Chapter 20: Bullying Lt. Surge

Julian's declaration of self-identity reverberated in his mind, solidifying his determination to forge a future unburdened by his past. It was a powerful moment of personal transformation.

As he settled back into the present, a chime rang out in his mind, drawing his attention to a new development. The System informed him of a breakthrough in his soul and the acquisition of a new ability called "resonance."

Julian's curiosity piqued, he immediately requested the System to display his updated stats. The information appeared before him:

Status - Host

Name - Julian

Age - 18

Strength - 76

Constitution - 80

Defense - 70

Intelligence - 85

Charisma - 80

Wisdom - 85

Skills - Cooking, Weapon Master, Close Combat Master, Master Shooter

Ability - Resonance (locked)

Intrigued by this new ability, Julian inquired further. "System, what does this 'resonance' ability do?"

System 'Function of this skill is unknown Host has to figure it out himself

The System's response left Julian with a sense of mystery about his new ability, but he decided to set it aside for the moment. His determination to challenge the Gym spurred him into action.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Julian got dressed and prepared to head to the Gym. He was eager to test his skills and continue his journey. As he made his way out, he spotted Steev diligently training with his Bulbasaur.

Julian couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction and encouragement for the young trainer. He thought to himself, "Good for him," appreciating Steev's dedication to improving his skills. With a smile, Julian continued on his way, ready to face the challenges that awaited him at the Vermilion City Gym.

Julian's bike ride to the Vermilion City Gym had been filled with anticipation and determination. He arrived at the gym, and its distinctive appearance, with its orange exterior and lightning symbol, confirmed that he was in the right place.

As he stepped inside, he noticed two individuals in military-style uniforms working on the battlefield. It was evident to Julian that they had already pegged him as a challenger and were relishing the prospect of another battle under their boss, Lt. Surge's, name. These assistants had a reputation for arrogance and often bullied young and inexperienced trainers, using their boss's fame to their advantage.

Julian had heard about their behavior, and the smirks on their faces as they approached him irritated him even before they spoke a word. He could feel their ridicule directed toward him, and it stirred his anger.

Despite his annoyance, Julian remained composed and decided to stay focused on his goal—to challenge and defeat Lt. Surge. The upcoming battle would be his chance to prove himself, and he was determined not to let these two arrogant assistants get under his skin.

Julian: "What are you two fools laughing at? Go and bring your boss."

Hearing Julian call them fools first, the two assistants were dumbfounded, as nobody had ever called them fools. However, their initial shock quickly turned to anger, and they demanded that he repeat his words.

Assistant 1: "What did you call us? Say it again!"

Assistant 2: "Yeah, say it again!"

Julian, undeterred by their anger, responded with a cold and commanding tone.

Julian: "Are you two fools also deaf? Didn't you hear what I said? Bring your boss here."

His words sent shivers down their spines, and they were now more fearful than angry. Reluctantly, they went to fetch their boss, and after some time, they returned with an additional person in tow. This new figure was tall and approached Julian with purposeful strides.

It was clear that Lt. Surge, the Vermilion City Gym Leader, had arrived, and the battle between him and Julian was about to begin.

Lt. Surge: "I heard you called my two assistants fools."

Lt. Surge's arrival on the scene didn't deter Julian from speaking his mind. Julian openly admitted to calling the assistants "fools" and expressed his low opinion of them, suggesting that Surge should replace them with more competent individuals.

Lt. Surge, though taken aback by Julian's audacity, couldn't help but feel embarrassed by his assistants' behavior. He shot a glare at them for provoking this confrontation with a sharp-tongued challenger.

Lt. Surge: "I see you're an arrogant one. It's going to be a fun battle."

Julian remained undaunted by the gym leader's words and the tension in the air.

Julian: "Let's get on with it. I don't have much time to waste here."

The stage was set for the battle between Julian and Lt. Surge, and the sparks were already flying before the first Pokémon was even sent into the arena.

The tension between Julian and Lt. Surge escalated as they prepared for their battle. Julian, displaying his trademark arrogance, paid little attention to Surge's words and confidently made his way to one end of the battlefield. He was determined to prove his skills and teach Surge a lesson for his assistants' behavior.

Lt. Surge, visibly angered by Julian's attitude, couldn't resist making a threat.

Lt. Surge: "Let's see how arrogant you'll be after I crush you with a devastating defeat."

Julian, unimpressed by the gym leader's words, continued to taunt him.

Julian: "Yeah, yeah, I heard you. Now, can you start the battle, or are you just going to keep blabbering?"

This only served to further frustrate Lt. Surge, who was now determined to be ruthless in their upcoming battle, eager to prove himself against this cocky challenger.

The battle was set, and Lt. Surge wasted no time in calling out his first Pokémon.

Lt. Surge: "Okay, you want to battle? So be it! We'll both use one Pokémon each. The first Pokémon that is unable to battle will lose. Go, Raichu!"

With a burst of electricity, Lt. Surge's Raichu appeared on the battlefield, crackling with energy. However, as Julian summoned his Pokémon, it became clear that this wasn't an ordinary Ivysaur.

