speed across the water, demonstrating to the audience what it meant to "walk on water" with light footwork!This display directly reduced Ash's score by a quarter. Ash immediately followed with a command, "Iron Tail to slap the water!""Woo~"Mega Milotic's flowing light fan tail heavily slapped the water surface, sending a towering wave towards Mega Blaziken. Mega Blaziken immediately leaped up, using the flames around its body to directly pierce through the giant wave and reach mid-air!May shouted, "Combination move, Phoenix Skyfall!""Xia Mo!" Mega Blaziken's eyes narrowed, and a giant bird's silhouette appeared around its body. Then, flames ignited, transforming into a crimson flaming phoenix that charged towards Milotic. As soon as the magnificent flaming phoenix appeared, before it even hit Mega Milotic, Ash's score began to drop!This move was a combination of Brave Bird and Flame Charge. In fact, this move had an advanced version, which was a combination of Brave Bird and Flare Blitz, but the recoil damage was simply too great. Even the Flare Kick created by Ash couldn't compare to it. If used, Blaziken would probably lose its ability to battle directly from the recoil damage!"Ice Dragon Attack!""Woo~"Mega Milotic unhesitatingly released an ice-blue giant frost dragon. The ice dragon twisted its body and charged forward to meet the attack!Its clearly visible dragon scales were like a true dragon descending, instantly lowering May's score to the same level as Ash's. At the same time, very little time remained, meaning the collision between the Ice Dragon and the Fire Phoenix would be the final decisive battle!The Ice Dragon and Fire Phoenix collided, creating a violent explosion in mid-air. The aftermath of the storm made May instinctively shield her face with her arm, and Mega Blaziken was also blasted out, crashing onto the floating platform.Ding----"Time's up! This was truly a battle befitting a final stage: passionate, intense, exciting, and with outstandingly gorgeous performances! Alright, then, the one who conquered this stage and stands at the pinnacle of the Pokemon Contest Wallace Cup is... congratulations, Ash!"Although Mega Blaziken had not reverted from Mega Evolution, it still caused May to lose some points, allowing Ash to win the Wallace Cup by a narrow margin.With this, the three-day Wallace Cup finally concluded, and the entire venue erupted in applause."Ah ha~" May, who had been completely focused throughout the entire match, also let out a sigh of relief. Although she still lost, she had given her all!Milotic and Blaziken exchanged glances, and both simultaneously canceled their Mega Evolution!"Ash, congratulations! You're still so strong, you didn't even let me win a little!" May pouted.Ash hastily explained, "Giving your all is a sign of respect for your opponent!"Watching the flustered Ash, May chuckled, covering her mouth and nose, then winked and laughed, "I was just kidding!""You worked hard, Blaziken!" May then recalled Blaziken.Ash shook his head helplessly, but May's growth truly surprised Ash. The sheer power of the Phoenix Skyfall she displayed was astonishing. It was a pity it wasn't yet perfected, otherwise, its power would be even greater, and the Ice Dragon might not have been able to block it!May stepped off the stage, and Wallace came onto the stage, speaking loudly, "How wonderful! The Ice Dragon and Fire Phoenix perfectly concluded the Wallace Cup! Elegant to the point of envy, and incredibly dazzling. Ash, you are truly an excellent Pokemon Coordinator, and this is the proof of your victory in the Wallace Cup—the Water Column ribbon badge!"Wallace's Milotic formed a small water ring, which encircled the Water Column ribbon badge and flew towards Ash. "Here, just accept it!""Thank you!" Ash caught it. With this, Ash's collection of Gorgeous Competition ribbon badges in the Sinnoh region was complete.Wallace smiled, "Congratulations, Ash! You have already obtained five ribbon badges and are now eligible to participate in the Sinnoh Grand Festival. I look forward to your performance in the Grand Festival. I will personally be in attendance then!"As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue erupted. Not only were they surprised that Ash had collected all the ribbon badges so quickly, but more importantly, Wallace himself would be attending the Sinnoh Grand Festival, which would surely make this Grand Festival even more fiercely competitive!Wallace then spread his arms and exclaimed, "I feel incredibly fortunate to have met so many excellent Pokemon this time. I sincerely hope to have more moving encounters next time. The Pokemon Contest—Wallace Cup, now concludes!"Wallace's Milotic sprayed a water column upwards, which then split into six streams, transforming into crystal-clear water droplets that scattered, signaling the official end of the Wallace Cup!As Ash left the stage, Wallace quietly said beside him, "I look forward to you winning the SinnohGrand Festival again. I have a gift prepared for you!"To
