Chapter 46: Wallace: I'm Fighting Rayquaza? Me?

"Wallace that guy told me yesterday he was planning to go to Mauville City to see Ash, so he must have run into him by now, right?"

"Since I got brutally beaten, as my good brother and best friend, Wallace, you naturally have to experience what it feels like to be utterly crushed by a legendary Pokémon!"

Thinking this, Steven suddenly broke into a cheerful smile!

He swung his pickaxe with even greater vigor at his mining work. If he ended up falling into the hands of some ruthless capitalist, this Steven kid would definitely be a top-tier miner!

Not dwelling on Steven, who preferred being a laborer to a rich heir, Ash and Wallace had arrived at an open area, preparing for a sparring match!

"As a Champion, I suppose I still have the qualification to offer you some guidance. As an outstanding trainer, you must always stay calm during battles!"

"Even when facing an unbeatable opponent, you must have the courage to fight!"

"Of course, that bastard Steven has definitely told you all this already, so I won't nag!"

Hearing Wallace's words, the corners of Ash's mouth twitched slightly as he suppressed a smile!

Although Wallace meant well, once Rayquaza appeared shortly, he wondered if Wallace could still remain so composed.

"Mr. Champion, I hope you practice what you preach and remember to stay calm and have the courage to fight!"

Then, as Wallace tossed his Pokéball, a sleek, pristine, and slender Milotic made its grand entrance!

This Milotic was clearly Wallace's ace Pokémon!

"Ding-dong, Milotic's current stats are as follows:"

Pokémon: Milotic
Level: 83
Ability: Cute Charm
Type: Water
Potential: Gold
Bond Evolution: Locked
Mega Evolution: Locked
Moves: Water Pulse, Charm, Recover, Hydro Pump, Dragon Pulse, Hyper Beam...

At level 83, it also reached the Master tier, only two levels lower than Steven's Metagross, though its potential was only Gold!

Since Milotic's Mega Evolution form had not yet been discovered, in any future battles between Wallace and Steven, Steven would definitely have the upper hand!

Furthermore, there was a vast gap in potential between the two.

Thinking of this, Ash instinctively reached for the Luxury Ball containing his own Milotic!

Since they were both Milotics, it was time to let his Milotic witness what a truly powerful member of the same species looked like!

It would also give his Milotic the courage to keep climbing higher and establish a formidable goal to chase!

Come to think of it, Cynthia seemed to have a Milotic as well. Among all these powerhouses, Milotics seemed to appear quite frequently, didn't they?

"Oh? You actually have a Milotic too? Good eye. For that alone, I approve of you, Ash. You have great taste!"

With that, Wallace declared, "You make the first move. Let me see the bond between you and your Milotic!"

Seeing Wallace being courteous, Ash certainly wasn't going to miss this opportunity!

"Milotic, the opponent is extremely strong—just as powerful as the Steven we encountered before. The only reason I chose you for this match is because the opponent is also a Milotic. Go, use Water Pulse at full power!"

After receiving Ash's command, although Milotic was shocked by the sheer power of the opposing counterpart, having faced the dragon might of Rayquaza in the system space every day, it felt no fear at all!

The next moment, a thick column of water, resembling a high-pressure hydro cannon, shot out instantly and surged directly toward Wallace's Milotic!

"Decent attack power. Daring to strike an opponent far stronger than yourself proves you are an outstanding trainer. You truly live up to the praise Steven gave you!"

Right after he finished speaking, Wallace's Milotic didn't budge at all, simply relying on its physical defense to block Ash's Milotic's attack!

"Milotic, my sweet, let them witness our strength. Use Hydro Pump!"

As Wallace's command fell, his Milotic let out a soft cry, instantly unleashing a formidable wave of Water-type energy!

The crushing impact of the water instantly overwhelmed Ash's Milotic, securing an easy victory.

Recalling his Milotic, Ash softly murmured, "You worked hard, Milotic. Rest well!"

The reason he wanted to give Milotic some combat experience before Rayquaza appeared was, of course, because Ash understood social etiquette!

Wallace had traveled a long distance to deliver pseudo-legendary Pokémon and League rewards to Ash. If Ash immediately summoned Rayquaza to beat him up and crush him mercilessly, where would a Champion's dignity go?

How was Ash supposed to mix in the Hoenn League in the future?

In his battle with Steven, Ash had also taken advantage of Steven's goodwill. That Gold-potential Beldum alone was enough to put Ash in massive debt to Steven's favor!

If he hadn't let Steven win three rounds first, followed by Ash winning three rounds with Rayquaza, how could that guy have possibly given Ash the Beldum and fully acknowledged him?

If he had simply used Rayquaza to crush Steven from the very beginning, that guy would have been furious. Finding no outlet for his frustration, let alone giving Ash a reward, it would be a miracle if he didn't hold a grudge!

Therefore, the same applied to Wallace: let him feel proud first, for as a Champion, he naturally had the capital to be proud!

Then, by bringing out Rayquaza to crush him, Wallace's expression would undoubtedly be very entertaining. Moreover, since he had won one round previously, he wouldn't hold a genuine grievance against Ash after losing to Rayquaza.

He would only feel that his earlier behavior had been somewhat clownish!

"Would you still like to spar? If you want to quit while you're ahead, that's fine too!"

Hearing Wallace's words, Ash smiled and said, "It's fine. Taking this opportunity, I can learn a thing or two from you, Mr. Champion. However, for the next Pokémon, I hope you'll go all out!"

Hearing Ash say this, Wallace inexplicably felt a slight sense of unease!

Why did it feel like the roles and status between the two of them had suddenly been swapped?

Clearly, Ash was just a trainer who had debuted less than three months ago, right?

"Having a Quasi-Surely-Elite-tier Pokémon is already amazing. Surely this kid can't actually go toe-to-toe with Steven, can he?"

Shaking his head to banish the chaotic thoughts from his mind, Wallace watched as Ash unclipped a Master Ball from his neck!

Wallace: "???"

"Is this seriously not the Master Ball I just gave him?"

With a hint of disbelief, he watched as Ash forcefully threw the Master Ball forward. The next moment, a massive green dragon manifested instantly!

When Rayquaza appeared before Wallace and Milotic, it suddenly let out a deafening roar that shook the heavens!

Even the citizens within Mauville City could hear the massive dragon's cry!

At that moment, Wallace's expression changed instantly. Even as a top Coordinator, he completely lost control of his facial expressions!

"No wait, you call this a rookie trainer? A beginner who debuted three months ago?"

"What the hell? That bastard Steven didn't tell me this kid had a legendary Pokémon like Rayquaza!"

Wallace: "What the hell? Am I actually supposed to fight Rayquaza?!"