Pokemon system: strongest champion

Route 1 is the only way from Pallet Town to Viridian City. If Pallet Town is known as the "beginning of dreams" for rookie Trainers setting out on their journey, then Route 1 is the natural "extension of those dreams."

Route 1 is home to small Pokémon like Rattata, Pidgey, and Spearow. Among them, Rattata is the most notorious for trying to steal food from careless rookie Trainers.

Before arriving on Route 1, Mason had added the Sturdy Ability to the Giant Onix he encountered at Miacha Mountain. In Mason's view, Onix didn't need speed, so stacking an Ability like Weak Armor, which boosts speed at the cost of defense, was unnecessary and potentially harmful.

(Sturdy: One-hit KO moves are ineffective. If a Pokémon with this Ability is at full HP and takes fatal damage, it will survive with 1 HP.)

It was during this process that Mason discovered Pokémon could only have two Abilities stacked at once, although they could be replaced. Whether more could be added in the future as a Pokémon grew stronger was still unknown.

But Mason wasn't bothered. In his eyes, the Ability stacking system was only a tool to support a Trainer's journey—it was never meant to replace genuine experience and growth. Strength, to Mason, was a treasure earned over time and remembered with pride.

As Mason walked down the dirt road, a Rattata quietly hid in a nearby bush, its tiny eyes fixed on the backpack slung over Mason's shoulder. It was clearly targeting the food inside.

What Rattata didn't know was that the Trainer it was targeting was no ordinary rookie.

Sensing Mason's presence, and perhaps his powerful aura, the Rattata wisely chose to flee before it was noticed.

"Come out, Charmander," Mason said calmly as he tossed a Poké Ball into the air.

In a flash of red light, Charmander appeared, eyes burning with excitement. Mason pointed toward a Spearow rummaging for food a short distance away.

"Defeat that Spearow. This is your first mission."

Charmander confidently pounded his chest and strode forward with no sign of hesitation.

Mason pulled out his scarlet Pokédex—an advanced model developed in collaboration with Professor Oak. It was far more versatile than standard versions, containing data from various regions. It could remotely transfer Poké Balls, analyze Pokémon data in detail, and even function as a phone and camera.

Why so many features? In Mason's words, "The best is never good enough. There's always room for better."

Scanning Charmander, Mason saw the moves it currently had: Scratch, Ember, Smokescreen, Dragon Breath, Flamethrower, and Outrage.

(As expected from a battle-hardened Charmander—nearly all offensive moves, with only Smokescreen serving as a tactical tool.)

Mason was satisfied. Charmander had far surpassed the average at birth, and its rapid progress since then only confirmed Mason's belief in its potential.

Charmander took his time approaching Spearow, exuding a cocky swagger.

Spearow locked eyes with Charmander, hostile and unafraid. Wild Pokémon often viewed human-raised Pokémon as enemies—especially aggressive species like Spearow.

As soon as Charmander entered its range, Spearow launched itself forward, aiming a sharp beak attack at Charmander's chest.

Charmander smirked and deliberately mimicked the way a Beedrill had once defeated him. Spearow, enraged at being mocked, charged faster in a blind fury.

Mason didn't even speak—Charmander knew what to do.

With flames roaring in his throat, Charmander launched a powerful Flamethrower straight at the incoming Spearow. The attack struck cleanly, charring the bird mid-flight. It hit the ground with a thud, releasing a strange fragrance as smoke rose from its feathers.

(Looks like standard feeding methods won't work for this one, Mason thought.)

He didn't stop Charmander from sniffing the defeated Spearow. Mason believed a Pokémon's wild instincts could help unlock hidden strength. Worst case, he'd mix some imitation meat into Charmander's feed to satisfy the craving.

Charmander ran back, eyes glowing with anticipation, clearly waiting for praise.

Mason smiled and gently stroked his partner's head. A little encouragement went a long way—especially for a young Pokémon like Charmander.

Spearow didn't interest Mason as a potential catch. While he could stack the 'Sniper' Ability to boost its offensive power, it still wouldn't compare to a Pidgeot, which had the bonus of Mega Evolution. Mason had his sights set on a talented Pidgey.