Chapter 284: Saying Goodbye to May, Arriving at Pastoria CityAfter Wallace finished, at dusk, Ash and Maywalked hand in hand by Lake Valor. Tomorrow, Maywould leave to return to Johto and continue her adventure, so both of them cherished this final time together!"It's time to part ways~" Ash tightened his grip on May's hand, looking up at the stars that had just appeared, and sighed."Yeah!" May naturally curled up into Ash's embrace, looking up to admire the starry night sky of Lake Valor with Ash."Ash, days without you are really peaceful. There are no Team Rockets, no various troubles. Although there are some minor issues, they can't compare to encountering various legendary Pokémon. I heard from Dawn that you encountered Sinnoh's Time and Space duo!"Hearing this, Ash couldn't help but laugh, "Are you saying I'm a jinx? Trouble follows me wherever I go!""How could you say that?! But I'm really not used to peaceful days; it always feels like something is missing!" May smiled, "And the time I spend with you is my most wonderful time!"The two looked at each other affectionately, and various beautiful memories flooded their hearts.While enjoying their time together, what the two didn't know was that at this moment, a blue-haired girl on the balcony of the Pokémon Center was pouting and looking towards Lake Valor."What's wrong, Dawn!" Zoey came to Dawn's side, "You look like you're not very happy, could it be that..."Zoey showed an auntie-like smile and looked at Dawn, "Could it be that you're jealous!""How could I be!" Dawn retorted without hesitation, "What is there for me to be jealous of? Besides, Mayis Ash's official girlfriend. I'm just curious about what the two of them are doing, could it be that..."Dawn, who had imagined the scene, immediately turned into a steam princess!Zoey shook her head helplessly and leaned on the balcony with Dawn, looking at the starry sky, "Dawn, you must like Ash! If you like him, you should pursue him boldly, after all, this is your own happiness!"Dawn shyly lowered her head, which was considered an acknowledgment!Then Zoey turned her head to look at Dawn, "May is leaving tomorrow, and Dawn will be traveling with Ash, so there's still a chance. Do you want me to teach you the secrets of love!""Really? Thank you, Zoey!" Dawn exclaimed in surprise, then reacted and stared intently at Zoey.Zoey was a little nervous by Dawn's sudden change in expression and asked cautiously, "What's wrong?""Zoey, have you ever been in love? It's not just theoretical knowledge, is it!""How... could that be... Of course I have..." Zoey's eyes darted around, clearly feeling guilty.Dawn immediately puffed up her cheeks and shouted, "Alright, Zoey, you actually lied to me!"Suddenly, the two girls were Play Rough together. When May came back and saw them, she was quite startled!Of course, that was later. At this moment, Ash and May were still chatting. May suddenly got up from Ash's embrace and asked, "Ash, what do you think of Dawn?""Dawn is a very good girl, she..."Before he finished, May interrupted him, "You should know that's not what I meant!""May, I..." For a moment, Ash suddenly didn't know what to say. Seeing this, May smiled; she knew Ashwould never lie!May put a finger to Ash's lips and smiled, "I understand, Dawn is a very good girl!"After speaking, May curled back into Ash's embrace. Ash held the lovely girl in his arms and softly thanked her, "Thank you, May!"The two continued to admire the beautiful starry sky together...