Chapter 124: Black Ash Tames the Competitive Oddish

Again, it's you!

Xiaoxia found Team Rocket.

At that time, Team Rocket was being harassed by Totodile; upon seeing the little brat they'd been thinking of appear, they shuddered again.

After finally stealing this Totodile, how... ah!

Before Team Rocket could finish speaking, a Water Gun hit them.

How did you find this place?

The Team Rocket Trio said it, glanced at Ash, and instantly understood: it was Aura.

Seeing Totodile escape, Pikachu immediately unleashed 100,000 Volts.

Totodile!

Xiaoxia held Celebi with one hand and Celebi with the other, extremely happy.

Wah!

Totodile responded happily.

The cheerful Totodile..... Ash watched the happy Totodile.

Xiaoxia, try testing Totodile's strength!

Ash looked at Xiaoxia; there was a ready-made training partner here, so he could initially cultivate feelings.

Totodile, use Water Gun!

Totodile jumped down, bounced a few times, and fired Water Gun at Team Rocket.

Team Rocket was blasted away by Totodile's Water Gun!

Very energetic! Ash thought Totodile was not bad, and its Water Gun was not bad.

【Meowth: Bullying Meowth too much, actually treating us as training opponents.】

【Ash: Haven't you always been?】

【Xiaomao: Indeed, those three Team Rocket members are naturally training opponents; without them, Pikachu's 100,000 Volts wouldn't have gotten so strong.】

【Shitron: Makes sense!】

After retrieving Totodile, Officer Jenny was about to arrest Team Rocket.

Ash and company returned to the Poké Ball Center to register, passed through the forest, and happened to see Nana training her Oddish.

Seeing the Pikachu on Ash's shoulder, she wanted to battle Ash.

Are you sure?

Ash hesitated a bit; the opponent was a new Trainer, wondering whether he should hold back.

Come on!

Nana's eyes were firm, full of fighting spirit.

Pretty much like my former self!

Ash thought, let's send out Bulbasaur; at least its appearance can deceive a bit.

Come on!

Bulbasaur faced three opponents: Rattata, Pidgey, and Oddish.

But none could hit; Bulbasaur defeated them all with just Vine Whip.

Bulbasaur looked at the three Poké Ball on the ground, suspecting they were faking injury, since it hadn't even exerted much force, how did they all fall?

Nana was also surprised: how could her Poké Ball be so fragile, losing just like that?

Just with Vine Whip it was defeated; is this Bulbasaur really that strong?

Ash was shocked, also not expecting that the opponent's three Poké Ball couldn't even withstand Bulbasaur's Vine Whip without full strength.

After teaching Nana some battle techniques, they headed back to the location of the first Gym.

While they were resting on the road, Bulbasaur was attacked.

It was actually a Heracross grabbing the seed on Bulbasaur's back and sucking hard.

After subduing it, Ash learned that the Heracross's territory had been taken over by Blastoise, so it came out to forage and happened to run into Bulbasaur.

Coincidentally, Brock had made lunch and brought some for the Heracross.

However, when the Heracross ate, its eyes involuntarily looked at Bulbasaur.

Noticing its gaze, Charizard and Squirtle came over to see what the Heracross was up to.

Bang!

Snorlax also came over; its massive bulk put great pressure on the Heracross, so it just ate peacefully.

After finishing, the Heracross thanked Ash.

It's fine; eat your fill and head back. I'll go check later—I guess someone's causing trouble.

Ash felt strange about Blastoise's abnormal behavior.

Normally, those with their own territory wouldn't go fighting over Heracross's territory; there must be something fishy.

Maybe it's Team Rocket causing trouble again.

Not having seen Team Rocket for so long, they must be hatching some bad plan.

Going over to check, sure enough it was Team Rocket.

Turns out they were operating a Blastoise robot that occupied the Blastoise clan's territory, so those Blastoise were competing with the Heracross clan for tree sap.

As usual, they drove off Team Rocket, helped both sides restore peace, and each returned to their own area.

