Ash and his companions stayed at the Pokémon Center for another two days.
During the day, Ash trained his team in preparation for the battle against Giovanni. At night, he spent private time with Misty and Sabrina. Thanks to the system granting him fertility control, the three teenagers shared a healthy and intimate relationship.
Over those two days, Brock revealed that the girl he was engaged to—due to an arrangement made by his father—was from the Hoenn region, and the meeting would take place in Fuchsia City.
Ash nodded and said that after earning his Earth Badge, they should prioritize resolving Brock's engagement. Misty and Sabrina agreed.
In the meantime, Ash continued leveling up his Pokémon.
During a joint training session with Misty and Sabrina, something unexpected happened: Misty's Magikarp evolved into a Gyarados. At first, Misty was hesitant, haunted by her long-standing childhood trauma, but Gyarados's affectionate behavior slowly helped her ease that fear.
Sabrina's Eevee also evolved—into an Espeon. This made her especially happy, as this evolution is extremely rare in Kanto, and the conditions required for it are mostly unknown. Ash had advised her to increase her bond with Eevee and spend time training during the day, which likely triggered the evolution.
Meanwhile, Pikachu took it upon himself to train Ash's new Eevee—and also introduced him to the sacred delicacy of the Poké-gods: ketchup. After one sip, Eevee was hooked, becoming a devoted member of the ketchup cult founded by Pikachu. Their motto?
"Join the dark side—we have ketchup!"
Scene Skip: The Next Day
Ash and his team stood near the Viridian City Gym, only to be stopped by guards at the entrance. They inspected his badges to confirm he had the required seven before allowing him inside.
Ash soon found himself standing before a man in a classic black business suit, seated on a high pedestal with a Persian lounging in his lap. The man stared directly at Ash.
"Ash Ketchum, I presume? The popular rookie from Pallet Town—one of Professor Samuel Oak's promising protégés. I've heard quite a bit about you," Giovanni said while gently petting his Persian.
"I'm here to challenge you for the Earth Badge. I want to battle your strongest team," Ash replied with confidence in his voice.
"Oh, confidence. I like that," Giovanni smirked. "Very well. This will be a six-on-six battle. If you can defeat three of my Pokémon, the Earth Badge is yours."
He grabbed a Poké Ball and tossed it forward.
"Go, Nidoking!"
Ash scanned the intimidating Nidoking—level 42. After a moment of thought, he chose Wartortle, who was already at level 40 but still hadn't evolved.
Ash thought this match might be the perfect chance to trigger Wartortle's evolution into Blastoise, so he chose his first Pokémon.
"Go, Wartortle!" he shouted, tossing the Poké Ball onto the battlefield.
With a flash of light, Wartortle landed in a crouch, shell gleaming, water sloshing under his feet as he stared down the hulking Poison/Ground-type.
"Nidoking, Earth Power!" Giovanni commanded coolly.
The floor beneath Wartortle quaked violently. Cracks spread like spiderwebs as a column of golden energy erupted beneath him. Wartortle yelped, flung into the air from the blast.
"Recover with Flip Spin!" Ash shouted.
Mid-air, Wartortle tucked into his shell and spun rapidly, absorbing the fall and bouncing back to his feet. His legs wobbled slightly, but he stood strong.
"Use Water Pulse—aim for the feet!"
A ring of pulsing water formed in Wartortle's paws before launching forward. It struck the floor near Nidoking's legs, splashing into a burst that obscured his footing.
"Poison Jab," Giovanni ordered.
Nidoking charged through the mist, horn glowing an ominous purple. He barreled toward Wartortle like a rampaging tank.
"Withdraw!"
Wartortle slipped into his shell just as Nidoking's horn struck. The impact sent Wartortle skidding across the battlefield like a curling stone. He slammed into a wall, but the damage was absorbed, partially thanks to his hardened shell.
"Time to change it up—use Aqua Tail!"
Water surged around Wartortle's tail. He launched forward, leaping high and spinning in mid-air before bringing the glowing tail down hard on Nidoking's back. Nidoking grunted, staggering from the impact.
But Giovanni wasn't fazed. "Body Slam."
Nidoking lunged upward in retaliation, catching Wartortle mid-descent and slamming him into the ground with crushing force. The ground shook from the collision. Wartortle cried out in pain.
Ash gritted his teeth. "He's pushing Wartortle hard… but we're not done yet."
Wartortle struggled to his feet, panting, bruised—but his eyes still burned with defiance.
Then, his body began to glow.
Ash gasped. "Yes! It's happening—now!"
Brilliant white light engulfed Wartortle, his silhouette growing larger, shell expanding, limbs thickening. Twin cannons erupted from his back, gleaming in the light. The glow faded to reveal a fully evolved Blastoise, roaring with newfound power.
"Blastoise! Let's end this—Hydro Pump!"
