Chapter Summaries

Ash defeated Lu Ming in his first battle, then treated Applin to a homemade dinner. The evening ended with Li Zhenfeng threatening Ash over his sister and apparently spying on him from the sky aboard his Gyarados.

• Ash and Applin defeated Lu Ming and Pikachu, and Ash suggested that Lu Ming pay attention to Pikachu's emotional state.
• At the Pokémon Center, Ash discussed Applin's battle tactics and possible Coordinator training with Luo Kai and Xiao Ke.
• Ash cooked Applin Thai hot and sour soup, but Applin burned itself by jumping into the steaming bowl and had to eat a bitter Bluk Berry.
• Ash posted a photo of dinner online, where Lu Ming, Luo Kai, Xiao Ke, and Li Zhenfeng commented; Li Zhenfeng privately warned Ash to stay away from his sister.
• Xiao Ke apologized for her brother's behavior, and Ash spotted a huge Gyarados carrying someone past his window, realizing Li Zhenfeng had come to spy on him.

Ash trained Applin and worried about running out of money before school began, so he followed Luo Kai’s suggestion to enter the Fog City Pokémon Battle Club. After registering, Ash prepared to compete in its beginner-level events and earn prize money.

• Ash took Applin on a morning jog, having it practice Rollout, then rewarded it with a cake from the Pokémon Cake Shop.
• Ash worried about his dwindling money and repair debt, and Applin tried to share its cake with him.
• Ash asked online for ways to earn money, and Luo Kai sent him an advertisement for the Fog City Pokémon Battle Club.
• Ash went with Luo Kai to the club, where he learned that Luo Kai’s family ran businesses like it.
• Luo Kai helped Ash register for beginner-level events, where Ash would need to defeat a reigning champion to advance.

Ash registered for the Pokémon Battle Club under the screen name Lu Renjia and challenged Arena E2's defender, Ni Laozi. Applin overcame its fear of Pidgeotto and began dodging Gust with Rollout, but the battle was still underway when the chapter ended.

• Ash registered on the club app as Lu Renjia and scheduled a match against Arena E2 defender Ni Laozi.
• Ash arrived at Arena E2, where Ni Laozi mocked him for being a child before both Trainers sent out their Pokémon.
• Ash's Applin recoiled in fear upon seeing Ni Laozi's Pidgeotto, but Ash gave it the choice to forfeit.
• Applin found its courage after Ni Laozi insulted Ash, and the referee started the match.
• Ash ordered Applin to use Rollout to dodge Pidgeotto's Gust and close the distance, while Ni Laozi grew angry at Pidgeotto for missing.

Ash defeated Hao Sheng’s Pidgeotto with Applin, then learned that the corrupt arena champion had a history of ambushing challengers. Ash collected his prize money and left through the Battle Club’s back door with Luo Kai, but a gang of thugs blocked them in an alley and released several evolved Pokémon.

• Ash baited Hao Sheng into ordering Pidgeotto to attack up close, and Applin struck it with Sucker Punch before finishing it with Rollout.
• The referee told Ash that Hao Sheng was a local thug who had kept the arena title by ambushing challengers and using his uncle’s influence.
• Ash collected 2,500 League Coins and declined the chance to become the arena champion because he wanted to avoid trouble and knew his victory had relied on luck.
• Ash and Luo Kai left through the back door, and Ash offered to treat Luo Kai to a meal before promising to help him in return someday.
• A group of Shamate-styled thugs on motorcycles blocked Ash and Luo Kai in an alley and released Raticate, Arbok, Golbat, Golem, and Noctowl.

The Loth Battle Tournament finals began with Lou and Alan facing Paul and Silver in a four-Pokémon battle. Paul surprised Lou with Electivire’s attack, and the opening exchange ended with Paul believing he had gained the upper hand.

• Paul and Silver discussed the unknown watcher and agreed they might ask Chen Xi to help find the psychic in East Axon after winning the championship.
• Perrian introduced the finalists, and Alan asked Lou what she would do if she became champion; Lou said she had no particular plans beyond battling with her partners.
• Paul sent out Electivire, Silver sent out Weavile, Lou sent out Lucario, and Alan sent out a Drought-using Ninetales that brought on intense sunlight.
• Lou ordered Lucario to attack Weavile with Aura Sphere, which Weavile cut apart with Shadow Claw, while Alan's Flamethrower and Silver's Blizzard prompted Paul and Alan to use Protect.
• Paul sent Electivire through the Blizzard to attack Lucario with Brick Break, and Lou countered with Close Combat; after the Pokémon exchanged blows, Paul told Lou he had surprised her.

