Recaps

Ash faced Tate in the Ever Grande Conference, falling behind after Torkoal and Pikachu were defeated before Glalie struck back and took down Dugtrio. Tate sent out Misdreavus to battle Glalie, and her choice to advance through Ice Beam left Xia You suspecting a ruthless plan.

• Tate used Venomoth to disable Torkoal's Withdraw, then switched to Golduck and defeated Torkoal with Water Gun and Fury Swipes.
• Ash sent Pikachu against Tate's Dugtrio, but Dugtrio trapped him in Sand Tomb and knocked him out after Ash recklessly ordered an Iron Tail clash.
• Ash sent out Glalie, which forced Dugtrio out of the ground with Headbutt and defeated it with Ice Beam.
• Tate sent out Misdreavus, and it kept approaching Glalie while enduring Ice Beam, prompting Xia You to recognize Tate's plan.

Ash and Tate’s match shifted in Ash’s favor as he won several rounds, but Tate’s final Pokémon, Walrein, suddenly defeated Swellow and Corphish in succession. Ash sent out his last Pokémon to face a nearly unscathed Walrein.

• Misdreavus used Destiny Bond to take Glalie down with it, making their round a draw and leaving Tate one Pokémon ahead.
• On the Water Field, Ash’s Corphish defeated Tate’s Golduck and evened the score.
• Ash’s Swellow defeated Tate’s Venomoth and then Scizor, putting Ash ahead three to five.
• Tate sent out her final Pokémon, Walrein, which defeated Swellow and Corphish in quick succession.
• Ash threw his final Poké Ball to challenge Walrein, which had built momentum and remained almost unscathed.

Ash defeated Tate’s Walrein to advance to the Round of 16, while Masamune also won his match. The new pairings set Ash against Masamune and Xia You against another powerful Trainer, whom Charles Goodshow had deliberately selected to stop him.

• Ash sent out Grovyle as his final Pokémon, and it defeated Tate’s Walrein after overcoming its Mimic-powered Quick Attack and landing a decisive Leaf Blade.
• Ash reunited with Xia You, May, Max, and Misty after his victory, while Masamune easily won his own match and advanced.
• Ash, Masamune, and their friends celebrated their progress at a pizza restaurant before the Round of 16 pairings were announced.
• Ash and Masamune discovered they would face each other in the first match the next day, and Masamune ran outside with Ash chasing after him.
• Xia You learned that his opponent was a formidable female Trainer, while Charles Goodshow watched him and revealed he had arranged the matchup to try to stop Xia You.

Ash and Masamune’s round-of-sixteen match began with Masamune too conflicted to battle effectively, but Ash’s encouragement eventually brought back his fighting spirit. After Corphish and Swampert drew in an exciting clash, the match resumed on the Grass Field, where Steelix defeated Pikachu and left the contest ongoing.

• Ash and Masamune began their match on the Ice Field, where Masamune’s Girafarig battled poorly and lost to Ash’s Corphish.
• Masamune hesitated after Girafarig’s defeat, but Ash shouted to him and prompted him to send out Growlithe.
• Masamune regained his fighting spirit, and his Swampert fought Corphish to a draw after a fierce exchange.
• The halftime break ended, and Ash’s Pikachu faced Masamune’s Steelix on the Grass Field.
• Steelix defeated Pikachu with Iron Tail, giving Masamune a win in the second half.

Ash and Masamune fought through a fierce series of battles, with their score repeatedly returning to a tie. Their final Pokémon, Ash’s Glalie and Masamune’s Metang, began the deciding match, which ended with Glalie turning Metang’s reflected Ice Beam back on it with Icy Wind.

• Masamune’s Steelix defeated Ash’s Torkoal despite its type disadvantage, giving Masamune two consecutive wins.
• Ash’s Grovyle beat Steelix, then lost to Masamune’s Gligar; Grovyle and Ash’s Swellow later traded knockouts with Gligar and Masamune’s Swellow.
• May secretly ate all of Xia You’s snacks, and Xia You told her he expected Ash to win the close match.
• Ash sent out Glalie while Masamune chose Metang for the deciding battle, and Metang gained the early advantage by reflecting Glalie’s Ice Beam with Confusion.
• Ash had Glalie use Icy Wind to redirect and strengthen the reflected Ice Beam, striking Metang with both moves at once.

