50 million Poké Coins!
A full set of Evolution Stones!
[Author's Note]:
That's about it. Honestly, at this point, system rewards like these don't matter much to Ash anymore. I'll still ntion them in the future, but we'll focus on the important ones—like "Legendary Pokémon Trackers." Everything else can be bought in the system shop anyway, so just keep it in mind without spelling it out every ti.
After claiming the system rewards, Ash felt a pleasant wave of satisfaction wash over him.
The first Gym in Kalos… here we go.
"Um… huff… huff… excuse ! Can I co in too? Is this… a Gym battle?"
Just as everyone was about to head to the battlefield, a crisp, clear voice rang out.
Serena had run here as fast as she could.
She saw Ash heading inside, the door about to close, and rushed forward before she could miss the chance.
Viola turned to look at the girl with long, ash-brown hair, a short skirt, and a pink hat. Her first impression—gentle, cute, like the friendly girl next door.
A refreshing presence.
"Of course you can. You're a new Trainer, right? Watching a Gym battle can be a lot of fun. But—" Viola smiled lightly, "—it's up to the challenger. Ash, what do you think?"
Viola looked over at Ash. Clemont and Bonnie also turned toward him. Clemont, being the Lumiose Gym Leader himself, understood this kind of courtesy.
Serena, a bit breathless from running, looked at Ash nervously.
Her blue-green eyes shimred like clear glass.
Ash took a deep breath. Finally… Serena.
If you asked which girls Ash liked in the Pokémon world, there were plenty—each with her own unique charm.
What he loved most about Serena was this refreshing, girl-next-door feeling she gave off.
That's why, upon arriving in Kalos, he hadn't gone out of his way to find her. Instead, he waited—letting her be the one to approach him. He didn't want to break that mont in the story.
So, when Clemont and Bonnie invited Serena in, Ash agreed without hesitation.
Everything was unfolding exactly the way he'd imagined. Perfect.
"Sure, no problem. Let's get started."
"Pika!"
Ash nodded and stepped into the battlefield.
Serena wanted to call out, to ask if he still rembered her, but then she thought—Ash was in the middle of a Gym challenge. Gym Leaders were supposed to be really strong, right?
She couldn't distract him now.
With that thought, she decided to watch first. This was her chance to see with her own eyes what a Gym battle between a challenger and a Gym Leader was really like.
She would ask him afterward.
Still, a faint trace of disappointnt tugged at her heart as she bit her lip and followed the others in.
The referee of the Santalune Gym was already in position.
Bonnie suddenly grabbed Serena's hand, inviting her to sit together and watch Ash's battle.
"Let tell you—Ash is really strong. This match is going to be amazing!"
Bonnie chirped on like a lively little sparrow.
Serena found herself liking the energetic girl imdiately.
Not just because she called her pretty… but because she praised Ash, too.
Just how strong was Ash?
"Now begins the Gym challenge between the challenger Ash and Santalune Gym Leader Viola! Each side may use two Pokémon. The battle ends when all Pokémon on one side are unable to continue. Only the challenger is allowed to switch Pokémon during the match. Battle—begin!"
As the referee's flag dropped, Viola was the first to draw her Poké Ball.
Alexa also joined Clemont and the others in the stands to watch.
"Go! My first partner!"
Viola released her first Pokémon— Surskit.
"Sur~kit!"
"Pignite, you're up!"
"Pig~nite!"
"Huh? Pignite? That's not a Kalos Pokémon, is it?"
Viola blinked in mild surprise at the Unova species.
"That's right, Miss Viola. I caught a Tepig back in the Unova region."
Viola nodded in understanding. "I see. Well then, let's not hold back! Surskit—Signal Beam!"
"Pignite, dodge it! Then use Ember!"
Surskit fired a shimring Signal Beam from its antennae.
Despite its stocky build, Pignite moved with surprising agility, avoiding the beam and imdiately launching a burst of Ember straight at Surskit.
Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and Alexa watched intently from the stands.
"Protect!" Viola commanded.
"Again—Ember!"
Surskit's Protect blocked the first Ember with a shimring green shield.
But Pignite had deliberately waited until Protect's energy waned before firing the second Ember.
Surskit's defense failed just in ti for the flas to strike.
"Sur~kit!"
Surskit skidded backward, clearly hurt.
"Good battle instincts… nicely trained. But let's see how you handle this— Surskit! Water Gun, then Ice Beam!"
Viola's tone turned sharp. Surskit spun in place, spraying Water Gun—not at Pignite directly, but across the entire battlefield.
Pignite's feet were soon surrounded by shallow puddles.
Ash's eyes glead. He instantly saw Viola's plan.
"Pignite—Fla Charge!"
"Pig~nite!"
Wreathed in fire, Pignite charged at Surskit.
But Surskit leapt high, antennae glowing before unleashing a spread of icy-blue beams.
"Biu!" The Ice Beam scattered outward like shrapnel, aiming to freeze not just Pignite, but the whole field.
"Ember—spread it out!" Ash countered, slicing his hand through the air.
Pignite, still cloaked in flas, spat bursts of Ember in multiple directions.
The scattered Embers t the scattered Ice Beams head-on.
Due to the difference in power, the Embers fizzled out while the remaining Ice Beams struck the drenched field—freezing it solid in seconds.
A smirk tugged at Viola's lips.
And then—Pignite, flas still blazing, landed squarely on the frozen battlefield.
Ash smiled right back.
You have your strategy…
But I have my counter.
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T/N:
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