Divine Plan? But I'm a Pokémon trainer.

Chapter 462 What does it mean when the challenger and the gym leader get on the track?
Compared to a gym leader, the leader of Azure Gym, Asahi, seems more like the leader of a martial arts school. He is trained in Galar Karate and is skilled in Fighting-type Pokémon. He also has the ability to train with his Pokémon.

When Link and Fox signed up for the gym challenge, their application was quickly approved.

However, when they arrived at the dojo, they unfortunately learned of a troublesome matter...

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, all my Pokémon have lost their ability to battle!"

This was truly a disheartening situation, and Ah Si seemed to have a headache: "After all, the Azure Gym has one of the top three success rates among the eight recommended gyms, haha, so many people prefer to challenge Azure City first rather than gyms like Asagi, Enchantress, and Kaji, which are more troublesome."

To be honest, Fighting-type moves don't have any type advantage against Water, Fire, or Grass. Plus, Ah Si himself values ​​the trainer's perseverance more, so it's definitely one of the easier gyms in the Johto region.

Even Link, when he challenged the Johto region, first fought this gym after the Kajitsu Gym... although it was also because Amy wouldn't accept a challenge without taking her medicine.

He didn't seem to care: "Then forget about today. I'll go on a spring outing with the elves in the mountains to the west."

He had some things he wanted to confirm over there.

Although the challenger himself wasn't in a hurry, Ah Si felt that this was really unreasonable.

Watching the other person's departing figure, he seemed to be deep in thought. After confirming something, he called out to the other person.

"Wait a minute, Krillin! Actually, if you think about it carefully, the theme of the gym challenge is decided by the gym leader, and it doesn't necessarily require a Pokémon to participate."

"Fu?"

Am I going to get badges for free again, or do I have to do a quest this time?
Upon hearing this, Link turned around: "So the assessment has been changed to a different project this time?"

Ah Si nodded. After all, the other party was once the champion of the Kanto region. As a trainer, his strength could not be achieved without the challenge of the gym. There was no need to follow a fixed procedure.

So his extraordinary wisdom told him that even if all his spirits lost their ability to fight, wouldn't he still have life?
"I've made up my mind! Let's have a fight!"

Ah Si solemnly announced the assessment criteria for this dojo challenge.

Fire Fox: "?"

"What the hell?"

Link, wondering if he hadn't heard clearly, repeated to confirm: "You want to battle my elf yourself? I don't think that's necessary, do you?"

"No, I mean, let's have a one-on-one battle between the two of us trainers."

Perhaps finding this line of thinking too unconventional, Ah Si paused for a moment before explaining further.

"From my observation, Kobayashi, your spirit and physique are clearly different from ordinary trainers. You must also maintain regular training."

"Pokémon battles are essentially a contest between trainers, so why don't we have a match between the two of us?"

Ah Si's analysis process was fine, but the result was completely wrong... Actually, it wasn't entirely wrong.

Synchronizing with Pokémon, combining attacks, Mega Evolution, and Z-Moves can all put a considerable burden on trainers. Trainers with stronger mental strength and physique can provide greater assistance.

This is also the reason why Ma Shide previously complained that he was getting old and his condition was not good.

Trainers who possess psychic abilities actually have an advantage in this regard, and can even provide their Pokémon with energy in addition to stamina.

"That seems to be true, I have no objection."

In the end, Link readily accepted, treating this as a wild fight.

So the two of them went to the battle arena and, as trainers, personally entered the arena.

The Fiery Fox jumped off Link and went to the area where the trainer should have been directing. "Foe!"

"I don't really need to give instructions; you can just watch from behind."

The fox felt very disappointed, as it had thought it would have a chance to command trainers in battle.

After both parties confirmed the rules, the dojo's apprentices came to act as referees.

"Just so you know, I'm very strong!"

As he spoke, Ah Si lifted up a rock piled up beside him, taller than a person and weighing at least several hundred kilograms: "Every day I practice my meditation under the waterfall!"

"Fu?"

Then why are you still so fat?
Although he couldn't understand the elves' language, Ah Si could still see the doubt in the fire fox's eyes.

"Alright, let's begin the battle!"

The referee quickly announced the start of the match.

Ah Si immediately charged at Link.

The latter slowly opened his palm, and a ball of water swirling like a vortex gathered in his hand.

Ah Si: "?"

A person with super powers?
A moment later, Link threw a water ball. Ah Si intended to dodge it with his agile skills, but unexpectedly, the water ball turned into a whirlpool after getting close to him, trapping him in place.

It's a "whirlpool"!
"Gulugulugulugulu..."

At first, he was indeed a little surprised, but Ah Si calmed down, held his breath, and began to control his center of gravity to keep himself balanced in the "whirlpool".

Gathering strength, preparing to unleash a punch to shatter the water flow and break the move.

Although Link felt that this level should be enough, considering the super blue man's toughness and the incredibly vigorous vitality of A-Si in the "Eye of Miracles", he still silently concentrated and used "Firefly" twice while the other party was submerged and at a loss.

As his special attack reached its limit, he once again gathered water and unleashed "Water Wave" on Ah Si, who was trapped in the "Tide Whirlpool".

Seeing this, Ah Si didn't bother to "gather his energy" and raise his momentum to its peak. He decisively threw a punch, and the powerful punch even broke through the air, creating a shockwave despite the resistance of the "vortex".

The Fighting-type Gym Leader's "Explosive Punch" collided with the Normal-type Gym Leader's "Water Pulse," creating a violent explosion. Water, shockwaves, and steam swept across the entire arena, even splashing the referees outside the arena.

A moment later, the steam dissipated with the shockwave, revealing the figures of the two trainers.

Link used the water flow to form a shield to protect himself from the impact, while Ah Si was thrown into confusion by the combined impact of "Explosive Fist" and "Water Wave" and quickly collapsed to the ground.

Master, you got annihilated in an instant!
"Ah Si is unable to battle." The disciple, acting as the referee, suppressed the urge to complain and announced the result of the battle, "Trainer Fox... no, challenger Kobayashi has won!"

Thus, after a series of ridiculous and questionable actions that drew criticism from the League, Link earned the Blue Sky Gym's Strike Badge.

Because Link's mental energy doesn't focus on attack, the humans in this world are more resilient than they appear. The gym leader who was attacked was unharmed after controlling water.

However, even after Link left the gym and took his tiramisu and Pokémon to a restaurant on the island for dinner, the gym leader, who had lost his ability to battle, had not recovered his strength.

I guess I'll still have to go to that secret pharmacy in Azure City with its 500-year history to get some medicine to treat my brain...

(End of this chapter)