Lou and Alan faced Paul and Silver in a fierce double battle that left one Pokémon standing for each side. Lucario and Electivire traded final blows, but the chapter ended before the outcome was declared.

• Silver’s Weavile dodged Ninetales’s Flamethrower, but Paul’s Electivire struck Ninetales with Thunder and left it badly weakened.
• Lou’s Lucario distracted the opponents while Ninetales prepared Overheat; Weavile escaped the flames with Dark Pulse, then used Blizzard and collapsed, leaving Paul and Lou with one Pokémon each.
• Alan’s Ninetales used Spite as Electivire’s Thunder struck it, sealing Thunder before Ninetales was declared unable to battle.
• Lou’s Lucario pressured Electivire with Bone Rush and Close Combat while Electivire relied on Thunder Punch.
• Lou ordered Lucario to use Meteor Mash, and Paul sent Electivire’s Brick Break against it; the collision sent both Pokémon flying backward.

Alan and Lou won the Loth Battle Tournament and received their prizes, but Lou’s plans shifted when Barry appeared and asked to enter a Pokémon Contest with her. Paul revealed he had prepared outfits for them, leaving Lou ready to register and compete alongside Barry.

• Lucario defeated Electivire with a Bone Club and Aura Sphere, making Alan and Meteor Lou the Loth Battle Tournament winners.
• Perrian presented Alan and Lou with tournament brooches, and Alan invited everyone to the winners’ party.
• Lou told Silver and Paul that Alan had wanted to gather Eevee and their evolved forms, and Paul received a call that his brother’s package had arrived.
• Barry revealed himself at the Pokémon Center and asked Lou to enter a Pokémon Contest with him; Lou agreed, and Nurse Joy registered them.
• Paul collected Reggie’s package and gave Lou a contest dress, while Barry received matching accessories Paul had prepared in advance.

Silver worried that he would have to leave before he could tell someone how he felt, but he redirected the group by asking Chen Xi for help finding the Great Prophet’s successor. Chen Xi and the Aura Guardian Ailu began using Lou’s Lucario to locate the successor, leaving them with a detailed map of Axen.

• At the gathering after the tournament, Silver fretted over his tight departure schedule and his chance to say goodbye, then suggested asking Chen Xi to find the Great Prophet’s successor.
• Lou left Xiaoqi and joined Silver and Paul in asking Chen Xi for help; he agreed to find an approximate location with assistance from Ailu, an Aura Guardian.
• Ailu sensed Lucario in Lou’s Poké Ball, and Lou released Lucario to help track the Aura Ailu would send out.
• Ailu released his Aura for several minutes while Lou’s Lucario tracked it, then asked Lou for a map of Axen.
• Lou projected her detailed map on her Pokétch, and Ailu studied it after completing the Aura-tracking exercise.

Ailu identified a remote village whose residents had special abilities and where one person seemed to share the guardian’s Aura, but Chen Xi decided not to visit without a proper reason. Lou and her friends rejoined the festivities, where Alan revealed he was traveling to Johto soon and Xiao opened a doubles Pokémon Contest in Loth City.

• Ailu pointed out a remote village where someone had an Aura reading similar to the guardian’s, and Chen Xi explained that the isolated residents would be wary of an unnecessary visit.
• Chen Xi gave Lou his contact card and left with Ailu, while Paul reassured Lou that her Pokémon would protect her.
• Alan arrived with a collection of Eevee evolutions, and Xiaoxiang added his Flareon, frustrating Silver.
• Alan told Lou and the others that he planned to travel to Eclipse City in Johto on the morning after tomorrow, and Silver realized they would be on the same ship.
• Xiao announced a doubles Pokémon Contest with a Dusk Stone as its prize, and the first pair of contestants, Silin and Sangmu’er, entered the stage.

Ash and Luo Kai were ambushed by Shamate thugs who demanded Ash's prize money and Applin, but a powerful Inteleon rescued them and defeated the gang's Pokémon. The chapter ended with two corrupt officers arriving and accusing the boys of starting the fight.

