Chapter 222: Appreciation by Giovanni
The entire Viridian Gym was silent for a moment, then erupted into cheers and gasps.
With a single, devastating Hydro Pump, Ash's Blastoise had overwhelmed Giovanni's Rhydon, sending it crashing into the cracked battlefield wall.
The massive Rock/Ground Pokémon slid lifelessly to the floor, its breathing shallow, eyes completely shut.
It was over.
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The First Victory
The referee, still a bit taken aback, raised his hand and loudly declared,
"Rhydon is unable to battle—Blastoise wins!"
A mixture of shock and admiration spread through the audience.
Although Blastoise had a clear type advantage, nobody expected Rhydon, Giovanni's Pokémon, to be defeated so decisively.
The Viridian City Gym Leader was no ordinary Trainer—he was one of the strongest in Kanto. He had fought countless battles and had strategies to counter most Pokémon.
And yet… Ash had managed to overpower him completely.
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Giovanni's Reaction
Without a hint of frustration, Giovanni calmly withdrew Rhydon into its Poké Ball.
As he placed it back on his belt, a faint smirk curved his lips.
"I'm becoming more and more impressed by you, Ash..."
His dark eyes gleamed with intrigue as he studied the young Trainer before him.
Although this was only a single battle, Giovanni had seen enough to recognize Ash's true potential.
He had keen observation skills, sharp decision-making abilities, and the power to raise incredibly strong Pokémon.
If trained properly, Ash wouldn't just be a great Trainer—he could become a true powerhouse.
A talent like this...
If Ash were to join Team Rocket, he wouldn't just be another grunt.
He could become one of the Four Generals. No—perhaps even surpass them.
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Ash's Cold Response
Ash, however, remained completely unfazed by Giovanni's words.
His calm demeanor didn't come from arrogance—it was a quiet confidence, an understanding of his own strength.
His silence only made Giovanni admire him more.
"This kid..." Giovanni thought, his smirk widening slightly. "The more I see, the more I want him on my side."
He clenched his next Poké Ball.
"I can't let this be a one-sided battle."
If he wanted to recruit Ash, he needed to show him real strength.
And so, with a flick of his wrist, he threw out his next Pokémon.
"Nidoqueen, I leave this to you!"
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Nidoqueen Enters the Battle
A burst of white light erupted from the Poké Ball, revealing Giovanni's second Pokémon—Nidoqueen!
The large, blue-scaled Pokémon stood firm, her sharp red eyes locking onto Blastoise.
Unlike Rhydon, Nidoqueen was smaller—about 1.3 meters tall—but her body was covered in hard protective scales, and her muscular limbs and thick tail showed her immense power.
From her forehead to her back, a row of small, venomous horns protruded, gleaming under the gym lights.
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Pokédex Entry: Nidoqueen
Type: Poison/Ground
Category: Drill Pokémon
Abilities: Poison Point (Chance to poison opponents on contact) or Rivalry (Boosts power against same-gender opponents)
Hidden Ability: Sheer Force (Boosts attack power but removes secondary effects)
Strength Level: Elite
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A More Versatile Opponent
While Blastoise still had a type advantage, Nidoqueen wasn't as vulnerable as Rhydon.
Unlike Rhydon, which took quadruple damage from Water-type attacks, Nidoqueen's Poison typing reduced the Water weakness to only double damage.
More importantly, Nidoqueen was much more versatile than Rhydon.
It could learn a wide variety of moves, including Poison, Ground, Fighting, and Ice-type attacks, making it a challenging opponent.
"This battle," Ash thought, "won't be as easy."
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Giovanni's Strategy
Giovanni raised his hand.
"Nidoqueen—close the distance!"
Unlike Rhydon, which focused on brute strength, Nidoqueen was faster and more tactical.
She immediately lunged forward, her powerful legs kicking off the ground, closing the gap between herself and Blastoise in an instant.
Ash's eyes narrowed.
"So that's his plan…"
Unlike Rhydon, Nidoqueen didn't rely on long-range moves.
Since this particular Nidoqueen hadn't been trained for ranged combat, Giovanni focused on close-quarters combat instead.
If she could get in close, she could use her powerful physical moves to wear Blastoise down.
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Ash's Quick Response
Ash acted immediately.
"Blastoise, use Aqua Jet—fall back!"
Blastoise tilted its cannons downward and blasted high-pressure water from its back, propelling itself backward at incredible speed.
Nidoqueen's first strike missed—she lunged forward but landed on empty ground, her eyes flashing in surprise.
The crowd murmured in awe.
"Did you see that?! He used Aqua Jet to retreat instead of attack!"
"Incredible! Ash is thinking several steps ahead!"
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The Next Move?
Giovanni, however, wasn't fazed.
He smirked at Ash.
"Not bad," he admitted. "But let's see how long you can run."
He snapped his fingers.
"Nidoqueen—Earth Power!"
Nidoqueen roared, slamming her fists into the ground.
The battlefield trembled, and suddenly, massive cracks split open beneath Blastoise.
A fiery golden energy surged from beneath the arena, exploding upward toward Blastoise!
Ash's eyes widened—he knew this attack could deal massive damage.
Would Blastoise be able to evade in time?
Or would this be the turning point of the battle?