The video continued.
“Yay!”
The moment the challenger left, all of Aoi’s calm and composed demeanor vanished.
She ran straight toward Wartortle and threw her arms around it.
“You were amazing, Wartortle!”
“Wartortle!
Wartortle!”
The Pokémon happily rubbed its head against her.
Misty watched from the side, unable to hide the pride on her face.
Even so, she still maintained a strict tone.
“You did well, but there are still plenty of things you need to improve.”
“I know!”
Aoi nodded vigorously before turning toward the other side of the battlefield.
“Dad, what did you think of my battle?”
Asher Winter sat in a chair, casually holding an ice cream bar.
“Not bad.
But I think Protect should’ve been saved for an Electric-type attack that posed a bigger threat to Wartortle.
What if the water curtain hadn’t blocked Thunderbolt later on?”
Aoi tilted her head thoughtfully.
“But I wanted to force Jolteon into the pool.
The only chance was during the gap after it used an Electric-type move.”
“Besides, even if the water curtain hadn’t completely blocked Thunderbolt, its accuracy would’ve been thrown off after passing through the spray.
It wouldn’t have hit Wartortle.”
Asher laughed.
“That’s quite a bit of confidence.”
“You taught me that, Dad.”
Aoi repeated the phrase with a completely serious expression.
“Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll never be defeated.”
Asher froze for a second before chuckling.
“Alright, I’ll give you credit for actually applying what you’ve learned.”
Misty walked over, looking between the two suspiciously.
“Know yourself and know your enemy?
You taught her that?”
Asher spread his hands.
“I just happened to read it somewhere.”
“Where?”
“…A book.”
“What book?”
“Bought it online.”
Misty blinked.
“Since when do you even read books?”
“Well…
that’s a long story.”
[VIP Chat Group]
[Professor Kukui]: “Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll never be defeated”…
that’s not a saying from our world, is it?
[Professor Oak]: No.
At least, I’ve never heard anything like that in Kanto.
[Professor Rowan]: Not in Sinnoh either.
[Professor Birch]: Not in Hoenn.
[Leon]: Definitely not in Galar.
[Ash]: Then where does it come from?
[Professor Oak]: …No idea.
[Cynthia]: Another mystery surrounding this Asher Winter.
The more we learn about him, the more questions appear.
[Diantha]: And his teaching style is fascinating.
He doesn’t just teach Aoi how to battle.
He teaches her how to think.
[Elesa]: “Know yourself and know your enemy”…
that’s practically the essence of battling.
[Wallace]: Exactly.
[Steven Stone]: Even more remarkable is the person who taught it to her.
[Phoebe]: Mr.
Steven’s unusually serious today.
[Steven Stone]: I’m always serious when it comes to interesting people.
[Wallace]: You’re more serious about rocks.
[Steven Stone]: …That’s also true.
[Ash]: I don’t know where it came from, but it sounds awesome!
[Gary Oak]: Can you stop calling everything awesome?
[Ash]: But it is awesome!
He knows things none of you know!
[Professor Oak]: …For once, Ash has a point.
[Ash]: Gary, did you hear that?!
Professor Oak said I was right!
[Professor Oak]: This man named Asher Winter possesses knowledge that doesn’t exist in our world.
[Cynthia]: Which means either he comes from a place we’ve never heard of…
[Diantha]: Or…
[Diantha]: He’s not from this world at all.
The screen froze.
…
[Ding!
Question Time!]
[Generating Random Quiz Question…]
[Question: During the Gym Battle just shown, Wartortle’s final move, Water Pulse, has a secondary effect that may cause confusion.
What is the activation rate of that effect?]
[A.
10%]
[B.
20%]
[C.
30%]
[D.
40%]
[Fastest Answer Wins!
Buzzers will activate in 30 seconds!]
[VIP Chat Group]
[Ash]: Huh?!
Isn’t this just Pokémon trivia?
What does this have to do with the video?!
[Brock]: Ash, it does relate to the video.
Aoi’s Wartortle literally used Water Pulse.
[Ash]: But who actually remembers percentages like that?!
[Bruno]: Young man, this is why you should spend more time studying.
[Ash]: Master Bruno, you know the answer?
[Bruno]: Of course…
[Bruno]: I don’t remember either.
[Lance]: …
[Professor Oak]: Ahem.
The confusion chance of Water Pulse is 20%.
That’s the standard data recorded in my research on Water-type moves.
[Ash]: Professor Oak!
You’re not supposed to just say it out loud!
This is a quiz!
[Professor Oak]: Ah…
right…
force of habit.
[Clemont]: Professor Oak is correct.
According to the League Move Database, Water Pulse has a 20% confusion rate.
Though battle conditions can sometimes create slight variations in practical application.
[Bonnie]: Big brother’s reading the manual again!
[Iris]: So the answer should be B, right?
Twenty percent?
[Leon]: Statistically, yes.
But could there be a trick?
The previous question wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed.
[Raihan]: Leon, did the last question traumatize you or something?
[Leon]: I’m simply encouraging everyone to think carefully.
[Raihan]: Sounds like you’re scared.
[Leon]: Raihan, could you stop talking for five seconds?
[Professor Birch]: Based on standard battle data, it should be a fixed 20%.
[Steven Stone]: Unless this isn’t an ordinary Wartortle.
[Wallace]: What do you mean?
[Bonnie]: If we start considering every possibility, there are too many variables.
I’d stick with the standard data.
[Misty]: …Are you all done discussing?
The countdown’s almost over!
[Gary Oak]: Meowth answered the last one and got it wrong.
So who’s willing to risk it this time?
[Ash]: I am!
[Gary Oak]: You sure?
[Ash]: Absolutely!
It’s 20%, right?
Professor Oak said so!
[Brock]: Ash, don’t be reckless!
Did you already forget what happened last time?
[Ash]: I didn’t forget!
But this time I’m confident!
[May]: Ash, are you sure you’re not just itching to hit the buzzer because you missed your chance last time?
[Ash]: …How did you know?
[May]: Because you’re incredibly easy to read.
[Ash]: Doesn’t matter!
I’m buzzing in!
[Gary Oak]: Fine.
Just don’t cry if you’re wrong.
[Ash]: I won’t!
The countdown ticked away.
3…
2…
1…
[Ding!
Fastest Answer Round Begins!]
A giant red button appeared in the center of the livestream once more.
[Ding!
Successful Buzz-In!]
[Congratulations!
Ash Ketchum has secured the first answer!]
[VIP Chat Group]
[Brock]: Ash, you actually got it?!
[Gary Oak]: Alright then.
Let’s see how badly this goes.
[System Prompt: Contestant Ash Ketchum, please answer the question.
What is the confusion activation rate of Water Pulse?]
At that moment, Ash was standing in the backyard of Professor Oak’s Laboratory in Pallet Town, with Pikachu perched on his shoulder.
“Pikachu, what do you think?”
“Pika!”
“Alright!”
Ash took a deep breath and shouted toward the screen.
“I choose B!”
“Twenty percent!”