• A Shamate gang confronted Ash and Luo Kai, demanded Ash's prize money, and ordered him to release Applin so their boss could catch it.
• Ash refused to release Applin, and the gang leader sent Arbok to attack him and Luo Kai.
• An unseen Inteleon struck Arbok with Hydro Pump, then revealed itself after a Noctowl used Foresight.
• Inteleon defeated the gang's Pokémon with Water Pulse and Snipe Shot, leaving Ash and Luo Kai impressed by its strength.
• Two police officers arrived, ignored the thugs, and accused Ash and Luo Kai of being involved in the Pokémon fight.

Ash and Luo Kai were cornered by corrupt officers and thugs until Inteleon revealed the Dragon Palace Gym badge, prompting Ash to contact Li Zhenfeng. Li Zhenfeng arrived with Gyarados and took control of the confrontation, leaving the officers and thugs unable to escape.

• Two police officers demanded Ash and Luo Kai surrender their Poké Balls and accused them of attacking the police, while Inteleon appeared to surrender and handed over the Dragon Palace Gym badge.
• The officers recognized the badge, and Ash messaged Li Zhenfeng, who admitted he had assigned Inteleon to protect Ash and told him to wait for help.
• After consulting the Police Chief, the officers apologized and begged Ash not to hold them responsible, but Ash pointed them toward Inteleon and its Trainer.
• Li Zhenfeng arrived riding Gyarados, greeted Ash, and asked whether the officers and thugs had cornered the boys.
• Ash identified the officers and thugs, and Gyarados knocked down those who tried to flee on their motorcycles.

Li Zhenfeng resolved the incident with Hao Sheng and arranged for Inteleon to live with Ash as his bodyguard. At home, Ash ordered dinner and met a delivery boy who would soon attend Pokémon Trainer High School with him.

• Li Zhenfeng ordered the police officers to arrest the thugs and advised Ash and his companion to avoid taking risks before they were stronger.
• Hao Sheng and his men were arrested, and corrupt officers at the police station, including the chief, were replaced.
• Li Zhenfeng arranged for Inteleon to live at Ash's home as protection, with monthly rent and expenses paid into Ash's account.
• Ash ordered duck dishes and prepared Berry dipping sauces for Applin and Inteleon, then let Applin meet its new housemate.
• Ash opened the door to a delivery boy accompanied by Farfetch'd and learned that the boy would soon attend Pokémon Trainer High School with him.

Ash prepared Applin for battle with intensive daily training while Inteleon’s coffee obsession took over his kitchen. On the first day at Fog City High School, Ash arrived with Lu Ming and discovered that the teacher’s Arcanine sensed a Pokémon following him.

• Inteleon interrupted Ash’s conversation with Li Zicong, took the food, and fed Applin.
• Ash trained Applin every day with morning Rollout runs, batting-cage practice, and occasional battles against Lu Ming’s Pikachu.
• Inteleon made Ash buy expensive pour-over equipment and brewed black coffee, which Ash gave to Lu Ming on the bus to school.
• Ash and Lu Ming arrived at Fog City High School, where Ash approached a teacher’s Tibetan Region Arcanine.
• Arcanine growled at Ash, and the teacher asked whether the Pokémon following him was his.

Ash entered Fog City High School with Inteleon registered as his bodyguard, but a confrontation involving Li Zhenfeng drew hostile attention to him. At the freshman ceremony, Principal Shen Wenbin warned that students who failed any of the four annual examinations would be expelled.

• Ash’s Inteleon revealed himself at the school gate, and a teacher registered him as Ash’s Pokémon bodyguard while warning that he could not participate in regular battle classes.
• Xiao Ke confronted her overprotective brother Li Zhenfeng, who accused Ash of pursuing her; the teacher knocked Li Zhenfeng unconscious and sent him away on Arcanine.
• The crowd turned its hostility toward Ash after learning he knew Li Zhenfeng, while Ash, Lu Ming, Luo Kai, Xiao Ke, and Li Zicong gathered with the freshmen.
• Principal Shen Wenbin welcomed the new students and warned that anyone who failed to pass any of the four examinations held each year would be expelled.

The principal warned the new students about the dangers of being a Pokémon Trainer by showing them his and his Houndoom’s injuries, then named Ash the new student representative. Ash gave a modest speech and was assigned to Class A, where Xiao Nan approached him and declared them rivals.

• The principal described the risks of training Pokémon and revealed that he and his Houndoom had each lost their hind legs.
• The principal called Ash to the stage as the new student representative because of his exceptional entrance exam performance.
• Ash delivered a speech acknowledging his knowledge while saying he still had much to learn as a Trainer.
• The school assigned Ash and Xiao Ke to Class A, Lu Ming to Class C, Luo Kai to the Coordinator Class, and Li Zicong to Class B.
• Xiao Nan approached Ash in Class A and introduced himself as Ash’s rival.

