I, Gary, Want to Become a Pokemon Master

Chapter 662 - 662: Ash, You Should Worry About Yourself

Jensen stood frozen on the battlefield.His Sudowoodo lay motionless where it had fallen. The referee's voice had already confirmed the result, but Jensen still hadn't fully processed it.

Is the gap really… this large?

His hands tightened unconsciously at his sides.

He had started his journey early. He had trained diligently. He had participated in multiple League Conferences across two regions.

And yet, standing across from Gary, he felt like a complete beginner.

The difference wasn't subtle. It wasn't something that could be bridged through effort in the moment. It was overwhelming.

"I don't believe it…" Jensen muttered under his breath, his voice trembling. "I don't believe the gap is this big."

He recalled Sudowoodo, the red beam pulling it back into the Poké Ball. For a brief moment, he closed his eyes.

Then opened them again.

Resolve flickered within.

There's still one left.

He lifted his final Poké Ball.

"I'll leave it to you… Aggron!"

He threw it forward with force.

Flash!

"AGGRON—!"

The massive Steel/Rock-type slammed onto the battlefield, its armored body gleaming under the stadium lights. Thick metallic plating covered every inch of its frame like a living fortress. Each step it took caused the ground to tremble slightly.

[Aggron ♂]

[Level: 52]

[Potential: Elite-tier]

Gary's eyes shifted slightly.

Level 52. Decent. And Aggron's defense isn't something ordinary attacks can break easily.

But that didn't change anything.

"Weavile. Dynamic Punch."

"Wea!"

Weavile's posture shifted instantly. Its claws tightened, its body leaned forward—then it burst into motion.

Whoosh!

Sand and dust kicked up behind it as it dashed forward at incredible speed. Energy gathered around its fist, condensing into a dense, spiraling force.

Jensen's eyes snapped open. "No—!"

He reacted immediately. "Aggron, use Dig! Now!"

"GRON—!"

Aggron's massive claws slammed into the ground. Then—it vanished beneath the surface. The battlefield cracked slightly as the heavy Pokémon burrowed underground, disappearing from sight in an instant.

Weavile stopped abruptly. Its sharp eyes narrowed, scanning every inch of the ground for the faintest vibration or shift.

Gary's gaze remained steady.

Good reaction. But—

"Weavile. Dig."

Jensen's pupils shrank. "What?!"

Before he could process it, Weavile struck the ground with its claws, slicing downward—and disappeared underground just as quickly.

The battlefield fell silent.

Only faint tremors beneath the surface hinted at movement.

The host's voice rose with excitement. "Both Pokémon have gone underground! This has turned into a subterranean battle—the audience can't see what's happening!"

Gary folded his arms slightly.

Neither can I. But I trust Weavile.

Finish it.

Suddenly—

BOOM!!

The ground at the center of the battlefield exploded upward. Chunks of earth and stone scattered into the air as both Pokémon burst out simultaneously.

Aggron and Weavile reappeared, landing several meters apart.

Both showed signs of damage. Scratches marked their bodies. Dust clung to their frames. Their breathing was heavier than before.

They exchanged blows underground.

Jensen leaned forward desperately. Who took more damage?

It was impossible to tell. Both were still standing.

Gary didn't hesitate.

"Dynamic Punch."

"Wea!"

At this range, there was no need to build momentum. Weavile stepped forward, fist already glowing—and swung.

"Protect!" Jensen shouted.

Aggron's body shimmered. A translucent barrier formed around it in an instant.

BANG!!

Weavile's fist collided with the barrier, sending ripples cascading across its surface. The force echoed outward, but the shield held.

For one moment, everything paused.

Then Gary spoke again.

"Continue. Dynamic Punch."

Calm. Unwavering.

One barrier isn't enough.

Cracks spread across the Protect barrier like shattering glass. Then—it broke apart entirely.

Weavile's fist came again.

Jensen gritted his teeth. "Don't defend! Aggron—Smart Strike!"

"GRON—!"

Aggron roared and surged forward, its metallic body glowing faintly as it launched its counterattack.

Both attacks connected at the same instant.

BANG!!

BANG!!

The twin impacts echoed violently across the stadium.

Weavile was knocked backward, its body sliding several meters across the dirt before it caught itself, claws digging into the ground. Dust rose around it as it stabilized.

Aggron staggered.

