062: The More Courageous Ash!!
However, Xiaohao should count himself lucky that Ash wasn't paying attention to him at that moment. Had Ash been engaged in waveguide perception training an ability rooted in his latent Aura powers inherited from Sir Aaron's legacy he might have sensed the fluctuations in Xiaohao's heart.
If Ash had detected the jealous and covetous thoughts Xiaohao was harboring, the result would've been immediate: emotional severance. Ash was especially sensitive to feelings of "replacement." Anyone else might be able to voice such doubts but not Xiaohao. For him, even thinking of Ash as replaceable was unforgivable.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have defeated LV.5 Machop. Experience Points +50!]
[Froakie's level has met upgrade requirements… Froakie is leveling up… Current Level: LV.6]
"Another level up? Awesome," Ash said, smiling as he looked down at Froakie, who was beaming proudly. Its progress was rapid.
Many of the other summer camp students still assumed that Froakie's level was equal to the Pokémon they had received just a starter, nothing more. But in reality, after two battles, Froakie's strength had quietly surpassed the LV.5 standard of the camp's distributed Pokémon.
"Originally, I just wanted to win five rounds," Ash muttered, glancing at the circle of students watching from around the battle dam. His gaze sharpened, like a flame had been lit in his chest.
"But now… I might as well take them all. Every battle's an opportunity for Froakie to grow."
These opponents weren't just classmates anymore they were walking Experience Packs. A full roster of opportunities for Froakie's continuous advancement.
"Who's next?" Ash shouted, eyes alight with a bold fighting spirit as he looked around the clearing. "Anyone else want to challenge me?"
"I'm in!"
"I'll be your rival!" a confident voice rang out. A boy stepped forward wearing a horizontally striped long-sleeved jacket over a green T-shirt. Without hesitation, he climbed onto the battle platform.
Though Ash had already claimed two clear victories, it didn't deter the other campers. At their age, the sting of defeat hadn't yet outpaced the thrill of the challenge.
"I'm Tachibana from Fuchsia City," the boy declared. "And this is my partner!"
With a dramatic flourish, he tossed his Poké Ball. It burst open mid-air with a white flash.
Out came a Pokémon covered in violet fur, with pincer-like mouthparts and luminous red compound eyes that gleamed like polished rubies. Two slender white antennae twitched atop its head. The round-bodied Pokémon bounced on the platform energetically.
"Konpii!" Venonat chirped, scanning the battlefield.
"A Bug- and Poison-type, huh?" Ash mused, narrowing his eyes. "Let's see what you've got."
[System, scan opponent's Pokémon.] Ash activated the built-in identification function silently through thought, and data filled his field of vision.
---
[Venonat]
Level: LV.5
Type: Bug/Poison
Nature: Cheerful
Ability: Compound Eyes
Potential Rating: C (Standard Tier)
Moves:
Proficient: Tackle, Supersonic (26/500 mastery)
Unfamiliar: Stun Spore (8/100 mastery)
---
"Oh, so that's why he's confident," Ash thought. "It's already got two crowd-control moves. Supersonic and Stun Spore together are a nasty combo."
Compared to the previous Machop and Fletchling, this Venonat had better control potential. If another student had Froakie instead of Ash, they'd likely only have a 50% win rate against this Venonat.
"But," Ash said softly, turning off the scan interface, "Froakie's not with just anyone. It's under my command. If he thinks he can take us down with two half-mastered control skills, he's sorely underestimating us."
His eyes locked with Tachibana's, a confident grin spreading across Ash's face.
On the edge of the dam platform, the crowd leaned in eagerly. With both trainers ready and their Pokémon in position, the referee wasted no time.
"Battle start!"
The surrounding campers erupted with cheers and supportive shouts for both combatants.
"Tachibana, let's go!"
"Do your best, Ash!"
The once quiet forest camp buzzed with excitement.
