I caught a Pokémon

Taking advantage of Onix's body being stunned by the attack, Xia You continued, "Squirtle, use Water Gun!"

The brief moment of surprise caused Xiao Gang to miss the best opportunity to give the order. By the time he realized what was happening and wanted Onix to use its move, it was already too late.

Faced with the powerful water gun, Onix instinctively tried to dodge, but its enormous size prevented it from getting hit squarely.

Water effectively overcomes rocks and ground!

Hearing the Onix's mournful cry, Brock ordered, "Onix, dig a hole quickly!"

In the arena, if one did not witness it with their own eyes, who would have imagined that the enormous Onix could use the stone horn on its head to dig through the soil and skillfully burrow underground?

In the quiet battlefield, Squirtle's eyes scanned back and forth, cautiously guarding against any unusual movements.

Just as it turned around, the ground beneath its feet suddenly cracked open, and a colossal creature emerged.

However, Xia You was prepared for this.

He knew that the purpose of digging the hole was simply to hide his presence and wait for an opportunity to strike. Now that Onix had appeared under Squirtle's feet just as he had predicted, he shouted, "Squirtle, use Bubble Attack!"

A large swarm of bubbles shot out from Squirtle's mouth and quickly grew larger. These bubbles not only blinded Onix but also caused it continuous water-type damage.

Xia You stretched out her right hand and shouted, "Now's the time! Let's end the match! Squirtle, use Water Gun!"

Squirtle looked up at the behemoth that was more than ten times its size, showing no fear in its eyes. It opened its mouth and sprayed a water jet onto Onix, defeating it with a loud crash as it fell to the ground!

clap clap clap!

Applause erupted. Xiao Gang put the unconscious Onix into its Poké Ball, walked up to Xia You, and said sincerely, "You're really amazing. I accept defeat wholeheartedly."

"Not at all," Xia You quickly waved his hand, modestly saying, "I just had a type advantage. If it were any other Pokémon, I wouldn't have won so easily."

Actually, among the many dojo trainers, Xiaogang's strength is not particularly outstanding.

Because his parents left home one after another, he, who was not yet an adult, took on the responsibility of taking care of his nine younger siblings, doing laundry and cooking every day. As a result, his Pokémon were neglected to train. Although they were much stronger than the average trainer, they were not difficult to deal with.

At this moment, Xiao Gang walked to the side, took out a badge from a box, and handed it to Xia You.

"This is the gray badge. As a reward for successfully completing the challenge, I am now giving it to you."

The gray badge is shaped like a cut diamond; although it is dark gray, it still reflects a dazzling light under the illumination of the lamp.

I finally got my second Indigo League badge!

After putting the badges into his badge collection box, Xia You first praised his two Pokémon. Then he turned around to look for Xiaoxia and Xiaozhi, only to find that Xiaozhi and Pikachu had already disappeared, and only Xiaoxia was waiting for him there.

"Huh? Where's Little Homo?"

Xiaoxia shrugged and said helplessly, "Seeing you win the game so easily just now, maybe he was stimulated. He ran out without saying a word or looking back, and I don't know where he went."

Shaking her head, Xia You said, "Forget it, let's not worry about him for now. Knowing his personality, he's probably secretly doing some special training somewhere. I think even if we don't go looking for him now, he'll soon regroup and come back to challenge this dojo again."

Chapter 18 A Place to Settle Down

After leaving the Pewter City Gym with Misty, Xia You pointed to the Pewter City Science Museum on the other side of the street: "This museum is very famous and can be considered a major attraction in Pewter City. How about we go take a look?"

"Okay." Since she had nothing else to do, Xiaoxia agreed without even thinking about it.

Walking through the street, a magnificent museum came into view. After entering the museum, Xia You bought two tickets and went into the lobby on the first floor with Xiao Xia.

The science museum is divided into two main areas: exhibition and research. Unfortunately, the research area is not open to the public, and visitors can only walk around and visit the exhibition area.

The exhibition area is divided into two floors. The first floor is dedicated to fossils, with various display cases showcasing rare ancient Pokémon. The most prominent exhibits are the fossil skeletons of Aerodactyl and Kabutops.

However, Xiaoxia didn't seem interested in these fossils. She only glanced at each display case before quickly moving on.

"I really don't understand why they have to show these scary things..."

The two went up to the second floor, but unlike the first floor, the theme here had changed to space. The exhibits included historical artifacts, meteorites that had fallen to the moon, and even a model of a space shuttle!

When Xia You and Xiaoxia arrived in front of the model, an old man saw them stop and began to talk to himself: "It's been decades since humans first set foot on the moon. I heard that they are planning to go to the even more distant red planet. This kind of news related to the universe, whether it's true or not, always excites me!"

Xiaoxia and I exchanged a smile, and then the two strolled around the museum for a few more minutes before leaving and finding a restaurant nearby.

Although this restaurant isn't high-end, both the appetizers and desserts were very satisfying.

