Gabite's body radiated with the sacred glow of evolution, shining brilliantly across the surrounding landscape.
His form began to shift and grow at a pace visible to the naked eye.
From a stubby-headed Gible, his body elongated, limbs thickened, and he transformed into Gabite—fully evolved and fierce.
"Gabite! Congratulations on evolving, you little rascal—haha!" Ash burst out laughing, unable to contain his joy.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu joined in with cheerful applause.
Gabite let out a loud cry of delight and excitedly dashed toward Ash, wanting to leap onto his shoulder like he always did.
But… he'd just evolved.
Mid-charge, Gabite abruptly realized the problem—he was way too big now. He awkwardly froze in place.
Ash chuckled, gave the dragon a playful punch on the shoulder, and teased, "What, you really thought you could still hop on my shoulder after evolving?"
Gabite scratched his head, giving a sheepish smile.
Now was the perfect time to use a Trait Activation Card.
Ash decided to use it on Gabite and Pikachu for now. As for his other Pokémon, some traits weren't exactly useful...
For example, berry-related traits didn't offer much value. And for a powerhouse like Charizard, "Solar Power" wasn't worth the constant HP drain—Ash could easily swap strategies or moves to cover any offensive needs.
"Use Trait Activation Card—target: Gabite!"
Ding! [Congratulations, Host. Trait Activation Card successfully used. Gabite's secondary ability 'Rough Skin' has been activated!]
Ash still had Attribute Enhancement and Potential Boost cards to spare.
"Let's give the Potential Boost Card to Gabite too!"
Ding! [Congratulations, Host. Potential Boost Card used. Gabite's potential has increased to Gold-grade!]
And the Attribute Enhancement Card? Definitely for Gabite too. Ash decided to boost his Dragon-type energy.
This guy would be a regular in Ash's future battles. After all, Garchomp was seriously cool.
Ding! [Congratulations, Host. Attribute Enhancement Card used. Target attribute: Dragon-type. Gabite's Dragon-type energy has been enhanced!]
Perfect. Absolutely thrilling!
Ash turned back to Gabite. "Alright, buddy... you're gonna feel a little pain now."
The energy boost would put a strain on the body. Gabite quickly sensed the explosive surge of Dragon-type power building inside him.
Instinctively, he growled and unleashed Dragon Claw—both claws lit up with crackling energy.
CRACK—!
He plunged both claws deep into the earth.
"Gaaaahhh!!"
The ground splintered open in jagged lines beneath him.
Gabite's fins—those signature bladed crests belonging to the Garchomp line—gleamed menacingly.
These weren't just for show. Like Sceptile's Leaf Blade, they were weapons—razor sharp and deadly.
Gabite now had them on his arms, back, and tail, all shimmering with enhanced Dragon energy.
"Hang in there, Gabite. It'll be worth it," Ash encouraged softly, heart aching a little for the struggling Pokémon.
But Gabite understood. Even though he occasionally let out a muffled grunt of pain, he stood firm.
Minutes passed. Finally, the oppressive tension melted away.
Gabite's aura exploded upward—his presence now felt like a level 40 Pokémon!
Ash used his Eye of Insight:
...
[Pokémon]: Gabite
[Species]: Cave Pokémon
[Type]: Dragon, Ground
[Ability]: Sand Veil
[Hidden Ability]: Rough Skin (Activated)
[Potential]: Gold
[Level]: 29
[Moves]: Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Rage, Sandstorm, Take Down, Sand Tomb, Slash, Brick Break, Dragon Claw, Dual Chop, Dig, Roar, Hyper Voice, Outrage, Dragon Breath, Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor, Hyper Beam, Giga Impact…
...
Ash stared at the data and sucked in a sharp breath.
This guy was just level 29, yet with Gold potential and a boosted Dragon-type core, Gabite had already learned several high-tier techniques—even ones normally reserved for fully evolved Garchomp.
Moves like Outrage, Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse, and Giga Impact…
Plus, practical utility moves like Roar and Hyper Voice.
Roar was the ultimate flex move—don't like your opponent's Pokémon? Just bellow at them, and poof—they get forcibly recalled to their Poké Ball.
Ash then used another Trait Activation Card—this time on Pikachu.
Pikachu now had two traits: Static and—newly unlocked—Lightning Rod!
As for the rare Trait Awakening Card, Ash had only one left and chose to save it for now.
Meanwhile, Ash returned to join Anabel and Dawn with his newly evolved Gabite.
Dawn had made major progress with Togekiss.
She'd figured out how to work with Togekiss's elegant movements. The Pokémon had a habit of spinning twice in mid-air before using a move—something that had thrown off their training earlier.
But now, with Anabel's help as a sparring partner, Dawn turned those spins into graceful dodges.
In a Contest Battle, especially during the appeal stage, dodging with style could earn tons of points. What was once a liability had become a dazzling asset.
"All right! Gabite's evolved, and Dawn and Togekiss have mastered their coordination. Let's move on. The Lakeside Resort is just over that ridge," Ash said, pointing to the hill in front of them.
"Awesome! I already got messages from Zoey and Kenny—they're almost there too! This time, I'm going all out with my team! I will become a Top Coordinator! No doubts!" Dawn declared, brimming with determination.
Ash and Anabel exchanged a warm smile—no words were needed.
Everyone was ready. Let the celebration—and the battle for glory—begin.
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T/N:
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