"Haha! What are you waiting for, Yancheng? Hurry up and send out your next Pokémon!" Red's voice rang out, filled with confidence.
Yancheng remained silent. Without a word, he retrieved his unconscious Nidoran♂ and returned it to its Poké Ball. After a brief moment of contemplation, he reached into his pocket, pulled out another Poké Ball, and tossed it forward.
A bright red light flashed, and a new Pokémon emerged onto the battlefield. It had a body made of solid rock, stood firmly on four legs, and had a sharp horn protruding from its nose. Its gray, stone-like exterior gave off an aura of unshakable strength.
Pokémon Identified: Rhyhorn
Category: Spikes Pokémon
Type: Ground/Rock
Height: 1.0m
Weight: 115.0kg
Gender: Male
Ability: Lightning Rod – Grants immunity to Electric-type attacks while boosting Special Attack.
Hidden Ability: None
Individual Stats:
HP: 31
Attack: 28
Special Attack: 28
Defense: 30
Special Defense: 30
Speed: 24
Moves: Horn Attack, Tail Whip, Stomp, Fury Attack, Scary Face
Strength Level: Elite Junior
"Oh? A Rhyhorn, huh?" Red's eyes gleamed with interest. "Now you're finally bringing out something decent. Looks like you're ready to fight seriously."
As he analyzed Rhyhorn's stats, a smirk appeared on Red's face. For an Elite-level Pokémon, it was quite strong—borderline Gym-level, even. If trained properly, it could evolve into a powerful Rhydon or even a Rhyperior in the future.
However, Yancheng remained silent. He was painfully aware that no matter how strong his Pokémon were, it wouldn't make a difference. From the very start, Red had only used a single Pokémon—his Charmeleon. And so far, that one Pokémon had defeated all of Yancheng's team with ease.
Even if Yancheng managed to take down Charmeleon, Red likely had other Pokémon just as powerful, if not stronger.
With a heavy heart, Yancheng had already made up his mind. He would have to part with Squirtle.
Although his family could afford to get him another Squirtle, it wouldn't be the same. This Squirtle had been with him for years, ever since he was a child. Losing it now felt like losing a part of himself.
He clenched his fists, cursing his own arrogance. If only he had listened to the warnings, if only he had not been so reckless—he wouldn't be in this situation.
Meanwhile, Red remained unaware of Yancheng's internal struggle. But even if he had known, it wouldn't have changed his decision.
This wasn't just any Squirtle.
It was a 3V-level Squirtle—an incredibly rare and valuable find.
At its current rate of growth, it was bound to reach the Gym Leader level at minimum. And if it evolved into a Blastoise, it could potentially reach 5V or even 6V, making it a near-elite Pokémon in the future.
With that in mind, Red's grin widened.
"Well, it looks like you're ready," he said, raising his hand to give a command.
However, before the battle could continue, a sudden commotion erupted from the forest behind them.
Rustling noises filled the air, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. Moments later, three figures came bursting out of the trees, looking exhausted and panicked.
"Phew! We finally made it out of that creepy forest! Thank goodness!" exclaimed a young boy wearing a blue and white jacket, light blue jeans, and a red-and-white cap. A small, yellow Pokémon sat perched on his shoulder, its ears twitching.
"Yeah, we're finally out," groaned a girl with vibrant orange hair, a sleeveless crop top, and denim shorts. "Honestly, Ash, this is all your fault! If you hadn't insisted on taking the lead, we wouldn't have ended up lost in that haunted forest!"
"Alright, alright, no need to complain," said the third member of the group, a young man with spiky brown hair, squinted eyes, and a sturdy backpack. "The important thing is that we're out now. We should be reaching the next town soon."
Red narrowed his eyes slightly as he observed the trio.
"Judging by their outfits... and the fact that the boy was just called 'Ash'—that must be Ash Ketchum, Misty, and Brock," he thought to himself.
He had anticipated encountering them after his current battle, but it seemed they had already finished dealing with AJ, the beast tamer, ahead of schedule.
"Misty, look over there!" Brock suddenly pointed toward the battlefield.
"Huh?" Misty squinted. "Wait a second… someone's battling over there. And—what the—? That guy looks just like you, Ash!"
Ash, who had been catching his breath, shot her a confused glance. "What are you talking about? I don't have a twin brother! There's no one else in my family who looks like me!"
But the moment he turned his head toward Red, he froze.
His eyes widened in shock.
"No way… No way!" Ash muttered under his breath. "Do I really have a long-lost twin brother or something? Because that guy looks just like me! Even his clothes are similar—except for the color!"
(Actually, aside from their clothing, the two didn't look similar at all.)
Brock, ever the rational one, carefully examined both of them.
"No, Ash," he said, shaking his head. "You two don't look alike at all. At most, your outfits are a bit similar. But your facial features, expressions, and even the way you carry yourselves are completely different."
Misty, however, remained skeptical. "I don't know, Brock… It's really weird how similar their outfits are. Maybe they are related?"
Ash frowned, crossing his arms. "Nah, I think it's just a coincidence. But still, it's kinda freaky."
Meanwhile, Red remained composed, watching their reaction with mild amusement.
To him, this was just another battle. It didn't matter if Ash Ketchum had shown up—his goal remained the same.
With a smirk, he turned back to Yancheng. "Looks like we have an audience now. Don't keep them waiting—let's finish this."
Yancheng, still struggling with his emotions, took a deep breath and nodded.
The battle was far from over.
And now, with Ash and his friends watching, the pressure had never been higher.
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