Ash's Pokémon Travel Has Big Problems

Ash and Misty sat in a corner with steaming hot curry rice in front of them.

"Phew..." Xiaoxia poked the carrot in the plate hard with her spoon, as if it were the head of a Gyarados. "Finally... finally I can sit down and eat something hot! I feel like I've never walked such a long way in my life!"

She complained, but her tone was more one of exhaustion.

"Pikachu!" The small dish in front of Pikachu was piled high with Pokémon food mixed with tomato sauce.

"Pika~ Pika~" It ate until its little belly was round and full, then lay contentedly on the chair, its tail tip wagging happily.

"It's delicious, isn't it, Pikachu?" Ash was also engrossed in eating.

Wilderness survival is really tough for non-professionals.

Even for professionals, wilderness survival is a very difficult experience.

Xiaoxia put down her spoon, her orange ponytail hanging listlessly, her fingers swiping on the touchscreen of her phone, which displayed the internal surveillance footage of Hualan Dojo.

In the scene, the familiar dojo pool is in a mess.

The clear water was gone, and the murky muddy water almost submerged half of the area. Several goldfish swam frantically in the murky water.

Several people in work clothes were busy with pumping equipment, looking worried, as the water level dropped slowly.

There are also several obvious cracks on the wall, as if they were caused by a huge impact.

Xiaoxia stared at the screen, her eyes dimming, her fingers unconsciously tightening.

"Again..." she murmured to herself, her voice so low that only she could hear it, "This month... the third time... dojo qualification..."

She scratched her hair in frustration and buried her face in her arms. "Ugh! Why do I have to worry about this?!"

Xiao Zhi had just put the last bite of curry into his mouth when he heard this. He looked up and mumbled, "Don't worry, don't worry, there's always a way out! No matter what happens, I'll help you."

"Easy for you to say..." Xia's muffled voice came from the crook of her arm, "Do you even know what the problem is? Just say you're helping me..."

“Because we’re friends, Misty.” Ash looked into Misty’s eyes.

"Tch... How am I supposed to respond to something like that?" Xiaoxia subconsciously turned her head away, not daring to look Xiaozhi in the eye at all.

They eat very quickly.

"I'm going back to take a shower first," Xiaoxia said, and walked towards her room.

"Get some rest..." Ash noticed that it was getting late and there didn't seem to be many people at the Pokémon Center.

I'm getting ready to go find Miss Joey.

Although Gyarados is tough and resilient, it has still been beaten up by Pikachu for quite some time.

Some examinations and treatments are still necessary.

"Miss Joy!" Ash grabbed the pink-haired nurse pushing the medicine cart, his voice hushed.

"My Pokémon is Gyarados... This is a special case."

"When it first evolved, its power went berserk and it was completely out of control."

“I have to be present throughout the treatment… otherwise something unexpected might happen.”

"I'm sorry, Miss Joy." Ash scratched his head awkwardly as he spoke.

Now I finally understand why gym leaders, Elite Four members, and champions all have their own professional teams.

Overly powerful spirits can be inconvenient at times.

Even a creature as powerful as Gyarados can cause environmental damage with just a little bit of physical activity.

Not to mention those exceptionally powerful Pokémon.

I might accidentally go berserk for a moment.

...The scene was simply too beautiful.

We'll all be doomed together.

"Gyarados? That's amazing!"

Nurse Joy's gentle smile faded slightly as her gaze swept over Pikachu perched on Ash's shoulder.

The little guy's ears perked up, and his face was full of confusion.

"As expected of a trainer from Pallet Town, he has already reached the level of an intermediate trainer."

Explain it using a game:

Beginner: Level 5 to around Level 15.

Intermediate: Level 15-30 or so.

Advanced: Around Lv. 30-Lv. 45.

Gym Leader: Level 40-60 or so.

Elite Four Trainers (Elite Four/Chief): Level 55-75 or so.

Champion Trainer: Level 60-85 or so

Of course, strength does not equal absolute level.

Level is an important indicator, but more factors will be considered in actual combat.

A well-trained team can absolutely defeat a higher-level team that is poorly coordinated.

Being able to use Gyarados already qualifies you as an intermediate trainer.

"Understood." Miss Joey nodded gently. "Come with me to the special care room."

Chapter 20 Personalized Instruction, the So-Called Pokémon Training...

The doors to the special care room are much thicker than those of the other treatment rooms. The room is spacious, with walls and floors covered in flexible insulation and reinforced steel plates.

There are also these surveillance cameras in the corner.

This is quite normal.

Most Pokémon are innocent and kind, but not all Pokémon are innocent and kind.

There are quite a few violent personalities among the evil types.

There are even more inherently wicked types among the Ghost type.

Therefore, the treatment must be recorded.

Gyarados, known as a ferocious Pokémon, is a typical example.

