Pokémon: The Strongest Trainer (Ash SI)

"That's how it is. I hope Brock can travel with me and help manage the Pokémon's diet. Of course, I can offer a Rare Candy as a gift!" Ash said candidly to Garan and Brock after making his decision.

"So that's what this is about. If Brock's willing, I have no objection. But... what's this Rare Candy you're talking about, Ash?" Garan nodded at Ash's words. As his grandson, he knew Ash's dream well.

"I'm certain you're aware, Grandpa Garan, that I've already developed several recovery remedies for mental and physical health. In fact, I've created other things too, but due to the scarcity of materials, I haven't been able to mass-produce them."

"This Rare Candy I'm talking about has a special effect—it gives a Pokémon below the Champion level a 50% chance to break through to the next tier. For example, if a Pokémon is in the early Champion stage, consuming one will guarantee it reaches the mid-Champion level."

"However, if a peak-level Elite Four Pokémon uses it, the breakthrough chance remains 50%. So far, I've only managed to refine ten of them. The materials are too rare—even I can hardly afford to use one myself!"

As Ash explained the Rare Candy's effects, both Garan and Brock were visibly stunned. Even the members of the Dragon Clan monitoring from behind the scenes were shocked by what they heard.

Garan never doubted Ash's words. With Ash's status, there was no reason for him to lie—especially since he was also a licensed apothecary. Ruining his own reputation made no sense.

"Are you serious? A 50% chance of leveling up? If that's true, then this candy is a miracle in the pharmaceutical world!" Garan muttered, still in disbelief. Any trainer would be eager to get their hands on something like that.

If Ash released such an item to the public, every major faction would scramble to curry favor with him. A single Rare Candy would be worth an astronomical sum—and no one would dare provoke him.

The gap between the Elite Four and Champion level isn't as simple as one plus one. Honestly, even if Ash's Pokémon reached Elite Four level, with a great strategy, he might barely hold his own against a Champion—and that's the best-case scenario. Most of the time, he'd lose—unless the Pokémon was already on the verge of becoming a Champion.

Take Garan's Steelix, for example. It had been stuck at the Elite Four peak for over a decade. That alone proved how hard it was to break through such a bottleneck. This was why Ash's Rare Candy was so extraordinary.

Ash felt that this Rare Candy was more than enough reason to invite Brock. From what he remembered from the original story, Brock had exceptional knowledge and instincts when it came to Pokémon nutrition and breeding—truly an expert in the field.

"Brock, it's your decision. As for the Gym, don't worry about it. Your grandpa can keep it running for a while longer. Plus, your father—after all these years—I think he's finally ready to come back home."

Though Garan clearly wanted the Rare Candy, he didn't pressure Brock. He respected his grandson's right to choose his own path. After all, the Pewter Gym would eventually be Brock's to inherit, and experience from this journey could only benefit his future.

"Grandpa, I've made up my mind. I'm going to travel with Ash and pursue my dream of becoming a Pokémon Breeder Master!" Brock said with determination after giving it some thought. He wasn't about to let such a rare opportunity slip by.

"I'm proud of your decision. The Rare Candy is my gift to your grandfather. Your reward will be the opportunity to learn pharmaceutical refinement. A breeder's job is to care for Pokémon thoroughly, so knowledge of medicine is essential."

"My goal isn't to be a breeder myself—that's why I chose medicine as my auxiliary path. That's also why I invited you. I'll give you access to my formulas in the future. And if there's profit involved, you'll receive 10% of it. I'm sure you understand how valuable that 10% will be."

Seeing Brock agree, Ash smiled. The benefits were significant—just the 10% share from his pharmaceutical earnings would give Brock immense resources. Combined with the skills Ash would teach him, Brock's status would rival even members of elite families.

As for loyalty? Ash didn't worry. He remembered Brock's character well from the original series. Even after all these years, those memories remained vivid. Brock had always been a core supporting character—loyal, smart, and reliable.

"This is the Rare Candy. Whether or not you use it is up to you, Grandpa Garan." With the decision settled, Ash took out a crystal box. Inside was a single candy glowing with a soft pink light.

Garan accepted the candy with trembling hands. He could barely contain his excitement and wanted nothing more than to give it to his trusted Steelix immediately. Unfortunately, the recent battle had left Steelix injured—it would have to wait just a little longer.

"I never expected Ash's talent in pharmaceutical refinement to be this advanced. Honestly, even if he never becomes a Champion-level Trainer, just being a pharmacist would be enough to earn him deep respect from everyone!"

"It's incredible... If even an Elite-level Pokémon has a 50% chance of breaking through to the quasi-Champion tier, then... imagine what would happen if a quasi-Champion Pokémon took it..."

Even without him finishing the sentence, it was clear what Draco was trying to say.

"So many trainers get stuck just before reaching the Champion level. If they ever found out about the effects of this Rare Candy, Ash would become a household name overnight!"

The next steps became clear: Garan temporarily took over the role of Gym Leader, while Brock packed his things and officially set off on his journey with Ash.

Ash never expected that his battle with Garan had been completely monitored by the Dragon Clan. But even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared.

Around this time, Misty also left Ash's traveling team. Rumor had it she received a message from a friend and planned to take over a prestigious Water-type Pokémon training program. Ash wasn't particularly bothered. After all, he and Misty had merely been traveling in the same direction for a while.

When it came to choosing a life partner, Ash didn't give it much thought. At this stage in his life, the idea of opening his heart to love seemed almost impossible.

In his previous life, the first person Ash ever killed was someone he once loved—his girlfriend, who had betrayed him. That act left a deep scar on his heart, and love was something he now instinctively resisted.

...

TN:

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