Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [100]

It’s time.

August made his judgment.

On the battlefield, Marshtomp had taken quite a bit of damage in its battle against Onix.

As its stamina dropped, its [Torrent] ability activated, sending a surge of water-type energy flowing through its body.

But Onix wasn’t letting up—it swung its massive tail in a wide arc, aiming to strike Marshtomp!

Marshtomp leaped into the air, dodging the attack.

Seizing the brief moment before Onix could launch another move, August gave his command:

"Now, Marshtomp—use [Water Pulse]!"

Rather than opting for [Surf], which required charge time, August went straight for [Water Pulse].

Onix reacted quickly.

It had already faced multiple [Water Pulse] attacks in this battle, so it knew how to handle them.

With a powerful swing of its thick tail, Onix sent two large rocks hurtling toward Marshtomp, aiming to block the attack’s trajectory.

Based on previous experience, those stones should have been enough to deflect [Water Pulse]—and the resulting debris would have even created a counterattack opportunity.

But this time, something was different.

The amount of water surging from Marshtomp’s mouth was far greater than before.

"Not good… It’s [Torrent]! Onix, dodge!"

Brock reacted fast.

He hadn’t accounted for Marshtomp’s ability at first, but now that he saw its state, he immediately realized—August’s Marshtomp had [Torrent]!

Onix instinctively tried to retreat underground.

But with its massive body, dodging Marshtomp’s sudden, enhanced attack was nearly impossible.

The amplified [Water Pulse] shattered the incoming rocks with ease, surging forward and striking Onix directly.

At that moment, Onix had only managed to burrow halfway underground.

The powerful, pulsating blast of water slammed into it, sending shockwaves through its massive frame.

Onix roared in pain, its entire body trembling from the impact. Even the battlefield itself shook from the force.

"Onix!" Brock shouted, his face tense.

If Onix went down, the Gym evaluation would be over!

On the sidelines, Ash watched in confusion.

Even while still holding the book "Type Matchups & Weather Mechanics Explained—A Guide Even a Fool Can Master in Three Days," he couldn’t help but ask Gary, "What’s [Torrent]? Is it a move?"

Gary groaned and facepalmed.

Digging through his bag again, he pulled out another book:

"50 Common Pokémon Abilities—A Guide to Not Being a Battle Noob."

Without a word, he tossed it at Ash.

Ash looked down at the two books in his hands and suddenly lost the will to argue with Gary.

Left hand: Battle Guide for Fools.
Right hand: Noob Trainer Survival Manual.

Ash’s confidence took a serious hit.

Wait… Am I actually weak?

He turned to Pikachu, eyes full of hope.

"Pikachu… I’m not weak, right?"

Pikachu thought for a moment.

Then, without hesitation, it nodded. "Pika-pi!"

…

Onix had lost the battle—there was no doubt about it.

It had already taken considerable damage earlier, and now, with [Torrent]-boosted [Water Pulse] hitting its exposed body, it was left half-stuck underground, unable to move.

Marshtomp wasted no time following up with [Surf], finishing the fight.

Even though Brock’s Onix was high-leveled, its endurance had always been its weak point. Taking two super-effective Water-type moves back-to-back, it finally collapsed.

Brock retrieved Onix, his expression heavy with disappointment.

He had used everything he had—yet he still couldn’t defeat August’s Marshtomp.

My Gym Leader qualification… is probably going to be revoked.

Brock couldn’t help but feel pessimistic.

The League had placed extra scrutiny on this Gym evaluation. He had lost three matches in a row to a single Pokémon—no matter how he looked at it, there was no way he was passing.

If I lose my position as a Gym Leader… how will I support my siblings?

The thought alone made his head hurt.

But then—

"Congratulations, Brock! You passed the evaluation!"

"...Huh?"

Brock’s eyes widened in shock.

He had just lost three battles in a row. How could he have passed?

Misty had told him that her sisters lost three matches and were disqualified—was August bending the rules for him?

"If that’s the case… I can’t accept it. That would just cause trouble for you."

Brock wanted to keep his Gym, but a loss was a loss. He didn’t want to put August in a difficult position.

"...What are you talking about?" August looked puzzled.

Then, realization struck.

"Wait, don’t tell me you think I’m rigging the results for you?" August’s expression turned speechless.

"Uh… aren’t you?" Brock hesitated.

"Of course not."

August scoffed.

Him? Cheating?

He was practically the conscience of the Pokémon League.

"But… then why was Cerulean Gym disqualified?"

"Because Cerulean Gym was an absolute joke," August said bluntly.

"Back then, my Marshtomp hadn’t even evolved yet. Their Pokémon were all Water-types, and they still lost three times in a row. You, on the other hand, managed to put up a serious fight despite the type disadvantage. That alone makes a huge difference."

At the mention of Cerulean Gym, August’s face was filled with second-hand embarrassment.

If the Cerulean Sisters had even half of Brock’s dedication, he wouldn’t have needed to issue a restructuring notice for their Gym.

"This evaluation isn’t just about winning or losing—it’s about fixing Kanto’s Gym system."

"Pewter Gym may not be the strongest in Kanto, but when it comes to dedication, it’s one of the top."

"Besides, even putting today’s battle aside, your efforts in assisting Officer Jenny with Team Rocket arrests in Mt. Moon alone would’ve been enough for me to pass you."

August patted Brock on the shoulder.

Of all the Gym Leaders in Kanto, no one was as dedicated as Brock.

If Brock didn’t pass, August genuinely didn’t know who else could.

Brock’s emotions swung wildly between despair and relief.

"So… I really passed?"

"Of course!"

The Pewter Gym was safe.

Brock exhaled, finally feeling the weight lift from his shoulders. Then, he looked at August seriously.

"Thank you, August."

"It’s nothing. It’s all for the League," August replied with a smile.

Nearby, Blue—who had just finished putting away the recording equipment—overheard their conversation and twitched slightly.

August always insisted that he wasn’t some paragon of justice for the League, but after watching him today…

Who would believe that?

---

This is a fan translation of 人在实教，一之濑你会后悔的 by 作者：白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!