----------The next morning, everyone came to Lake Valor Port to see May off. May and her Pokemon stood on the cruise ship, waving goodbye to everyone."Dawn, you must work hard. Let's have another showdown next time!"Dawn held Piplup and replied firmly, "No problem!" "Piplup~""Ash, I will definitely win the Johto Grand Festival!""Go for it~" "Pikachu~" "Eevee~""Zoey, Brock, goodbye!""Goodbye~~"Watching the cruise ship gradually move away until it disappeared on the other side of the lake, everyone finally withdrew their gaze.Zoey also said goodbye to Ash and his friends and left.Now only Ash and his friends remained. Meeting, parting, reuniting, and parting again, this is what travel is!At this moment on the cruise ship, May held a dark purple object that looked like a Poké Ball and placed it on her chest, her eyes filled with memories. That was the Tera Orb Ash gave to May last night!Last night, May had already experimented with it. Being covered in crystal and transparent was really suitable for use in Contestss. When they were attacked by the Earth Demon, Ash had PikachuTerastallization, and she liked it very much at that time!However, she decided to use it as a trump card, as it is a battle system from the distant Padia Region, and it is still very rare!----------The three who saw May off returned to the Pokémon Center, quickly packed up, and left Lake Valor, heading towards Pastoria City.On the way to Pastoria City, Jesse unexpectedly caught a Yanma, and it could even use Ancient Power, so Yanma successfully evolved into Yanmega, filling the gap left by Jesse releasing Dustox!After several days of traveling, Ash and his friendsalso successfully arrived at Pastoria City at this moment. The first thing to do upon arriving at Pastoria City is naturally to challenge the Gym!Ash's team: Pikachu, Eevee, Marshadow, Lucario, Monferno, Grotle, Staravia, Altaria, Floatzel, Rampardos, ElectivireStanding in front of Shiwara Gym, Ash really wanted to complain about the big guy in front of him. Shiwara Gym is clearly a Water-type Gym, but in Ash's impression, aren't those good at Water-types gentle as water, like Misty, Adam! Is he a tough guy with a gentle heart?! Ash would even believe he was a Fighting Gym Leader. Did Veilstone City and Pastoria City swap Gym Leaders!The big guy stood in front of Ash and his friendsand said grandly, "I am the Shiwara Gym Leader, my name is Crasher Wake!"Dawn also said in disbelief, "This person is a Gym Leader?""Although there are various types of Gym Leaders, how should I describe this person?!" Even Brock felt it was unbelievable. He had been thinking the Shiwara Gym Leader might be a gentle big sister; the difference was too great!Regardless, he was still a Gym Leader. Ashimmediately introduced himself and explained his purpose, "Hello, I am Ash from Pallet Town, please accept my challenge!"This time, Ash decided to let Floatzel, Grotle, and Electivire participate in this Gym Match!To
Chapter 285: Ash and Dawn's Great Marsh Safari Zone CaptureTo Ash's challenge, Crasher Wake directly refused, "Sorry, not today! Because this big shot has important things to do!"Then Crasher Wake looked at the three of them and smiled, "Otherwise, you guys can come with me! Alright, it's decided!"Crasher Wake pushed Ash and ran forward. Since they had just arrived and had nothing else to do, the three decided to go with Crasher Wake!So the group boarded the sightseeing train heading to the Great Marsh with Crasher Wake!Pastoria City is a city located by a swamp, and this swamp is called the Great Marsh. There are various rare Pokemon in the Great Marsh, so in order to protect these Pokemon of the Great Marsh, the cities surrounding this area gradually formed!Moreover, the Great Marsh was once part of the sea, but after the water was drained, land was formed! This also makes the summer climate here very cool, which is an ideal habitat for Water-type Pokemon!Upon arriving at the Great Marsh and getting off the train, Crasher Wake immediately ran off without a trace. Ash didn't mind; his Aura had already Lock-On Crasher Wake, but Ash didn't chase after him because he found something more interesting!"What's wrong?" Brock and Dawn saw Ash looking in one direction and curiously followed his gaze towards the nearby grass.They saw Croagunk coming out of the grass one after another, ignoring Ash's group, and gathering towards the direction where Crasher Wake was!Seeing this, Brock took out the tourist guide and explained, "It says here that because Croagunk can only be found in Pastoria City, it has become the official mascot here!""Are these all wild Croagunk?" Looking at a group of Croagunk, Dawn felt a bit uneasy.Ash, however, smiled and said, "Let's follow and see!"The three followed behind these Croagunk and soon encountered a large group of Pastoria Cityresidents, all with a Croagunk by their side, heading towards Crasher Wake's location!Ash's group curiously followed them to a festival, where a lifelike giant Croagunk statue stood in the center.Crasher Wake seemed to have