Its heavy body trembled. Its eyes—lost focus. They began to spin.

Confusion.

The secondary effect of Dynamic Punch had taken hold.

Gary observed calmly. Good. That's enough.

"Finish it. Dynamic Punch."

"Wea!"

Weavile rushed forward without hesitation.

"Aggron, attack!" Jensen shouted desperately.

But Aggron's movements were erratic now. It swung its massive arm—at empty air. Its balance faltered, its coordination shattered by the confusion.

Weavile closed in effortlessly.

First punch—

BANG!!

Second punch—

BANG!!

The impacts echoed through the stadium like war drums.

Aggron's massive body shook violently—then collapsed. It hit the ground with a heavy crash that sent a shockwave of dust across the field.

Silence followed.

The referee stepped forward and raised the flag.

"Aggron is unable to battle! All three of Contestant Jensen's Pokémon have lost the ability to fight! The winner is—Gary!"

The crowd erupted.

"Gary wins!"

"That was a clean sweep!"

"Three-to-zero! Incredible!"

"Not even close!"

The audience roared, voices overlapping into a deafening wave of excitement.

Gary stood still for a moment, then turned and walked off the field without ceremony. Calm. Unhurried.

The result had been expected from the start.

Outside the battlefield, the cheering continued, but Gary didn't stop.

There's nothing more to see here.

The level gap between himself and most of the Trainers in this preliminary block was simply too large. Almost no one in his arena could pose a genuine threat.

Except Tobias.

But Tobias wouldn't need a second Pokémon against any of these opponents. Darkrai alone was more than enough.

There was no point in watching further.

Gary shifted direction toward another building.

Ash should be in Arena B.

When he arrived, the battle was already underway.

Ash stood on one side of the field, cap turned backward, his expression focused.

His opponent was Nando.

On the field, two Pokémon faced each other.

"Kricketune!"

"Heracross!"

Gary activated the Eye of Insight.

[Kricketune ♂ — Level 49 — Gym-tier]

[Heracross ♂ — Level 52 — Elite-tier]

Gary watched quietly, leaning against the railing.

"I see… so you're using Heracross."

Ash wasn't blindly relying on his Sinnoh-caught Pokémon. He had brought veterans from older regions—Pokémon with deeper battle experience and greater stability.

Good. At least he's thinking.

On the battlefield, the fight continued. Kricketune attacked; Heracross countered. With each exchange, the gap in strength became more apparent.

Eventually, Heracross surged forward. Its horn glowed with concentrated energy.

BANG!!

The attack landed cleanly. Kricketune crumpled to the ground.

The result was clear.

Gary didn't stay. He turned and left without a word.

No need to watch more.

4:00 PM

The first round of the preliminary matches had concluded.

Gary made his way to the Pokémon Center. Inside, a large screen had been set up in the main lobby area, ready to display the second-round matchups.

The area was already crowded. Trainers gathered in clusters, talking, analyzing their earlier opponents, debating who would advance.

Gary's gaze swept across the room. Ash was there, chatting with Dawn and Brock. Barry stood nearby, gesturing wildly about something. Paul leaned against a far wall, arms crossed, watching the screen in silence.

But Tobias wasn't present.

Not surprising. He didn't seem like the type to care about crowds.

Gary leaned lightly against the opposite wall and waited. The matchups would be announced soon. He didn't strictly need to be here—the same information would be available from his room's terminal. But walking around wasn't bad, and it was nearly dinner time anyway.

4:30 PM

The screen flickered. Names appeared, pairings locking in one after another.

Gary scanned quickly.

There.

His next opponent—Maya.

A female Trainer. Unknown to him.

Gary closed his eyes briefly.

Doesn't matter.

He turned to leave—

"Gary!"

The voice stopped him.

He turned.

Ash stood with his group a few meters away. Barry was nearby, and Paul lingered slightly behind, watching but not speaking.

Gary looked at him evenly. "…What?"

Ash stepped forward, his expression unusually serious.

"This time, I'm using my older Pokémon," he said. His voice was steady, carrying genuine determination. "You better not lose to Tobias, got it?"

Gary blinked once.

Then exhaled slowly.

"You're worried about me?"

Ash nodded without hesitation. "Of course I am!"

Gary looked at him for a long moment.

Then he spoke.

Flat. Direct.

"Ash…"

A brief pause.

"You should worry about yourself."