Ash stood calmly, laser-focused on the match ahead. His expression didn't waver under the cheers or noise. He was deep in Contest Condition a battle-ready state of calm and resolve.
On the opposite side, Tachibana's cheeks flushed with excitement. Mimicking moves he'd seen in televised battles, he raised his arm with dramatic flair and commanded with fervor:
"Venonat! Use Supersonic on Froakie!"
"Kon—piii!!" Venonat let out a shrill cry, its antennae vibrating as it released a high-frequency wave aimed straight at Froakie!
Although Ash had deliberately delayed his move to observe his opponent's tactics, the moment Ju Juping issued a command, Ash immediately countered with his own instruction to Froakie.
"Froakie, seal your ears with bubbles!" Ash shouted, his voice firm and steady. His amber-like eyes gleamed with the sharp brilliance of a tactician, honed through countless battles.
"Kon-piii!!" Venonat, responding to Ju Juping's command on the opposite side of the dam, opened its pincer-like mandibles and released a concentrated burst of Supersonic. The high-frequency wave, while inaudible to human ears, buzzed with disruptive energy aimed directly at Froakie.
However, Ash's quick reaction and the precision of his command allowed him to get ahead of the attack.
"Croaaak!" Froakie, already in motion, quickly generated two dense globs of its signature Frubbles specialized bubble-like mucus secreted from its back and packed them securely into its ears.
The layered structure of the Frubbles worked like sound-dampening filters. By diffusing the sound through their fine foam layers, the harsh Supersonic attack was drastically weakened.
While the opposing students could feel the pulse of the ultrasonic wave shaking the air and disturbing nearby Pokémon, Froakie remained completely unaffected its eyes calm, its stance steady. There was no disorientation, no chaos. The auditory-based confusion that usually accompanied Supersonic had been entirely neutralized.
"W-What?! How is that possible?" Ju Juping's confident expression cracked the moment he saw his strategy fall flat. His eyes widened in disbelief as Froakie stood unfazed.
Ash, meanwhile, didn't celebrate. His expression remained composed, eyes sharp and focused. He hadn't let his guard down for even a second. Detecting Ju Juping's momentary lapse in attention, Ash acted with purpose and precision.
"Froakie, now—counterattack with Frubble Shot!" Ash's voice rang clearly across the clearing, filled with steady command.
Froakie didn't hesitate. With a swift motion, it scooped up a handful of its own Frubbles and hurled them forward in a tight cluster toward Venonat.
"Croak!"
"Venonat, counter with Stun Spore!" Ju Juping cried out in a panic, snapping back to focus. He clutched his fists anxiously as Venonat prepared to act.
A sharp hiss cut through the air.
"Kon... PING!!" Venonat's crimson crystal-like eyes flashed with a faint cerulean glow, initiating the buildup for its Stun Spore technique. But just as its antennae twitched to release the paralyzing dust, its face was splattered with a full spray of Frubble.
The viscous foam coated its eyes, antennae, and mouth in seconds.
"Wh-What?! Venonat's Stun Spore why didn't it go off?! It never fails like this!" Ju Juping gasped, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"Because Stun Spore requires uninterrupted buildup through the antennae to disperse the spores," Ash said calmly, speaking loud enough for nearby onlookers to hear. "If the antennae are obstructed before release, the move is rendered ineffective."
He paused for a heartbeat, then added, "And besides… Frubble Shot isn't technically a learned skill it's a physical technique derived from Froakie's unique physiology. That's what makes it unpredictable."
The students watching from the sidelines buzzed with murmurs of astonishment. Ash didn't waste time basking in their praise.
"Froakie, finish this use Bubble!" Ash shouted decisively.
"Croak !!" Froakie inhaled and then exhaled a powerful burst of shimmering bubbles. Each orb of pressurized water shot forward in quick succession like scatterfire.
The bubble barrage tore through the misty clearing, aimed straight at the stunned and defenseless Venonat.
"Venonat dodge it!" Ju Juping shouted desperately, but it was already too late.
---
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