Ash defeated Masamune with Glalie and advanced, then Xia You began his match against Shizuko. Blaziken won its first two battles, leaving Shizuko trailing two to zero as the match continued.

• Ash used Glalie to defeat Masamune's Metang, won the match, and shook hands with Masamune.
• Masamune accepted his loss without resentment and stayed with Ash, Xia You, and the others to watch the remaining matches.
• After lunch, Xia You entered the Battle Area to face Shizuko, who sent out Primeape against his Blaziken.
• Xia You changed Blaziken's tactics from close combat to fire attacks, and Blaziken defeated Primeape.
• Shizuko sent out Dodrio, but Blaziken restrained it with its claws and foot and knocked it unconscious.

Xia You’s Blaziken continued fighting Shizuko’s team, defeating Houndoom and gaining an early advantage against Claydol despite its type disadvantage. Shizuko tried to contain Blaziken with Psychic attacks, but Xia You outmaneuvered her; the chapter ended as Claydol hurled stones at Blaziken to stop his charge.

• Shizuko sent out Houndoom, but Blaziken overcame its attacks and forced Shizuko to switch Pokémon.
• Shizuko sent out Claydol, whose type advantage and Psychic attacks pushed Blaziken toward the edge of the field.
• Xia You had Blaziken use Flamethrower to obscure Claydol’s view, then break its Confusion barrier with an airborne kick.
• Blaziken feinted with Flamethrower, prompting Shizuko to teleport Claydol away, then reclaimed the center of the field.
• Xia You ordered Blaziken to charge at high speed, and Claydol tried to intercept him with Confusion before launching a barrage of stones.

Xia You’s Blaziken defeated Shizuko’s Claydol, completing a dominant first half before resting during the intermission. The second half began on the Ice Field, where Xia You sent out Milotic against Shizuko’s Piloswine and used Hydro Pump to turn the slippery arena to Milotic’s advantage.

• Blaziken used Quick Attack, Fire Punch, and Blaze Kick to defeat Shizuko’s Claydol, giving Xia You three wins in the first half.
• Ash, Masamune, and Brock praised Xia You’s performance, with Brock noting that Blaziken might have defeated Shizuko’s recalled Houndoom as well.
• During the intermission, Xia You rested Blaziken and learned that the second-half battlefield would be the Ice Field.
• Xia You sent out Milotic against Shizuko’s Piloswine, which charged across the ice with Take Down.
• Milotic fired Hydro Pumps to force Piloswine off course, then used the water left on the ice to move rapidly across the slippery surface.
• Shizuko realized Xia You had deliberately spread water across the Ice Field to help Milotic move like it was swimming.

Xia You’s Milotic defeated Shizuko’s Swampert, Piloswine, and Houndoom, securing a dominant victory in the Ever Grande Conference. The crowd rallied behind Xia You as the clear championship favorite, while Charles Goodshow and John recognized that his momentum could no longer be stopped.

• Shizuko froze the water on her side of the field, but Xia You ordered Milotic to use Rain Dance, forcing her to recall Piloswine and send out Swampert.
• Xia You kept Milotic in the battle, and it outmaneuvered Swampert in the rain before binding it and knocking it unconscious with Dragon Tail.
• Milotic then defeated Shizuko’s Piloswine and Houndoom, completing another three-opponent sweep for Xia You.
• The spectators cheered Xia You as the leading championship favorite, while Shizuko left the match questioning whether she deserved to compete in the Main Tournament.
• John told Charles Goodshow that public support for Xia You had surged and asked whether they should keep matching him against the strongest opponents, but Charles only sighed.

Xia You advanced to the Ever Grande Conference semifinals with a decisive victory, while Ash lost his quarterfinal match and was eliminated. The chapter ended with Xia You left to pursue the championship without Ash as his next opponent.

• Xia You declined reporters’ interviews and left the crowd with help from tournament security.
• The Giant Screen paired Xia You against a spiky-haired man and Ash against a blue-haired girl in the quarterfinals.
• Xia You defeated his opponent six to zero and advanced to the semifinals.
• Ash fell behind in his match, and his badly injured Grovyle became his last Pokémon.
• Ash’s opponent sent out Typhlosion, which defeated Grovyle and ended Ash’s Ever Grande Conference run.

Misty pulled Ash out of his despair after his top-eight elimination, while Xia You advanced through the semifinals and became the overwhelming favorite for the Ever Grande Conference title. The final against Ahua began with Xia You sending out Blaziken and Ahua countering with his previously unseen Slowbro.

