Pokémon: The Strongest Trainer (Ash SI)

"What's going on?!" Garan stared at the battlefield, confused by what he was seeing. His Rhyperior was still suppressing the raging Flame Vortex, yet Ash's Growlithe—Growlithe—had all its fur standing on end, exuding a wild, battle-hardened aura.

"I have to admit, I miscalculated," Ash muttered, brows furrowed. "To think a Quasi-Elite could push my Growlithe this far. So… the gap between Ace-tier and Elite isn't just about strategy."

"Eight Gates Release—First and Second Gates: Open!" Ash commanded sharply.

The Eight Gates technique was something Ash had developed himself—based on Taijutsu from Naruto, adapted for Pokémon. It was a forbidden move, one he had sealed away for good reason.

Ash had always warned that the Eight Gates came with serious side effects. The worst-case scenario? Death.

The Eight Gates consisted of eight nodes: Gate of Opening, Gate of Rest, Gate of Life, Gate of Pain, Gate of Limit, Gate of View, Gate of Wonder, and the final one—Gate of Death. Every gate, when opened, granted a burst of strength, but the toll it took on the body was immense.

At present, Ash had only taught his Pokémon how to open the first three. He refused to teach the later gates, especially the Gate of Death. It was far too dangerous.

"Arf!" At Ash's command, Growlithe roared as a surge of flames engulfed his body. The Flame Vortex twisted and intensified, roaring to life like a phoenix reborn—instantly overwhelming Rhyperior's suppression.

"What?!" Garan was dumbstruck. "How did it power up so fast? That's not Blaze—Blaze has limits!"

He gaped in disbelief. "To think it could boost a move strong enough to pressure a Pokémon four tiers higher!"

"And Ash only activated the first two gates…" someone murmured. "There are still six left. If all eight were opened—"

No one dared to finish that thought. The potential was terrifying.

Still, Skye Draconis—Yulong Tian—watched calmly, noting every detail. Unlike the shocked Dragon Clan elders Lance and Shiro, he stayed analytical.

"It's not that simple. That Eight Gates move… it's clearly powerful, but there's a cost. Otherwise, Ash would've used it from the start," Skye murmured. "There's probably a time limit—or side effects."

Lance couldn't speak. He was a Champion. But watching Ash, still technically Ace-tier, inventing and applying custom battle systems like this… the pressure he felt was immense.

Anyone could say they wanted to create a new skill. But to do it? That took years of effort and an extraordinary mind.

"Damn… it's still not enough. Growlithe can't open the third gate—it's too risky," Ash gritted his teeth. "Okay, Growlithe—enter Blaze state! Channel everything into Flame Vortex!"

"Arf!!!" Growlithe barked, and his body, already wreathed in fire, glowed red-hot. Then the flames began shifting… blue.

A blue Flame Vortex surged into being, its sheer heat warping the air. It roared across the battlefield like a tidal wave of fire.

"Unbelievable! He manually triggered Blaze?!" Garan stood up in shock. So did the officials in the monitoring room.

A Pokémon's Ability, like Blaze, was usually activated only after its HP dropped low—and even then, the trigger wasn't guaranteed. Usually, it only had a 50/50 chance of kicking in.

Boom!

Under the intensified power of Blaze, Growlithe's blue Flame Vortex smashed into Rhyperior. A massive explosion of smoke and debris engulfed the field.

Everyone—Ash, Garan, the crowd—watched in tense silence.

As the dust cleared, the result was finally visible: both Pokémon were down.

Rhyperior, already worn down from earlier clashes, couldn't endure the final blue inferno. Growlithe, meanwhile, had taken heavy hits beforehand—and with his body still recovering, the backlash from opening two gates overwhelmed him.

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle!" Gym Leader Brock, acting as referee, declared. "The match ends in a draw! Trainers, send out your next Pokémon!"

Ash returned Growlithe to his Poké Ball with a soft smile. "You did amazing, buddy. I pushed too hard thinking I could overcome the Elite tier just with tricks… That's on me. I'm sorry."

He looked down at the Poké Ball. "You really gave it your all."

The audience was still reeling.

"That was incredible," one of the spectators whispered. "An Ace-tier Pokémon just fought evenly with a mid-Elite-level Rhyperior. No one's going to believe this really happened."

"The biggest highlight has to be the custom Pokémon techniques Ash developed. They're truly incredible—every single one is powerful!"

In the monitoring room, several observers voiced their admiration after both Pokémon were knocked out simultaneously in the previous round. Ash's battle performance had clearly left an impression.

"Come out, Golem!"

Garan quickly released his second Pokémon—Golem!

A hulking tortoise-like Pokémon made entirely of massive, interlocking rocks emerged onto the battlefield. Even its footsteps shook the ground, and from that alone, it was clear—this Golem was even heavier than Rhyperior. Its build alone testified to its overwhelming defensive power.

"System, show me Golem's info."

Ash kept calm, but his voice was more serious now. As the system brought up the data, his pressure spiked—the level it showed was enough to make anyone sweat.

Ding~!

Name: Golem

Level: Late Elite-tier

Abilities: Sturdy, Rock Head

Type: Rock / Ground

Potential: 100% (Currently developed: 57%)

"This one's on you, Onix!"

Ash made his choice and sent out his own rock-type Pokémon—Onix.

Pikachu was still reserved as his trump card. And while Pidgeot had speed and aerial agility, its attacks likely wouldn't do much against a tank like Golem. Onix, though not a perfect match, was the better choice here.

"Rraaaugh!!!"

With a deafening roar, Onix burst onto the battlefield, its immense size coiling and rising in a display of raw power.

"He's huge! That Onix is just as big as a Steelix!"

Lance was taken aback.

"To find such a top-tier Onix in the wild… Ash's luck really is something else."

"But even with that, this battle's not going to be easy. Golem's in the late Elite-tier. The level gap is just too big…"

...

TN:

The Power of Youth has arrived, people~!

Time to throw on our green jumpsuits and let our youth burn brighter than a Flamethrower on Overheat! 🔥

Enjoy~😊

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