The moment Giovanni's eyes narrowed, Blastoise crouched and fired twin jets of high-pressure water from his cannons. The beams smashed into Nidoking like twin battering rams, launching him backward through the air. He crashed into the gym wall with a thunderous boom, debris crumbling around him.
Silence.
Then the dust settled—and Nidoking was out cold.
"Nidoking is unable to battle!" the referee called out. "The first round goes to Ash Ketchum!"
Ash exhaled sharply, fists clenched in triumph. "You did it, Blastoise!"
Blastoise turned back to his trainer and gave a confident nod, the cannons on his back still steaming.
Giovanni returned Nidoking without a word. He stood still for a moment, then smirked slightly.
"Well… looks like this battle just got interesting."
Ash took a steadying breath as Giovanni silently returned his Nidoking. Without a word, the Gym Leader tossed his second Poké Ball into the arena.
With a flash of light, a massive Rhyhorn slammed onto the battlefield, its rock-hard armor gleaming like steel and hooves cracking the stone floor with each step.
Ash frowned. "A Rhyhorn... bigger than most I've seen. You ready, Blastoise?"
Blastoise, still fired up from his recent evolution and victory, stepped forward and slammed his feet down, letting out a roar.
"Start with Hydro Pump!" Ash shouted.
Blastoise dropped into a wide stance, water surging through his cannons. He fired a twin stream of high-pressure water directly at Rhyhorn's chest.
The blast struck head-on, sending a shockwave through the gym—but as the mist cleared, Rhyhorn was still standing, only slightly skidded back. It snorted steam and pawed the ground.
Ash's eyes widened. "It tanked that?! That thing's a beast..."
Giovanni gave his first command with that same cold calm.
"Rock Polish."
Rhyhorn's body glowed with a metallic sheen as it shook itself and started to move with surprising speed for its size.
"Now, Horn Drill."
"Blastoise, move! Side roll!"
Blastoise dove to the side as Rhyhorn charged like a freight train, its spinning horn aimed to impale. The horn missed by inches, carving a deep gouge into the stone wall behind Ash's side of the field.
"Water Pulse, then Aqua Tail!"
Blastoise quickly fired a Water Pulse, the sphere of water hitting Rhyhorn in the face. It staggered—but then Blastoise followed up with a glowing Aqua Tail, leaping and slamming it across Rhyhorn's side.
The blow landed clean—but when Blastoise landed, he staggered. He was breathing heavily now, steam rising from his shell. The damage from Nidoking's earlier attacks was catching up.
Giovanni didn't waste a moment.
"Use Stone Edge."
From the ground, massive jagged stones erupted upward in a circular pattern around Blastoise. One spike slammed into his side, knocking him down. Another smashed his leg as he tried to stand.
"Hydro Pump! Push through it!"
Blastoise roared and fired again, but the pressure was weaker now, the stream less forceful. It struck Rhyhorn again—but the beast was still charging.
"Finish this. Double-Edge."
Rhyhorn accelerated with startling speed, head down, body glowing with raw momentum. It slammed into Blastoise with full force, lifting him off the ground and smashing him into the gym wall with a thunderous impact.
A long silence followed.
Blastoise slumped forward, unconscious.
"Blastoise is unable to battle!" the referee announced.
Ash stared, fists clenched. "Blastoise… you were incredible. Come back."
He returned the exhausted Pokémon, heart heavy but determined. Two rounds in, and Giovanni had already countered power with power—and Rhyhorn wasn't even his ace.
Giovanni gave Ash a quiet look of approval.
"Your Pokémon have spirit. But this is the Viridian Gym, boy—not some league warm-up."
Ash narrowed his eyes, choosing his next ball.
"Good. I didn't come for warm-ups."
"Let's turn the tide."
He threw the ball high.
"Go--- Gyarados!"
The gym dimmed for a moment as a massive crimson serpent burst out in a blast of water, coils landing with a crashing impact. Gyarados towered above the battlefield, its body shimmering red like a living flame. It roared so loud that the gym walls trembled.
Even Giovanni's usually composed face twitched at the sight. "A Red Gyarados? Hmph… very rare. Very angry."
Ash pointed. "We're not holding back. Dragon Rage—now!"
Gyarados's maw glowed with violent blue energy before unleashing a swirling storm of draconic flames. The blast ripped across the battlefield, engulfing Rhyhorn in a blazing vortex. The impact exploded with a thunderclap, sending dust and flame spiraling into the air.
Rhyhorn skidded back, roaring in defiance—but it stood. Scorched, hurt, but not down yet.
"Rock Slide," Giovanni ordered calmly.
Rhyhorn stomped, and massive boulders cascaded from the ceiling, crashing down toward Gyarados like meteorites.
"Dive under them!" Ash barked.
With surprising grace, Gyarados slithered forward and ducked under the falling stones, some grazing his fins but none hitting direct. He surged out the other side, coiling like a spring.
"Now—Aqua Tail!"