Ash faced challenges from classmates after being singled out as a top student, then joined Class 1-A for a practical battle lesson with homeroom teacher Shen Xunge. The chapter ended as Shen prepared to battle Xiao Nan’s Scizor with a Koffing.

• Liu Zhongyao and Zhang Chongwei threatened Ash, and Xiao Ke teased him about being popular.
• Shen Xunge introduced himself as Class 1-A’s homeroom teacher and took the students to the battle grounds to assess their abilities.
• Shen offered to teach an advanced move to any student who could defeat him in a one-Pokémon battle.
• Xiao Nan challenged Shen and revealed his evolved Scizor, which Shen said had been evolved too early with a Metal Coat.
• Shen sent out a Koffing to face Xiao Nan’s Scizor.

Xiao Nan challenged homeroom teacher Shen Xunge, confident that his Scizor could easily defeat Koffing. Shen Xunge’s Koffing revealed the power of Gyro Ball and left Scizor badly injured, while the battle remained unfinished.

• Shen Xunge sent out Koffing against Xiao Nan’s Scizor and asked Ash to referee their match.
• Xiao Nan ordered Scizor to use Bullet Punch, but Koffing’s Protect came up too slowly to stop the hit.
• Shen Xunge recognized that Scizor’s unusual speed came from its Light Metal Ability and its smaller build.
• Xiao Nan ordered another Bullet Punch, and Shen Xunge countered with Koffing’s Gyro Ball.
• Koffing’s spinning attack deflected Scizor’s pincer and struck its chest, leaving Scizor badly hurt just inside the field boundary.
• Shen Xunge explained that Scizor’s increased speed had come at the cost of strength and defense.

Xiao Nan’s Scizor fought Shen Xunge’s Koffing, but Shen Xunge exposed the dangers of Scizor’s relentless high-speed attacks. Though Xiao Nan recognized his mistake, Scizor chose to keep battling, and Shen Xunge prepared to end the fight quickly.

• Shen Xunge’s Koffing used Clear Smog to erase the power Scizor had gained with Swords Dance.
• Xiao Nan ordered Scizor to attack Koffing repeatedly with Metal Claw, and Koffing defended with Gyro Ball.
• Shen Xunge pointed out that Scizor’s rapid attacks had caused dangerous overheating and likely damaged its pincers’ joints.
• Xiao Nan asked whether Scizor still wanted to fight, and Scizor nodded despite its pain.
• Shen Xunge agreed to continue the battle and resolved to give Scizor a quick way to bow out.

Shen Xunge defeated Xiao Nan’s Scizor with a chemical explosion triggered by Will-O-Wisp, then spent an hour beating the rest of the class in practice battles. Ash watched as Koffing used poison and defensive tactics to defeat Liu Zhongyao’s Druddigon and Zhang Chongwei’s Combusken.

• Shen Xunge had Koffing use Protect and Smokescreen, then ignited the smoke with Will-O-Wisp and knocked out Xiao Nan’s Scizor.
• Ash announced Koffing as the winner, and Xiao Nan took Scizor to the infirmary for treatment.
• Shen Xunge defeated the remaining thirty-four students in an hour, with Koffing beating eight opponents, including Liu Zhongyao and Zhang Chongwei.
• Koffing used Pain Split, Toxic, Protect, and Substitute to wear down Liu Zhongyao’s Druddigon.
• Koffing poisoned Zhang Chongwei’s Combusken with Poison Gas, blocked Reversal with Protect, and defeated it with Venoshock.

Ash faced homeroom teacher Shen Xunge in the class’s final battle after Shen invited him to study Pokémon research. Ash sent out Applin against Shen’s Sneasel and gained an early advantage with well-timed attacks, but the battle continued.

• After Xiao Ke’s battle, Shen Xunge invited Ash to study in the Pokémon Research Department, but Ash said he was more interested in battling.
• Shen Xunge revealed that Gym Leader Li had told him about Ash’s ability and chose his strongest Pokémon, Sneasel, for their battle.
• Ash sent out Applin, which stood its ground despite Sneasel’s Ice-type advantage.
• When Sneasel attacked with Fake Out, Ash timed Applin’s Sucker Punch to interrupt it and knock it down.
• Ash ordered Astonish, and Applin’s ghostly apparition frightened Sneasel into leaping up and tumbling Applin to the floor.