Chapter 2: Let’s Have a Rivalry Showdown

After understanding his system, Gary Oak refocused and looked at Professor Oak.

"Grandpa, do I get my beginner gear too?" Gary asked eagerly.

"Of course! Here are five empty Poké Balls and a Pokédex," Professor Oak handed over the two items.

It's worth noting that the Pokédex is not a common item. This device can collect data and also serve as an identification card.

It wouldn't become widespread among trainers until five years later, only to be quickly replaced by the multifunctional Rotom Phone.

At this point in time, having a Pokédex signifies that the trainer is a legitimate member of the League, with access to completely different resources.

"Great! Gear is ready. Thank you, Grandpa." Gary clipped the Poké Balls to his belt and tucked the Pokédex into his pocket, satisfied as he patted it.

"And don't forget this," Professor Oak pulled out a purple crystal pendant and hung it around Gary's neck.

"What's this?" Gary asked curiously.

"It's nothing; just consider it a talisman," Professor Oak said with a meaningful smile.

"Alright, thank you, Grandpa." Gary didn't dwell on it and tucked the crystal into his collar.

Little did he know that this small item would play a crucial role in the future Dream Project!

"Alright then, when are you planning to set off?" Professor Oak asked curiously.

"Hmm… I think I'll wait a bit longer." Gary smiled slightly; after all, he had just become a Pokémon Trainer and wanted to enjoy teasing Ash for a while longer.

Ding! Newbie task released: Newbie Showdown. Please challenge trainers who set off on the same day and achieve three consecutive wins!

Reward: 300 achievement points, proficiency in all types of Pokémon feed formulations…

Seeing how considerate the system was, Gary couldn't help but grin widely, looking like he had just eaten something delicious.

As an academic, he was naturally skilled in breeding knowledge. However, the ratios for Pokémon feed vary slightly based on different species and attributes.

This meant that even professional breeders could only master the formulations for specific attributes or types of Pokémon feed.

The proficiency in all types of feed formulations would solve Gary's basic breeding challenges moving forward—what perfect timing!

It's important to know that Pokémon growth is a long and complex process.

Even for the fastest-evolving Bug-types, the energy intake during their growth period can determine their future level cap.

In the world of Pokémon battles, having an excellent breeder is essential for long-term success.

Just look at how Ash always has a highly skilled partner by his side in every region…

Ding dong— Just as he was thinking about this, the doorbell rang.

With Professor Oak in his lab, Gary took the initiative to answer the door.

"Good morning, Gary!" A girl in a blue dress greeted him cheerfully.

"Good morning, Leaf! Come on in," Gary nodded. She was the only female trainer debuting on the same day from Pallet Town as him.

As he welcomed her into the lab, he reminded her, "Grandpa, our new trainer has arrived."

"Ah? Alright, I'll be right there," Professor Oak quickly hid his instant noodles and turned to come out.

"Good morning, Professor Oak!" The girl politely bowed to him.

"Oh—Leaf, no need to be so formal. Follow me," Professor Oak nodded and led her upstairs to receive her Pokémon.

While whistling, Gary slipped into the lab and casually tossed all of Professor Oak's instant noodles into the kitchen.

Everyone knew about his grandfather's bad habit of cooking instant noodles in beakers—it definitely needed to change…

Not wasting much time, after receiving her Pokémon and beginner gear, Leaf bounced down the stairs excitedly.

Looking at her preparing to leave, Gary quickly called out, "Leaf, did you get your Pokémon?"

"Yep!" The girl happily raised her Poké Ball. "Now I'm also a Pokémon Trainer!"

Gary smiled slightly. "As trainers, you must know this rule: when both sides make eye contact, it's a signal for battle."

"Eh? Is it like that?" Leaf was taken aback.

Gary explained with a smile, "Not necessarily! But outside there will indeed be trainers challenging you on the roadside. If you don't want to battle, you can refuse. So how about it? We're both newbies; let's have a friendly match?"

After thinking for a moment, she nodded. "Sure! Let's treat this as my first battle. Please go easy on me!"

Gary pointed towards the backyard. "Let's go there; battling here might break something!"

"Okay!" Leaf agreed enthusiastically as they both headed to the backyard.

Professor Oak watched with interest and decided to follow them. "Hehe, I'll take this opportunity to cook some instant noodles…"

"Hey? Where are my noodles?!"

Leaf blushed slightly. "I don't need you to tell me! I'll show you how powerful my Bulbasaur is!"

Gary (小茂) nearly laughed out loud; his Charmander had the advantage in this matchup!

The two trainers took their positions, creating distance between them as they prepared for a street-style battle.

Excitedly, Leaf picked up her Poké Ball, cherishing this memorable first battle. "Bulbasaur, let's go!"

Pop! The thrown Poké Ball opened mid-air, releasing a white light that revealed Bulbasaur.

The Poké Ball then bounced back to Leaf's hand, following its memory route.

"Bulba, bulba!" Bulbasaur emerged with a gentle demeanor, sporting a silly smile right from the start.

"Cough, cough—Charmander, come on out!" Gary released his Charmander as well.

"Char?" As soon as Charmander landed, it tilted its head in confusion but quickly noticed Gary behind it.

"Hey there! Nice to meet you. From now on, I'll be your trainer," Gary confidently extended his fist toward Charmander.

As the most powerful attacker among the starter Pokémon, Charmander is also the hardest to raise because Fire-types tend to be temperamental and often reluctant to listen to rookie trainers.

However, seeing the confidence in Gary's eyes, Charmander surprisingly had no thoughts of resistance at that moment.

Seeing the outstretched fist, Charmander took a couple of steps and jumped lightly to bump fists with him.

"Wow, Gary, you're amazing… You can get along so well with a newly met Charmander! Bulbasaur, let's do a fist bump too!" Leaf eagerly encouraged her Pokémon.

"Bulba?" But instead of responding, Bulbasaur yawned and lay down on the ground, falling asleep.

Clearly, while Grass-types are known for their gentle nature, they aren't easily managed by newcomers.

On the other side, Gary noticed Leaf's situation and shook his head with a smile. A child that doesn't listen is usually spoiled…

"A good smack will do."

"Alright then! For this friendly match between newbies, we don't need a referee. Let's begin!" Gary's expression turned serious as he put away his smile.

"Okay!" Leaf nodded and cheered for her Pokémon. "Go for it, Bulbasaur!"

"Bulba!" With renewed energy, Bulbasaur flipped over cautiously and eyed its opponent—Charmander, entering a defensive stance.

"Oh—this could be interesting; it seems like it has some awareness of battles," Gary remarked without holding back. "Charmander, use Scratch!"

"Char!" With both arms spread wide open, Charmander's small claws sparkled with a glimmering light as it lunged at Bulbasaur!

"Uh… um…" The girl was obviously nervous during her first battle and struggled to issue commands.

Smack! Standing still, Bulbasaur was scratched right on the face by Charmander's attack…

"Leaf, stay calm! Think about what moves your Bulbasaur knows. If you can't remember, don't forget you have your Pokédex!" Gary reminded her.

"Right! The Pokédex!" Feeling like she had found a lifeline, she quickly pulled out her Pokédex and scanned her Bulbasaur.

Watching her fumble around in panic made Gary understand why early on, every time Ash faced a battle, he would first consult his Pokédex.

It was simply due to insufficient knowledge…