Pokémon: Who let him leave Pallet Town?

Chapter 353 Middle Part Hair VS Super Strength
As soon as everyone entered the gym, the woman who had served Ash earlier came over with a bucket.

Soon, everyone's hands were stuffed with a full bucket of fried rice.

"Is this some kind of welcome ceremony?"

Natsume stared silently at the wooden bucket of fried rice in his hand. It was filled with plenty of ingredients: radish, green beans, shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms.
It is rich in nutrients, and its aroma wafts out in waves.

"Of course, this is a special nutritious meal from our dojo!"

Ah Si touched his nose, and he and Guai Li each took a bucket of fried rice, picking up spoons and scooping large mouthfuls into their mouths.

"Eat your fill, exercise, and then eat again. Transform the energy from food into nutrients that make you stronger—that's my path of cultivation!"

Within minutes, a large bucket of fried rice was gone, and Ah Si wiped his mouth with satisfaction.

"Wow, it tastes better than I expected." Everyone nodded involuntarily after tasting it.

"But Uncle Si, fried rice is high in calories. Aren't you afraid of getting fat if you eat so much?" Xiaoxia said, her words slightly slurred as she ate her fried rice.

In just a short while, Ah Si had already finished his third bucket.

Clearly, he's the biggest eater here.
“Pikachu.” A small yellow head popped out.

With his middle-parted hair and face covered in rice grains, he emerged from the large rice bucket in front of the woman, burping contentedly.

Ah Si and Guai Li simultaneously grabbed the edge of the wooden barrel and swept it inside, only to find it empty.

"My God, you are truly gifted!"

Ah Si paused for a moment, then looked at Natsume with enthusiasm:

"Please, Mr. Maximal, please let me have a battle with this Pikachu!"

"Okay," Natsume said, touching his nose.

Why does it seem like he's the gym leader?

"Pikachu."

With a burp, the man with the middle parting pulled a brick from Natsume's backpack, preparing to smash it on his head.

"You've been relaxing lately, haven't you?"

A faint golden light shimmered on the brick, but it remained completely still.

Natsume raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at the person with the middle parting.

These past few days, his blue telekinetic energy has been tainted with black energy, making him hesitant to connect with the mental world of the man with the middle parting.

Using golden telekinesis would have a very short lifespan, making it impossible to complete a single willpower training session.

Realizing that he had indeed been living quite comfortably these past few days, the man with the middle part looked up at the sky with a guilty conscience.

"Now that I've had something to eat, let's get started without further ado!"

Ah Si put down the wooden bucket and led everyone to the battle arena in the backyard of the dojo.

The gym had many students in training uniforms and Pokémon.

Upon seeing challengers arrive, everyone stopped their training, and a large group of them went to the backyard.

"I never imagined, Uncle Ah Si, that your dojo had so many disciples. Back at the beach, I thought..."

"What did I think it was?" Ah Si looked at Xiao Xia strangely.

"Uh, it's nothing," Xiaoxia quickly shook her head.

Ah Si seemed to have a high reputation among these disciples; the moment he stepped onto the battlefield, everyone tacitly fell silent.
"Huh? Why has the world suddenly become so quiet?" Ash looked around and unconsciously shut his mouth as well.

"Alright, Mr. Mega Mighty, please send out your Pikachu!" Ah Si looked excitedly at the man with the middle parting.

"Pikachu." The man with the middle parting jumped dejectedly in front of Natsume.

"Roaring power!"

With a powerful thud, he leaped into the air, his feet landing on the ground with a sound as soft as a cat's hoot.

"Mr. Si's monster dog is quite well-trained!"

Even Ash, who was raising Shiro, realized the extraordinary nature of this Machamp at this moment.

“That’s strange,” Natsume said, looking at the strange creature with a puzzled expression.

He suddenly realized that, from the beginning of his journey, most trainers seemed to be training their super strength in a judo-like manner.

There are two types of conventional superhuman strength training: one is pure strength training, which involves large, sweeping movements.

The other is Riba Judo, which Natsume encountered before, and the female monster Strength before him—both involve comprehensive training and emphasize combat techniques. Both fighting styles have their advantages and disadvantages; neither is inherently stronger or weaker.

But it seems that most people don't like the first training method.

"I thought this monster would be like you, Ah Si." Natsume glanced at the carefree Ah Si and shook his head in disappointment.

He thought he would see a superhuman strength today.

Ah Si was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter:

"Haha, although I don't like idolizing celebrities, that person's superhuman strength is just too dazzling, it's hard not to try to imitate him!"

"That one? You mean Simba, the Fighting King?" Ash was taken aback. He suddenly remembered that he still had a gold belt.

It's a pity he didn't run into Simba on his journey, otherwise he would definitely have asked him for advice.

"No." Before A-Si could speak, Natsume shook his head.

Simba's superhuman strength is a rare, raw and powerful type.

On the other side, Ah Si looked at Xiao Zhi with a complicated expression:
"Times have really changed. Kids these days don't know anything about this. I grew up listening to his stories!"

Ah Si shook his head with a sigh.

Natsume raised an eyebrow slightly.

He probably knew who Ah Si was talking about.

The great leader of the Alliance who ended the era of war had a member in his team who possessed superhuman strength and was proficient in all combat techniques, mastering them all.

Almost all historical records describe each Pokémon of the League's great figures in great exaggerated terms.

In Natsume's view, these claims are somewhat exaggerated.

After all, the other party's contribution was so great that no matter who wrote it, they would unconsciously bring a subjective sense of respect into the objective description.

"Pikachu." The man with the middle parting yawned, looking at the monstrous strength of his opponent with a bored expression.

"I will serve as the referee for this battle!"

A disciple, waving a flag, stood on the referee's platform.

"This battle is a gym assessment battle, with challenger Natsume facing off against gym leader Asahi. Each side will send out one Pokémon!"

The disciple acting as referee had just lowered his flag when he heard Ah Si's incredulous voice:

"Isn't his name Super Mighty Giant?"

The disciple remained silent.

"Pikachu?" The man with the middle parting suddenly turned around and looked at Natsume.

"You can improvise." Natsume looked at the middle-parted man with great interest.

Strictly speaking, the Pokémon with the middle part was his first Pokémon, which he raised from an egg.

The other person is a little rebellious and has many of their own ideas.

Natsume has been trying to follow the other person's nature and create a path for their growth.

It is now taking shape.

"Pikachu?" The man with the middle parting was taken aback.

Does this mean the trainer won't participate in this battle and intends to let it handle things on its own?

"Pikachu?" Really?
"real."

"Remember to use the new ability you developed last time."

Natsume instructed.

"Pickup!"

As if making a decision, the man with the middle parting suddenly turned around.

Seeing this, Natsume nodded slightly.

Center-parted hair, let me see how you've grown.
Unexpectedly, the man with the middle parting swerved and ran towards the referee.

"Pikachu pikachu pika?" Can I surrender?

"Pikachu, how dare you!!!"

(End of this chapter)