Chapter 134

In the stone cave of the forest, Ash followed the big commotion made by Team Rocket and found the Charmander being chased by Team Rocket.

The Team Rocket Trio piloted their specially made robot, aggressively pursuing the Charmander. They seemed determined to capture this Poké Ball, but the Charmander displayed extraordinary agility and intelligence, nimbly maneuvering through the stone cave and skillfully evading Team Rocket's attacks.

Whenever the robot extended its mechanical arm to try to grab the Charmander, it would dodge in time or retaliate with fire.

It then leapt directly onto the robot's head and released a scorching ball of flame. The fire spread across the robot, frightening the Team Rocket members into abandoning their vehicle and fleeing.

For the first time, they drove off Team Rocket without Ash having to lift a finger.

Seeing the Charmander's fierce fire-type moves, Ash instantly took a liking to it; he never expected the timid Charmander to unleash such powerful fire, which contrasted sharply with its shy nature.

Thanks to Team Rocket's assistance, Ash managed to capture the Charmander.

Moreover, this Charmander differs from the one in the White World; although its appearance is the same, it knows many more moves. Though equally timid, its fire attacks are fierce, making Team Rocket no match for it.

【Ash: Was the Charmander this strong from the start? Isn't it only after some time that it can skillfully unleash Flamethrower?】

【Xiaoxia: Perhaps Team Rocket sparked the Charmander's potential.】

【Da Ye: Maybe that's exactly it—when in danger, a Poké Ball's potential bursts forth.】

【Wu Zang: Why is it always us who get hurt?】

【Xiao Cilang: We in the Black World are even worse—we never pose a threat to those brats, and in the end we still get bullied by the Charmander!】

Nobody paid any attention to Team Rocket.

Black World—

After handing the GS Ball to Mr. Steel, Ash and his group arrived at Hinoki Town.

They went to challenge the Hinoki Gym.

The Gym Leader is called A Bi, a trainer who specializes in Bug-type Poké Balls.

This time they sent out Bulbasaur, Heracross, and Charmander, which had trained for a while, to show off the results of their training.

Bulbasaur first faced A Bi's Spinarak. Bulbasaur took the initiative, releasing a sweet scent that lowered Spinarak's evasion and made it sluggish. Seizing the opportunity, Bulbasaur launched a fierce attack on Spinarak, which couldn't withstand the consecutive blows and was quickly defeated.

Upon seeing this, A Bi immediately switched to his second Poké Ball, Metapod.

Ash then unhesitatingly sent out Heracross, which, with its immense strength and sharp horn, swiftly launched a fierce assault on Metapod.

Metapod could not resist at all; each of Heracross's strikes hit like a hammer, smashing hard into Metapod's body.

Metapod was no match for Heracross and lost its ability to battle.

The final Poké Ball was Scyther.

Ash then sent out the Charmander he had recently captured.

When facing Scyther's speed advantage, the Charmander still seemed a bit strained. However, the Charmander used its small size and agility to release smoke, hiding its silhouette; Scyther lost its target in the smoke and became somewhat bewildered.

However, A Bi had Scyther use Sword Dance to spin, creating a small whirlwind that blew away the smoke.

This both boosted its attack power and dispersed the smoke.

At that moment, the Charmander suddenly burst from the smoke and unleashed Flamethrower at Scyther. Although Scyther blocked the move, it still suffered; immediately afterward, the Charmander fired a Fire Spin, like a flaming cannonball, launching a fierce attack on Scyther.

Scyther struggled to defend, but under the Charmander's continuous and fierce onslaught, its stamina gradually drained, and it eventually had to succumb.

The second Badge was thus obtained.

The Black Light Screen finished playing, and then it was the White Light Curtain's turn.

Ash and his party came to a small town that was holding a Poké Ball firefighting tournament.

Eager to join the fun, Ash assembled a temporary team consisting of Squirtle, Staryu, Pikachu, and Psyduck.

At that moment they encountered two other teams: one was the Squirtle Team, and the other was a Squirtle Team led by Miss Junsha; those Squirtles happened to be the old companions of Ash's Squirtle.

Now they have become an official Squirtle firefighting squad, with an official roster, unlike before when they were just a gang.

In the Poké Ball firefighting competition rules, each side has an artificially built small house; the side that first extinguishes the fire after the house ignites wins, and they must also rescue the tiny person from inside the house.

However, the Squirtle Team was in poor shape and couldn't accomplish the task, so Ash's Squirtle stepped forward—formerly their leader, still their leader—and upon taking command from the Squirtle, they instantly became orderly.

In the showdown between the Squirtle Team and the Squirtle Team, the Squirtle helped its team defeat the opposing Squirtle Team and become champion.

Afterwards, Ash felt that having Squirtle join the firefighting team would be suitable, and since the Squirtle Team still had its younger members, they would surely work well together.

Then Squirtle joined the Squirtle Firefighting Team, bidding farewell to each of its companions one by one.

Ash looked forward to Squirtle's performance in the firefighting team, hoping it would shine and excel.

【Ma Zhishi: Squirtle has also turned out well, even making it onto the official roster.】

【Ash: Squirtle has know-how in water-based firefighting, so it can shine and excel in the Squirtle Firefighting Team.】

【Xiang Tai: How come, while traveling in the Johto region, all the Poké Balls we caught in the previous areas have left the team one by one?】

【Yulongdu: Regardless of whether it's Black and White Ash, they both think of the Poké Balls' best interests; if a Poké Ball wants to do something, they support it. Seeing that Squirtle has a talent for firefighting, White Ash can bear the pain and let Squirtle join the Squirtle Firefighting Team.】

Moreover, Charizard wanted to grow stronger; Ash knew Charizard wished to stay in Charizard Valley to become stronger, and he hated to part with it, so he steeled himself, leaving Charizard in Charizard Valley with the agreement to meet again after it had grown stronger.

【Dr. Yamanashi: It's been a long time since I've seen a trainer who loves Poké Balls so purely.】

Wusong: Black Satoshi is also like that, but Black Satoshi's Squirtle Evolution became Wartortle, which seems not to fit with the Squirtle team; to join would be to join the Wartortle team.

Ash: Oh right, Miss Jenny, do you have any Wartortles?

Miss Jenny: No, in my opinion, Black Satoshi may not necessarily give the Wartortle to the fire squad.

Brock: I guess Black Satoshi will let the Wartortle teach the younger ones a bit.