been waiting here for a long time and immediately complained, "You guys are too slow, I was very worried!"According to Crasher Wake's introduction, this was the venue for the Croagunk festival. In Pastoria City, Croagunk is their guardian deity, and almost every family raises a Croagunk!A festival is also held here annually, where everyone's carefully raised Croagunk gather together and the Champion for the year is selected!Ash's group arrived at just the right time; tonight was the day of the Croagunk festival! And the Croagunk that becomes the Champion will be awarded a crown inlaid with diamonds and pearls!Ash's group, understanding the situation, wasn't very interested in this competition. Although Brockowns a Croagunk, the crown cannot be taken away! So even winning the championship wouldn't be of much use!But the twist came quickly. Nurse Joy's Croagunk, Croagunk Mei, was being pressured into marriage by the previous Champion Takuya's Croagunk, Croagunk Yan. As a loyal fan of Nurse Joy, Brockdirectly rushed up and made a bet with Takuya, vowing to defeat Croagunk Yan at the Croagunkfestival to make him stop bothering Nurse Joy!After agreeing with Brock, Takuya stopped pestering them and turned to leave. Brock then revealed his true nature, grabbing Nurse Joy's hand excitedly, "My name is Brock, please rest assured! My Croagunk will become the Champion and make that kid come to his senses! And after that, let our Pokemon get married, and by the way, we two Trainers can also..."Croagunk and Spinda immediately appeared, skillfully knocking him down and dragging him away, while Ash and Dawn shook their heads helplessly!——————————Since Brock was participating in the festival, he began special training with Croagunk. The festival wouldn't start until the evening, so there was still some time. Ash found an interesting place in the tourist handbook and immediately took Dawn there!This was the Safari Zone within the Great Marsh, home to various rare Pokemon of the Great Marsh. It's usually not open to outsiders, but who is Ash? With his Officer ID shown, the administrator immediately respectfully gave Ash and Dawn thirty Safari Balls and a fishing rod each, and then escorted them into the Safari Zone!However, even though Ash was an Officer, he couldn't have Pokemon battles here; he could only use Safari Balls to capture them!He had experienced the Safari Zone before and captured a full thirty Tauros. Since Ashtransmigrated, he had always wanted to try hunting in the Safari Zone!"In that case, Dawn, let's split up and look for the Pokemon we like!" Ash suggested."No problem!" Dawn nodded excitedly; she couldn't wait to catch new Pokemon!After splitting up with Dawn, Ash took Pikachu and Eevee and searched aimlessly. Since they were in the Safari Zone within this Great Marsh, most of the Pokemon were Water-type and Poison-type, like Marill~ and Magikarp~Just then, Ash heard fighting sounds ahead and quickly ran to investigate. The scene before him made Ash's eyes light up!He saw a small purple-blue scorpion entangled with a Golduck, even gaining the upper hand. Its attacks were very fierce, and it was the initial form of Drapion, Skorupi!Finally, Skorupi's two pairs of small scorpion claws emitted a purple light. Ash immediately recognized this move; it was Cross Poison, indicating that Skorupi's level was already quite high!One Cross Poison sent Golduck flying, but fortunately, it didn't get poisoned. Golduck got up and ran away!Seeing this, Ash smiled and walked forward, looking at the Skorupi before him, "Hey there, little guy!"Skorupi immediately looked at Ash with vigilance."Do you think you're very strong?" Ash continued casually.Skorupi nodded proudly upon hearing this."Eevee!"As soon as Ash finished speaking, "Eevee~" Eeveereleased a terrifying Elite Aura towards Skorupi, making Skorupi retreat repeatedly. The rule was no fighting, but it didn't say anything about not using Aura to suppress, right?Ash squatted down, took out a Safari Ball, and smiled, "Come with me, I'll help you get stronger!"Skorupi looked at the Safari Ball and fell into thought. It then looked at Eevee and firmly tapped the Safari Ball, successfully capturing it without even a flash!Ash was very excited looking at the Safari Ball in his hand, unexpected gains! After circling around and not finding any other desirable Pokemon, Ashreturned!He just happened to meet Dawn, who was holding a Safari Ball and excitedly rushing over. Apparently, she had also captured a Pokemon she liked!When the administrator saw that both of them had only captured one Pokemon each, he immediately praised them as good children. When transferring the Pokemon to their names, Ash's Skorupisurprised the administrator a bit, but he didn't say anything. However, the Pokemon Dawn captured immediately made the administrator's face darken.Ash leaned over to look and his mouth twitched. How should he put it? Dawn's luck was too good