During this time, Xia You listened to Xiaoxia recount how she met Xiaozhi and the unfortunate bicycle.

"You should really see what a sorry state it is in." Even now, Xiaoxia is still quite resentful. "I only bought that bicycle not long ago, and I never expected that after just one day of riding it, he would turn it into a charred mess!"

"So you'll stay with him like this until he pays compensation?"

"That's one of the reasons," Misty laughed. "My goal is to become a Water-type Pokémon Master, and traveling around is the best shortcut!"

Xia You smiled and echoed her words. Although she had seen it in the animation, hearing it again from Xiaoxia, the person involved, gave her a different feeling.

When they returned to the Pokémon Center in the evening, Ash was still nowhere to be seen.

Xiaoxia couldn't help but ask, "Xiaozhi... he hasn't already left, has he?"

“That’s impossible.” Xia You shook her head. “He won’t leave Pewter City until he defeats Brock. At the earliest tonight, or at the latest tomorrow morning, I think he will appear and challenge the Pewter City Gym again!”

Just as Xia You said, after resting for a night, when Xia You and Xiaoxia were having breakfast at the restaurant, they saw Xiaozhi again, who was exhausted but full of energy.

"Xiao Zhi!" Xiao Xia waved to him, "Where did you go yesterday?"

"Sorry to have worried you all." Ash plopped down at the table and stuffed a few mouthfuls of food into his mouth. "Yesterday I met Uncle Wu Neng outside the gym. At his place, I received special charging training with Pikachu."

"Uncle Wu Neng? Energy training?" Xiaoxia was stunned. "But even so, Pikachu using the Electric type can't possibly defeat Brock."

"How will you know if you don't try?" Ash said, full of fighting spirit and completely unconcerned. "Besides, today's Pikachu is completely different from yesterday's!"

"Oh?" Xiaoxia remained noncommittal. "Is that really the case? Then I'll wait and see."

After wiping her mouth with a tissue, Xia You suddenly said, "Good luck, Xiao Zhi. It's a pity I won't be able to witness that moment."

"Why?" Xiao Zhi asked curiously.

Xia You didn't answer directly, but instead asked, "Your goal is to participate in the Quartz Conference, right?"

Seeing Ash nod, Xia You glanced at his Pokémon and said solemnly, "Then we'll be competitors. Besides, I have my own path to follow, and it's time to head to the next gym city."

"Oh? You're leaving already?" Xiaoxia was reluctant to part with him. Although she hadn't known Xia You for long, she had found the time with him very easy and enjoyable.

Moreover, through a day of interaction, she could sense the man's gentleness, thoughtfulness, and wit.

Xia You smiled and said, "Don't be so sad. Although Kanto is very big, we have the same goal and will meet again sooner or later. Maybe we will meet again in the next city or the next dojo."

……

After returning to Kuye City, Xia You went straight to Sakuragi Research Institute.

"You must have had a long and tiring journey." Upon seeing Xia You, Professor Sakuragi expressed his gratitude. "After you delivered the prototype, Professor Oak called me and praised you for a long time on the phone, which made me feel a little embarrassed."

Just then, Xiaochun walked in from outside, carrying her schoolbag.

Looking at Eevee, Squirtle, and Charmander, she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "So you've already caught so many Pokémon?"

“Yes, we’ve gathered all three starter Pokémon. Next, we just need to catch one more to complete the team.” Xia You said, waving to the Pokémon that hadn’t seen Xiaochun before. “This is Xiaochun. Come and say hello to her.”

She touched their foreheads one by one, and when she saw Kirlia, her eyes lit up. She walked up to Kirlia and squatted down.

"Is this Kirlia's new look? It's so cute!"

Upon hearing Xiaochun's praise, Kirlia bowed to her, her obedient and quiet demeanor surprising Xiaochun so much that she covered her mouth in astonishment.

Seeing the harmonious scene between Xiaochun and her Pokémon, Professor Sakuragi said, "By the way, Xiayou, I've arranged a dormitory for you in the research institute, so you won't have to live at the Pokémon Center anymore. Also, Sakuragi Park has been built, so you can store your Pokémon there from now on!"

"Sakuragi Park?" Xia You was taken aback.

Professor Sakuragi pointed out the window: "Look, that's it."

Following the direction Dr. Sakuragi pointed, behind the Sakuragi Research Institute, a huge hemispherical dome building made of reinforced glass was located.

Its shape resembles a transparent dome, and beneath the dome, one can see streams, pools, hills, valleys, and a dense forest.

Chapter 19 Challenge the Vermilion City Gym

In Sakuragi Park, Natsumi and Koharu strolled side by side, taking a leisurely walk through the park.

The environment here is very beautiful. Functionally, it is similar to the forest behind Professor Oak's lab, where trainers can store their extra Pokémon here.

Flowing water, vast orchards, abundant sunshine…

After walking around, Xia You discovered that the park actually had a complete ecosystem that could be completely self-sufficient without human interference.

