169. A Gentleman Who Wants Face

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"Huh? Great! Happy to accompany you!"

Ash actually didn't want to battle him, because he knew the guy's character. In simple terms, he acted like a show-off, and his behavior was a mess.

Ash knew this person treated Pokémon like mere tools for communication, but that was his choice. Ash wasn't one to meddle. What made Ash really look down on him was how he handled himself during battles.

To avoid losing face in front of a crowd, this guy once interrupted a match when it wasn't going his way, showing complete disrespect for the game. That was something Ash could never tolerate.

Still, Ash never turned down a challenge. He didn't decline when the man approached him, but he had no intention of letting him off easy if he tried to disrupt the match again.

Ash walked over to where the previous boy stood. Noticing they were about to battle, the boy quickly hugged his Starmie and stepped aside, then returned it to its Poké Ball.

However, he didn't leave—he clearly wanted to watch the match.

Seeing the challenge accepted, the crowd buzzed with excitement again.

"Let's go, boy!" the gentleman said calmly, holding his cane and smiling.

"Come on, Charmander!" Instead of Pikachu, Ash sent out his Charmander.

The gentleman didn't mind. He had approached Ash because he saw Pikachu earlier, but it didn't matter to him which Pokémon Ash used.

"Go, Raticate! Use Quick Attack!"

The man looked like a gentleman, but his actions didn't match. As soon as Ash released Charmander, he commanded his Raticate to attack. Raticate charged forward, a silver light gleaming from its body.

"Charmander, use Smokescreen!"

Despite Raticate's impressive speed, Ash remained calm. Upon hearing the command, Charmander immediately exhaled thick black smoke, quickly enveloping the entire battlefield.

Raticate rushed into the smoke but missed its target. It stopped, scanning the area in confusion, trying to find Charmander.

The gentleman frowned, clearly frustrated. In the thick smoke, Raticate couldn't locate its opponent.

"Charmander, use Scratch!"

Ash saw his chance and gave the order. Hidden in the smoke, Charmander struck. His claws flashed white as he slashed at Raticate, sending it flying backward.

*Boom!*

Raticate hit the ground hard, tumbling a few times before struggling back to its feet. As the smoke cleared, both Pokémon came back into view.

"Raticate, get up! Use Super Fang!"

The gentleman, seeing his Raticate stand with difficulty, quickly called out. Raticate rushed forward again, its front teeth glowing scarlet as it charged toward Charmander.

"Charmander, use Ember!"

Ash saw Raticate approaching and commanded another move. Charmander puffed up its chest and unleashed a flurry of small flames. The Ember attack struck Raticate head-on like raindrops.

Raticate was pelted by the flames, its fur singed as the power of the attack forced it back.

Charmander's training at the Lighthouse had greatly strengthened its fire attacks. If it could handle the crashing waves, Raticate was no match.

"Ah! Raticate! Wait… wait a minute!" The gentleman sensed trouble and called out instinctively, but…

"Charmander, finish it off with Flamethrower!"

Ash, unfazed, ignored the plea and gave his final command. Charmander leapt into the air, the flame on its tail flaring up. Intense heat built in its mouth as it prepared to unleash the finishing blow.

**Boom!!!**

The Flamethrower, roaring like a fiery dragon, struck Raticate directly. The immense power sent Raticate skidding across the ground, its body quickly engulfed in flames.

As it tumbled, the rolling eventually extinguished the fire, but by then, Raticate's fur had been thoroughly scorched. It collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"Ah... how can this be?!" 

The gentleman was stunned by the sight, while his female companion gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief. Meanwhile, Charmander landed proudly, standing with its hands on its hips and head held high.

"Great job, Charmander!" Ash walked over to the battlefield, gently patting Charmander's smooth head. Charmander responded enthusiastically, letting out a joyful cry.

"Char! Char!"

"Wow!" 

"Did you see that? Raticate got taken down so easily!" The spectators were amazed. After all, this gentleman had beaten several Trainers before.

"Cough... Young man, your Charmander is well-trained, but you must understand—my Raticate had already fought several battles. Otherwise, there's no way I would have lost to you."

The gentleman, clearly embarrassed, recalled his Raticate and gave a small cough, trying to save face in front of the crowd.

"Is that so? Well, since this is a Trainer gathering, there should be medical equipment on board. When your Raticate recovers, feel free to challenge me again anytime," Ash replied with a calm smile.

Ash found the excuse amusing, but didn't press the issue. The gentleman's meaning was clear: he was unbeatable, right? Ash's words, however, hinted that if the man still had doubts, he could always challenge him again.

"Uh... right, of course. I'll see you next time, then." The gentleman's face flushed with discomfort, but he couldn't argue without looking unreasonable. To the onlookers, Ash's words seemed both polite and perfectly logical.

With that, the gentleman and his companion left in embarrassment. Ash, too, returned Charmander to its Poké Ball, and the surrounding crowd gradually dispersed as it became clear there would be no further battles.

Misty approached Ash.

"That guy was so annoying, acting like he didn't lose," she muttered, clearly irritated.

"Sure, he had battled a few times earlier, but he's the one who asked for the fight. Now he's just making excuses for losing. It's so frustrating!"

Ash shrugged, unfazed. "It's pretty typical for people like him to save face, especially when they think they're part of high society. Just ignore it. Let's go grab something to eat!"

Misty brightened up. "Okay! I'm starving!"