Chapter 286: Shiwara Gym Battle Begins"Is this a Shinny Ponyta?!" Ash's eyes widened like copper bells, crying out in disbelief.Ponyta mainly exists in the Kanto Region, and is rarely seen in the Sinnoh Region, let alone a ShinnyPonyta! As for the rarity of Shinny Pokemon, even with Ash's heaven-defying luck, he has only captured two!Ponyta's flowing, eerie blue flames were very cool, making Ash incredibly envious. Ash dared to guarantee that not to mention the entire Safari Zone, even the entire Sinnoh Region wouldn't be able to find another one!"That's right!" Dawn explained cheerfully. It turned out that after parting ways with Ash, she and Pipluphad been searching for their favorite Pokemon.Unexpectedly, they encountered this Ponyta. At that time, its fur was dirty, and Ponyta seemed to love cleanliness very much. As a Fire-type Pokemon, it didn't dare to go into the water to clean itself. This immediately reminded Dawn of herself, so Dawnand Piplup stepped forward to help!At first, Ponyta was very cautious, but under the soothing of Dawn and Piplup, it gradually relaxed its guard. Under Dawn's careful grooming, Ponyta's fur became shiny. It looked at itself in the water with great satisfaction and immediately took a liking to Dawn, entering her Safari Ball!The administrator could only transfer the Pokemoncaptured by Ash and Dawn to Poké Balls with a look of despair, and then respectfully invited them out."How is it, Ash, isn't my luck good! I actually captured such a rare Shinny Ponyta here!" Dawn, who had captured Ponyta, showed off to Ash on the way back.Ash could only nod helplessly, but Ash's capture was also very good; he captured a Skorupi that he was satisfied with! However, Dawn's Pokemonhappened to lack a Fire-type Pokemon, and Ponytajust filled the gap![Skorupi][Gender: Male][Type: Poison, Bug][Ability: Sniper][Strength: Superior Peak][Moves: Cross Poison, Night Slash, Venoshock, Pin Missile...]By the time Ash and Dawn returned, the Croagunkfestival had already begun. Brock and Croagunkfought their way through to the finals, finally successfully defeating Takuya and Burenhiko to win the Champion title.And Brock certainly couldn't stay in Pastoria City, so he gave the crown embedded with pearls and diamonds to Nurse Joy's Burenbelle. Now Nurse Joyno longer has to worry about being forced into marriage!——————————The next morning, Ash's group returned to Shiwara Gym, and Crasher Wake had been waiting for a long time!Inside the Shiwara Gym's battle arena, Dawn sat in the audience, looking at the pool in front of her, with several floating boards on it. She couldn't help but exclaim, "This is a Water-type Pokemon Gym!"Brock, sitting next to her, nodded, "That's right! On the water field, how to flexibly use the underwater environment and floating boards for battles is the biggest key!""Now, the Shiwara Gym Gym Match will begin. In the blue corner, the challenger—Ash from Pallet Town. And in the red corner, the Shiwara Gym Gym Leader—Crasher Wake!"As soon as the referee's voice fell, Crasher Wakeflipped his cloak, his aura suddenly surging, and he yelled in a very chuunibyou manner, "I, Crasher Wake Mask, am here!""Three Pokemon can be used. When all of one side's Pokemon lose their ability to battle, the match is over. Only the challenger can switch Pokemonduring the battle!"Crasher Wake looked at Ash and smiled, "Ash, in the name of the Shiwara Gym Gym Leader, I want you and your Pokemon to show me all your strength and moves!""Roar, Gyarados!""Roar~" Immediately, a fierce-looking blue Gyaradoswith a surging aura appeared in the water field.But Ash had seen many Gyarados, and this one was really not enough to look at. He took out a Poké Balland threw it out, "It's decided, Electivire!"Electivire's strength had already reached the Gym Leader Mid Stage. Letting it take the lead was naturally to get off to a good start!It's worth mentioning that Ash's Floatzel, Rampardos, and Altaria had all taken Beginner Rare Candies and reached the Gym Leader Early Stage!This means Ash is challenging the Shiwara Gymwith three Gym-level Pokemon this time!Crasher Wake looked at Electivire standing on the floating board and laughed loudly, "Electivire! Very energetic! Good, come at me with all you've got!"To
