Pokemon:I'm redThe strongest champion

Charmeleon's Steel Tail struck directly, dealing almost double the damage to the Ground/Rock-type Armored Rhino. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield. The Armored Rhino staggered, barely able to stand.

If not for its high defensive and special defensive stats, it would have collapsed immediately.

"Iron Rhino, are you okay?" Yancheng called out, his voice laced with worry.

"Moo!"

The Armored Rhino let out a low growl, pretending to be fine, but its trembling body betrayed the truth. One more hit, and the battle would be over.

Chihong noticed the Rhino's condition and smirked. "Charmeleon, finish this!"

Charmeleon roared, flames flickering from its tail as it prepared to unleash its final attack.

Just then, Yancheng's voice rang out.

"Stop! I surrender!"

The battlefield fell silent.

"Oh?" Chihong raised an eyebrow but wasn't surprised. He would have done the same. There was no point in prolonging a battle that was already decided.

Shirono, the temporary referee, stepped forward. "Since Yancheng has surrendered, the winner of this match is Chihong!"

As soon as the battle ended, Chihong's system panel popped up.

---

Ding! Congratulations, host!

Defeated the Poison-type Pokémon Nidoran♂. Unlocked a new achievement! Reward: 1 Poison-type Energy Cube.

Defeated a student from the Elf Research Academy. Unlocked a new achievement! Reward: Mysterious Water Drop x1.

Defeated Squirtle. Earned 60 points.

Defeated Nidoran♂. Earned 50 points.

Defeated Armored Rhino. Earned 130 points.

---

Chihong smirked. Not bad.

Not only did he earn 240 points, but he also unlocked two achievements. While the rewards weren't extremely rare, free items were always welcome.

"Wow! That was amazing!" Ash jumped up excitedly. "Crimson from Pallet Town is really strong!"

Misty scoffed. "Of course. Compared to you, anyone would look strong. After all, someone's Badges—"

"Damn it, Misty! Can you stop bringing that up?!" Ash fumed.

"Well, you did struggle to win them..." Misty teased.

"Ugh!"

Brock sighed, used to their bickering. Instead of interfering, he turned to Chihong and walked over.

"Hey, uh… my name is Brock. I'm a traveling Pokémon Breeder. Can I ask you something?"

Chihong nodded. "Of course. And no need for formalities. Just call me Chihong."

Brock looked surprised. "Wait… do you know me?"

"Well, I do now," Chihong said with a grin.

Brock hesitated. "Uh… what?"

Chihong chuckled. "I'm joking. This is actually the first time we've met. But I've heard about you—from Gym Leader Flint."

Brock's eyes widened. "My dad?"

"Yeah," Chihong nodded. "That's how I knew about you."

Just as Brock was about to continue the conversation, Yancheng approached them with a grim expression. His head was lowered as he held out a Poké Ball.

"Here," he muttered. "This is the bet."

He tossed the Poké Ball toward Chihong, then turned and ran off toward the Pokémon Research Academy without another word.

Chihong caught the Poké Ball easily, unfazed. He didn't care about Yancheng's mood. A bet was a bet—if you lost, you had to honor it.

Brock frowned. "Wait… what was that about?"

Chihong shrugged. "Just a small bet."

Brock studied him for a moment but didn't push the matter. However, he had a feeling that Yancheng wasn't the one who initiated the bet—it was probably forced on him by someone else.

---

After the Battle

The group decided to take a break after the intense match. They sat down under a tree, discussing strategies and sharing experiences.

"So, what's your next move?" Brock asked Chihong.

Chihong looked thoughtful. "I'm heading to the next Gym. I want to challenge as many as possible before the League."

Ash's eyes lit up. "Same here! Let's have a rematch sometime!"

Chihong smirked. "Sure. Just don't lose too quickly."

Ash grumbled, but Misty laughed. "Yeah, try not to get crushed this time, Ash."

As they chatted, Robert walked up to them, looking excited.

"That battle was incredible!" Robert exclaimed. "I've never seen anyone handle an Armored Rhino like that!"

Chihong raised an eyebrow. "You must be Robert."

Robert nodded. "Yeah. I'm training to become a great Pokémon Trainer. Watching your battle inspired me!"

Chihong smiled. "That's good to hear. A real Trainer never stops learning."

Robert hesitated. "Actually… would you battle me?"

Chihong considered for a moment, then nodded. "Sure. But be ready—I won't go easy on you."

Robert grinned. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

---

The Challenge Begins

As they prepared for the battle, the sun began to set, casting an orange glow over the field.

Robert threw out a Poké Ball. "Go, Growlithe!"

Chihong smirked. "Alright, let's see what you've got."

With their Pokémon ready, the next battle was about to begin.

---

Final Thoughts

With the previous battle won, Chihong had secured another strong Pokémon and earned valuable rewards. However, his journey was far from over.

With new challenges ahead and rivals eager to test their skills, the road to becoming a Pokémon Master was only beginning.

And Chihong was ready for it.

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