Meanwhile, that Heracross kept following Ash.

Do you want to travel with me?

Ash looked at that Heracross.

Heracross didn't see Bulbasaur, and nodded sharply.

"Come in then." Ash took out a Poké Ball.

Heracross was captured instantly!

"Ash, congratulations, you captured Heracross!"

Xiaoxia said happily.

Brock also congratulated.

"It must have taken a liking to Bulbasaur."... Ash saw Heracross's thoughts.

All day it just thinks about sucking tree sap.

"Maybe Bulbasaur's tree sap tastes better."

Brock also knew that this Heracross would glow upon seeing Bulbasaur; this guy is just a little glutton.

Later, Ash and company were still resting midway, while Pikachu and the others were training.

Ash saw a Bellsprout basking in the sun.

It kept staring at them.

Bellsprout noticed Ash's gaze, their eyes met, and Ash felt Bellsprout's fighting spirit.

Bellsprout has seen many Trainers around here who wanted to capture it, but it defeated them all.

Now seeing those few Poké Ball are quite strong, I could battle them.

"Ah?"

"Do you want to challenge Pikachu?"

Ash said in surprise, this Bellsprout actually initiated a battle with them.

It's quite a belligerent one.

"Then let Heracross come out!"

Ash sent out Heracross, but Heracross's attention was entirely on Bulbasaur.

Moreover, Bellsprout wants to duel Pikachu because it just saw Pikachu training intensely.

Ash glanced at Pikachu.

Pikachu trained so fiercely just now because it was stimulated by Suicune, so it trained intensely, which Bellsprout saw, sparking its fighting spirit.

"Good!"

Ash had Bellsprout battle Pikachu; such a competitive Poké Ball is rare, but it suits my taste.

"Pika!"

Bellsprout looked at the Pikachu ahead and felt great pressure.

Ash and company watched Bellsprout battle Pikachu, completely being pressed down, or maybe Pikachu wasn't using full power.

Even if injured by Pikachu's attacks, it still wanted to keep fighting.

"Pika?"

Pikachu glanced at Ash, then dodged Bellsprout's attack.

"Pika!"

Seeing Pikachu only dodging and not attacking, Bellsprout grew angry and lunged to attack Pikachu.

Ash watched the stubborn Bellsprout, refusing to yield, insisting on continuing to fight Pikachu.

"Pika!"

Bellsprout fell to the ground, struggling to get up and keep fighting.

"All right, Bellsprout, wait a moment."

Ash walked over, half-knelt, stroked Bellsprout, and said gently: "I know you love battling, but you need to look after your body; wait until you've recovered before battling again."

"Pika..."

After being touched by Ash, Bellsprout froze for a moment, turned its head away from Ash, but didn't reject him.

"Bellsprout, I'm Ash from Pallet Town, preparing to join the Silver Conference and challenge many strong Trainers; do you want to come with me?"

"My friends are all strong; they can definitely make you strong too."

Ash healed Bellsprout's wounds.

Feeling Ash's gentle touch and hearing his words, Bellsprout's heart was moved and it agreed to go with Ash.

【Dawn: Bellsprout is so obedient? Team Rocket hasn't even appeared yet.】

【Yugen: It should be Black Satoshi's aura that let Bellsprout feel Ash's sincere feelings, plus Pikachu just beat it and acknowledged Black Satoshi, so it allowed Black Satoshi to pet it.】

【Cynthia: That's fine too; being able to move a Poké Ball with sincere feelings means we don't need assistance from the Team Rocket Trio's scheming, after all it's better to have less danger.】

【Cynthia: I envy Black Satoshi's aura!】

【Cynthia: You're still envious? You also have psychic powers.】

【Cynthia: Nana, I'm not only envious of Ash's aura, but also envious that he can meet so many Poké Ball, and such distinctive ones.】

Everyone envies Ash for being able to encounter so many Poké Ball, and that majestic divine beast as well.