As they walked, Xia You couldn't help but sigh, "With such a massive scale, Professor Sakuragi must have put in a lot of effort, right?"

Xiaochun covered her mouth and laughed: "This park was only fully completed yesterday. My dad said that as soon as it was completed, he would definitely let you, as a trainer, come in and find out what's wrong with it."

Xia You shrugged: "As expected of Dr. Sakuragi, his thinking is indeed rigorous."

Beside the two, amidst the barking of the dog, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Eevee, and Charmander chased each other, having a great time and clearly enjoying their surroundings.

Only Kirlia stayed close behind Xia You, never leaving his side.

Seeing this, Xia You laughed and called out, "Alright, Bulbasaur, stop fooling around. Remember to conserve your energy; we have important business to attend to later."

"Is it serious business?" Xiaochun asked curiously. "What is it?"

"Of course, we're going to challenge the Vermilion City Gym!" Xia You suggested in a seductive tone. "How about it? Want to come with me and see for yourself? You know, real Pokémon battles are much more exciting and thrilling than what you see on TV!"

Real Pokémon battles?

Xiaochun lowered her head, clearly already interested, and after hesitating for a moment, she nodded gently.

……

Withered leaves are the orange-yellow color of dusk.

The Vermilion Gym is located on the west coast of Vermilion City. Its overall color scheme is yellow and white, and its shape resembles a large inverted trapezoid, somewhat similar to a common large stadium.

Upon entering the hall, Xia You was greeted by a dedicated person, and after explaining her purpose, the staff led her directly to the battle arena inside the hall.

"Please wait a moment, the owner, Mr. Ma, will be here shortly."

After the staff left, Xia You looked around. On the yellowish-brown ground, there was nothing else, clearly a typical conventional battlefield.

Outside the venue, there are more than a dozen rows of tiered seats on all four sides, just like a stadium. According to his estimation, if all of them were filled, they could accommodate at least nearly a thousand people.

Because it was Xiaochun's first time in such a place, the formal and solemn battle environment made her a little nervous.

"Relax," Xia You patted her shoulder. "There's nothing to worry about. Just watch from the sidelines."

"I understand." Taking a deep breath, Xiaochun whispered, "Good luck."

Watching Xiaochun walk into the spectator area, Xia You turned around and saw several people walking out of the passage opposite.

The leader had a head of blond spiky hair, a strong and muscular build, and wore a military green vest, camouflage pants, sunglasses, and a military identification tag around his neck. Just from his demeanor, it was easy to tell that he was definitely a decisive and ruthless man.

And he is none other than Lt. Surge, the leader of the Fallen Leaf Gym!

It is said that Lt. Surge was once an Air Force major who piloted a specially designed aircraft powered by Electric-type Pokémon and participated in many wars. After retiring from the military, he changed hands several times before finally becoming the Gym Leader of Vermilion City.

However, judging from public opinion, Lt. Surge's fighting style is very aggressive and he hits very hard, often severely injuring the Pokémon of weaker challengers.

Standing in the command area, Lt. Surge said in a loud voice, "It seems there's another overconfident challenger who dares to come to my Vermilion City Gym!"

Xia You remained unmoved by his trash talk, took a few steps forward, and said, "In order to obtain the orange badge, Master Lt. Surge, I now formally challenge you."

"Want a badge? Wait until you beat me!" Lt. Surge said smugly, arms crossed. "Every day, many people come to challenge me, but they are all too weak. In my eyes, they are nothing but a bunch of babies who haven't even grown their first feathers yet! And you, could you be one of those babies too?"

Hearing his slightly unusual tone, Xia You couldn't help but frown.

He never expected that Ma Xueshi would be such an arrogant person.

"I wonder what the battle rules are here?"

Lt. Surge used his fingers to pull two Poké Balls from his pocket.

"The battle rules are simple. There is no time limit. As long as you defeat these two Pokémon in my hand, you will have successfully completed the challenge."

As he spoke, he threw out one of the Poké Balls. A flash of blue light appeared, and a Pokémon that looked somewhat like Pikachu, but was larger, had a longer tail, and was a darker color, appeared on the field.

Oh, it's Raichu...

Pokémon Pokédex entry: "Raichu, a mouse Pokémon, Electric-type, the evolved form of Pikachu. Its electric shock power reaches 100,000 volts, easily stunning opponents dozens of times its size. As the amount of electricity stored in its body increases, its personality becomes more aggressive."

"So, Baby, what's your Pokémon?"

Xia You glanced behind her and then said, "I'm leaving Kirlia in your care."

Kirullian nodded slightly and slowly walked into the arena.

"So it's Kirlia." As someone from another region, Lt. Surge naturally recognized Kirlia, but even so, he still curled his lip and said disdainfully, "Those Pokémon behind you haven't fully evolved yet, they're too weak, truly babies among babies!"