Chapter 287: Marsh Badge, Get!"Electivire, use Thunderbolt!" Ash swung his arm, launching the first attack."Eli!"Electivire bared its teeth and looked at Gyarados, a golden current instantly released, successfully hitting Gyarados!Gyarados was wrapped in the current, letting out a painful cry, but it endured with its immense stamina!"When facing a Water-type opponent, using Electric-type attacks is absolutely correct! However, my Gyarados isn't that easy to defeat, you know, go!"While Crasher Wake was speaking, Gyarados had already submerged into the water.Immediately after, Crasher Wake's command was given again, "Use Dragon Rage!"Gyarados instantly burst out of the water, spraying a blue Energy Ball towards Electivire. Ashimmediately commanded, "Electivire, Thunder Punch! Then follow up with Electric Net!""Eli!" Electivire roared, sparks flying from its right fist, swinging with full force and directly blowing up Dragon Rage!Then Electivire condensed a golden Electro Ball and blasted it out. As it approached Gyarados, it transformed into a golden Electric Net, trapping Gyarados tightly!"Now's the time, finish it! Use Thunder!"Trapped in the Electric Net, Gyarados couldn't dodge at all. The golden Thunder struck its body. This time, Gyarados couldn't hold on and directly collapsed into the pool, causing a large splash!"Gyarados is unable to battle, Electivire wins!""Amazing, Electivire won!" Dawn cheered."Gyarados, you did great!" Crasher Wake recalled Gyarados, then took out another Poké Ball, "Alright, for the next battle, come out, Quagsire!""Electivire, come back!" Ash recalled Electivire, then threw out another Poké Ball, "Grotle, I choose you!""Ba wu~" Grotle's heavy body landed on the floating platform, immediately causing a large splash around it.Crasher Wake's mouth twitched upon seeing this. It's one thing to target Water-types, but why are they all 4x effective?!"Bullet Seed!""Ba wu~" Grotle's eyes narrowed. It opened its mouth, and a large number of golden seeds quickly appeared in front of Quagsire.But Crasher Wake's Quagsire decisively dove into the water, avoiding the attack."Quagsire, use Mud Shot!" Crasher Wake seized the opportunity and immediately commanded.Quagsire suddenly leaped out of the water, spraying blobs of mud towards Grotle."Razor Leaf!"Several Razor Leaves flashed, cutting the mud into the water. Seeing the situation wasn't good, Quagsire immediately submerged again, which gave Ash a headache!"Use Sunny Day!"Grotle released Fire-type energy towards the sky, and the entire field instantly became scorching hot.Then Ash stared intently at the water surface to prevent Quagsire from ambushing while simultaneously thinking of a solution. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, "Maybe we can do this, use Swords Dance and spin the swords in the pool!""Ba wu~" Grotle cried out, and several sharp swords immediately appeared. Everyone watched curiously, wondering what Ash was planning.Immediately, centered on Grotle's floating platform, the swords began to spin at high speed, forming a massive Whirlpool, causing Quagsire's figure at the bottom of the water to gradually surface!Under everyone's surprised gaze, Ash's voice sounded again, "That's it! Let's add some intensity, use Leaf Storm!""Ba wu~" A strong Leaf Storm immediately swirled around Grotle. The sharp Leaves instantly merged into the Whirlpool below its feet, instantly forming a meat grinder!Quagsire was continuously cut by the Leaves within the Whirlpool, letting out painful cries."That move is amazing!" Dawn exclaimed. Suddenly, she got an idea and thought of a combination move, "Piplup's Whirlpool combined with Leafeon's Razor Leaf might work!""Maybe it really could!" Brock also imagined it upon hearing this and immediately thought it was indeed possible.And at this moment, Crasher Wake was covered in sweat. