The moment Ash defeated Ritchie and successfully advanced into the Top 8 of the Indigo League, a system notification sounded in his mind:
[ Ding! Host has advanced to the Top 8 of the Indigo League. Rewards: 5000 World Points, Advanced TM x3, Individual Value Enhancement Potion x6 ]
[ Main Quest Issued: Win the Indigo League Championship ]
[ Quest Reward: 25000 World Points, Aura Power Advancement, Mysterious Pokémon Egg x1 ]
[ Failure Penalty: None ]
This was the first time the system had issued a clear main quest. The generous rewards only strengthened Ash's determination to claim the championship.
At the same time, the format of the quarterfinals underwent a major change. The battles shifted from three-on-three to full six-on-six matches. This would not only test a trainer's command ability, but also their team depth and battle endurance.
Inside the contestant lounge, Brock carefully analyzed the upcoming opponent.
"Your opponent in the quarterfinals is Melissa, the trainer who defeated Gary in the Top 32. She specializes in Rock-type and Ground-type Pokémon, but she's also quite skilled with other types."
Misty added, "I studied her match recordings. Her Golem is especially tough to deal with, its defense is incredible. It was that Pokémon that defeated Gary's Nidoking and Blastoise. And her Rhydon is also very strong, with a high accuracy rate on Horn Drill."
Ash nodded, a spark of battle intent flashing in his eyes. "Perfect. This time, I'll take revenge for Gary and show Melissa what a real tactical battle looks like."
On the day of the match, the main stadium was completely packed. A full six-on-six battle meant a longer fight and more strategic variation, and the audience eagerly anticipated the showdown.
In one of the corridors, Gary had also arrived at the venue, silently watching the field.
Seeing Ash face the opponent who had once defeated him, Gary could not help but feel a bit worried. That opponent surpassed Ash in both intelligence gathering and tactical execution. Although Ash had shown impressive strength, could he withstand his first truly meaningful full battle?
The referee signaled the start of the match. Melissa sent out Golem first. The massive Pokémon's rocky body gleamed with a metallic sheen under the sunlight, radiating an imposing presence.
"Oh! Sending out Golem right away, looks like she wants to set the tone from the start!" Ash immediately understood the intent. This was clearly an attempt to seize the initiative.
After a brief thought, Ash made his choice. "Go, Wartortle!"
"Wartortle?" The commentator raised his voice in surprise. "Ash clearly came prepared, immediately choosing a Pokémon that counters his opponent!"
Melissa also showed a hint of surprise, but quickly regained her composure. "Even if you're prepared, you're still underestimating me! Golem, use Earthquake!"
"Wartortle, jump and use Hydro Pump!" Ash responded calmly.
Just as Golem slammed the ground, triggering a violent tremor, Wartortle leapt gracefully into the air, perfectly avoiding the shockwave of Earthquake.
At the same time, it adjusted its posture midair and unleashed a powerful stream of water from above.
The water struck precisely into the gaps in Golem's rocky body, dealing tremendous damage.
"So that's it!" Brock suddenly realized from the stands. "Ash is using Wartortle's agility to counter Golem's lack of speed, while also increasing the power of Hydro Pump by attacking from above!"
Melissa's expression shifted slightly. "Golem, use Rock Tomb to restrict its movement!"
Countless boulders rained down, but Wartortle weaved through them with agility, occasionally counterattacking with Hydro Pump. After several exchanges, Golem finally collapsed under the relentless barrage.
"Golem is unable to battle! Wartortle wins!"
Melissa took a deep breath, steadied himself, and recalled Golem before decisively sending out her next Pokémon.
"Go, Rhydon!"
The drill on its head was already spinning at high speed, clearly ready for battle.
Ash immediately recalled Wartortle and sent out Bulbasaur.
This choice once again drew astonishment from the commentator. "Bulbasaur! A Grass-type with a double advantage against Ground and Rock types! Ash's mastery of type matchups is simply incredible!"
Sweat began to form on Melissa's forehead. "Rhydon, use Horn Drill!"
"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip to control the distance!" Ash's command remained calm and steady.
Bulbasaur skillfully wielded its vines like two long whips, constantly maintaining a safe distance from Rhydon.