• Misty stopped just short of slapping Ash, then scolded him until he recovered from his loss and vowed to work harder.
• Xia You defeated the blue-haired Trainer who had eliminated Ash, winning six to zero and reaching the final.
• Ahua won the other semifinal and advanced to face Xia You, despite spectators expecting Xia You to win easily.
• During the day before the final, Xia You received messages and calls of support from friends and companions across several regions.
• Xia You and Ahua entered the final, and the first field selected was the Grass Field.
• Xia You sent out Blaziken first, and Ahua answered with Slowbro, a secret choice suited to resist Blaziken's Fire- and Fighting-type moves.

Xia You’s Blaziken defeated Ahua’s Slowbro by exploiting its delayed reactions, then burned Ahua’s Tauros to secure another victory. As Xia You withdrew Blaziken before the third battle, the arena began chanting “Champion!” before Ahua sent out his next Pokémon.

• Ahua ordered Slowbro to attack Blaziken with Confusion and Water Gun, but Blaziken evaded the barrage until Ahua hesitated.
• Blaziken feinted an aerial attack, dodged Slowbro’s Psychic, and charged in with Quick Attack to knock it down.
• Slowbro’s Oblivious Ability left it lying dazed, allowing Blaziken to strike it with Slash and win the first battle.
• Ash, Max, and Brock praised Blaziken’s speed and Xia You’s tactics, while May wondered whether her Combusken would become a fast Blaziken too.
• Blaziken defeated Ahua’s Tauros with flames, and Xia You withdrew it before the third battle.
• Spectators chanted “Champion!” as Ahua prepared to send out his final Pokémon.

Xia You defeated Ahua six to zero to win the Ever Grande Conference, then celebrated with his friends before setting out for Kanto and the Battle Frontier. After several days at sea, the group arrived in Vermilion City, where Xia You anticipated seeing Sabrina and Erika again.

• Xia You's Gardevoir defeated Ahua's final Pokémon, completing a six-to-zero victory and crowning Xia You the Ever Grande Conference Champion.
• Xia You accepted Ahua's congratulations, received his trophy from Charles Goodshow, and celebrated the championship with Ash and the others.
• Xia You and Ash decided to travel to Kanto and challenge the Battle Frontier, while May chose to accompany Misty and Max agreed to return to Petalburg City with Masamune.
• Xia You, Misty, Ash, Brock, and May boarded a ship for Kanto after Masamune and Max departed for Petalburg City.
• Xia You and his companions arrived in Vermilion City, where Xia You thought about seeing Sabrina and Erika again.

After returning to Kanto, Xia You visited Cerise Laboratory and reunited with Chloe, while Misty and May toured Cerise Park and met the Pokémon Chloe had been caring for. The visit ended with Misty and May startled by Xia You’s enormous Red Giant Gyarados, while Chloe calmly fed it.

• Ash and Brock left Vermilion City together, while Xia You headed for Cerise Laboratory with Misty and May.
• Misty warned May that Chloe Cerise was a romantic rival before Xia You arrived at the laboratory and surprised Chloe.
• Chloe welcomed Xia You back, accepted his Hoenn souvenirs, and took Misty and May to Cerise Park while he went inside to see Professor Cerise.
• Chloe showed Misty and May Venusaur, Scizor, Tyranitar, Jolteon, Blastoise, and Crystal Steelix, all of whom were familiar with her.
• Red Giant Gyarados burst from the lake and frightened Misty and May, but Chloe fed it Berries and reassured them that it would not attack them.

Xia You visited Professor Cerise’s laboratory, gathered information for his Battle Frontier challenge, and spent time with his Pokémon at Cerise Park. He then set out with Misty, May, and Chloe to visit the Biker Gang near Vermilion City, where the members welcomed him and brought the group into a meeting room.

• Xia You reunited with Professor Cerise, Chrysa, and Ren, gave them gifts, and heard Ren praise his championship matches.
• Xia You told Professor Cerise he planned to challenge the Battle Frontier, and Professor Cerise showed him a map of its Kanto facilities.
• Xia You returned to Cerise Park, released his Pokémon to roam, and decided to visit Meisha, Masha, and the Biker Gang near Vermilion City.
• Misty joined Xia You, and May and Chloe followed; on the way, they encountered Goh, who awkwardly greeted Chloe and hurried off.
• Xia You and the three girls reached the Biker Gang’s repair shop and bar, where Meisha, Masha, and the members enthusiastically welcomed him.
• Meisha dismissed the Biker Gang members and led Xia You, Misty, May, and Chloe into a meeting room.