He walked past the unconscious Spearow without a second glance. Wild Pokémon could usually recover from non-fatal injuries. Only the ones raised by humans gradually lost this natural healing ability over time due to reliance on medical treatment.

Charmander continued to defeat wild Pokémon along the route. But despite his growing dominance, no wild Pokémon dared to challenge them together. They could feel the pressure Mason emitted—an intimidating aura that even wild instincts couldn't ignore.

With no more challengers, Charmander sighed. He was clearly enjoying the rush of overwhelming his opponents and missed the thrill.

It was no surprise.

Back at the Alliance's official breeding facility, Charmander had always stood out among the starter trio. But his loss to Beedrill had left a mark. Since then, he had toned down his arrogant attitude and replaced it with a more focused determination.

That defeat, in hindsight, helped Charmander grow.

Just as Mason was about to return Charmander to his Poké Ball and look for a better place to find Pidgey, a Spearow shot past them at high speed, clutching a piece of bread and wearing a look of absolute terror.

Then came a golden blur.

With a sharp whoosh, a gleaming golden figure flew by. Mason's keen eyes instantly locked on the source—it was a shiny golden Pidgey.

"Looks to be around a meter tall?" Mason estimated.

If it weren't for the lack of three long feathers atop its head, Mason might've mistaken it for a golden Pidgeotto. Its size rivaled that of its evolved form, and its fierce aura set it apart from the usual docile Pidgeys.

The golden Pidgey looked like a predator—cold, calculating, and terrifying. Even its natural enemy, Spearow, was paralyzed with fear.

"Looks like it's playing with Spearow," Mason muttered. The golden Pidgey's speed was so far beyond Spearow's that it had no reason to trail behind unless it was toying with it.

After a few minutes of chasing its prey, the golden Pidgey seemed to lose interest. With a sudden burst of speed, it overtook Spearow, then turned mid-air and slammed it into the ground with a devastating Aerial Ace.

"You've mastered Aerial Ace already? Impressive. Looks like you'll be joining the team."

Mason had already decided—this golden Pidgey would be his.

But the golden Pidgey wasn't interested. It grabbed the bread, kicked the groaning Spearow aside, and started flying away, ignoring Mason and Charmander completely.

Charmander, however, wasn't about to let such a worthy rival get away.

She launched a surprise Flamethrower, stopping the golden Pidgey mid-flight.

Now it noticed them.

"Pidgey, battle my Charmander," Mason said. "If you lose, you'll become mine."

The golden Pidgey tilted its head, then nodded casually. So many rookie Trainers had said the same thing before. It didn't take Charmander seriously.

But the sun was high overhead, enhancing Charmander's Solar Power Ability. Her body shimmered with fiery energy.

"Flamethrower," Mason commanded.

A stream of blazing fire shot toward Pidgey, who panicked and barely dodged. Still, its right wing was scorched—this was no ordinary flame.

The golden Pidgey realized too late that Charmander wasn't like any opponent it had faced.

"Keep sweeping with Flamethrower," Mason ordered. The sun's blessing came with a cost—Charmander's energy drained with each round. This wouldn't be a long battle.

Pidgey used Agility to dodge and struck with Tackle, not at Charmander, but at nearby branches. It was trying to outsmart its opponent, not overpower it.

"Smart reaction," Mason noted.

Using Hurricane, Pidgey whipped up debris from the trees. The flurry of branches forced Charmander to defend, leaving her vulnerable. Pidgey struck with a quick Aerial Ace.

The hit triggered Outrage. Charmander's eyes turned crimson, and she went berserk, flames erupting from her body and locking onto Pidgey with furious intensity.

Startled by the transformation, Pidgey tried to retreat, but it was too late.

"Calm down. Use Dragon Breath to finish it," Mason said, using the waves to stabilize Charmander's condition.

Charmander snapped out of her rage just enough to follow the command.

A burst of draconic energy struck Pidgey, sending it crashing to the ground.

Mason threw a Poké Ball he'd prepared in advance.

The ball struck the fallen Pidgey, pulled it in with a flash of red light—and didn't shake even once.

The capture was perfect.

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