"Good, now use Razor Leaf to harass it!"
From that point on, Bulbasaur engaged Rhydon in a hit-and-run battle. It alternated between striking with Vine Whip to disrupt and launching Razor Leaf for ranged damage.
Although Rhydon possessed immense power, it was unable to close the distance under Bulbasaur's precise control.
Seeing that Rhydon's stamina had been worn down, Ash decisively gave the order. "Now, Sunny Day, followed by Solar Beam!"
Bulbasaur first launched a small fireball into the air, causing the entire battlefield to become dry and sunlit. Then, its bulb rapidly gathered energy, instantly firing a Solar Beam that struck Rhydon directly.
The quick combo caught Rhydon completely off guard. By the time the blazing beam hit, it had no chance to react and collapsed on the spot.
Having lost two Pokémon in a row, Melissa began to change her strategy and sent out a massive Onix.
This Onix was about 1.2 times the size of a normal one, radiating an overwhelming sense of power.
Perhaps only the giant Onix Ash had recently captured could match it in strength.
Ash responded by sending out his red Gyarados. Even though some spectators had seen it before, witnessing the shiny Gyarados again was still a thrilling sight.
"Onix, use Rock Slide!" Melissa attempted to suppress with a wide-area attack.
"Gyarados, use Dragon Dance to dodge, then Hydro Pump!" Ash demonstrated precise command.
The red Gyarados moved gracefully amidst the falling rocks, dodging every single one with unbelievable agility. Then, its high-pressure Hydro Pump blasted Onix straight out of the field, slamming it heavily into the wall.
In the first half of the match, Melissa's tactics were completely countered by Ash, even being led by the nose multiple times.
At the start of the second half, Melissa sent out Sandslash. It moved at incredible speed across the field, attempting to win through agility.
Ash countered with Primeape. The Fighting-type advantage over the Ground-type made it difficult for Sandslash to hold its ground.
Although Sandslash used Rapid Spin, Primeape interrupted it with a precise Karate Chop, followed immediately by a Cross Chop that decided the battle.
Now Melissa only had two Pokémon left. She sent out Omastar, a dual Water and Rock-type ancient Pokémon, its shell covered in sharp, gleaming spikes.
Ash was slightly surprised that Melissa had kept such a hidden trump card, but it didn't affect the overall situation.
After a brief moment of thought, Ash sent out his shiny Magneton.
Electric-type moves were super effective against Water-types, while its Steel typing resisted Rock-type attacks, giving Magneton a clear advantage. The battle was completely one-sided, with Omastar barely able to fight back.
"Omastar, use Hydro Pump!" Melissa made her final attempt.
"Magneton, use Magnet Rise to dodge, then Thunderbolt!" Ash's commands remained composed.
Magneton easily avoided the powerful stream of water, then unleashed a Thunderbolt like a golden serpent, striking Omastar directly.
The super effective attack instantly knocked Omastar out.
Melissa's final Pokémon was Machamp, clearly prepared to deal with potential Normal-type and Rock-type opponents.
Its four muscular arms displayed its immense strength.
"Charizard, I choose you!" Ash sent out Charizard with a smile.
The moment Charizard appeared on the field, the entire stadium erupted.
After its training, Charizard looked even more imposing, the flame on its tail burning fiercely.
"Charizard, use Flamethrower!"
"Machamp, dodge and use Cross Chop!"
The two Pokémon clashed fiercely.
Charizard took advantage of its ability to fly, launching attacks from the air, while Machamp relied on its four arms to defend and counterattack. Suddenly, Machamp used Seismic Toss, attempting to pull Charizard into close combat.
"A close-range fight?" Ash smirked. "Charizard, block with Dragon Claw, then use Seismic Toss!"
Charizard's claws glowed with green light as it directly interrupted Machamp's move. Then it grabbed Machamp's arm, soared into the sky, spun three times midair, and slammed it heavily into the ground.
Machamp's eyes turned into spirals as it fainted.
The referee waved the flag. "Machamp is unable to battle! Charizard wins! The victor is Ash from Pallet Town!"
Thunderous applause erupted throughout the stadium.
Ash not only advanced into the semifinals with a flawless 6-0 victory, but also perfectly avenged Gary's earlier defeat.
...
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