Xia You reunited with Shelly and Courtney at their newly established bases in Kanto and discussed their plans. He agreed to have them form a small Special Operations Team to support his travels, leaving Shelly as its captain and the team preparing to retrieve a submarine from Hoenn.

• Xia You visited the Biker Gang’s bar and learned from Meisha and Masha that Shelly and Courtney were managing two guarded warehouse bases nearby.
• Shelly and Courtney greeted Xia You, and he chose to enter Shelly’s blue warehouse base while Courtney followed with her people.
• Shelly told Xia You she planned to earn money by catching Pokémon for clients, while Courtney offered to accompany him to Sinnoh.
• Shelly objected when Meisha and Masha asked to join Xia You’s future work, and Xia You told them to build their skills and support the group from Kanto.
• Xia You tasked Shelly and Courtney with forming a Special Operations Team of fewer than ten members, named Shelly captain, and asked them to prioritize mobility.
• Shelly said she would return to Hoenn to retrieve a submarine stored at a Team Aqua Secret Base for the team’s transportation.

Xia You left Hoenn’s outskirts with Misty and May, visited Chloe’s family, then traveled toward the Battle Arena near Saffron City. There he met Scott, who drove them to the facility the next morning to meet Frontier Brain Greta.

• Xia You said goodbye to Shelly, Courtney, Meisha, and Masha, and Meisha admitted that she liked him too.
• Misty told May and Chloe that Shelly and Courtney had once been criminal-organization executives before Xia You defeated them and recruited them.
• Xia You, Misty, and May visited Chloe’s home, where they met her family and shared a warm dinner with Chrysa and Ren.
• The next day, Xia You traveled toward the Battle Arena and met Scott at the Pokémon Center; Scott recognized him as a Champion and invited him to challenge Greta.
• After spending the night at the Pokémon Center, Xia You rode with Misty and May in Scott’s sports car to the Battle Arena, where Scott described Greta as a skilled karate master.

Xia You arrived at the Battle Arena with Scott, Misty, and May, where Bea challenged Frontier Brain Greta. Bea won the opening match of their three-on-three battle, defeating Greta’s Hariyama with Pangoro.

• Xia You and his companions watched Greta lead karate training at the Battle Arena.
• Bea arrived and challenged Greta, then was surprised to encounter Xia You again.
• Greta introduced the Battle Arena’s wheel, and Bea spun it to choose a three-on-three elimination battle.
• Greta and Bea revealed their Fighting-type teams, then selected Hariyama and Pangoro for the first match.
• Bea’s Pangoro defeated Greta’s Hariyama in a hard-fought clash of strength.

Bea defeated Greta in the Battle Arena Pokémon match, then accepted Greta’s challenge to spar in karate and proved stronger there as well. Greta acknowledged Bea’s advantage, while Xia You remained ready to battle her once her Pokémon recovered.

• Bea tied the match at one win apiece after Hawlucha lost to Medicham, then put Grapploct and Pangoro back into battle and defeated Greta three to one.
• Greta gave Bea the Guts Symbol and admitted that Bea had raised her Pokémon exceptionally well.
• Greta postponed Xia You’s requested battle until her Pokémon recovered, and Xia You agreed to wait.
• Greta challenged Bea to a karate spar, and the two fought before bowing and stopping.
• Greta showed her reddened palms and conceded that Bea’s powerful kick had left her at a disadvantage.

Xia You met Bea again at the Battle Arena, then began a two-on-two match against Greta after the wheel selected two Pokémon. Blaziken’s speed overwhelmed Greta’s Hariyama, leaving the battle unresolved but firmly under Xia You’s control.

• Xia You, Misty, and May talked with Bea in the Rest Room before Greta and Scott invited them to lunch.
• After Greta’s Pokémon recovered, Xia You spun the wheel and got a two-Pokémon match against her.
• Greta sent out Hariyama and Medicham, while Xia You chose Blaziken and Scizor.
• Xia You sent Blaziken against Hariyama, and the apprentices and Scott admired the strength it had shown at the Ever Grande Conference.
• Blaziken used its speed to evade Hariyama’s blows and land a powerful kick, while Greta struggled to find a way to counter it.