The great serpentine body twisted mid-air, and his water-coated tail slammed into Rhyhorn's side like a wrecking ball. The ground cracked beneath the impact. Rhyhorn bellowed and stumbled, legs nearly buckling.
But still… it stood.
"Double-Edge," Giovanni said, low and deadly.
Rhyhorn roared, its body glowing with punishing light as it charged full-speed into Gyarados's chest, driving him backward into a stone pillar. Gyarados let out a roar of pain, the gym rumbling from the crash.
Ash gritted his teeth. "We can't let it recover! Hit it with Hyper Beam!"
Gyarados's mouth flared with orange-white energy, forming a massive ball of raw power. With a monstrous roar, he fired—the beam tore across the gym like a cannon shot.
BOOOOOM!
It struck Rhyhorn dead center. A blinding flash of light exploded across the arena. Smoke and flame rippled outward, and the shockwave cracked the battlefield floor.
When the dust settled—Rhyhorn lay collapsed in a crater, unconscious.
"Rhyhorn is unable to battle!" the referee announced.
Ash exhaled, shoulders tense. "Nice work, Gyarados."
Gyarados reared back and roared in triumph, the sound shaking the air.
Giovanni silently returned his Rhyhorn. A flicker of interest danced in his eyes now.
"Your Gyarados is no ordinary Pokémon… It fights like it was born in chaos."
Ash didn't flinch. "He was. He's not just power—he's mine."
Giovanni smiled faintly for the first time. "Then let's see if he can handle this."
He pulled his third Poké Ball.
The dust had barely settled when Giovanni reached for his next Poké Ball. His expression was cool, confident, and quiet. But the gleam in his eyes said it all:
Now the real fight begins.
"Let's bring the storm."
He tossed the Poké Ball high. A blinding flash burst out—and with a thunderous roar, Tyranitar emerged onto the battlefield. The very presence of the Armor Pokémon made the gym tremble. Its towering green form looked like living granite, black spikes gleaming along its back. Its red eyes locked onto Gyarados with cold, crushing intent.
A sudden wind picked up. The lights flickered. A sandstorm began to swirl out of nowhere—Tyranitar's presence alone had summoned it.
Ash gritted his teeth. "A Tyranitar?! In Kanto?"
He shook his head. Now wasn't the time for questions. He looked up at Gyarados, still riding high on adrenaline but already battered from the previous clash.
"We're not backing down. Dragon Rage—now!"
Gyarados let out a monstrous roar and fired the spiraling storm of draconic fire. It surged across the battlefield and slammed into Tyranitar—but when the light faded...
Tyranitar was still standing. Unshaken.
Ash's eyes narrowed. "He tanked it…"
Giovanni's voice was like stone. "Stone Edge."
The ground exploded beneath Gyarados. Jagged, crystal-like stones speared upward—one slammed into Gyarados's underbelly, another into his tail. The red leviathan howled in pain, body slamming down to the floor with a crash.
"Now—Thunder Fang."
"What?!"
Tyranitar was already moving, shockingly fast for its size. It lunged, jaws crackling with electricity, and clamped down on Gyarados's neck with a brutal snap. Sparks exploded, and Gyarados thrashed violently.
Ash clenched his fists. "Aqua Tail, get him off!"
Gyarados whipped his body around, his tail glowing with watery energy. He smashed Tyranitar across the face, forcing it to release him and stumble back.
"Hyper Beam! Let's go!"
Gyarados reared back, mouth glowing fiercely, and fired the blinding beam of energy with a deafening roar. The blast struck Tyranitar dead center and created a crater on impact.
Smoke filled the gym.
Ash held his breath.
But as the smoke cleared… Tyranitar emerged. Bruised. Burned. But walking.
Still. Not. Down.
Giovanni's gaze was ice. "Finish this. Giga Impact."
Tyranitar's entire body began glowing with a pulsing silver aura. It roared—then launched forward like a tank with rockets, covering the entire field in seconds.
"Gyarados, MOVE!"
Too late.
Tyranitar slammed into Gyarados with full-force. The blow cracked the gym floor and sent shockwaves up the walls. Gyarados was thrown back like a ragdoll, hitting the wall and collapsing in a heap.
He didn't rise.
The referee raised a flag. "Gyarados is unable to battle!"
Ash's heart sank. He took a moment—then silently raised his Poké Ball.
"You were amazing. Rest easy, buddy."
He returned Gyarados, his hand lingering on the ball.
Giovanni said nothing. He simply returned his Tyranitar to its ball and let the moment hang.
Three rounds down.
Ash exhaled slowly, then reached for another Poké Ball.
"Alright… you want my best?"
He stepped forward, eyes fierce.
"Then I'll give you everything I've got."
Battle Continues...
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Yo! Hi my bad luck when I want to restart posting my fic my data pack expired and it took few days to recharge once again.
Ok some people will have doubts about the actual levels of ash's Pokemon's I will post it after ash vs Giovanni fight this is going to be three chapter fight so that's it.
Bye have a nice day🤗