After all, Gym Leaders are primarily tasked with assessing Trainers, not defeating them. As long as a Trainer demonstrates the requisite skill and meets the league participation standards, the Gym Leader will award them a badge.
If seasoned Trainers were to battle against a Gym Leader at full strength, even a Trainer with two years of travel might not withstand the Gym Leader's full power.
Except for a few Gym Leaders, most Gym Leaders' primary Pokemon are at least at a Professional Level, and reaching this level within two years is not simple and requires some Talent.
Ash, for example, can only be described as an anomaly among anomalies. There's no comparison.
Therefore, even for seasoned Trainers, challenging a Gym is not about confronting the Gym Leader's main strength but rather demonstrating a level of strength that earns their recognition.
If transportation allows, a month and a half is enough time for them to collect eight badges in Kanto. This year's Quartz Conference is unprecedentedly lively.
Compared to seasoned Trainers who collect badges with ease, Trainers with less than a year of travel experience find it extremely challenging to acquire eight badges.
A year's time is barely sufficient for ordinary Trainers to train a cohesive team of Pokemon, putting them at a significant disadvantage in battles against Gyms with diverse attributes. Moreover, their Pokemon levels can't keep up.
For Trainers of this level, obtaining a badge requires at least several months, even accounting for travel time.
In this context, two anomalies emerged in the league.
Among the competitors, there are two Trainers who haven't even traveled for six months but have already obtained eight badges. Both are from Pallet Town, and one of them even has a record of battling and winning against an Elite.
Though there have been losses, they were close matches.
Those two, needless to say, are Ash and Gary.
This year, Kanto is bustling.
...
In Ash's home—
Ash and his group are happily feasting at the table. Pikachu and Togepi are also eagerly eating on the table. Unknowingly, a month and a half has passed, and there are less than three days until the start of the Quartz Conference.
After this meal, Ash and his friends need to pack up and prepare to head to the Quartz Plateau.
The Quartz Plateau isn't far from Pallet Town; even on foot, it wouldn't take half a day. After the competition, Ash can even return to Pallet Town for meals and rest.
However, as the preliminary rounds are consecutive, Ash doesn't plan to return before the main event. Running back and forth is too bothersome, so Ash will soon be packing his clothes and gear.
At this moment, the news anchor on the TV is still broadcasting the latest hot topics.
"Lance, one of the Elite Four of Kanto, successfully destroyed the fifteenth Team Rocket base in Kanto today!"
"Team Rocket's decline! A bright future for Kanto!"
"This year's Quartz Conference will be fiercely contested, with hundreds of Trainers participating, including those with two years of travel experience!"
"..."
Ash and his friends continue eating while listening to the relevant news on TV. Just as they finish lunch and put down their bowls and chopsticks, the female news anchor suddenly appears anxious and rapidly reads a breaking news report.
"Here's a breaking news report: In a mountainous area of the Kanto Region, two gigantic Pokemon have appeared! They are suspected to be in a Dynamax state from the Galar Region!"
"The two Pokemon are currently fighting each other, causing significant damage to the surrounding environment. The league is dispatching personnel urgently, but it will take about thirty minutes to arrive. Residents in the vicinity are urged to seek emergency shelter, and Trainers with capabilities are asked to help intervene."
As she finished speaking, a small screen appeared beside the TV host, showing a gigantic Gengar and a gigantic Alakazam fighting each other!
The punches and kicks from the two Pokemon are constantly shaking the surrounding mountains and trees. The forests under their feet have been devastated in the battle, and each attack they make leaves a peculiar stone where it lands.
If they continue unchecked, the entire area will be destroyed due to their battle.
The moment Ash saw the two Pokemon, his pupils contracted sharply, because the strange patterns on these two Pokemon were incredibly similar to the ones on Dragonite!
Rather than saying these two Pokemon are in a Dynamax state, it might be more accurate to say they are Ancient Pokemon!
"Ash, don't these two Pokemon resemble the Dragonite from Bill's Lighthouse…" Not only Ash, but Misty and Brock also noticed the connection with Bill's Lighthouse Dragonite as soon as they saw the two Pokemon.
Ash nodded, confirming their thoughts: "Let's go. We need to move. Regardless of their connection to Dragonite, we can't let them continue causing destruction. That place is right behind Pallet Town! If they continue fighting, they'll reach Pallet Town!"
Coincidentally, the place where the two Pokemon are fighting is just at the outskirts of Pallet Town. Ash is extremely familiar with the environment shown on the TV screen, having trained there for the past month and a half.
It just so happened that he was consolidating and planning for his Pokemon these past two days and didn't go to the mountain. And now this happens. Talk about coincidence?
"Wait, Ash, are you heading over there?" Seeing Ash about to move, Delia quickly stood up to hold Ash back and asked.
"Of course, Mom. Didn't the TV just say it? They need capable Trainers nearby to help stop them, and the league's reinforcements won't arrive for another half an hour. I definitely have to go help!"
Ash said matter-of-factly. Whether it's out of a sense of duty or principle, he has to go help, or it will be too late by the time those two make it to Pallet Town.
Delia was silent for a moment, then let go of Ash's shirt, her worried expression replaced by a smile: "Be careful, Ash. Don't do anything beyond your capabilities, okay?"
"Don't worry, don't worry. If worst comes to worst, we have Mewtwo. You know how powerful Mewtwo is, right?" Ash said as he waved to Misty and Brock, then ran out with Pikachu, with Misty hugging Togepi and Brock following closely.
Delia watched as Ash dashed out, her smile slowly faded, and concern etched between her brows.
Regarding Mewtwo's existence, Ash had explained it too, and Delia, though not a Trainer, could feel its mighty power. With Mewtwo, Ash's safety is somewhat assured.
But what mother wouldn't worry about her child? The two enormous beings wreaking havoc on TV were worrisome to watch!
Even though Ash's strength is reliable, can he really handle something like that monstrous?
If Mewtwo knew Delia's thoughts, she might find it amusing.
If the size of a Pokemon were the standard for power, then her size would make her a top-tier Pokemon in the industry.
From inside the Pokeball, Mewtwo could see the events outside, and the power of the battle between those two Pokemon was clear to her.
To put it bluntly, those two combined might be a nine-to-one comparison with her.
In a second, she could defeat them nine times over.
Merely big paper tigers, nothing more.
...
On the way to the back mountain, Misty was panting heavily behind Ash, continuously complaining: "Why does it take half an hour for the league's reinforcements when the TV crew is already there? Can Lance and the others really move slower than the media crew?"
With the speed of Lance's Dragonite, even over a thousand kilometers, he shouldn't take more than ten minutes. Could it be Lance isn't in Kanto?