Xia You defeated Greta's Hariyama with Blaziken and her Medicham with Scizor, winning the Battle Arena challenge. Greta awarded him the Guts Symbol and thanked him for showing her how much further she could improve.

• Blaziken burned Hariyama with Fire Punch, then defeated it with Flare Blitz despite Hariyama's attempts to endure the battle.
• Xia You sent out Scizor as Greta chose Medicham for the second match.
• Medicham surprised Scizor with a powerful Focus Punch, but Scizor endured its next strike with Iron Defense and countered with Bullet Punch, Metal Claw, and Iron Head.
• Scizor evaded Medicham's final counterattack with Double Team and knocked it unconscious with Metal Claw, winning the match.
• Greta praised Xia You, gave him the Arena's Guts Symbol, and thanked him for inspiring her to train harder.

After leaving the Battle Arena, Xia You traveled toward Saffron City with Misty and May while Bea set off to challenge Bruno. Xia You reunited passionately with Sabrina at Saffron Gym, where they disappeared into her room as her father handled the Gym in her absence.

• Xia You and his companions said goodbye to Greta and Scott, then spent the night at a Pokémon Center while Scott mentioned he was heading toward the Battle Factory.
• Bea told Xia You and Misty she planned to challenge Bruno near Mt. Silver, and Xia You shared what he knew about Bruno's strongest Pokémon.
• The next morning, Bea departed for Mt. Silver, and Xia You continued toward Saffron City with Misty and May.
• Sabrina sensed Xia You approaching, left an awaiting Gym challenger with her father, and ran to greet Xia You outside Saffron Gym.
• Xia You and Sabrina kissed, entered the Gym, and went to Sabrina's room, while Sabrina's father defeated the novice challenger and later closed the Gym for the day.

After spending the afternoon with Sabrina, Xia You explored the Saffron Gym, where Gengar secretly used psychic powers to prank a group of trainees. Misty and May arrived with news of an upcoming Saffron City Pokémon Contest, which May planned to enter.

• Xia You visited the Gym’s psychic training room and claimed he had no talent for psychic powers.
• Gengar secretly lifted and twisted a spoon, shocking the trainees into believing Xia You was a psychic prodigy.
• Sabrina found Xia You and explained that she had confiscated Jigglypuff’s microphone and let it roam around Saffron City.
• Misty and May arrived after seeing a notice that the Gym was closed, then told Xia You about the upcoming Pokémon Contest.
• May decided to enter the contest to compare Kanto contests with the one in Ever Grande.

Xia You traveled from Saffron City toward the Battle Dome with Misty and May, while receiving news from Johto about Eevee and Charizard. The chapter ended as he watched Frontier Brain Steven Stone make a dramatic entrance before a packed crowd.

• Xia You said goodbye to Sabrina and left Saffron City with Misty and May, then learned that the man heading to the Gym was Sabrina’s father.
• Sayo called Xia You and asked him to bring Eevee back to Johto for a visit, and Xia You agreed to make time for the trip.
• Kiko told Xia You that his Charizard planned to challenge the strongest Charizard in Charizard Canyon and would wait for him to attend.
• Xia You, Misty, and May reached the Battle Dome and discovered a huge crowd had gathered to watch Frontier Brain Steven Stone battle.
• Steven Stone descended into the arena in a black cape and welcomed the audience as his fans cheered.

Xia You registered to battle Steven Stone at the Battle Dome the next morning, while Steven turned the challenge into a publicity opportunity. With Misty and May preparing for their stay near Cerulean City, Xia You flew to Cerulean Cave to look for Mewtwo, where two Great Balls began shaking as he reached the cave’s halfway point.

• Steven Stone defeated a challenger in a double battle, and Xia You judged his teamwork and tactics after watching the match.
• Xia You registered under his real name, and his championship records stunned the Battle Dome staff and prompted Steven Stone to schedule their battle for the next morning.
• Steven Stone and his manager decided to publicize the match widely, while Steven welcomed the chance to raise his profile whether he won or lost.
• Xia You, Misty, and May stayed overnight at a Pokémon Center near Cerulean City, and Xia You noticed Misty was growing sad at the prospect of reaching home and parting ways.
• Xia You flew to Cerulean Cave with Dragonite, then entered with Gardevoir and Gengar to search for Mewtwo.
• As Xia You reached the cave’s halfway point, the two Great Balls at his waist began shaking violently.