Julian: "Finally, go Ivysaur!"

Ivysaur landed on the battlefield with a thud, creating a small dust cloud. It was immediately apparent that this Ivysaur was not only strong but also significantly larger and more imposing than the typical Ivysaur, which left both Lt. Surge and his Raichu visibly nervous.

Assistant 1: "Hey, isn't that Ivysaur a little too big?"

Assistant 2: "Yes, it really is big. I hope the boss can win this."

The comments from his assistants only added to Lt. Surge's anxiety and frustration, as he faced off against this seemingly formidable challenger.

Lt. Surge was clearly not pleased with the way the battle had started, and his frustration was mounting. He quickly issued a command to Raichu.

Lt. Surge: "Let's start, Raichu! Thunderbolt!"

Raichu responded by generating a powerful Thunderbolt attack, launching it toward Ivysaur. However, Julian's Ivysaur was not to be underestimated. With growing confidence, Julian gave his own command.

Julian: "Ivysaur, counter it with Energy Ball!"

Ivysaur skillfully conjured an Energy Ball and effortlessly intercepted the incoming Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt was dispersed, and the Energy Ball continued its trajectory, striking Raichu and sending it flying. Lt. Surge clenched his teeth in frustration, realizing that this battle was not going as he had expected.

Julian took the opportunity to taunt his opponent.

Julian: "I didn't know that you were so weak. After seeing so many Pokémon sent to the Pokémon Center, I thought you would at least pose a challenge. Looks like I was wrong. Ivysaur, let's finish this. Use Leech Seed!"

Ivysaur promptly launched a Leech Seed attack toward the now-weakened Raichu, ready to further assert its dominance in the battle.

The battle had taken an unexpected turn, and Lt. Surge's frustration only grew as he watched Raichu narrowly evade the Leech Seed attack, only to be ensnared by Ivysaur's Vine Whip in the air.

Julian seized the opportunity and gave the command for Ivysaur to further press its advantage.

Julian: "Use Vine Whip, grab his leg, and slam him until he faints!"

With Raichu still in mid-air after dodging the Leech Seed, it couldn't effectively evade the Vine Whip. The vine wrapped around Raichu's leg and relentlessly slammed it into the ground five times in quick succession. The crowd watched in shock as Raichu, once a formidable opponent, was now lying on the battlefield, fainted and battered.

Lt. Surge hurriedly rushed to Raichu's side, picking up his Pokémon and expressing concern for its condition. The battle had ended decisively, with Julian emerging as the clear victor, and the Gym Leader couldn't hide his disappointment and frustration.

Lt. Surge: "Raichu, are you okay?"

Julian: "Hurts, doesn't it? Seeing your Pokémon in such bad shape. This is what you do to every other trainer who comes to challenge you. Next time, try to be more lenient by not injuring other Pokémon like you did in the past."

Julian's words seemed to have struck a chord with Lt. Surge, and the Gym Leader appeared to be contemplating his actions as he checked on his fainted Raichu. Julian didn't hesitate to address the issue of bullying trainers that he had observed from the Gym's staff, making it clear that he wouldn't tolerate such behavior.

Julian: "If I see you fools running around and bullying other trainers with your boss's fame, next time it will be you guys who will be badly injured."

The two assistants just put their heads down, unwilling to make eye contact with Julian. Lt. Surge stood up and returned his Raichu to its Pokéball. He then walked towards Julian and handed over the Thunder Badge.

Lt. Surge: "Take it. You've earned it."

Without exchanging any further words, Lt. Surge walked away, and Julian returned Ivysaur to its Pokéball.

Julian decided to leave the Vermilion City Gym behind, hoping that his victory and words might lead Lt. Surge to reconsider his harsh methods. With the Thunder Badge safely stored in his badge case, he made his way out of the gym.

As he pondered his next destination, Saffron City's gym loomed large in his mind, with the enigmatic and challenging gym leader Sabrina awaiting him. However, Julian was not yet ready to face her. He intended to explore other gyms first and perhaps even help Ash, the boy who had been turned into a child, before taking on Sabrina's psychic-type Pokémon.

Julian made his way to the Pokémon Center to consult the map and plan his next move.

Julian rode to the Pokémon Center, where he obtained a detailed map from Nurse Joy. His previous map was too simple and lacked proper terrain information. Returning to his room, he carefully studied the new map to plan his next destination.

Julian realized that his best option at this point was to head to Fuchsia City, where Gym Leader Koga specialized in poison-type Pokémon. With Heatran on his team, he felt confident in his ability to handle poison-types. However, before challenging the Fuchsia City Gym, Julian decided to make a detour to Lavender Town.

He had heard rumors about numerous ghost sightings and ghost Pokémon inhabiting Lavender Town and hoped to catch one to add to his team. Excitement filled him as he looked forward to the new challenges and opportunities that awaited.

Julian made preparations for his journey, stocking up on food rations and ingredients for Pokémon food to ensure his team would be well cared for during their travels. With everything ready, he set out on the road once more, eager to continue his adventure in the Pokémon world.