"Ash! Ash! Ash!"
"Greninja! Greninja!"
"Greninja! Greninja!"
"Blastoise! Blastoise!"
"..."
"..."
With both Pokémon taking the field and the battle about to begin, thunderous cheers erupted from the audience stands.
Unlike the first round, where the spectators had overwhelmingly cheered only for Ash, quite a number of people had begun cheering for Mr. Morkel's side during the second round.
To be more precise, they were cheering for Blastoise—the fully evolved form of one of Kanto's beloved starter Pokémon. However, when it came to supporting the Trainers themselves, the vast majority of the audience still stood firmly behind Ash.
"System, scan Blastoise's data."
Without wasting time on pleasantries before the battle had even begun, Ash immediately entered combat mode and silently issued the command.
[Ding! Scanning target. Please wait...]
[Pokémon: Blastoise]
Level: LV.53
Attribute: Water
Nature: Calm
Ability: Torrent
Potential: B (Elite)
Moves (Can Be Copied):
[Mastered] (1/5000):
Flash Cannon
Hydro Pump
Skull Bash
[Proficient] (1/1000):
Tackle
Withdraw
Rapid Spin
Bite
Water Pulse
Protect
Rain Dance
Aqua Tail
Shell Smash
Iron Defense
[Skilled] (1/500):
Tail Whip
[Novice] (1/100):
None
The moment Ash issued his command, the Ascension Trainer System quickly displayed Blastoise's complete data panel before him.
After giving it a brief glance, Ash had already gained a general understanding of his opponent's capabilities.
This was, by all accounts, a fairly ordinary Blastoise. Whether it was its Potential, Ability, or move mastery, there wasn't anything particularly extraordinary about it.
Of course, Ash could understand why.
Not every Trainer possessed the time, resources, and abilities that he did to continuously nurture a mid-tier starter Pokémon into a top-tier powerhouse.
The reason Blastoise had reached the Gym-level was most likely because Mr. Morkel had once raised it as his team's primary ace Pokémon.
However, as time passed and he encountered Pokémon with even greater Potential that were more compatible with his own battling style, and after investing significant resources into those new partners until they caught up in strength, Blastoise had naturally stepped down from the position of ace.
Mr. Morkel's choice was, in fact, the choice made by the overwhelming majority of Trainers.
Not every Pokémon could remain a Trainer's lifelong ace.
Nor did every Trainer possess the Source Power that Ash and Giovanni used to improve their Pokémon's Potential.
Although Blastoise had successfully reached LV.53 and entered the Gym-level ranks, compared to the Rhyperior from the previous round, it was still two levels lower.
On the other hand, Greninja was one of Ash's true ace Pokémon, nurtured alongside Pikachu as part of his team's absolute core.
Its strength was no weaker than Pikachu's.
After losing the first round, Mr. Morkel had sent out a former ace that had already stepped down from the forefront of his team, while Ash's Greninja still stood among his current strongest combatants at an impressive LV.58.
"The battle begins!"
After Ash finished reviewing Blastoise's data, the referee immediately announced the start of Round Two.
"Ash! Ash! Ash!"
"Greninja! Greninja!"
"Blastoise! Blastoise!"
As the second round officially began, the audience once again erupted into cheers and encouragement.
Just like before, this clash between two regional starter Pokémon had earned Blastoise considerable support from the crowd.
However, those cheers were directed solely toward Blastoise itself.
Mr. Morkel, unfortunately, didn't receive the same treatment.
When it came to supporting the Trainers, the majority of spectators still overwhelmingly favored Ash.
Both competitors were seasoned professional Trainers who had fought countless battles.
Although the audience's passionate cheers heightened the atmosphere considerably, neither Trainer was affected in the slightest.
The referee's signal sounded.
The battle officially began.
And both Trainers entered combat mode almost simultaneously.
"Blastoise, use Rapid Spin!"
Knowing full well how troublesome his opponent was—and that he was very likely at a disadvantage—Mr. Morkel possessed enough self-awareness to immediately launch a preemptive offensive, refusing to give Ash an opportunity to dictate the battle's pace.
"Blast—!"
Receiving its Trainer's command, Blastoise let out a deep, muffled roar before instantly retracting its head, limbs, and tail into its shell.
For a brief moment, it resembled a transforming divine weapon as it completed its battle stance.
In the blink of an eye, Blastoise had transformed into a massive spinning millstone, hurtling across the battlefield toward Greninja at incredible speed.
Mr. Morkel had indeed seized the initiative by launching the first attack, but Ash's reactions were no slower.
At their level of competition, every Trainer possessed incredible reflexes and combat instincts.
Although opportunities for preemptive attacks certainly existed, the advantages they provided were significantly smaller than they would be among weaker Trainers.
Simply put, the stronger one's level became, the less useful minor tricks and clever schemes would prove.
In the end, true victory was still determined by hard power.
"Greninja, use Haze!"
Watching Blastoise transform into a gigantic spinning wheel charging straight toward them, Ash swiftly issued his command.
"Greninja!"
Puff—!
Upon hearing Ash's order, Greninja immediately sprang into action.
Facing the rapidly approaching Blastoise, not the slightest trace of panic appeared upon its face.
Among the many ace Pokémon in Ash's first combat echelon, Greninja wasn't necessarily the one blessed with the greatest Potential.
However, Ash placed tremendous emphasis on nurturing his Pokémon's ability to stand independently in battle—to possess the strength to overcome any opponent they faced.
Among all of his Pokémon, only Greninja, blessed with the Ability Protean, could perfectly embody this philosophy to its fullest extent.
For that reason, Greninja occupied a uniquely important place in Ash's heart, carrying with it special expectations that differed even from his other ace Pokémon.
Its cultivation could be summarized in three fundamental aspects:
First—Combat Path: Dual-Blade Style.
Both its physical attacks and special attacks were trained equally and developed simultaneously.
Second—Combat Style: The Way of the Ninja.
To lurk silently within the darkness, to strike without warning, to achieve victory in a single decisive blow—deceptive, unpredictable, and ever-changing.
Third—Core Ability: Protean.
Using its Ability as the foundation of its entire battle system, Greninja could exploit type matchups to their absolute limit—changing its typing to gain offensive advantages when attacking while simultaneously reducing incoming damage through defensive type resistances when under attack.
This was the battle philosophy that Ash had painstakingly crafted for Greninja—the Phantom Ninja that would one day stand among the strongest of his Pokémon.