However, compared to most of its intentional evil, Gyarados is more often driven by its uncontrollable nature.

The central treatment table is three times larger than the standard one, and it features a powerful binding ring and energy channeling interface.

"Release it." Joey's voice was calm, but her hand was already pressed next to a red button on the wall. Beside her, a Chansey tensed its round body, holding an egg that emitted a soft white light, ready to release healing energy at any moment.

Hmm... Don't let its cute and silly appearance fool you, it's actually quite powerful.

Nurse Joy, who is qualified to independently manage a Pokémon Center, must be quite strong; at the very least, she needs to be at the level of a high-level trainer.

After all, as a doctor, you have to get your patients to obey.

Whether it's voluntary on the part of the patient or forced upon them.

"Roar--!!!"

Before the red light had completely dissipated, a deafening roar shattered the tranquility of the room.

A golden behemoth appeared out of nowhere, its enormous body almost filling most of the nursing room.

Its scarlet eyes were instantly ignited by violent crimson flames, and its evolved power erupted like a volcano under the stimulation of the unfamiliar environment, the pungent smell of disinfectant, and the restraints.

"Pikachu!" Ash's Pikachu transformed into a golden lightning bolt and ricocheted to the ground, its body crackling with electricity as it instantly entered battle stance.

"Quiet!" Ash stepped forward, meeting those furious eyes without fear. "Look at me! Gyarados!"

Gyarados's crimson vertical pupils locked onto the tiny human, a destructive growl rumbling in its throat, its thick golden tail instinctively ready to sweep across.

"Electric Shock! Suppress!" Ash's command and Gyarados's actions were almost synchronized!

"Pikachu!!!"

A golden electric snake, as thick as a bowl, tore through the air with a piercing boom, striking Gyarados's relatively vulnerable old wound on its neck with perfect precision.

The charred scales there have not yet fully healed.

"Roar-!!!"

A sharp pain mixed with a strong feeling of numbness instantly swept through his nerves, and Gyarados's tail attack, which was ready to strike, froze in mid-air. Its massive body convulsed violently, and wisps of blue smoke rose from the gaps in its golden scales.

Gyarados's training during this period has been effective.

After being electrocuted.

This familiar feeling brought him back to his senses a little.

The one in front of us is not the enemy.

"...He's a hardworking kid." Miss Joy also noticed that Gyarados was restraining itself. "Shackle Ring activated! Energy Conduit connected!"

Joey's fingers flew across the control panel.

The technology in the dream world is very advanced.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!" Three thick alloy rings instantly popped out, tightly gripping Gyarados's neck, waist, and tail.

At the same time, several energy conduits flashing blue light emerged like living things, precisely attaching to the energy nodes on the Gyarados's neck and dorsal fin, and began to forcibly channel the energy within its body.

Having been established for so long, the Pokémon Centers naturally have a well-developed system for dealing with aggressive Pokémon.

"Roar!!!" Gyarados felt an unprecedented sense of confinement and stimulation, and the wildness that remained after its evolution was completely ignited.

It twisted and struggled wildly, its body rubbing violently against the alloy restraint rings, producing a tooth-grinding metallic scraping sound.

“Cheerful Egg! Sing!” Joey urged.

"Lucky!" Chansey began to sing, its gentle sound waves flowing towards the struggling behemoth.

But this reassurance was like a drop in the ocean.

Gyarados suddenly opened its massive jaws, and a destructive light began to gather deep within its throat.

The air was distorted by the high temperature, emitting a hissing sound.

It destroys the light!

It's going to tear this place down!

"Pikachu! Interrupt it!" Ash's pupils shrank.

The consequences of disrupting light shaping would be unimaginable.

We can't gamble on whether this room can hold up.

Pikachu is already poised to strike.

Just as the light in Gyarados's mouth reached its peak—

"Sizzle—BOOM!!!"

A golden bolt of lightning pierced the inside of Gyarados's slightly open mouth, which was parted as it charged up.

There were no hard scales covering it.

"Roar--!!!"

The energy that had been accumulating in his mouth was forcibly detonated.

Gyarados let out a shrill, distorted scream as its massive head was violently thrown back by its out-of-control energy, crashing heavily into a reinforced steel plate with a dull thud.

Thick black smoke billowed from his mouth, and blood mixed with saliva dripped from the corners of his lips.

The old wound on the side of his neck from the electric shock was torn open again, and golden blood gushed out.

The intense pain and the backlash of energy caused its massive body to completely collapse, and the alarm from the binding ring finally subsided.

The violent flames in his scarlet eyes were extinguished as if doused with cold water, leaving only immense pain, bewilderment, and... a utterly stunned daze.

Gyarados regained its sanity.

Its massive head rested limply on the cold treatment table, emitting intermittent, almost whimpering low groans from its throat.

It knew it was wrong.