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and shout, "Quagsire, jump out and use Psybeam!"Quagsire endured the pain to break free from the Whirlpool's control, leaped out of the water, and unleashed an ice-blue, extremely cold beam without hesitation!"Solar Beam, fire!"Solar energy quickly gathered on the bushes on both sides of Grotle, then fired instantly. The scorching hot beam collided with the extremely cold beam!With a boom, Solar Beam pierced through Psybeamand successfully hit Quagsire. Quagsire fell from mid-air.The referee checked on Quagsire's condition and immediately waved his hand, announcing, "Quagsireis unable to battle, Grotle wins!""You did great, Grotle, you performed very well!" Ash said with a smile, encouraging it."Ba wu~" Grotle smiled and nodded."Now, Mr. Crasher Wake only has one Pokémon left. Ash has completely taken control of the situation!" Dawn said with a smile."Yeah!" Brock nodded along."Quagsire, you did great, get some good rest!" Crasher Wake recalled Quagsire and looked up at Ash, "Ash, your strength is truly amazing! Well then, this is my last Pokémon. Battle, Floatzel!"This Floatzel was indeed Crasher Wake's ace Pokémon. As Floatzel appeared, Crasher Wake's aura dramatically increased!Ash also recalled Grotle at this moment and couldn't help but chuckle, "I choose you, Floatzel!""A final showdown between Floatzel? That's incredible!" Dawn exclaimed."Hey hey hey!" Although Ash's Floatzel had evolved, its arrogant personality hadn't changed at all. It immediately reached out to provoke Crasher Wake's Floatzel."Oh?! Ash also has a Floatzel! But it's useless, my Floatzel is the strongest Water-type Pokémon!" Crasher Wake laughed, "However, I don't like your attitude!"Ash said, "Floatzel, say hello, use Aqua Jet!""Hey hey!" Ash's Floatzel heard this, and water surged around its body, attacking Crasher Wake's Floatzel.Crasher Wake, however, laughed, "Bounce it back!"Crasher Wake's Floatzel's neck ring float inflated, blocking Ash's Floatzel and bouncing it back in front of Ash."Hahaha~" Seeing this, Crasher Wake put his hands on his hips and laughed loudly, "When Floatzel's float inflates, it can become large enough for even humans to sit on. The float of my Floatzel, which has undergone countless training sessions, can bounce back direct attacks, even Giga Impact!""Is that so?" Ash also smiled, "But I also said, we were just saying hello!"At the same time, this move made Ash's eyes light up. Next, he could focus on training Floatzel in this!"Use Sonic Boom!" Ash suddenly roared.Ash's Floatzel immediately showed a confident smile, leaped up, and swung its forked tail repeatedly, causing large, silvery-white blades to appear one after another.Crasher Wake also quickly commanded, "Floatzel, use Razor Wind!"Crasher Wake's Floatzel immediately swung its arms, sending out two white curved blades. Unfortunately, they were shattered by the numerous Sonic Booms, forcing Crasher Wake's Floatzel to dive to avoid the attack!Ash quickly shouted, "Chase it!"As soon as he finished speaking, Ash's Floatzelplunged into the water with a splash. The two Floatzel continuously wrestled in the water, and eventually Ash's Floatzel found an opportunity to use Aqua Jet to push Crasher Wake's Floatzel out of the water.Ash was immediately overjoyed and shouted, "Aqua Cutter!""Hey hey!" Ash's Floatzel immediately gathered water power in its right hand and sent Crasher Wake's Floatzel flying."Damn it!" Crasher Wake immediately became anxious. His Floatzel was completely overwhelmed now. If this continued, he would surely lose. "Floatzel, quickly use Ice Fang!"Crasher Wake's Floatzel began to control its body and dive down. At the same time, its fangs glittered, and two ice-blue beams shot down.Ash was already confident of victory. He waved his hand and roared, "Finish it with Ice Aqua Jet!""Hey hey!" Ash's Floatzel leaped up, frost emanating from its fists. At the same time, Ice Fang also hit, lending it a hand, and the water flowing around its body instantly froze!At the same time, Ash's Floatzel spun at high speed. Ice Aqua Jet instantly pierced through Crasher Wake's Floatzel, causing it to fall directly and lose its ability to battle.Ash's Floatzel broke through the ice, crossed its arms over its chest, and stood on the floating platform with a proud look."The Gym Leader's Floatzel is unable to battle, Ash's Floatzel wins, therefore the winner is the challenger, Ash!""Hooray, we won! And it was a clean sweep, three straight wins, absolutely incredible!" Watching Ashachieve victory, Dawn was even more excited than Ash."Ash, you really have a good grasp of each Pokémon's thoughts and power. This is truly a team victory where Pokémon and Trainer are united! I'm deeply moved!" Crasher Wake said emotionally as he came before Ash."Not at all~" Ash replied modestly.Crasher Wake took out a Badge and handed it over, "Here, this is proof of your victory at Shiwara Gym - the Marsh Badge, please accept it!""Thank you!" Ash took it. Sinnoh's fourth Badge, get